The Movie Theater Experience

[Sventeck]

Okay maybe it's just me, but my movie-going experience lately has been pretty crappy... now I'm not talking about the quality of movies or the quality of their production. I'm talking about the theaters... below is a list of all (I think) movies that i have paid to see in the past few years (not counting screenings etc... yeah I don't go often, and it's a weird mix... shush) and how they were. These were at many different large name brand theater complexes in NY and NJ.

Dark Knight - Intermittent distortion in the center channel. AC quit halfway through the movie making it unbearably hot.

Sex and the City - Lights stayed on for the first reel.

I love you Man - Played so low that you couldn't laugh at the jokes or you would miss dialogue.

New Indiana Jones - There was something wrong with this one... can't remember what exactly I think a buzzing surround (oh and the movie was terrible ;-)

Avatar 3D Imax - Looked and sounded amazing

Alice in Wonderland 3D - looked and sounded amazing

Sherlock Holmes - Digital (Kicked any film-prints ass!) Looked and sounded AMAZING!

MacGruber - Played so low that you couldn't laugh at the jokes or you would miss dialogue. Left surround was blown.

MacGruber - (Digital this time) Played low, no surrounds (but not a stereo mix, it had LCR in the front) Motion artifacts on the picture on the slightest movement made it almost unwatchable.

Okay so that's 6 out of 9 that have been messed up... does anyone else find that insulting to our profession? Anyone else having similar experiences or and I just unlucky? Either way... I'm done going to theaters... From now on I wait until it's on Netflix.

[Berolzheimer]

When there's a problem with sound, please report it to the theater owner, the studio & the company who's format it's released in- DTS or Dolby or whoever.

[Sventeck]

Whoever I talk to at the theater when I complain says "they'll check it" and nothing changes... many e-mails have been written to the "theater owner"... I have talked to Dolby and they don't seem to have any power to do anything. I guess studios are my next stop...

[Jfriah]

Unfortunately, like many things, it all comes down to important technical and entertainment calculations like cost benefit analysis and risk tolerance/factors. Your multiplex will figure "how many people are going to complain about _____, resulting in how many comp tickets handed out at a price of X vs. fixing a true technical problem at cost of Y"

Damaged/dirty screens, bad projector bulbs, blown speakers, broken seats, you name it.

I will relate a story about a theatre that had a blown left front speaker during Avatar 3D. I saw it nearing the end of the theatrical run and a co-worker saw it opening week. We both noticed and we both complained. It had been that way the entire time and was repaired/replaced in time for Alice in Wonderland. I was told "you must work in the industry; as far as I know there have been a handful of people who have noticed/complained."

(of course it is my own personal joke now that I'm going to start my next theatrical mix final session with the Left front turned off and see how long it is until a client says anything, then say 'hey it was fine for Avatar and nobody noticed for three months!')



p.s. the lights stayed on at Sex and the City so your friends with cell phone cameras could capture shots of you in the theatre! Hahahahahaha.
p.p.s. yes, I took my complaint about the blown speaker to local management and then up the chain via online complaint form for Cineplex and was called the next day by a Cineplex rep apologizing.

[Sventeck]

Unfortunately, like many things, it all comes down to important technical and entertainment calculations like cost benefit analysis and risk tolerance/factors. Your multiplex will figure "how many people are going to complain about _____, resulting in how many comp tickets handed out at a price of X vs. fixing a true technical problem at cost of Y"

Damaged/dirty screens, bad projector bulbs, blown speakers, broken seats, you name it.

I will relate a story about a theatre that had a blown left front speaker during Avatar 3D. I saw it nearing the end of the theatrical run and a co-worker saw it opening week. We both noticed and we both complained. It had been that way the entire time and was repaired/replaced in time for Alice in Wonderland. I was told "you must work in the industry; as far as I know there have been a handful of people who have noticed/complained."

(of course it is my own personal joke now that I'm going to start my next theatrical mix final session with the Left front turned off and see how long it is until a client says anything, then say 'hey it was fine for Avatar and nobody noticed for three months!')

Yeah that's what I figured... just seems the frequency of crap like that is going up... oh well... Glad someone got back to you about the blow speakers... I have 2 pending complaints via e-mails and websites that have yet to be acknowledged and probably never will be.

p.s. the lights stayed on at Sex and the City so your friends with cell phone cameras could capture shots of you in the theatre! Hahahahahaha.

