Monthly Movie Theatre Subscriptions

[CorporalClegg]

So, only moments after I posted this thread where I suggested studios and theatres will have to look for new ways to draw movie-goers due to the deluge of blockbuster films due out over the next half decade, this article shows up.

AMC theaters in Boston and Denver will start offering monthly subscription fee pilot program. The subscription will be $35 a month and will allow viewers to see up to one film a day.

Is this something TBBSers would be interested in?

I admit, as temping as sounds on the surface, does seem like one of those ideas that is better in theory than practice.

For one thing, for most people, a daily excursion to the multiplex is a bit unrealistic. For those who live in cities where an after dinner trip to the movies is just a few block walk, it probably isn't a big deal. But for most suburbanites, the megaplex is usually a good half-hour round trip. With busy schedules and lives, it's a bit much.

Not only that, in any given month, I can't think there'd ever be a time where I want to go every day. Even at two or three days a week, you'd run out of stuff pretty quick.

Reasonably, at $35, if you just limit to the big release every weekend, you'd (barely) get your money's worth, as the average cost of a tick is ~$10 these days. But, if you miss a weekend, then you're out $5 for that month. So, unless you're absolutely sure you can commit yourself each and every weekend, you're still better off buying at the box office.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

They'd seriously have to ratchet-up the quality of movies to get me to pay for a subscription.

 

[Amaris]

Nah. I love the movies, but I only get to go once every two or three years or so. It would be an utter waste of money for me.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

There's already a cinema chain over here who do this, they call it the Unlimited Card and you can go as many times as you like per month. I had a subscription for 14 years but I've moved and they haven't got any cinemas around here. It cost around the same amount as going 2-3 times a month and some days I went that many times in one day, so it was well worth it from my perspective.

 

[Random_Spock]

Heck no. I only go out to the movies occasionally and it's not really worth the expense.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Heck no. I only go out to the movies occasionally and it's not really worth the expense.

Seconded. If I care enough about a movie, I'll wait for the Blu-Ray / iTunes HD version.

 

[Gaith]

Reasonably, at $35, if you just limit to the big release every weekend, you'd (barely) get your money's worth, as the average cost of a tick is ~$10 these days. But, if you miss a weekend, then you're out $5 for that month. So, unless you're absolutely sure you can commit yourself each and every weekend, you're still better off buying at the box office.

Yeah, I buy discounted tickets for a bit under $9 a pop here in DC, so I'd have to see four movies a month/a movie per weekend just to break even, not counting metro expenses. Pass.

 

[Starbreaker]

I seriously contemplated getting a MoviePass for a few days. But most of the time I go to see a movie it's in 3D or at the IMAX or both. Also, for the moviepass subscription, if you see a movie at 8 pm one night, you can't see another one until 8:01 the next night. And during the months of January-March, all that's out is utter garbage. That's $120 down the toilet. Maybe if the price was the same but I got to see a bunch of stuff in 3D and it was only a 6 month subscription.

 

[Owain Taggart]

The only way I'd ever consider something like this is with a small independent theatre, showing both second-run movies and art films, where the money they do get absolutely does matter in running things. On a big franchise-run multiplex? No, not so much.

We do have a very small independent theatre just starting up that's started doing this, and that I can support.

Our current multiplex has dropped the ball bigtime this holiday season and doesn't offer very much of anything I want to see, despite them showing trailers for those that I do want to see.

 

[CorporalClegg]

I think multi-plexes aren't long for this world, anyway. I think it's only a matter of time before studios get wise and start making same-day-as-theatre streaming releases commonplace.

 

[Mr Light]

I see a movie almost every single Sunday, so something like that would benefit me greatly!

 

[Owain Taggart]

I think multi-plexes aren't long for this world, anyway. I think it's only a matter of time before studios get wise and start making same-day-as-theatre streaming releases commonplace.

