Theaters Unhappy About Faster DVD Releases

dolphinlover writes "As movie studios such as Walt Disney Co. have pushed for more rapid DVD releases of movies to combat piracy on the Internet, executives of movie theater chains such as Regal Entertainment Group and National Amusements Inc. have countered, saying that seeing a movie in the theater is a 'fuller, more entertaining experience' and that the time window between movie and DVD releases should even be extended. Their views run counter to Disney's Chief Executive Rober Iger view that DVDs ought to come out simultaneously with the theater releases of movies. Both sides say their plans would benefit consumers. Is either correct, or are both approaching the situation from the wrong angle?"

But...

[TheSpoom]

I download my movies, you insensitive clod!

union?

[Adult film producer]

Are theatre owners across the nation members of a union of some sort? Or an association that collectively negotiates with the movie studios? I'd love to see these guys shut down their theatres for a few weeks just before a few big blockbusters are set to be released.

O RLY

[Eightyford]

Theaters Unhappy About Faster DVD Releases

Did I click on The Onion by accident? No shit they are unhappy about it. What did you expect?

Re:Ahh yes... good times...

[tgd]

In a movie theater, no matter where I sit, the loudest person in the theater always ends up sitting next to me.

Don't let your girlfriend catch you saying that.

Re:Don't...

[wpanderson]

It's funny because it's true.

Re:Wait a second...

[flynt]

the floors aren't sticky

Speak for yourself.

Re:Wait a second...

[LouisZepher]

Not licking the floor would probably help him too.

Re:Ahh yes... good times...

[brjndr]

This is /.

You mean his mother.

A "fuller, more entertaining experience", huh?

[The_REAL_DZA]

To the theatre chains:

Let's see if I understand what you're asking/expecting. I have a

• 36" tube television (yes, it's one heavy mofo, and I hereby declare a pox on the engineer who designed it with out handles somewhere on it, but that's a slightly different rant...)
• an inexpensive but completely satisfactory Dolby 5.1 surround system (which, to date, "Monsters Inc." seemed to take the best advantage of...go figure)
• leather covered La-Z-Boy (rocking) recliner
• a private bathroom of which I can avail myself at any time without missing any of a movie/show thanks to the handy-dandy pause button on my
• personal remote control (which, btw, also allows me to relive however many exciting/hilarious/etc. seconds of whatever I may be watching as many times as I want...)

And, lastly (just to round-out my "experience") I have

• two three-year-olds, so I can count on the floor being sticky and the air to be full of popcorn

And you want me to pay >1/2 the purchase price of a DVD to fight my way across town to stand in line to sit beside a teenage cell-phone-addict , behind the lady with the towering beehive and in front of the place-kicker for the Tennessee Titans to see a movie once ? And you want me to wait even longer after the studios figure they've milked all they can from the theatre-going crowd to get to view it in the abovementioned (and, in case you missed this, preferrable ) venue?

I bet they wonder why I rank them with telemarketers and spammers...

Re:Yawn

[Meagermanx]

Man, purses are made for smuggling snacks into movies! If you don't have a chick to go with, you can usually just put a little lipstick and blush on, stuff a purse full of food, and adopt a lisp. They normally don't say anything.

Re:union?

[nuzak]

> Are theatre owners across the nation members of a union of some sort?

Naw, they're all totally independent. Well, except Loews, which is owned by Sony. And AMC, which merged with Loews. And UA, which is owned by MGM. Which is owned by Sony.

Totally independent operations, I tell you.

Re:Yawn

[Anonymous Coward]

or you could, you know, take a backpack ;)

Re:Wait a second...

[Ced_Ex]

and if we miss part of the movie for certain reasons (*WINK *WINK), I can rewind it.

Sometimes clan/guild meetings and practices tend to interrupt dates. We understand. It happens to the best of us.

Re:Wait a second...

[argStyopa]

The big theater chains should first blame Hollywood for making a ton of garbage, then they should go after Best Buy and Circuit City who give credit to people so they can buy large TVs and home theater systems.
A dinosaur that rails against its own inevitable extinction merely is fossilized as an angry dinosaur. It's no less dead.

Re:Yawn

[Mister Whirly]

Although I wouldn't suggest this approach for Brokeback Mountain.

Re:Wait a second...

[MrTester]

Great idea, but its already been done. Its called a "Hotel" with "Pay-per-view".

And the sheets in those rooms scare me as much as the "Big comfy seats" you are talking about. And for the same reasons.

Can you say "Eeeeeeewwww" boys and girls?

I see your purse, and raise you a wheelchair!

[ChePibe]

You think purses are great? Get a friend in a wheelchair, or a wheelchair for yourself!

For one showing, we were able to fit a 6 pack of Cokes, several bags of chips, boxes of various candies, etc. under the seat of a friend of mine's wheelchair (he is actually paralyzed). The only camouflage necessary was a coat thrown over the back and, if someone does see you, the odds of a theater flunky stopping a guy in a wheelchair are slim to none! It's foolproof!

In other news prostitutes unhappy about masturbati

[Anonymous Coward]

Had to be said...

Re:Yawn

[TheSolomon]

When I was a teenager, me and my girlfriend snuck in a whole rotisserie chicken. It was delicious, if not messy and extremely wonderfully smelling. ;-) We left the container and a pile of bones behind; I'm sure the cleaning crew was non-thrilled.

Re:Wait a second...

[QAChaos]

well I must go to a higher class theater than you but they have a handy tissue box on the side of the wall...
- QAK

Re:Yawn

[Akaihiryuu]

Yeah, a movie isn't the same if you don't sneak food in. One time that I remember, me and two friends of mine snuck an 18 inch extra large pizza (slices individually plastic wrapped) and a 12 pack of Coke. 3 guys wearing coats with lots of pockets. You couldn't even tell that we had anything. My roommate used to work at a movie theater, and one time when he was cleaning up after a movie, he found the remains of a complete meal from Olive Garden. Anyway, I don't believe that DVD releases will cut into movie theaters. People that want to see it in the theater will anyway. It will only sway people who hate theaters (like me). Most movies I just wait for the DVD to come out anyway. It has to be something REALLY REALLY good before I'll even consider paying for overpriced tickets and going into a noisy crowded theater to see a movie. I've gone to the theaters maybe 3 or 4 times in the past 7 years.