Shut up! hahaha

[Thomas W. Bethe]

There are a couple of theaters around here that I simply refuse to go to because the projection and the sound are sooooooooooo bad it makes the theater "experience" more like a root canal at the dentist. Most of the Cinemark theaters are very good and have excellent projection and sound. I was at a theater recently that the main aisle was right down the center of the theater meaning that NO ONE could have a good seat (the theater was also built with a large dip in the center of the house so you walked down and then up the aisle). I was also recently at a theater where their was NO surround sound at all. I told the "manager"(a pimply faced 18 year old) about the problem and he said with a smile on his face "most older people have problems hearing so maybe you should get a hearing aid". I let the theater chain know about his attitude but have not heard back from them.

The best sound and picture are at the IMAX theaters. The one at the Cleveland Science Museum is awesome. I wish other theaters would take note of the quality of both pictures and sound shown there but as someone has already pointed out it is all about economics.

[Jay-]

I refuse to go to the cinema.
Last one the restroom was so nasty I gagged.
I ended up getting a chest infection and had the over all feeling of breathing in all the filth from the other movie goers.

Cell phones and talkers, I had to move seats TWICE to get away from text messenger people.

I can no longer afford popcorn and the pricing on the items are just a total scam. I usually bring 2 Guinness "Big boppers"

I installed a pretty good home theater with 3 subwoofers, 5.1 with an additional 6 ceiling speakers.

Also no parking issues and I don't get home late!

I would never go to the cinema unless I was with some nice young woman ee...

[Sonsey@mac.com]

Originally Posted by Thomas W. Bethe

...I wish other theaters would take note of the quality of both pictures and sound shown there but as someone has already pointed out it is all about economics.

Bingo!

Therefore the only way to truly speak out is to not go to that chain/cinema. If we really want to bring quality back to the theatres then we need to boycott those that don't care and frequent those that do. And educate your friends - I personally refuse to go see movies at a large chain out here, just because of these issues. When friends want to go see a film at one of those theatres I say "Let's go to..." and tell them why. Usually they trust me (they all know what I do for a living) enough to do it. At the very least, they may start paying MORE attention to the sound and complain about it more to said theatre managers.

[Jfriah]

Originally Posted by Thomas W. Bethe

"most older people have problems hearing so maybe you should get a hearing aid". I let the theater chain know about his attitude but have not heard back from them.

OUCH. I'd follow up on that one if it was recent. He can go find another place to work; ie: McDonald's.

[Jfriah]

Good points, Howard. Unfortunately, we all know how well boycotts work in the real world. Humans are lazy; what can I say?

Jay- can I come MIX in your home theatre space???

At least there was a semi-bright light here locally after that blown speaker issue---I went to see Shutter Island in the same multiplex and it was all in mono, front speakers only, no surrounds, no sub. Of course, it was horrible, and also optical track, and I complained and had the same young manager I'd spoken to weeks before about the Avatar speaker. He was at least nice enough to go do a walk-around with me in the room in question and confirm it was front speakers only; I mentioned the blown speaker in the other room, he looked confused so we went in and confirmed it had been fixed. Two days later I found out that they knew about the bad system in the 'mono room' and it was slated to be switched over to a new 3D system the very next day including new speaker parts. So that makes me happy at least; TWO rooms are back up to snuff.

Now some "projectionist" will just go and play the movies at "5.1" on the volume knob like what happened once at a screening I attended............



Jeff

[kdm]

Originally Posted by Thomas W. Bethe

Most of the Cinemark theaters are very good and have excellent projection and sound.

Cross our local Cinemark off that list:

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince: Center channel only for the whole film
IronMan I: Right channel only for most of the film
Bolt: Mono/center channel only
(these are three I can remember at the moment....)

I complained to the 18 yr old manager, but only got comp tickets - no fix for that showing.

We now go to the new Hollywood Theater - 4k Projection and so far the sound has always been very good. May just be because the theater is new, but I'll be reluctant to try our local Cinemark again.

[undertone]

Originally Posted by Jfriah

...p.p.s. yes, I took my complaint about the blown speaker to local management and then up the chain via online complaint form for Cineplex and was called the next day by a Cineplex rep apologizing.

It's sad but that's what it needs to come to to get things done about the problems. The wheel really needs to squeak.

