Is your local cinema a disgrace??

Join Empire | Log In

Search Empire

Forum Home

Register for Free!

Log In

Moderator Tickets

FAQ

Users Online

Is your local cinema a disgrace??

Logged in as: Guest

Printable Version

All Forums >> [Film Forums] >> Movie Musings >> Is your local cinema a disgrace??

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 11:37:23 AM

johndoe

Posts: 85
Joined: 5/1/2006

My case in point: Before The Devil Knows You're Dead is released this week, a film by legendary director Sidney Lumet which I'm really, REALLY looking forward to. So I check the listings, and it's on once a day (except weekends). At 11:15. At night.

It doesn't stop there. Lust, Caution and The Savages (2 more films I really wanted to see) were not shown AT ALL.

Then you have crap like Alvin and the Chipmunks whuch is on 7 times a day, every day.

Cinemas are supposedly for film lovers. Well this particular cinema obviously isn't.

_____________________________

"I know who I am! I'm the dude playing the dude disguised as another dude!"

"It's Keith Moon for Snickers!"

Post #: 1

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 11:43:21 AM

darthjim

Posts: 163
Joined: 23/1/2008
From: Cumbria

I have two local cinemas (even though I live in the sticks). One is an Apollo multi-screen job, which has nice, big screens, top sound and shows all the busters-of-block and not much else. The other is a little two-screen art-house cinema, which shows everything else, from indie to foreign language.

Twixt them, they service my filmic needs admirably.

I feel for your pain, however.

_____________________________

www.the-scoremagazine.com

(in reply to johndoe)

Post #: 2

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 11:49:15 AM

JIm R

Posts: 3719
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Surrey

It depends on the outlook of the cinema, chains are driven by the major films dictated to by distributors and studios.

Whereas, go to an independent your in luck, however some areas of the country are not forunate to have cnemas with this option.

(in reply to darthjim)

Post #: 3

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 12:18:00 PM

BatFan

Posts: 1707
Joined: 27/7/2006

Before the Devil Knows your dead came out almost 4 weeks ago. It's quite a small film too (I only found out about it a week before it was released by watching the trailer on youtube).
As said before it's a pretty small film and I expected not many people to see it. I was quite surprised when I saw it at cineworld at canary wharf because the showing was 3/4 full. It had about 4 showings a day but was only there for a week.
Bottom line is the cinema wants to make money. And the harsh reality is that more people want to see stuff like Alvin and the chipmunks or st trinians or Avp-R than Before the devil knows your dead.

_____________________________

"You are in hell, little man! And I am the devil!"
"You're not the devil. You're practice"

(in reply to JIm R)

Post #: 4

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 12:20:47 PM

Lightfoot

Posts: 351
Joined: 17/12/2007

Don't blame the cinema, blame people.

(in reply to BatFan)

Post #: 5

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 12:22:22 PM

jermreen

Posts: 514
Joined: 5/12/2007
From: Nibelheim

I nearly had a heart attack when I heard my local wasn't showing "No country for old men", but I found out soon after they were showing it 2 weeks later. Close call huh?

(in reply to BatFan)

Post #: 6

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 12:34:06 PM

HIGHLANDER

Posts: 1264
Joined: 30/9/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: JIm R

It depends on the outlook of the cinema, chains are driven by the major films dictated to by distributors and studios.

Whereas, go to an independent your in luck, however some areas of the country are not forunate to have cnemas with this option.

Tell me about it. I work in ODEON national call centre and i get complaints such as these very frequently. "Why isn't No Country For Old Men not showing in my local cinema? It's a disgrace. blah, blah, blah." Don't blame ODEON, blame Paramount pictures instead. As a matter of fact as i'm writing this i've got a customer moaning about this very matter to me. It's the nature of the business unfortunately. But i'm saying this from a purely professional standpoint.
Personally i do agree. My local cinema is the ODEON Stoke which shows crap most of the time. There is the Director's Chair screenings every Tuesday night which are decent i suppose but that's about it for independent films.

