Commercial Cinema disgust

[4styler]

Hey I have got tis thread going cos I'm disgusted at one of my local cinemas showing crappy presentations.

I just saw Sherlock Holmes at Hoyts Garden City, WA I swear it was no better then watching a DVD stretched onto a cinema screen. The wide shots were the worst, as NOTHING was distinguishable. 10 minutes into the film, I couldn't take it any more, I went to the counter and asked if they could please check the focus on the projector, and they said they would look into it. So I head back to my seat expecting a burst of sharpness and waited, and waited, and waited...... and oh the film is finished.

I was ready to give them my 2 cents before walking out the door but they were busy as hell so I left disgusted thinking 200 odd people paid $17+ a ticket for a presentation worse than watching a DVD.

Now I work in film and TV and I know what a good picture looks like. If this had been a screening off a 35mm reel then the picture should have been equivalent to 4K yet this film fail to look anything like that. I think the only film I saw in focus this year was inglorious basterds at this cinema.

But I do also start this thread cos do you find nowadays it is better just to wait til the Blu release and hire / buy the film? Cos I hate how I expect to see a good presentation for $17 and just get a crappy picture, overpriced candy and probably end up sitting next to someone who smells?


I will note besides Inglorious basterds, the best films I've seen this year have been at cinemas besides this one!

[Harry88]

I did see zombieland last week and the sound was pretty crappy. I saw it on a free ticket but would be dissapointed if I paid my $15.50 for it.

[LordCrumb]

the Cinema here quite often screws it up, the audio is muffled, the place is dirty as hell, and you never see Ushers coming in to check it little basterds are talking or running around.

I have sent them an email from time to time telling them pick up the slack. Got a couple free vouchers.

[Grevlin]

The theaters that still do it well seem rare. There is a general laziness in theaters these days. The picture is usually rough, spliced badly, dirty theater, employees that don't give a flip, and people that are generally disgusting.

I watched Ninja Assassin Saturday after black Friday and it was the single worst viewing of my life:

Coughing
Burping
Babies crying
Phones going off, people talking on them
Texting
Idi@ts running up and down the aisles
Chewing, bags crumpling

Basically, like an airport waiting area in a 3rd world country.

Just friggin disgusting.

(I know I'm talking mostly about crowds - sorry)

I try to go to the midnight shows when possible where the serious watchers fill the seats.

[gettodamoofies]

I agree. I'll see films that need the big screen experience at a cinema but for others that I'm not as keen on or get bad reviews I just wait for the Blu-ray.

The PQ and AQ is generally better and no distractions. It costs my wife and I $30+ to go to the cinema. I can get the Blu-ray to own for that price and if in the end I don't like it I can always sell it and I'm still better off than having gone to the cinema.

[Harry88]

Originally Posted by Grevlin

I try to go to the midnight shows when possible where the serious watchers fill the seats.

I normally try to go to early morning sessions to avoid the crowds. Plus if it is before 12 on certain days it is cheaper.

[LordCrumb]

Originally Posted by Harry88

I normally try to go to early morning sessions to avoid the crowds. Plus if it is before 12 on certain days it is cheaper.

I never go during the day, unless its not a holiday or the weekend. If I can get in at lunchtime during a working weekday, its great, hardly anyone there. although you do end up having to get up and shut the cinema doors yourself, because the staff are just to damn lazy to do it.

I remember getting into a movie for free once, we went and saw something, then walked out down the hall and just went into another room lol, but it was 'Pay Check' so we ended up leaving after 30min anyway haha.

[Zyclone]

not to sound like a ingrateful git but i got a free ticket to gold class as xmas present it was a nice present but i rarely go to the movies these days someone is always txting or talking or some kid is crying i would rather just wait till its out on blu ray so i can watch it peacefully at home.

[Deadbone]

4styler I feel you!

@ KaiGusto
The last 2 times i have seen films at my local Hoyts i also have personally had to close the cinema's doors after 5 minutes into the main feature. Preventing a massive block of light that fills the bottom third of the screen. (No one else in the Cinema seemed to care or noticed) And this was at prime session times.

Agreed, Inglorious was the best quality screening i've seen recently. (I would have been pissed if it wasn't as it was in Dendy Gold Class).

My regular gripe is blurry focus and badly scratched film prints.
Also sometimes the volume is too low.

Cinema's are already suffering financially. Why would you want to fork out for a shitty quality screening. It comes down to giving the customer an enjoyable experience with good service. I used to be a big movie goer but due to these things i usually hire or buy the Blu-Ray and watch at home. It's only the big spectacle releases i will see at the cinema these days.

3d is the only thing saving Cinema right now. I'm sure scratched 3d glasses will be a future problem. Glasses i've had at both the recent Avatar screenings i attended were pretty badly scratched and dirty.

D

[Grevlin]

Originally Posted by Deadbone

4styler I feel you!

@ KaiGusto
The last 2 times i have seen films at my local Hoyts i also have personally had to close the cinema's doors after 5 minutes into the main feature. Preventing a massive block of light that fills the bottom third of the screen. (No one else in the Cinema seemed to care or noticed) And this was at prime session times.