The Dolby SR optical mix is a crutch that many projectionist lean on way too much. Updates or repairs are often postponed since "it sounds pretty good anyway". IMO it's a misrepresentation to wave the "Dolby Digital" flag when mixes are being played back in substandard formats.

But it could also a question of economics. The 35mm print will only last for a limited time and it's possible that the error rate reading off the digital format becomes intolerable faster than the mileage they get from the image playback. SR may give the theatre the opportunity to stretch their dollar; I'd like to know the inside on that.

I've heard it said that theatrical projection will be all digital within a decade, and most of these problems will be a thing of the past. But projectionists will still need to operate and maintain the systems. Maybe they should be held to a higher professional standard.

[iluvatar]

Originally Posted by Sventeck

New Indiana Jones - There was something wrong with this one...

Understatement of the year.

-Dan.

[MarvinDog]

It's rare that we go to a theater for a movie anymore. If we do, it's for a 3D or other special film where we don't want to wait for it to come out on disc.

And when we do go to a movie theater, I can't help thinking that it doesn't sound as good as movies at home do. Then again, I've got a 10 foot wide acoustically transparent Cinemascope screen running 7.2 surround with tactile transducers in my furniture.

[Jfriah]

You guys make me cry.


Nice home viewing environment. Someday.......


Jeff

[KBOY]

Originally Posted by MarvinDog

It's rare that we go to a theater for a movie anymore. If we do, it's for a 3D or other special film where we don't want to wait for it to come out on disc.

And when we do go to a movie theater, I can't help thinking that it doesn't sound as good as movies at home do. Then again, I've got a 10 foot wide acoustically transparent Cinemascope screen running 7.2 surround with tactile transducers in my furniture.

I'm very very jealous.

[georgia]

I've pretty much given up on expecting a good movie experience from theaters.
I watch on my home 5.1 system got a nice good size screen, better popcorn, and no babies crying, no cell phones (unless it's mine), no parking issues, no snotty managers, no $5 soda, no blown speakers, no misaligned projectors, no ass%)*(es in front of me...


What ever happened to THX... The only thing they ever did right in my book was the THX program of going to theaters and rating them for every little detail. I used to do these checks around NYC...

cheers
geo

[jraabe]

I think THX escaped to the surface because his pursuit was deemed over-budget.

However, he'll be out on Blu-Ray for your home viewing pleasure on Sept 7: Amazon.com: THX 1138 (The George Lucas Director's Cut) [Blu-ray]: Robert Duvall, Donald Pleasence, Don Pedro Colley…

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

[SDDP]

Originally Posted by jraabe

I think THX escaped to the surface because his pursuit was deemed over-budget.

However, he'll be out on Blu-Ray for your home viewing pleasure on Sept 7: Amazon.com: THX 1138 (The George Lucas Director's Cut) [Blu-ray]: Robert Duvall, Donald Pleasence, Don Pedro Colley…

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

Funny you mentioned that, I just got it and going to see it this week.

About theaters, I stopped going about 5 years ago. I'll go once in a blue moon when something spectacular like Avatar in 3D at the IMAX which was the last film I saw in a theater in several years.
With all the wealth of knowledge us post mixers have (wearing a dozen hats these days, building and making equipment in all). It's far more practical to build your own theater now. Big screen's have come down a LOT in the last 10 years. And to buy raw cable stock and connector,, amps, speakers, sound proofing, etc and build all the stuff from scratch to your own taste makes it a way better experience.

One thing about seeing Avatar at the IMAX that was a bit disappointing was the volume. It was moderate. I was in complete and utter shock. This should have been LOUD! Like a Rock concert.

I have built my own custom home theater in 3D 6.1 DTS EX/Dolby Digital ES surround and when I watched avatar in blue ray, I turned that up to
%95. It made the BIGGEST DIFFERENCE EVER!
I actually had to turn it down cause it bothered me at those spl (which I found odd).
Next time I might consider going to the theater is when someone comes out with a better movie than Avatar and the only guy I know who can obviously do a better action, special 3D effects, sound, and so on than James is....





















Well James Cameron. making Avatar II

[apple-q]

Originally Posted by Berolzheimer

When there's a problem with sound, please report it to the theater owner, the studio & the company who's format it's released in- DTS or Dolby or whoever.

When the screening is bad. I get up, collect my money back and leave.

Best way to show the "owner" they have a problem.