As some of you may remember, a little while ago it was announced that a new limited series of premium movie theaters are being built that will have a bunch of perks… but that also will cost you about $35 a ticket to get in to see a movie at them. This got a lot of people talking both pro and negative.
Anyway, our friend Brad over at RopeOfSilicon put up a great top 10 list of the things he would need to have in a $35 ticket movie theater if he is to even consider going to one. His list includes:
Membership cards and Infraction tracking
Pre-selected seating
No Ads and 3 Trailer Maximum
Private booths and suites
5 Ushers per screening
Meal and Alcohol service
No late entry
No children to R rated movies
Properly trained projectionists
Comfortable seating with ample leg room
You can read his article with his full rationale behind each point here.
I agree with most of Brad’s conditions. It should be mentioned that there are theaters around that already have many of these in place (and still only cost $11 instead of $35). Personally, I don’t see the need for 5 ushers per screening, but aside from that I’m pretty much right with him.
I would however also add a couple of things to that list:
1) Screening Room VERY close to a bathroom
Look, despite your best intentions, sometimes during a 2 hour movie you find you may have to hit the bathroom. I hate that… but it’s reality. When that happens I want to miss as little of the movie as possible, so it always frustrates me when I have to hike through the 15 screen multiplex to get to the 1 men’s room they have and then hike back. If you’re going to have a $35 per ticket screening room, I want a bathroom right outside the door.
2) The ability to change your ticket
If I’m going to pay $70 for a movie for me and my date, then I want the ability to change which show time my ticket is for (kind of like an airline ticket). I like to order my tickets in advance… but it my date is running a bit late for our 7pm screening, I want the ability to hop online and change my ticket to the 9pm show. That’s a premium service for sure… but I did pay $70 for two tickets.
3) No Cellphones
Shout out to James who put this one up in the comments section… I slapped my head when I realized I forgot this one. Unless people refer to you as Mr. President, or the letters “Dr.” are in front of your name, there is no reason why you can’t be without your bloody cellphone for 90 minutes. Check your messages when you get out.
So those those are things that I’d add to the list of conditions for me to pay $35 for a movie. What other things would you add to that list that could possibly tempt you into trying a movie at such a theater?