_____________________________

LAST 5 FILMS
Three Men And A Baby - 4/5 DVD (12)
City Of God - 5/5 SKY *
The Bank Job - 2/5 SKY *
Gran Torino - 4/5 Blu-Ray *
The Talented Mr Ripley - 3/5 SKY *

* indicates 1st viewing
( ) indicates no of viewings

(in reply to JIm R)

Post #: 7

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 12:39:37 PM

benmharper

Posts: 1888
Joined: 15/12/2005
From: Carlisle

My local cinema (vue) also mainly shows big blockbusters, but then it'll show the smaller films for a week when they can get hold of prints. (No Country for Old Men is coming in late feb, thy've been promised a print, supposedly Vue cimemas didn't get enough to go round).
I do get to see them but have to wait a bit longer then everyone else.

_____________________________

#3 member of The Wire fan club. PM Dantes Inferno to join.

(in reply to jermreen)

Post #: 8

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 1:14:12 PM

krudler

Posts: 6604
Joined: 30/9/2005

well cinemas are a business so are they going to run a small indy movie thatll have a dozen people per screening paying to see it or spend the manpower and dedicate screen time showing a movie that will pack in a load of kids and sell a load of food, its not good business sense to show small movies that there isnt an audience for, im sure nightclub djs would love to play off the wall dance tracks but people would rather hear whatevers in the charts to it wouldnt make sense to not do this, thats why dvds are the way to go with indy movies, i went to see pans labyrinth when it first came out and in a screen with over 200 seats there were 16 people at the evening showing of it, 16!

_____________________________

quote:

ORIGINAL: Squidward Hark Bugle

3D moving images are not films, they're holograms, and should be treated as a separate medium of storytelling, or artform.

(in reply to benmharper)

Post #: 9

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 1:38:23 PM

britesparc

Posts: 1815
Joined: 3/10/2005
From: Manchester

quote:

ORIGINAL: jermreen
I nearly had a heart attack when I heard my local wasn't showing "No country for old men", but I found out soon after they were showing it 2 weeks later. Close call huh?

You don't live in North Manchester by any chance do you? I've had the same problem, fortunately No Country is out now and I'll be going to see it at the weekend.

I'm probably quite well served by cinemas, as there are a good few chains and indies that I could go to, but having an Unlimited card means I'm tied to Cineworld, of which there are only two within a reasonable distance, and they suffer from Multiplex Syndrome (hence No Country being two weeks late, or stuff like Lust, Caution being on once a day, and other films bypassing the cinema entirely).

The worst thing, I reckon, was the fact that Death Proof was only on for one week. I know it was a flop and all, but it's a Tarantino film, for fuck's sake. Maybe if they'd kept it on the bloody cinema people might actually have gone to see it. Hopefully when they release Grindhouse it won't suffer the same fate.

_____________________________

You can't drink a pint of Bovril.

(in reply to jermreen)

Post #: 10

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 1:42:02 PM

Goodfella

Posts: 9635
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: London

My local, local cinema used to be utter shite in the sense of what the actual building was like, it was nicknamed the flea pit and some people used to say you could feel the rats run past your feet. Then they improved the building but never improved the actual cinema - no films shown weekdays, one film weeknights usually at very late time and only kids films at the weekend.

The other cinema is SLIGHTLY better. They show films during the weekdays but rarely show anything past a 12A certificate. They also took the Shoot Em Up posters down because of all the controversey and then stopped showing the film after one week! They tend to show only one 18 film a week and if you're thinking anything like Lust, Caution I'll laugh you off this place, they only stopped showing Saw IV a month ago.

Its disgraceful, I can't wait till I'm at Greenwich uni, the multiplex is a hundred yards from my campus building and they have 12 screens.

_____________________________

You've fucked with the wrong rhino!

Enough of this jibber jabber!

Up In The Air ****
The Haunting In Conneticut **
Looking For Eric *****
Gabriel Over The White House **

(in reply to johndoe)

Post #: 11

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 2:03:27 PM

Posts: 3363
Joined: 26/9/2005
From: two counties east of home

quote:

ORIGINAL: HIGHLANDER

My local cinema is the ODEON Stoke which shows crap most of the time.

You said it! Absolutely crap, but the parking is free, unlike Vue Newcastle-under-Lyme.

I live in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where indie films rule.

