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Kerasotes behavior classes
posted by
Broan
on
November 10, 2006 at 7:50 am
CICERO, IL — I’m not really sure how to best summarize this without making it sound controversial… I know it will spur a lot of commentary here.
Basically, a Kerasotes theater outside Chicago is requiring teens that want to see movies alone at night to take a lecture on personal conduct with their parents.
A new 14-screen movie theater opened in Cicero Friday, but teenagers under 18 can’t go at night unless they’re with a parent. If they want to go unaccompanied by an adult, they have to take a class and get a “code of conduct” ID card.
Kerasotes started requiring ID cards last year at its theatres in South Bend, Ind. when three teenagers were arrested for fighting. In order to get the cards here, teens and their parents have to sit through a 10 minute lecture.
To read more about this interesting new practice, visitCBS 2 Chicago.
Comments (23)
How about if all the major exhibitors provide the same lecture, and issue ID cards good at any movie theater, FOR ALL PEOPLE INCLUDING ADULTS who wish to see movies?
The adults need a code of conduct too. Everyone should be REQUIRED to be dressed formally, leave their cells off, and be respectful.
However, the theaters should also have a code of conduct too. Tthey should not show commercials, provide a top notch presentation every single show, and keep prices down.
I had in mind people keeping quiet and their cell phones and other gadgets off.
What do you mean “dressed formally”? White tie? Black tie? Jackets & ties?
Agreed. I think he forgot to mention the white stretch limo as well.
HowardBHaas said:I had in mind people keeping quiet and their cell phones and other gadgets off.
What do you mean “dressed formally”? White tie? Black tie? Jackets & ties?
I can’t wait to go tonight and FINALLY get to enjoy the MOVIE instead of the SHOW going on in the theatre!
~Michael (From Cicero)
Like sitting through a ten-minute lecture is actually going to modify the behavior of the problem kids? Sure, they’ll sit through the class, get the card, and cause trouble anyway. All this does is punish the good kids.
Like sitting through a ten-minute lecture is actually going to modify the behavior of the problem kids? Sure, they’ll sit through the class, get the card, and cause trouble anyway. All this does is punish the good kids.
I like the idea, though 10 minutes doesn’t hardly seem long enough to cover a “Code of Conduct”. I think 30 minutes might be more reallistic. You have parents present to hear what is expected in your theatre. Both parent and child have to sign a “contract” that if they fail to adhear to the code of contact they will be ejected from the theatre without a refund and loose their ID card thus revoking their right to see movies un-chaperoned; and, you collect the parents information so they can be called to pick their child up. If the parents can’t be bothered to see a movie with their child, why should the theatre have to babysit them.
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ken what world do you live in?lol
Adults most definitely need this too.
Instead of a 10 minute lecture, I see a much better application in having 10+ one minute promos on film that are played late among the trailers. A comedic parody of the 1950’s films on hygiene, fallout, or whatever would be very funny, and genuinely educational while being brief enough to avoid pitfalls. I have seen this on the web forum for steamfitters as the how to post for newbies. It is hilarious, and I will post a direct link when I can get it. Most people are capable of improvement, a few others are just there to waste resources.
This would allow for world wide distribution, and thus be very low cost.
here’s the link to the allegory:
http://www.linuxbench.org/Posting.html
I don’t think this is going to do much. The biggest effect is going to be causing some people to go to theatres where they don’t have to deal with such a policy. It is a noble effort. But it is, in my opinion, impractical.
And that might be the intended effect: causing teenagers to go elsewhere so they do not have to deal with them.
Could be Roger. Valid point. But I doubt it. Money is money to a corporation. I don’t think they care if the auditorium is filled with loud kids, respectful adults, or aliens from Mars.
I agree that adults are part of the problem as well. From inconsiderate adults come inconsiderate children. However, Rather than taking a defeatist approach and saying it’s not going to work, I applaud then for making the effort. After all, it’s a step in the right direction.
I think Ken has a great point here. Theaters (and I’m talking about the chains here) need to address their code of conduct first. I think advertisements have gone out of control with the pre-show digital systems and I hope to see a change or new approch in the for a more someone sophisticated (yet not pompous) type mega plex. The environment of the theater, attitude of the staff, presentation and lighting all play a role that from my experience that is underestimated for its potential.
I can dream cant I?
The one pet peeve I have at our theater, a Cinema Six, which is eighty miles there and back, is kids who put their feet on the back of the seat infront of them. I take my two girls, 15 and 12 and always warn them ahead if they do this, we will leave. I see young adults do this also. Who wants to have a dirty foot in flipflops or snow boots on the back of their head.
Saturday and Sunday matinee are the best days for us to go. And cheapest $5.50 a seat. Which means alot of kids with parents. And alot of kicking the seats and heads of the ones in front of them.
I wonder how long it will be before some brazen (or civic-minded, depending on your outlook) teen decides to file a lawsuit against the theater for “age discrimination†claiming their policy is exclusionary and constitutes harassment and “selective attention†of a particular group in a public facility. If a movie is rated PG or PG-13, for example, a teen should be allowed to attend it unimpeded and without restriction (as they would in any other theater).
The argument would be that disruptive behavior is a legitimate reason for a theater to ban customers – not age – and that adults also can behave just as badly (if not worse). Therefore, adults should also have to register their personal information and obtain a “code of conduct†card (in effect entering into a contract) and if they violate the [same] rules should be banned as well.
Also, if you “card†or ID customers for the purpose of determining age, you should also have to do so for EVERY person that enters the theater (not just those that look like minors). To do otherwise would be considered “profiling”.
On this basis (and in this litigious society), it is just a matter of time before someone contests the policy’s enforceability.
I’m not providing legal advice in stating this, but I will note that shopping malls often exclude teenagers.
kerasotes should do this at all thier theaters.
City North 14 has more “disruptive” guests than Cicero.
This is like a year in a half later, but at least for kerasotes alto it isn’t a public facility. Its private property. They can kick all of us out because they don’t like our hairstyle and because its private property they can refuse to sell tickets to anyone for any reason.
As someone who has worked in theater management for 10+ years (although I recently left) I have to address some of the points made here:
1. Lengthy advertisements. Annoying? Yes. Needed? Probably not in all theaters. However, for smaller chains these advertisements provide much needed funding. Regional and local theater chains try to keep their prices low, in order to compete with national chains. Yet, they typically don’t bring in the revenue simply because they have fewer screens than the giants. So in order for them to keep prices low, they need to place advertisements from outside companies. Sorry if you hate them, but advertising is apart of our culture. It’s here to stay.
If you really have a problem with ticket prices, contact film studios. The price to bring in a film is what sets the bar for ticket prices. Theaters have bills to pay in order to operate. Xenon bulbs can cost $1000+ EACH. Heating bills, water bills, etc. It costs a lot just to open the doors for business each day.
Do I think singling out a few choice locations is OK? No. However, I do agree that not every theater location has this kind of problem.
Corporate types only see the big bucks these teens bring with them. What they don’t see is the bigger picture; Americans as a whole are going out to the movies less often. I’m sure the price of admission is part of the reason. But why would anyone willingly spend that kind of money, knowing that there is a good chance that their movie experience will be spoiled? I finally started telling some of my customers that if they really want to enjoy their movie, don’t come to the 7pm set on Fridays. And I hated telling them that. They should be able to come whenever they want and enjoy their movie.
I don’t agree with Kerasotes on their selective factor. But at least they are starting to think outside of the box. At least they acknowledge that it IS a problem. And for that, I applaud them.