the movie studios get most of the ticket sales in first weeks of release. If we all wait to go until after weekend 3 of a movie’s release, then the local theatre will get more of our ticket money AND the money we spend on concessions. That’s why I almost never see a movie in its first 3 weekends.

I have not been to a movie theatre in years (love Netflix) because people are rude, they don’t keep quiet, can’t keep the cell phone turned off and can’t stay seated.
That being off my chest, what is it about chocolate chips with white sprinkles and raisins with chocolate that I can’t resist?

Yeaaah, it’s the rising cost of CORN prices and not the multi-millions of dollars the stars get for being in the movie.

If you can’t afford to go then I suggest not going.

Movies are crap anyway.

Again, movie ticket sales go to the studios, not the sale of concessions. That is the profit engine for the theater. I typically go to movies at my small town theater, $4.50 admission for first run, and buy the medium combo for my wife and I. It doesn’t have the super nice wide seats, or stadium seating, but it does have polite crowds, clean floors and superior sound systems.

Really, you can’t sit through a two hour movie without eating something? I am at a loss as to why the options are buying crap (because I have NEVER seen anything remotely healthy at any movie theater), smuggling food, or going hungry. Why not eat dinner before you go?

Susan:

What’s your point?

Are you saying b/c I, like most traditional movie-goers, enjoy having some candy & popcorn & a drink to go along w/my movie, b/c that’s just a part of what makes going fun, am in the wrong for doing so? Are you calling me glutoneous?? Fat??? Cuz, I’m none of those things.

It’s part of the experience for lot of us. I sorta get what you’re sayin’, b/c, if u ate before goin’ to the movie, you’d save money. But, sounds like your ripping people & think it’s wrong for them to enjoy the experience the way they want to. Why such hostility on a topic of such relative un-importance? Don’t get it. Let’s take it down a notch.

No, that’s not what I meant, Mike. I can’t say I have never had a treat at the movies. I just find it bizarre that the assumption is that you have to eat soemthing at the movies. If you go to 200 movies in a year, as a reviewer does, it seems that it would be pretty easy to just avoid eating anything at a lot of them. It seems like a manufactured budgetary crisis to me, is all I am saying. For most people, that kind of treat is pretty rare, and so the cost is kind of annoying, but not that big of a deal. But I do think that eating junk at the movie theater over 200 times a year is pretty gluttonous, sorry. Most of the time, I have no desire to eat something when I go to the movies, because I have just eaten a meal.

I really don’t feel hostile about this, though, sorry if I came across that way.

Susan: Spot On! True words of wisdom…

My family didn’t have much disposable income when I grew up, so when we were treated to a trip to the theater, my sister and I always knew that there would be no soda, no popcorn, and no JuJuBees. We never smuggled food in, but the concession stand was never a scheduled stop.

Same with Busch Stadium. Most of the games my family attended were with free tickets my sister and I earned via the Post-Dispatch’s “Straight A” program (BTW, THANK YOU, P-D, for giving me the opportunity to attend all those games). Dinner was eaten before we left for the game, and my family rarely made any purchases at the concession stand. If we could survive a 3-hour ballgame with treats, a simple movie should be no problem to survive without passing out from malnutrition.

Now, when I attend a game or movie with my fiancee and her children, it seems like I end up dropping more money on the concessions than the price of the tickets. They were brought up with the notion that going to the ballgame involves an implicit requirement to gorge yourself for 3 hours straight on overpriced junk food. They intentionally DON’T eat prior to the game because they want to buy all that junk while there. Sigh. I can afford it, but my upbringing causes me to cringe every time I visit one of those concession stands. I could always put my foot down and refuse to pay for another round of nachos, but I love my fiancee and her kids more than my money. The sacrifices we make for love… 8^)

We rarely buy food at the theatre. We always go out to eat before the show so when we get there we don’t need anything but maybe a small soda. I love my movies but I won’t pay the high prices of theatre food. (On occasion I have snuck in my own snack).

i’m just mad that Werenberg got rid of its $5.00 movie before noon now that we are in the “movie season”. my family spent $60.00 last weekend when we saw Wolverine (not a great movie - expected more). However, i dont have a problem spending that kind of money if the movie is good. Cant wait for the next 3 weekends (Star Trek, Angels and Demons and Terminator: Salvation). I think we’ll smuggle some food in this time…. may save about $120.00…..

by the way, is it illegal to bring your own food into a movie theatre? I dont think i’ve ever seen a sign that says so. what would the movie theatre do? Make you throw it away, kick you out of the show (which you paid for a ticket to see). Just curious

The ripoff prices are part of why I no longer go to theaters without a very compelling reason. At home, I can pause the movie, restart it, see subtitles (I’m hard of hearing), make my food my way, and see the movie on my schedule.