_____________________________

but love is the sky and i am for you
just so long and long enough

(in reply to HIGHLANDER)

Post #: 12

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 2:14:23 PM

ElephantBoy

Posts: 4488
Joined: 13/4/2006

Up North there's a very good Art House cinema near where I live, it does take a couple of months for the films to come on there, but they show everything really. There's an Apolo in Morecambe which is quite old hat now, but nice compeared to a lot of big cinemas and just tends to show the latest horror, RomCom's, Childrens Filmsetc.. and there's a horrible Vue Cinema recently built in Lancaster which I wouldn't spit on if it was on fire!

Back in my home town of Peterborough the main cinema is the Showcase which was a total disgrace. Some of the wonderful Indie pictures which were suposely showing national wide, but not screened at the showcase include Ghost World, Donnie Darko and Mulholland Drive pathic

(in reply to JV)

Post #: 13

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 3:55:21 PM

moontheloon

Posts: 5039
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Newcastle via Birmingham

quote:

ORIGINAL: JV

quote:

ORIGINAL: HIGHLANDER

My local cinema is the ODEON Stoke which shows crap most of the time.

You said it! Absolutely crap, but the parking is free, unlike Vue Newcastle-under-Lyme.

I live in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where indie films rule.

where do you go to the cinema? I tend to go to the Empire cinema up here but a couple of things really put me off. the price for starters is more than I am ever used to paying for the cinema. also sometimes they either only show a film on very limited release or not at all. They have been quite good with things like no country for old men, I was worried at first that it was only on twice but they were just the previews

basically I am new to town, ish, and not yet clued up on all the cinemas available, where would you reccomend?

_____________________________

Come and have a look!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=184657380315&ref=ts

Forum's first ever Geek of the day!

A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do. - Bob Dylan

(in reply to JV)

Post #: 14

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 9:36:34 PM

kingoftheducks

Posts: 618
Joined: 30/9/2005

Hello, Cineworld in Cardiff, in my opinion, is absolutely fantastic! They manage to regularly get all the lovely slightly left of centre films on, and they show them multiple times a day, giving them decent runs, two weeks seems to be a minimum unless the film is really badly received... and they screen films in conjunction with Cardiff University's FilmSoc (you don't have to be a member or a student to go), last week they showed 'Aliens', this week 'Jurassic Park', next week 'Punch Drunk Love' and there's a nice Valentine's screening of 'Casablanca'... Plus there's that Orange Bafta thing at the moment meaning all the awards film you might have missed are being re-screened, such as 'Control', 'The Lives of Others', 'This Is England'...

The only downside is, it's half an hour walk and I'm really lazy!

Gord bless Cineworld and my lovely Unlimited card, heck, I saw an advanced screening of 'Juno' there last week, I didn't have the required e-mail (wasn't even aware) but they still let me in, the queue was huge and full of, ahem, not your ideal audience for a bittersweet, dialogue heavy character-based comedy, but they were a fantastic audience... never had any trouble with audiences there...

So, in short, I like it.

_____________________________

Buy My Novel PSYWORM at www.firsttimepublishers.com PLEASE!

(in reply to moontheloon)

Post #: 15

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 9:38:48 PM

Mrs.Doyle

Posts: 115
Joined: 30/9/2005

My local cinema is where I work so I am biased. We only show films twice a month and constantly strive to get films people will want to see. It's very difficult, teens won't come because they think a beautiful 100 year old hall is a naff place to go, they'd rather travel another six miles and pay three quid more. (Plus we have an interval with a bar!) We tend to get middle-class, middle-aged clientele; Atonement went down a bomb and Kite Runner is booking really well. We get good crowds for something like Tell No-one and other foreign films but then we show Ten Canoes and get about twenty people. We may be getting Sweeney Todd which will surely test our advertising!
The boss says if we could only get Judi Dench and Helen Mirren to make a film together (and possibly Colin Firth) then we would be made!

< Message edited by Mrs.Doyle -- 5/2/2008 10:04:09 PM >

(in reply to moontheloon)

Post #: 16

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 9:39:41 PM

Deviation

Posts: 17771
Joined: 2/6/2006
From: A bug-infested Malta

The cinema here is decent enough. Even if I doubt Sunshine and The Fountain ever got released.

