AMC Voorhees 16

Ugh!! Bummer Alamo didn’t pick this up as part of their national expansion. Don’t know about you guys, but I don’t know if I want to patronize this theater anymore.

Fingers Crossed!!

@hdtv267, anything is possible so who knows. For posterity, here’s a link to the DoJ ruling. http://www.ofr.gov/(S(00exjxvzd0ot3r0gdyhed3ty))/OFRUpload/OFRData/2013-12762_PI.pdf

It could be either AMC (Who’s closest theatre is in Cherry Hill), or Regal (Who has one being built in Moorestown, and a 2nd in Burlington)

So I’m looking for a list but this is apparently one of the theatres going to Cinemark. Which would be this theatre’s fourth owner in five years.

Interesting that Cinemark is buying this, because they have a (nicely remodeled) 16 frankenplex not far from here. It boosts their standing in the market instantly, though.

The official National Amusements to Rave changeover happened today. Showtimes are no longer listed on the NA site, and the theatre is now “Rave Motion Pictures Ritz Center”.

Went there tonight, and saw the first notable changes since the sale:

—Rave ticket stubs, popcorn bags, and uniforms are in use.
—“Showcase Art” is now called “Rave Review”. The old sticky letter box office marquees are still up.
—Coke has replaced Pepsi (yay!)
—No policy trailer on the 3D screening I’ve seen, and no Screenvision digital, just opera music.

It’ll be interesting to see what the signage will look like. The Ritz 16 is practically the exact opposite of Rave’s typical “put neon everywhere” philosophy.

`I think business will be same as usual,Rave will honor NA gift cards and other programs till early next year.

Rave Motion Pictures is slated to acquire this theatre, as well as The Bridge: Cinema De Lux, and 33 other National Amusements locations.

The quality is slipping already – saw Darjeeling Limited here and the sound was low and muddled, like it wasn’t even in stereo.

There is something totally unAmerican about a theater, or any other type of U.S.-based establishment for that matter, seeking to alienate anyone. The far better — and more ethical — thing to do is to plan out the theater using the Murphy’s Law approach. Have it so it works out well for everyone no matter who comes to it. There’s the old saying, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” But if someone tries to bring back a theater style of old and it is greatly clashed by such things as teenagers with cellphones or whatever it’s time to face the music and recognize that what worked out well in the past needs to be seriously updated. For as Murphy’s Law states, if something can go wrong it will.

Now to Dr Pepper, what you said caught my interest. You stated, “I think the Ritz was the best thing to do in South Jersey” (referring to the years you were growing up there.) Now I don’t know when that was, but to me if going to a theater is the best thing to do in South Jersey there’s something majorly wrong with South Jersey. And this you’re hearing from someone who spent much of his youth in South Jersey. But in my case — and I felt very fortunate — the best thing to do in South Jersey was to hit the Jersey beach every summer. And while all my life I’ve always loved movie theaters, the whole point of them was to greatly enhance how we view life itself. Take the Beatles' movie HELP!, for instance. My having seen that at a theater when I was a kid when it was all new (1965) the beach scenes shot in the Bahamas made me want to get down to the South Jersey beaches and enjoy life for all it’s worth. And then there was that movie documentary ENDLESS SUMMER that motivated me to get out there to see what real surfing is like.

Now admittedly the Shore scene in South Jersey these days is a total mess. For the past 20 years straight it’s been a disgusting rip-off at every turn. And made all the worse by the media rarely daring to tell it like it really is. And so if you grew up in South Jersey during that last 20-year time period I can fully understand your saying that going to a movie theater is the best thing to do in South Jersey. But at the same time can you see why I see that statement as being very sad? For movies and movie theaters in themselves — as much as I personally really love them — are not enough. They shouldn’t be enough. If they’re looked upon as if they are sufficient just in themselves and without really motivating anybody to do anything really exciting with their lives it’s like they’re cannons designed not to fire or what have you. Movie theaters should not merely be pacifyers but actual motivators — eye-openers, awareness-raisers, truth-revealers and all that good stuff. Things that get the people really riled up to bring about positive change where it’s needed. And South Jersey could really use that right now I feel.