But here’s a huge problem that columns like this never bother to cover regarding why big corporate theaters need to learn how to treat people properly, and it’s not related to ridiculous food prices:

Big Business makes me see a movie only during a few shows, in one auditorium, for a week at a time per show — due to that hearing problem, I have to go to captioned showings. If I were a wheelchair user, I could go to any show at any time and the theater would accomodate me. If I walk in and say I want to see a particular show with subtitles, I’ll be told “sorry, you missed the subtitled run” or “we don’t know when we’ll have that movie with subtitles” or “the show in the auditorium set up for that is sold out, you’ll have to come back some other day”. The theater also doesn’t bother to show new releases with subtitles — I can’t go with friends when a movie has just come out, when they’re interested, because the theater hasn’t bothered to get the captioned version yet. (And yet, other big cities get new-release captioned movies when they come out and are still topical).

Why am I, as someone who can’t hear, not given the same any-show-any-time treatment that someone with another kind of handicap is? That’s a LOT less fair than people complaining that the popcorn prices are ridiculous. Just be glad that you can enjoy the show in the first place.

I’ll be at home, because the theater doesn’t care about a lot of people out there who would give them business if they could. I’ll be at home, because I don’t feel like giving money to a business/industry that thinks that an entire type of disability is beneath them. I shouldn’t be forced to conform to their schedule and their terms. Rear-window captioning is only visible to those who ask for a reflector and therefore WANT to see it. Don’t want to see it? Don’t ask for a reflector, and it won’t impact you at all.

And if somehow I do get dragged out to a theater and stuck with having to try to lip-read or somehow make out the dialogue and thus actually understand the plot, I’ll be bringing my own popcorn and my own soda. If you don’t care about helping me, I don’t care about helping you. Business’ policies are not laws, so I’m not obligated to honor my requests if you’ve continually disregarded my repeated requests, over the years, to let me see any show at any time with captions.

I worked for AMC years ago. Not once did anyone stop anyone from bringing any outside food in. I think it is a common misconception that theaters do not allow outside food.
I am not to sure that such a significant rise in prices can be attributed to the price of corn. The amount of corn in a bag of popcorn is worth pennies.

You are an absolute freaking moron if you pay for concessions at a movie theater. But thanks for subsidizing the rest of us who have brains.

To Susan: As I said, I don’t eat much at the theater–a popcorn with no butter and a diet soda to slake the salty thirst–so I don’t know how it could be construed as junk-food gluttony. The preview screenings I must attend are usually during dinner time–7:00–so I eat dinner with my wife when I get home afterward. But my point is that I like to support the theaters, and that insignificant snack to tide me over has doubled in price in four years.

Joe, the Post doesn’t pay for your snacks? You need to negogiate a better deal.

I have to agree with those who don’t even go to the movies anymore. At home I can rewind or pause if I miss something, have to go to the bathroom, or want food and drink. If I want to eat I have a much larger and (if desired) healthier selection at my disposal.

Movies used to be the only visual form of entertainment for the masses, but with TV, Internet, computers, etc they have taken a backseat. The last few years have seen a lack of new material and a ridiculous amount of remakes and sequels. The originality and importance of Hollywood is starting to subside…

K, Susan, I got ya. Cuz, honestly, I usually have a diet soda & some gummy candy or licorice, something low in or non-fat, or a small popcorn. But, it is gettin’ a bit costly nowadays, so, sometimes I do nothin’.

If me & a friend or group of go to a late show on Fri or Sat, usually have one of the meals @ Wehrenberg, like the wrap & tortilla chips w/drink combo. That’s good way to go, cuz they’re only $8 (you’ll pay that anywhere you go out, unless it’s cheap fast food), your supporting the theatre and you’re not eating too junky of food.

But, especially in these trying financial times, sometimes it’s hard to spend any additional money @ the theatre.

But, also understand the point Joe makes ’bout supporting the local movie houses.

Joe: As seeing all of these movies is a key part of your job, I would think you could write off the cost of your snacks on your taxes. The rest of us don’t have that option. I agree with Mike S that snacks are part of the movie-going experience, so I usually buy the theatre’s popcorn and “smuggle” in my own soda. I don’t know that it’s “illegal” to bring in your own snacks, but it is frowned upon because it is such a major source of income for the theatres — and I want them to still be there. Some movies are fine via Netflix, but there are some films that need to be experienced on a big screen in a theatre — and/or some that I can’t wait months to see, such as the upcoming “Angels & Demons.” I’ll be there with my overpriced popcorn and smuggled soda.

And to the person who also complained about the cost of concessions at Busch, that is one of the few stadiums that does allow food and drink to be brought in (unless that policy changed this year). Again, bring in your own soda or water (plastic bottles only - no cans) and buy their nachos. It does cut down on the cost a lot.

Joe, yeah, I guess my bigger point is that you feel the change in prices a lot more than most people. Also, I would never dream of having dinner after a 7:00 show–way too late for me–so I didn’t think of it that way.

I don’t see the prices at the movie theater as all that outrageous, though. If that is the main way they get money, they have a lot of overhead to pay for with that money. Paying their staff, electric bills (and they could turn that air conditioning a bit warmer in the summer, but that is a whole different topic), rent or mortgage, supplies–it all adds up. You aren’t just paying for the cost of the item wholesale plus a profit to the theater.