Speaking of releases, there's a very recent Canadian movie that, while not same-day release, did get a very short-span of theatre-to TV -DVD all within a frame of a month. It only got 5 days at the theatre at the beginning of the month, then moved it on to TV including premium cable network and broadcast network a little later, and as of yesterday the DVD was available.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ You're talking about Corner Gas: The Movie, aren't you?

 

[Owain Taggart]

Yeah. Yeah, I am.

Not a great movie by any stretch, mind you. But I did think that was an interesting example of the direction things are going in, in terms of distribution. It actually kind of surprised me when I first realized how fast they were moving it along.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Seems it's a pretty crappy deal in comparison to the Cineworld Unlimited Card here. Unlimited usage, 10% of drinks and snacks (20% and free upgrade to 3D films if you stay more than a year), discount on special of live theatre performances and the like, "Unlimited Only" screenings where only people with the pass are invited to see films earlier than normal release date, and various discounts at nightclubs, restaurants, etc. all for £16, so I can see how it's a much more attractive proposition than what's being offered there.

Currently I only have access to independent cinemas, 2 of which have a discount card, £10 for a year and it gets you £2.50 off every time you go and 10% off their bar food and drinks. I'd be quite happy with that, but being small, independent and in Cornwall they're quite difficult for me, accessibility isn't great and public transport to and from is also difficult for me, but it's still a deal worth having.

 

[Amaris]

Wow, that IS a deal!
I love the movies. It's something about getting together with lots of other people, and watching a performance together. I draw strength from that kind of activity. Plus, I like the experience itself: Arriving at the theater and seeing the lights on display, paying for the ticket, getting a popcorn and soda, handing the ticket to the ticket guy and getting the stub back, finding the right screen room, sitting down in a favorable seat and watching everyone else shuffle in and find their seats, looking at the pre-event screens which usually have some kind of trivia, watching as the lights dim, and you hear other people murmuring and snacking, as the trailers start, where people get abuzz at the newest movie to premiere soon, and then the movie starts: and for the next two hours, the outside world doesn't matter anymore.

I LOVE it. I love it.

 

[MacLeod]

Seems it's a pretty crappy deal in comparison to the Cineworld Unlimited Card here. Unlimited usage, 10% of drinks and snacks (20% and free upgrade to 3D films if you stay more than a year), discount on special of live theatre performances and the like, "Unlimited Only" screenings where only people with the pass are invited to see films earlier than normal release date, and various discounts at nightclubs, restaurants, etc. all for £16, so I can see how it's a much more attractive proposition than what's being offered there.

Unfortunatly like you any benefit I could gain from Cineworlds card would be lost in additional travel expenses as I don't have one near me to make it worthwhile, my closest cinemas are Odeon and Vue.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Seems it's a pretty crappy deal in comparison to the Cineworld Unlimited Card here. Unlimited usage, 10% of drinks and snacks (20% and free upgrade to 3D films if you stay more than a year), discount on special of live theatre performances and the like, "Unlimited Only" screenings where only people with the pass are invited to see films earlier than normal release date, and various discounts at nightclubs, restaurants, etc. all for £16, so I can see how it's a much more attractive proposition than what's being offered there.

Unfortunatly like you any benefit I could gain from Cineworlds card would be lost in additional travel expenses as I don't have one near me to make it worthwhile, my closest cinemas are Odeon and Vue.

Closest Cineworld to here is, I believe, 120 miles away. When I was in Hull there was the choice of Vue, Odeon, Cineworld and Reel all within 5 miles. I guess I was kinda spoilt for the choice.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ You're talking about Corner Gas: The Movie, aren't you?

Yeah. Yeah, I am.

Well played.

(Just got the Blu-Ray, by the way. )

 

[ManOnTheWave]

I go to the movies all the time, so something like this would make sense for me financially. However, I'm not a huge fan of AMC. Other theatre chains offer cleaner facilities and better service. So even if this were available in my market, I might not do it anyway, just because of what I'd perceive as a drop in quality of service.