_____________________________

quote:

ORIGINAL: I think it was rawlinson. Actually it was JayB

Don�t believe me? Then you are wrong and foolish, because I am always right.

(in reply to kingoftheducks)

Post #: 17

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 10:11:10 PM

DJ Rob C: Mark II!

Posts: 34249
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Paradise Falls

I think Printworks in Manchester is great for everything really... got to see Across the Universe, Planet Terror, and No Country plus they eventually showed Jesse James and I'm Not There (even though I saw both at Cornerhouse)... it ain't my local, have to get a bus and a train to get there but I go frequently still

_____________________________

It's Christmas Eve. It's the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, we smile a little easier, we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year we are the people that we always hoped we would be.

(in reply to Deviation)

Post #: 18

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 10:12:29 PM

the sangypange

Posts: 899
Joined: 18/11/2006
From: plymouth

we have a Vue cinema that deals with all the big blockbusters and have an independant cinema which has the more low key movies the only problem is that it takes absoloute ages to be released over here in sunny Plymouth

_____________________________

What are you doing in my tent?
Im Listening to records

check out the Pange's 10 album covers
http://www.empireonline.com/forum/tm.asp?m=2212151

(in reply to Deviation)

Post #: 19

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 10:17:44 PM

kathryn2

Posts: 1034
Joined: 24/4/2006

Cineworld Shaftesbury Avenue is rubbish - not so much because of the films they show (which is restricted by the number of other cinemas near by - obviously they can't all be showing the same films at the same time), but because of the utter shiteness of their customer service.

Just recently I have twice been to see a film that had problems with the actual film projection - Rescue Dawn cut out half way through, and it took a good 20 minutes to get it back on again, and Lust, Caution last friday night started a good 20 minutes late - we had a blank screen till then.

I understand that occasionally things go wrong, but the staff should be able to handle it when they do! Either by fixing the problem promptly or at the very least by apologising! At every other cinema where I've experienced a technical fault they've offered comp tickets or popcorn vouchers or something afterwards - at this one I just got told there was nothing they can do. As an Unlimited Card holder I couldn't demand a refund.

And their customer services haven't bothered replying to my email either - it's been over a month since I sent it, and I just get their auto-reply 'we will try to respond within 3 working days'.

Shocking.

< Message edited by kathryn2 -- 5/2/2008 10:19:22 PM >

(in reply to johndoe)

Post #: 20

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 10:41:31 PM

Posts: 3363
Joined: 26/9/2005
From: two counties east of home

quote:

ORIGINAL: moontheloon

quote:

ORIGINAL: JV
I live in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where indie films rule.

where do you go to the cinema? I tend to go to the Empire cinema up here but a couple of things really put me off. the price for starters is more than I am ever used to paying for the cinema. also sometimes they either only show a film on very limited release or not at all. They have been quite good with things like no country for old men, I was worried at first that it was only on twice but they were just the previews

basically I am new to town, ish, and not yet clued up on all the cinemas available, where would you reccomend?

The Tyneside Cinema is normally located in Pilgrim Street - you know the bottom of Northumberland Street where there's the gold clock with the naked woman on top? If you just keep going down there it's next to errrr Barclays I think but they are having the building renovated so for the time being the cinema has relocated to Gateshead Old Town Hall. See http://www.tynecine.org for more info. It's an ace cinema (even in Gateshead!) and I think Mike Figgis is involved in them somehow.

The Star & Shadow Cinema is volunteer-run and was actually built by the volunteers themselves (I think the seats actually came from the Tyneside when it closed its Pilgrim Street site for renovation). I once saw a quote from someone who said it was like seeing a film in his dad's garage, which is probably pretty accurate!

They have some ace events though and have all sorts on. Sometimes oldies, sometimes cheesy films (I saw Piranha there), sometimes weird stuff. They have gigs there too. They are located in an old TV studio/warehouse on the road to Byker and just up that big steep bank from The Cluny & Ouseburn Valley. Their website is http://www.starandshadow.org.uk

There's also the Side Cinema, located on the Side down by the Quayside (kinda opposite Akenside pub). Such a tiny cinema, I saw My Own Private Idaho there. I think that's run by volunteers too. Mostly they show documentaries but occasionally they show some really random stuff - once they had a Rivers & Seas Festival and showed pretty much anything with a tenuous link to rivers and seas and by that I mean everything from documentaries on shipbuilding to films like On The Waterfront and The Goonies.