I have to say the so-called “mature” “sophisticated” audience that frequents this place is very militant and close-minded from everything I’ve read. This move could have been worse – imagine if AMC or Regal bought the place! National has committed to showcase art pictures and will continue to, the real loss is that smaller art films will be lost in the mix – those from such “micro distributors” as Strand Releasing, New Yorker Films, Kino, Shadow, ect. But, if patrons frequent the art films and they consistently out gross the mainstream pictures, National will be likely to show the types of movies that sell out. This could be a good thing. I have been to both The Bridge and a few other Cinema De Lux style locations, they are first class. I think its unfair to assume as locals have and I quote directly from a moron on The Courier Post’s website that the theater will have “Graffiti on the walls, arrests for possession, public intoxication, assault and battery.” – the answer that these so called “sophisticated” movie goers fail to see is this: see the art films here, see the mainstream ones that interest you elsewhere. This is one way to get National (who by the way will be restricting admission to “Cine Art” films, even those that have potential teen appeal including In The Land of Women, Hot Fuzz, and Year of the Dog) is to support the art films and demand more of them. But seriously, if AMC bought this place there is no way they would have given this as much attention and care as National has. With sixteen screens a smaller chain wouldn’t be able to afford it. Landmark for whatever reason wasn’t interested in it, nor did the recently relaunched Sundance Cinemas. If you should feel betrayed by anyone it should be the Posel family. Under a different chain, it would have become a run of the mill suburban multiplex, and any upscale amenity would be removed. So you should be happy with the deal that you got. The only Ritz fan who has given much thought to this thing is FlickGirl, who has a great interview with Sherri Redstone on her blog.

National is looking for ways to improve the experience here, including upgrading it to a Cinema De Lux. They are truly interested in running this type of complex – why, because if its successful it could be introduced in other markets. How so? Sherri Redstone is quite brilliant improving the state of movie going making it more upscale, granted National is a bit pricier than Ritz, they run higher quality cinemas than Regal and AMC – I should know, I see 200 movies a year at a variety of chains including independently run art houses. The Ritz theaters had nothing on New York’s IFC Center or the Landmark chain – I was unimpressed by Ritz’s Philly theaters but I see why they are popular, they are the only game in town for indies. Had Sundance Cinemas actually opened they would have changed the game in Philly.

National is truly a first class theater chain with high quality projection and better popcorn than Ritz sites had – yes, you may not be able to see the smallest indies but it’s still not your run of the mill suburban multiplex. After the demographics for movie going are skewing older and chains have been adapting to class up their theaters to appeal to an aging movie lover. I doubt that you will get rowdy teens seeing Away From Her, and if any teens do show up, they will likely be like me at 15,16,17….: well behaved and interested in the film. Why would you mind that?

The way to segregate and isolate the audience is to not appeal to teens. Spider-Man 3 appeals to everyone, I doubt teens rushed to a place because now they could get in. Do teens really care? In the past they probably thought, “why should we go there, there’s a bunch of old militant film fans that hate us and weird movies playing there” – they now know that National owns the and they want to check it out? I doubt it, but if there are any “Ritz heads” that still attend Showcase at Ritz Center, I’d be interested to find out more. If I were you I’d be happy that a major chain runs a multiplex that continues to show art films and hasn’t converted the place to show only mainstream garbage.

And they’re rebranding this one as “Showcase Cinemas at Ritz Center”, with more mainstream movies added to the programming mix. The restriction on children will also be relaxed – patrons over 12 are admitted unaccompanied at all times, patrons over 6 can be unaccompanied before 8pm. These changes start Friday.

Was there tonight to see a theatre in the midst of an uncomfortable transition. Some of the Ritz touches are still there, but National Amusements has begun adding its own touches – ticket stubs, popcorn bags, policy trailers, and the ugly “N” logo on the doors. I’m honestly not sure how this will work, and I’m surprised to find that they’re just rebranding this as a run-of-the-mill location rather than making it something special (I expected another Bridge here, to be honest). Info can be found here:

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20070428_Ritz_sale_allows_more_kids.html

Yep, National Amusements is buying the Ritz Sixteen, Landmark bought the houses across the river. I will say this National has committed to running an art wing of their 18-plex in Wooster, MA with a seperate upscale concession. They also have have the Cinema De Lux brand (Philly area residence know The Bridge at UPenn which a great multiplex ruined by rowdy crowds). I’m guessing they’ll rebrand this one as “Showcase CineArt” – which is what they’re calling the art wing in Wooster. Cinema De Lux implies it would have director’s halls. Thats possiable too at a later point, they’ve been converting multiplexes to Cinema De Lux in other markets, but thats really an upcale type of cinema for a mainstream crowd. It should be interesting – they don’t run a theater that just shows art pictures, but as a chain they are inventive, have high quality projection and sound, and good customer service. I think they could keep the magic alive here, and hopefully bring this experience to other locations (up North at Edgewater Multiplex, where they do show some art movies, would be great!).