But, on the whole, I agree with Tim–the Post should give you a snack allowance!

Okay, here is my 2 cents.
If you can’t afford it, then don’t buy from the concession stand and bring food in. I enjoy going to the movies, especially opening weekends. It will cost me an arm and a leg if I buy a drink and a popcorn every time I go (BTW, Joe, $10-$15 for a drink/popcorn is NOT insignificant, that’s a lot of money there). I get some $.99 almonds/peanuts, may be some candy from Walgreen/gas station before I go, that’s it.
If you can afford it and craves popcorn, by all means, do it.
Let’s stop bashing each other, stick to your own preference and no one should try to force or talk someone into buy from the concession stand or BYOF.
I do find it insulting to claim that people who bring their own food are “smuggling food” or suggesting that we are ripping off the movie theatre. You make it sound like we are illegally downloading movies, its not the same thing. We are already paying $10 to see the movie, its not reasonable to tell us that we should spend another $10-$15 on food and drink.
A family of 4, without buying food and drink, is already costing approx. $30 - $40. Adding food and drink? We are talking about $60-$80. That’s ridiculous and it will be wise to stay home or do something else family oriented.

Jaycee……you sound like a blast. I hear ya, Joe. This must be tough on you because it’s your job but personally, I would never watch a movie without popcorn and soda. It’s part of the experience. It IS too expensive but so are alot of recreational things. So what?…. Enjoy. Also, who cares if its a bit fattening. That’s what excercise is for. Lighten up, people.

As a veteran of the “out of home entertainment” market with the two largest companies in the business (both Regal Entertainment, who has only one location locally, and AMC), I can say that many of you are wrong with your assumptions and figures. Unfortunately, I don’t have an expert understanding, however. I will try to explain what has been explained to me.

Theatres receive which films they will be showing from a “booker.” In what form the booker works depends on the market. Some markets, where there are only a few theatres, function in a cooperative fashion, in which say, if theatre A gets a big summer release one week, theatre B, even if it’s owned by a different company, will get the big one that comes out the following week.

In the St. Louis area, it seems more that its an every-man-for-himself situation. Often, films are booked based on what the corporation at the top thinks will do good in that market. Often, with chains, the general manager will have a brief discussion of the preliminary bookings with his district/regional manager.

Show times are often done at the theatre level, with some say from the film companies as well. For instance, if I get 2 prints, or copies, of say, Wolverine, the film company wants them to start twice in the 7 p.m. hour on Friday and Saturday.

At the same time, my company/boss might say I need to have them spaced out to maximize the number of people I can get in, as well as have other “standby” choices starting after, in case it sells out. So if I start a movie at 7 and 7:30, I need to have some other movie that will attract a similar crowd starting at say, 7:10 and 7:40 in case the big blockbuster sells out.

At the theatre level, films are LEASED weekly, like a car would be monthly. The theatre pays a certain amount each week to have the film. The amount typically drops as time goes on. The bigger the film, the less that price will drop each week.

I digress, however. AMC’s policy, for the near-two-year period I worked there, was to ALLOW outside food or drink, as long as it wasn’t going to be a distraction to others (i.e. food with a strong odor), or a safety hazard (i.e. glass). Under Regal, and again, this was years ago, outside food and drinks were NOT allowed.

These places can stop you from doing so, and kick you out, because it’s private property. Yes, you might have paid to be there, at which point they might issue you a refund if they feel like being nice, but legally, they can do as they wish on their property, to an extent of course.

And to Mr. or Mrs. Buran, I understand your frustration, but unfortunately to provide captions requires technology for each projector house (yes, a special CD player which can read special queues is needed to play the small data that scrolls over the screen at the back of the film, if you, in fact have used those reflective mirror-type devices). While it would be great to offer those with every movie, any time, unfortunately big businesses are not too excited about spending money for a small group of people when they don’t feel they will make it back.

All that said, I’m glad I got out of the business when I did, even if it is booming. Some of you say the people there are rude. I tried never to be, and tried to never let my staff be, but at the same time, theatres pay very little, for example I had a four-year college degree and made $9 an hour, and yet is as demanding as food service, with the addition of janitorial work and technical skills (projectors are giant and complex, after all) thrown into the mix.

You spent the money to accomodate wheelchairs in every show and that’s a small percentage of people, too. Excuse not accepted, and you need to start asking yourself exactly how much for granted you’re taking the things you’re so callously denying to millions of people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or can read English but have difficulty with it spoken.

For the record, I don’t work in the industry anymore, nor was I somehow paid or validated in expanding services, I was an hourly lackey, not a building engineer. Maybe when people such as yourself approach those in roles similar to the one I had, people have experiences like many others have described of rude people and bad times.

I can’t tell for sure, but I wonder if I’m being called rude for being upset that my needs are being ignored while those suffering from different disabilities are offered everything they need. I’m not less human, in need of help, or any less disabled because my disability isn’t obvious to anyone who looks at me.

I can’t help but the Post continues to not say a word about this very important issue and worries more about what popcorn costs.