Their website is here: http://www.amber-online.com/sections/side-cinema I'll be honest though, I've only been there once.

Don't forget the big multiplexes like Empire at the Gate (as you've already discovered) and Odeon at MetroCentre. There are other cinemas in the area too but slightly further away. I rely on public transport and find all the ones mentioned in this post highly accessible.

< Message edited by JV -- 5/2/2008 10:42:26 PM >

_____________________________

but love is the sky and i am for you
just so long and long enough

(in reply to moontheloon)

Post #: 21

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 5/2/2008 11:00:17 PM

Fitzcarraldo

Posts: 52
Joined: 30/9/2005

my local is crap, its a independant cinema but the guy who runs it is too money hungry. it isnt in the best location (on the outskirts of town, 15/20minute walk from town centre) and their small screens are terrible. They had Flags of our fathers in for a week and because it didnt make him enough money as he was hopeing he flat out refused to get Letters from iwo Yima, you can understand the guy has to make a living but sometimes he is beyond a joke. I went to see penelope on sunday night in one of the smaller studios 9holds bout 50people and for most of the film all i could hear was the fiddles from P.S. I Love You in the next screen and the kid who cleans up throwing stuff in the buns outside

_____________________________

***Bankholdup***

"You Shot me In the Bollocks Tim!"

"Less Groans More Entrails..." - Edgar Wright

"Lets get Down to brass taxes man...how much for the Ape?"

(in reply to JV)

Post #: 22

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 6/2/2008 12:54:36 AM

moontheloon

Posts: 5039
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Newcastle via Birmingham

quote:

ORIGINAL: JV

quote:

ORIGINAL: moontheloon

quote:

ORIGINAL: JV
I live in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where indie films rule.

where do you go to the cinema? I tend to go to the Empire cinema up here but a couple of things really put me off. the price for starters is more than I am ever used to paying for the cinema. also sometimes they either only show a film on very limited release or not at all. They have been quite good with things like no country for old men, I was worried at first that it was only on twice but they were just the previews

basically I am new to town, ish, and not yet clued up on all the cinemas available, where would you reccomend?

The Tyneside Cinema is normally located in Pilgrim Street - you know the bottom of Northumberland Street where there's the gold clock with the naked woman on top? If you just keep going down there it's next to errrr Barclays I think but they are having the building renovated so for the time being the cinema has relocated to Gateshead Old Town Hall. See http://www.tynecine.org for more info. It's an ace cinema (even in Gateshead!) and I think Mike Figgis is involved in them somehow.

The Star & Shadow Cinema is volunteer-run and was actually built by the volunteers themselves (I think the seats actually came from the Tyneside when it closed its Pilgrim Street site for renovation). I once saw a quote from someone who said it was like seeing a film in his dad's garage, which is probably pretty accurate! They have some ace events though and have all sorts on. Sometimes oldies, sometimes cheesy films (I saw Piranha there), sometimes weird stuff. They have gigs there too. They are located in an old TV studio/warehouse on the road to Byker and just up that big steep bank from The Cluny & Ouseburn Valley. Their website is http://www.starandshadow.org.uk

There's also the Side Cinema, located on the Side down by the Quayside (kinda opposite Akenside pub). Such a tiny cinema, I saw My Own Private Idaho there. I think that's run by volunteers too. Mostly they show documentaries but occasionally they show some really random stuff - once they had a Rivers & Seas Festival and showed pretty much anything with a tenuous link to rivers and seas and by that I mean everything from documentaries on shipbuilding to films like On The Waterfront and The Goonies. Their website is here: http://www.amber-online.com/sections/side-cinema I'll be honest though, I've only been there once.

Don't forget the big multiplexes like Empire at the Gate (as you've already discovered) and Odeon at MetroCentre. There are other cinemas in the area too but slightly further away. I rely on public transport and find all the ones mentioned in this post highly accessible.

thanks a lot

all those links are now in my bookmarks and I will certainly be checking them out for any upcoming events and such in the future.

