Edward Norton Says Spielberg Is Wrong: Netflix Isn’t Destroying Movies, Theaters Are

[singhcr]

I can really relate to Norton's statement.

Last week I went to go see Rambo: Last Blood. I walked out after 15 minutes.

The first thing I did when I arrived before the previews started was to look back at the projection booth glass to see if the 3D polarizer and splitter was in the optics path. It wasn't! Good so far. I was the only person in the theater and another person showed up and quietly sat down. No biggie. A couple came in and carried on a conversation immediately even when the previews started. Sometimes people talk through these, I figured. I was worried, but I decided to give them a chance. However, the lights never turned down from earlier. They were still at full intensity. So I left to ask someone to turn down the lights. They said they would when the movie started. I wanted to see some trailers, but fine. I was here for Rambo.

When the movie did start, the lights went down to maybe half brightness. No joke. The image was totally washed out. When the Lionsgate logo came up, it was incredibly quiet. No real dynamics or even damn volume to the intro. I could barely hear the actual film, and it felt to me like watching a movie with TV speakers. Of course, that couple sat right next to me and kept talking, asking who was who in the film and making all sorts of comments. I asked them twice to please keep it down as I was trying to watch, and they kept right on going. I thought surely the lights would turn off or at least go very dim and after another 10 minutes I had enough. Crappy lighting. A washed out picture. Poor sound. Idiots yammering that were louder than the actual film. I knew that there was simply no way I was going to enjoy this.

I left again for good and asked for a manager and inquired as to why the lights were only halfway down. They said it was for "safety reasons" and that all of their screening rooms were like that. This was total bullshit as different theaters in the same chain (EMagine) don't have this issue. For the record, the theater I went to was the EMagine in Lakeville, MN. The one in Plymouth (Willow Creek) doesn't have the shitty "safety lights." I told them that the picture was unwatchable and that I wanted my money back instead of a pass, which they didn't fight me on at least.

I'll just have to wait for it to come out on 4K. I really did want to watch a Rambo movie in the theater but I know now to go with my gut and just leave if I know that I am not going to enjoy it. It's sad when I can get a far better A/V experience at home. Plus, no talkers!