Wednesday, June 20, 2001
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Wednesday, June 20, 2001 |
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Musings on movies and movie going By MICHAEL
BOYLAN Hey everybody. I'm back and it is time to gripe again. So, Disney finally gave up on "Pearl Harbor" and realized that it was a bomb (no pun intended). The movie was number one for a week but never became the all-encompassing mega hit that they thought it would be. They certainly tied up enough screens waiting for it to become a blockbuster, though. At the theater in town it played on three screens, many times to nearly empty audiences. Its monopoly on theater space and times was one of the reasons that "Evolution" hasn't played in town yet. Thanks a lot, Disney. So here's my solution - stop putting movies on three screens. In fact, maybe movies should run on only one screen. If "Pearl Harbor" had been on only one screen, it would have sold out every show for at least a week. There would have been lines around the theater, people would have to purchase tickets ahead of time and the word of mouth would have skyrocketed. Maybe. A movie has to be really good to keep the audiences coming, but the lines and the gridlock would draw out many curious people. Remember when "Batman" came out or "Jurassic Park," it was an event. People went crazy. Some folks camped out in line and others took turns waiting with friends to score some valuable tickets. When you finally got into the theater, the air conditioning seemed cooler, the butter tasted butterier and the energy in the sold-out theater was contagious. Remember people cheering during a movie or not being able to hear a line of dialogue because you were still laughing at the previous line? Doesn't that make going to the movies more fun? For some people, movie-going is a chore. They say, "I can rent videos for a lot less than movie admission." Yeah, and you watch the movie on your television screen and there are tons more distractions, like sunlight creeping in through your blinds on the TV screen, the telephone ringing, and children or pets begging for your attention. Going to the movies is a form of escapism, so why would you want to watch all your movies in a place you'd like to escape for a few hours at a time? The theaters in Fayette County could be better. It would be nice if the megaplex was able to run movies without a specific contract guaranteeing a certain number of screens for a certain number of weeks. I also think it would be great if the dollar theater would bring in some of the more "arty" flicks from Atlanta every now and then. From what I hear, "Memento" is the best movie of the year and unless you want to drive into midtown, you won't get a chance to see it anytime soon. I agree that the movie theater can sometimes be annoying. The concession prices are high and sometimes you find yourself sitting next to people that shouldn't be allowed to reproduce, much less be allowed out of the house. Sometimes there are technical problems with the sound or the film, but more often than not the movie runs fine, sounds great, nobody bothers you and you have a good time. That's all for now. I got a movie to catch.
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