(in reply to JV)

Post #: 23

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 6/2/2008 9:21:20 AM

johndoe

Posts: 85
Joined: 5/1/2006

There Will Be Blood is released 8th February...not in Cineworld Crawley!!!

_____________________________

"I know who I am! I'm the dude playing the dude disguised as another dude!"

"It's Keith Moon for Snickers!"

(in reply to moontheloon)

Post #: 24

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 6/2/2008 10:44:22 AM

badassmofo

Posts: 1312
Joined: 14/10/2005
From: Russian Literature

quote:

ORIGINAL: benmharper

My local cinema (vue) also mainly shows big blockbusters, but then it'll show the smaller films for a week when they can get hold of prints. (No Country for Old Men is coming in late feb, thy've been promised a print, supposedly Vue cimemas didn't get enough to go round).
I do get to see them but have to wait a bit longer then everyone else.

There were only 50 prints of No Country available in the entire country. A big release will get at least 300. As said before, blame the people. Case in point. Alvin may be on 7 times a day as many people have said but people have flocked to it. Whereas we have had Before The Devil Knows You're Dead since Friday and I have not seen more than 4 people in any screenings. Same with The Savages. Generally if you want your less blockbustery films, you will need a BIG multiplex. I work in a 13 screen one and we still didn't get No Country. We are getting There Will Be Blood, My Blueberry Nights and as I said earlier we had The Savages and Before The Devil....

Sorry for the rant, but cinema chains are businesses and they will feed demand. Sorry for sounding like I am towing the company line, but the smaller films won't get as much of a chance because they won't make the money. End of.

_____________________________

You just got killed by a Daewoo Lamos motherfucker - Best line of 2008

Cinerama - News, reviews, features and listener feedback every week by your Empire Online friend badassmofo! (I sound like a non-badassmofo I know...) On iTunes or cinerama.jellycast.com

(in reply to benmharper)

Post #: 25

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 6/2/2008 10:45:18 AM

badassmofo

Posts: 1312
Joined: 14/10/2005
From: Russian Literature

quote:

ORIGINAL: johndoe

There Will Be Blood is released 8th February...not in Cineworld Crawley!!!

West End only, getting a limited release on the 15th and an expansion a couple of weeks later.

_____________________________

You just got killed by a Daewoo Lamos motherfucker - Best line of 2008

Cinerama - News, reviews, features and listener feedback every week by your Empire Online friend badassmofo! (I sound like a non-badassmofo I know...) On iTunes or cinerama.jellycast.com

(in reply to johndoe)

Post #: 26

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 6/2/2008 10:48:32 AM

badassmofo

Posts: 1312
Joined: 14/10/2005
From: Russian Literature

quote:

ORIGINAL: kathryn2

Cineworld Shaftesbury Avenue is rubbish - not so much because of the films they show (which is restricted by the number of other cinemas near by - obviously they can't all be showing the same films at the same time), but because of the utter shiteness of their customer service.

Just recently I have twice been to see a film that had problems with the actual film projection - Rescue Dawn cut out half way through, and it took a good 20 minutes to get it back on again, and Lust, Caution last friday night started a good 20 minutes late - we had a blank screen till then.

I understand that occasionally things go wrong, but the staff should be able to handle it when they do! Either by fixing the problem promptly or at the very least by apologising! At every other cinema where I've experienced a technical fault they've offered comp tickets or popcorn vouchers or something afterwards - at this one I just got told there was nothing they can do. As an Unlimited Card holder I couldn't demand a refund.

And their customer services haven't bothered replying to my email either - it's been over a month since I sent it, and I just get their auto-reply 'we will try to respond within 3 working days'.

Shocking.

Speaking as a projectionist myself, those problems could have been serious. I had Fred Claus fly off the platter it was spinning on half way through because of a build up of static. Imagine 9000 ft of film all over the floor... be glad it only took 20 minutes to get Rescue Dawn back up and running lol. They should have apologised though obviously, thats just bad customer service but most projectors are old as fuck and when problems happen, they can be huge!!

