Posted on 03/15/2002 10:15:32 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
A luxury multiplex opening in Hollywood later this month will charge $14 for a ticket, a new record for a Los Angeles movie theater.
The price at Pacific Theaters' all-reservation ArcLight multiplex adjacent to Hollywood's historic Cinerama Dome exceeds even the costliest tickets at the recently opened Bridge, currently L.A.'s priciest movie venue.
"It is a slightly higher ticket price than other venues but includes substantial added value," Pacific chief Christopher Forman said Wednesday.
ArcLight debuts March 22, a week after Pacific opens a multiplex at a new midtown-L.A. complex called the Grove. Most tickets at that theater will cost $9.50, and there's a $2 charge for seats in a reserved loge-level section.
Both the Grove and ArcLight are 14-screen facilities and will feature a mix of commercial and arthouse fare. Pacific is positioning its ArcLight-Cinerama Dome complex as a circuit flagship. Plans include an ArcLight speaker series and film exhibits, which patrons will enjoy at no extra cost.
ArcLight parking will be included free-of-charge, compared with a $1 parking charge at southwest L.A.'s the Bridge. Similar to amenities at the Bridge, ArcLight's stadium seats and concessions are upgraded from conventional multiplex offerings.
The Bridge charges $13 for weekend admissions to its reserved-seat "directors hall" auditoriums, and even its $9.75 charge for other weekend tickets is more than charged at any other L.A. theater. Sources say the venue -- operated by an affiliate of Viacom Inc. chairman Sumner Redstone's National Amusements -- has been successful enough so far, but some say the jury is still out own how the aggressive pricing will work out over the longer haul.
Similarly, some suggest Pacific is well-positioned to succeed with both its new L.A. theaters, because the city has been starved for multiplexes with stadium seating and other state-of-the-art theater design. But others say ArcLight's upscale approach is dicey: many of its surrounding neighborhoods -- despite some glitzy redevelopment -- remain primarily blue-collar.
L.A.-based Pacific plans to export the ArcLight concept to other markets eventually, with the next such theater set to open in suburban Seattle next year. A spokesman said ArcLight pricing policies will be set market by market.
"The ArcLight experience may not be for everyone," Pacific's Forman said. "It is geared toward those who love the movies and want to experience them in the highest quality manner."
Pacific plans to offer frequent moviegoers "membership" plans representing a discount on normal ticket pricing.
Historically, L.A. has generally had the second-highest movie ticket prices in the U.S., after Gotham. But a handful of theaters featuring deluxe food and other amenities are scattered nationwide, and some of those venues have even costlier tix.
On the other hand, neither the Bridge nor ArcLight offer seatside waiter services, as is offered in some other deluxe venues.
"These days, there's kind of a first-class, business class and coach class among movie theaters," an industry insider observed. "The deluxe theaters in L.A. are business class."
SACRE BLEU!!! You would actually WAIT A WHOLE YEAR for a movie to come out on DVD or (even worse) video so you can watch it on a small screen (even the largest screens out there can't compare to the theatre), as you are distracted by family, telephones, microwaves, etc. To each his/her own, I guess.
Popcorn and a coke must go for $25
Accept the fact people are different.
Sounds as though you've never been exposed to the proper Home Theater Experience. You're, accordingly, invited to enjoy a movie at the Wright-o-Plex, where you can view and hear the film on a top-notch widescreen and a bowel-busting THX JBL Dolby Digital 5.1/DTS sound system. During the presentation of the film, you will NOT be distracted by ANY known humanoids, family or otherwise, the phones are off and the nuke-o-wave will have already done its thing. You will be provided a seat in an incliner, drinks and food at your elbow. You will also have your choice of a Golden Retriever, a Chow-Chow, a Siberian Husky or a Bernese Mountain Dog as a seatmate. None of the four has ever uttered a word during a movie.
Not less than 12 feet away is the Powder Room, and we have something the finest theaters don't - the PAUSE button for extended, um, "powdering." Following the feature, you will enjoy the extra goodies on the DVD, unlike the theater.
Our home features gum-free floors, free popcorn and soady pop, and the trash containers are located where they're convenient to YOU, not the theater owner.
Further, when you leave the Wright-O-Plex, we can guarantee that your car's finish will not have been "keyed" by some disgruntled moviegoer, nor will you have to wait in the Fog Pileup Lane to leave the parking lot.
And you prefer a THEATER?
Michael
The movies scheduled to be shown at the premier will be tied into themes:
"A SALUTE TO DEPRESSION" - All the films of Micky Roarke
"A SALUTE TO INTELLIGENCE" - All the "Billy Jack" movies.
"A SALUTE TO THE GREATS" - All the films of Don Knox
"A SALUTE TO FRANCE" - Jerry Lewis films are featured
"A SALUTE TO MISPLACED EGO" - The films of Kevin Costner
You may think $14 is a little steep...but we have additional features that make your viewing well worth the price.
* FREE "EST" Training...once the movie starts, you will not be allowed to go to the bathroom.
* FREE Seats! No need to bring your own.
* FREE Personal Interaction with the snot-nosed kids working the popcorn stand who think their "somebody important" because we make 'em wear a bow-tie.
WHAT MORE DO YOU PEOPLE WANT! AFTER ALL THIS IS LOS ANGELES AND THIS IS THE MOVIE INDUSTRY! (You should be grateful we even allow you to be our customers!)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.