If Theaters are hurting how come movies like the Avengers, Hunger Games and Twilight are consistently shattering records at the boxoffice? Matinees on the weekday are pretty cheap still, i believe some only charge 6 bucks and i think the plaza theater charges 6 bucks all the time, it's the megaplex theaters like AMC that are ripping us off.

Any newer movie will "break box office records" because (a) tickets cost more now due to inflation; and (b) the international market is way bigger than it used to be. Here are the top movies of all-time in tickets sold. Movie theater attendance in 2011 was the lowest in 16 years. Some of that could be the recession, but no doubt the other factors I mention are going to be a factor for years.

Who the fuck wants to eat dinner at the movie theatre? "Dinner and a movie" means dinner then a movie (or vice versa).

Kids theses days. ...

Plaza matinees are $4. FOUR DOLLARS. Hell of a deal.

That's where I mainly go to the movies. The first time I went there I thought they made a mistake.

Why don't they serve the meals before the movie starts, and the film begins after everyone has eaten? Then you don't have the wait staff interfering.

Because then people would just go to a real restaurant.

I certainly do not understand the business model but Alamo Drafthouse is expanding so they must not be doing poorly.

What a way to spend a date? A dinner which you cannot speak to each other and a movie? Sounds great for limited conversationalists, long time married couples with little to say to each other and serious multi-taskers but I'd have zero interest. Alamo Drafthouse also has a rather unique policy on noise which seems mutually exclusive with trying to provide a dining experience that includes full service.

I certainly do not understand the business model but Alamo Drafthouse is expanding so they must not be doing poorly.

What a way to spend a date? A dinner which you cannot speak to each other and a movie with multiple distractions? Sounds great for limited conversationalists, long time married couples with little to say to each other and serious multi-taskers but I'd have zero interest. Alamo Drafthouse also has a rather unique zero tolerance policy on noise (and texting) which it seems would be mutually exclusive with trying to provide a dining experience that includes full service.

Yeah, but you can text and twitter throughout. Set up your laptop, dinner and a giant screen behind you...perfect date for an ADD generation.

Downtown AMC = Gone

http://www.kctv5.com/story/18690833/ala ... ansas-city

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -

A Texas-based movie operator is planning to take over the AMC Main Street theater in the Power and Light District.

In a blog post, the company says the theater will eventually be known as the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.

There is no word yet on exactly when that might happen.

Alamo is known for their strict no talking and no texting policy and eliminating the front row in theaters.

Can somebody please explain whether ADH is a step up or step down?

IMO, a theatre is a theatre and so long as they don't make substantive changes to the interior, I think it will be fine. IMO, the interior of the current AMC is stunning.

Actually, they are as strict about no texting as they are about no talking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L3eeC2lJZs

I'd recommend playing that while wearing headphones if you're at work.

Actually, they are as strict about no texting as they are about no talking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L3eeC2lJZs

I'd recommend playing that while wearing headphones if you're at work.[/quote]

Good they have that policy (and the youtube bit was hilarious) but the policy seems incompatible with dining. How do you eat what you cannot see and ask questions to the waiter etc...

Alas, accessing YouTube at my office gets one in trouble quickly.

Rift means AMC Entertainment will stop running Mainstreet 6 theater



http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2012/06/18/amc-entertainment-will-stop-running.html?ana=e_du_pub&s=article_du&ed=2012-06-18

I think Cordish is the problem here. Shouldn't the company that operates a movie theater business be the one making decisions about how to turn a profit at a movie theater?

Maybe AMC wanted a more communist approach given their new.owners?

Yeah, they wanted to staff it with 10-13 year olds and give them one potty break per 18 hour shift. And I hear they wanted to install nets under all the balconies.

I'm not so sure. Does AMC have any experience running a small, downtown theater? It seems that their strategy is to focus on huge megaplexes in the suburbs. This was a totally new concept with them and I think they realized that they didn't have a clue. They are strictly a movie theater company. I think they had a problem being a full entertainment theater and couldn't figure out how to make the same amount of money with less theaters. It sounds like Alamo gets it. You have to make more with less. You have to market better. Give a full entertainment experience. Grind. Will Smith and Tom Cruise alone aren't going to attract enough customers anymore. You have to give a full entertainment experience.

It sounds to me like a big point of contention was the Marquee Lounge. And I can speak from personal experience, it was poorly conceived and run. AMC and Cordish were never on the same page there, and it showed.

The guys from Alamo are serious about their bar and food service, I'm excited to see what they do.