_____________________________

You just got killed by a Daewoo Lamos motherfucker - Best line of 2008

Cinerama - News, reviews, features and listener feedback every week by your Empire Online friend badassmofo! (I sound like a non-badassmofo I know...) On iTunes or cinerama.jellycast.com

(in reply to kathryn2)

Post #: 27

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 6/2/2008 3:03:51 PM

benmharper

Posts: 1888
Joined: 15/12/2005
From: Carlisle

quote:

ORIGINAL: badassmofo

quote:

ORIGINAL: benmharper

My local cinema (vue) also mainly shows big blockbusters, but then it'll show the smaller films for a week when they can get hold of prints. (No Country for Old Men is coming in late feb, thy've been promised a print, supposedly Vue cimemas didn't get enough to go round).
I do get to see them but have to wait a bit longer then everyone else.

There were only 50 prints of No Country available in the entire country. A big release will get at least 300. As said before, blame the people. Case in point. Alvin may be on 7 times a day as many people have said but people have flocked to it. Whereas we have had Before The Devil Knows You're Dead since Friday and I have not seen more than 4 people in any screenings. Same with The Savages. Generally if you want your less blockbustery films, you will need a BIG multiplex. I work in a 13 screen one and we still didn't get No Country. We are getting There Will Be Blood, My Blueberry Nights and as I said earlier we had The Savages and Before The Devil....

Sorry for the rant, but cinema chains are businesses and they will feed demand. Sorry for sounding like I am towing the company line, but the smaller films won't get as much of a chance because they won't make the money. End of.

I understand it's a business and of course they're gonna show the films that make them the most money, it's can be frustrating is all when I'm reading on these forums how good films are when I have to wait to see them.
I am grateful they try to get these films as there's nothing like watching them on the big screen.
The management always try to get the smaller films as the local independant cinema shut down last year and they realise there is a audience out there for them but they are governed by what films the head offices will let them show.

_____________________________

#3 member of The Wire fan club. PM Dantes Inferno to join.

(in reply to badassmofo)

Post #: 28

RE: Is your local cinema a disgrace?? - 6/2/2008 3:19:26 PM

kathryn2

Posts: 1034
Joined: 24/4/2006

quote:

ORIGINAL: badassmofo

quote:

ORIGINAL: kathryn2

Cineworld Shaftesbury Avenue is rubbish - not so much because of the films they show (which is restricted by the number of other cinemas near by - obviously they can't all be showing the same films at the same time), but because of the utter shiteness of their customer service.

Just recently I have twice been to see a film that had problems with the actual film projection - Rescue Dawn cut out half way through, and it took a good 20 minutes to get it back on again, and Lust, Caution last friday night started a good 20 minutes late - we had a blank screen till then.

I understand that occasionally things go wrong, but the staff should be able to handle it when they do! Either by fixing the problem promptly or at the very least by apologising! At every other cinema where I've experienced a technical fault they've offered comp tickets or popcorn vouchers or something afterwards - at this one I just got told there was nothing they can do. As an Unlimited Card holder I couldn't demand a refund.

And their customer services haven't bothered replying to my email either - it's been over a month since I sent it, and I just get their auto-reply 'we will try to respond within 3 working days'.

Shocking.

Speaking as a projectionist myself, those problems could have been serious. I had Fred Claus fly off the platter it was spinning on half way through because of a build up of static. Imagine 9000 ft of film all over the floor... be glad it only took 20 minutes to get Rescue Dawn back up and running lol. They should have apologised though obviously, thats just bad customer service but most projectors are old as fuck and when problems happen, they can be huge!!

Hmm, I guess - though it was notable that someone had to go and actually fetch a member of staff both times before anything happened to fix it. And twice in two months (or near enough) at the same cinema suggests that they need to get their projectors fixed!

What really annoyed me was that the manager didn't seem to care - I asked to see her afterwards and had to hang around for another twenty minutes before she appeared, then made excuses, then told me she couldn't do anything to compensate me.

I've been at other Cineworld cinemas where they've given me comp tickets for more trivial problems. Like the time they turned on the air conditioning during Spiderman 3 at West India Quay, and a load of dust fell on us - half the back row looked like they'd been taken over by Venom! An apology, comp tickets and offer of free drink and popcorn on my next visit were all given very promptly afterwards.

(in reply to badassmofo)

Post #: 29