Agreed, Inglorious was the best quality screening i've seen recently. (I would have been pissed if it wasn't as it was in Dendy Gold Class).

My regular gripe is blurry focus and badly scratched film prints.
Also sometimes the volume is too low.

Cinema's are already suffering financially. Why would you want to fork out for a shitty quality screening. It comes down to giving the customer an enjoyable experience with good service. I used to be a big movie goer but due to these things i usually hire or buy the Blu-Ray and watch at home. It's only the big spectacle releases i will see at the cinema these days.

3d is the only thing saving Cinema right now. I'm sure scratched 3d glasses will be a future problem. Glasses i've had at both the recent Avatar screenings i attended were pretty badly scratched and dirty.

D

I'm starting my custom 3D glasses site tomorrow!

"Order your own 3D glasses now, pick your color or design and impress your friends at the next movie night."

[Yautja]

Originally Posted by 4styler

Hey I have got tis thread going cos I'm disgusted at one of my local cinemas showing crappy presentations.

I just saw Sherlock Holmes at Hoyts Garden City, WA I swear it was no better then watching a DVD stretched onto a cinema screen. The wide shots were the worst, as NOTHING was distinguishable. 10 minutes into the film, I couldn't take it any more, I went to the counter and asked if they could please check the focus on the projector, and they said they would look into it. So I head back to my seat expecting a burst of sharpness and waited, and waited, and waited...... and oh the film is finished.

This is one reason I don't go to the cinemas much cause the quality of the PQ & SQ can be pretty crap sometimes so I rather wait for the Blu release

[summo]

Haha mate, Garden City is my choice of Theatre when seeing a movie that has just been released but i definately agree with you.

I don't even bother anymore. I have a 50inch Full HD Plasma and a decent sound system, utilising True HD and HDMA and it's great.

[dannycj]

Originally Posted by 4styler

Hey I have got tis thread going cos I'm disgusted at one of my local cinemas showing crappy presentations.

I just saw Sherlock Holmes at Hoyts Garden City, WA I swear it was no better then watching a DVD stretched onto a cinema screen. The wide shots were the worst, as NOTHING was distinguishable.

Totally agree, even watching movies at rhe new Hoyts Imax is a crappy experience. Makes me jelous when people review a great Blu-ray transfer and say it was identical to what they saw at the cinema.

[richieb1971]

Someone needs to invent a bad that doesn't crumple for cinema. Its absolutely ridiculous sitting next or near to someone constantly chomping out of a bag the size of a supermarket bag that crinkles as loud as they do.

[blu-bren]

i saw a movie, sherlock holmes and the music was coming from the left front speaker.uneven spread of msuic track and the dilog was in front as usual but music was from one speaker.. or dominant from one speaker.

[RiseDarthVader]

Well I work at a Australian cinema and I am one of the few staff that are actually concerned about projection quality and can actually spot it. A lot of people I work with can't tell an out of focus image or distortion in the audio. The main problem is that head office (for Greater Union/Event Cinemas) thinks it's more important to make box office and candy bar look really nice and newly renovated rather then putting good projector lenses on the 35mm projectors. You will probably notice because of these lenses only the centre of the screen is in focus and the top and bottom is not. Nothing can be done about this because no matter what a projectionist does they can only have 1/3 of the screen in focus. Sadly that's how CEO's of cinemas think these days. They think all the customers want is a pretty looking box office or candy bar and not the film experience.

[LordCrumb]

Cinemas probably make more money off the candy/drinks than off the tickets....thats probably why they renovated and always make the counter look nice and appealing..

[stormgc]

I rarely go to cinemas these days - only to watch the movies that warrant the 'big screen experience'. I tend to go to the Vmax screenings at Event cinemas but I saw Avatar 3D on Imax in hong kong last month and it was very impressive. No scratched glasses, brilliant picture & sound quality, the sellout crowd was well behaved, only complaint was the small seats!

[Harry88]

I need to vent a little. I saw shutter island today and the picture was terrible. It was going light and dark like a bulb flickering. Not fun watching that for 2.5 hours. Really wanna see that film on my bravia at home now.

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by RiseDarthVader

Well I work at a Australian cinema and I am one of the few staff that are actually concerned about projection quality and can actually spot it. A lot of people I work with can't tell an out of focus image or distortion in the audio. The main problem is that head office (for Greater Union/Event Cinemas) thinks it's more important to make box office and candy bar look really nice and newly renovated rather then putting good projector lenses on the 35mm projectors. You will probably notice because of these lenses only the centre of the screen is in focus and the top and bottom is not. Nothing can be done about this because no matter what a projectionist does they can only have 1/3 of the screen in focus. Sadly that's how CEO's of cinemas think these days. They think all the customers want is a pretty looking box office or candy bar and not the film experience.

I must say the village cinemas a Karingal have got there act together recently and the vast majority of the time have very good image quality (there digital projectors look phenomenal), and good sound quality.