I scream, you scream
I love Gary Shelton's sports writing for the Times, partly because he knows what he's talking about when he uses movie references. Therefore, I wholeheartedly believe this multiplex horror story Gary messaged me about:
"I took the kids to see Iron Man over the weekend, and I was aghast at something I had never seen before in an American cinema. Tell me if I'm just out of date.
"We went to Park Place (Stadium 16) for the 6:40 showing. Obviously, we paid a fortune to get in, and a fortune-and-a-half for concessions. The place was packed, and the lights were glaring (they went down during the movie).
"Then, about 15 minutes before the movie began, some usher came in hawking ice cream.: 'Now I'm over in the corner if you need ice cream.' (English movie houses do that all the time.) This was like Crazy Larry selling ice cream. He prattled on and on, loudly, about how hot the theater was going to get and what kinds of ice cream he had and how parents should make kids happy. He went on and on for several minutes. No takers.
"Then he came back and did the same thing. Then he came back again. By the end, I was ready to pay him to shut up. Or to buy (an ice cream) drumstick so I could throw it at him (just joking).
"I don't know if this is another trend to try to increase profits, but I swear, I'm not heading back there anytime soon. I'll wait for the DVD."
Don't blame you at all, Gary. Not only is that shameful shilling, it's also another reason for audiences to think disruptive behavior is appropriate in a theater. I called Park Place, where a manager confirmed that they do sell ice cream (I wondered if it was the nearby creamery doing some cross-promotional thing), and they do occasionally send an employee ("He isn't obnoxious.") into auditoriums selling goodies of all kinds, even using a push cart on occasion.
He called it "a courtesy" for moviegoers when lines at the concession stand get too long.
I call it the last act of a desperate industry. But Gary doesn't care if it's the first act of Henry V (he'll get that, if you don't).
Steve Persall is the movie critic for the St. Petersburg Times. He was conceived behind a drive-in movie theater his father operated and raised in projection booths and concession stands. He doesn't care how you did it up north.
Actually, I was at Park Place this weekend (to see the vastly boring "Narnia" sequel) and encountered the exact same thing.
Very obnoxious vendor screaming about how hot it was. He just wouldn't leave.
THEN, on my way out of the auditorium, they had a huge cart of popcorn and drinks that they tried to sell us. Yeah, I want a $4 diet coke right now when I can have one for about a dime in 10 minutes when I get home.
Are other theaters doing this? I hope it's not an industry trend.
Posted by: Spears | May 20, 2008 at 06:42 AM
Why does the hawker keep mentioning how hot the theater is? Is there something wrong with the air conditioning? Theaters used to advertise themselves as a cool place to escape the heat.
It's already at the point where my wife usually vetos any idea of going to a theater, and I can't really blame her. We can have a better experience at home with our own snacks, no unruly audience members, and (sadly) more reliable picture and sound. Some dude hawking ice cream doesn't exactly make the theater experience sound any more appealing ... and I love ice cream!
Posted by: GlennS. | May 20, 2008 at 10:11 AM
I work for a movie theater. And unfortunately, we have to "shill" things. It's part of our job. What you don't realize is that most (around 90%+) of what is taken in the box office, goes straight back to Hollywood. The money we get at the concession stands are what is used to keep the theater operating (maintenance, payroll, janitors, etc.). Yes, it's expensive, but if you want to keep having great movies, please help out the poor overworked concessionists.
Posted by: A.H. | May 20, 2008 at 03:52 PM
Hello, A.H. I do understand, having worked in concession stands for all my youthful years in my father's houses. If you check some of my earlier posts, you'll find I know a few things about ballyhoo shilling, too. But there's a difference between showmanship and intrusion -- upon people's time and ears, and upon the sanctity of a movie theater (silence is golden; whispers are at best bronze). If the theater or theater chain is having a contest to see who sells the most ice cream (and it happens, individually or as a manager pimping his staff) then inform the audience and handle it with better decorum than these yahoos apparently did. We already have enough classless noise in theaters... these days.
Posted by: Steve Persall | May 20, 2008 at 07:08 PM
I have a hard time believing Gary didn't buy the ice cream. From his picture, it doesn't appear he declines many offers for sweets. Maybe he already had his fill from the traditional vendors at the theater.
Posted by: Third and Fourth Chins | May 23, 2008 at 03:26 PM
Sure, because I want a carnival atmosphere when I'm trying to WATCH A DAMNED MOVIE.
My girlfriend no longer wants to see movies in theaters, and I guess I agree. They are mostly horrible places.
Love the Beach Theater in St. Pete Beach though. At least some people understand the experience should be fun.
Posted by: Dave | May 25, 2008 at 08:10 AM
A.H. -
"Yes, it's expensive, but if you want to keep having great movies, please help out the poor overworked concessionists."
You're quite the enthusiastic little industry shill, but (at best) not a very intelligent one.
Without our generous spending at the -concession counter-, "great movies" will dwindle or disappear...?
Posted by: Grrr | May 25, 2008 at 05:36 PM