Actually you negative neigh-sayers, they have been found, and for less than that.
Slope seats can be installed on a flat floor and vice versa if you have a proper shim for the angling. We aren’t having to do that but I think it key to note.
Well take it on a case by case basis. How are their ticket prices compared to their competition? I have ads at my theatre, and pass on that revenue to my patrons, as our admission prices are 13% less than our nearest competition (who also shows ads and charges more)
N H U, I feel that the majority of theater goers behave well and enjoy the experience, and that as usual its a minority of them that are behaving badly, but VERY BADLY, as is the case pretty much everywhere…HOWEVER…it is the fault of all who every time a new chain opens up they simply go there and forget about their local independently operated cinemas that now they find themselves having to go along with the will of the monopolyplexes.
You know who’s responsible for the high prices? YOU. You fat, greasy, slobs who cant seem to find your cake holes with the food you buy without spilling it all over the ground.
I have a great balcony in my theater…which I have had to now close off due to people being so physically screwed up they can’t walk up and down the stairs without falling down. I can’t say “hey you i don’t think you’re up to the stairs…because that would be "wrong”.
Screw you. You people made it this way. You people flock to the big Walmart chains the second they open a new shiny high priced dump, putting the independents out of business because the new guys had bigger wider seats you could slide your fat, sniveling asses into since you gorge yourself on garbage.
Now that they have done away with all the competition in the metro areas you cry foul because they charge a higher premium to have to deal with you people. You raise your kids to be spoiled brats who ruin the movies for everyone else. Then you go and make a horrible mess. Great role models you are.
YOU MADE IT THIS WAY. Stop whining, stop wearing your crocks with socks in public, try walking a little bit more, and deal with it. So pat yourselves on the back, nice job. Idiots!
I am a theater operator…if all of you whiners would make the extra effort to patronize your INDEPENDENTLY owner theatres instead of just lazing out and going to Regal, AMC, Cinemark and the like, then you’d find you’d get a quality experience and a lower price on both tickets and snacks, and then the BIG BOYS will take some prices down. YOU WHO ONLY GO TO THE BIG GUYS BECAUSE THEY’RE “NEARER” ARE THE SOLUTION HERE..IF THIS ANGERS YOU THEN DON’T GO TO THOSE CHAINS.
Promotion costs money, and the problem with this and every other small midwestern town (I own a two screen in a small midwestern town with no competition for 30 miles, so I can speak to this with authority) is that the community won’t in the long run support it.
Sure, everyone will say they like it, everyone will talk the right talk about how its important for it to be there, but on Friday Nights up against High School Football, and every other community activity over the weekends, they won’t consistently spend money here. The draw of food for the usually oversized and underfunded families takes up the family money, and the singles just go to the bars. You’re left trying to get Senior Citizens (who don’t have dispoable income to spend on Concessions) and teenagers if you can pull them away from their other partying lives, AND if you’re patient enough to deal with their bs with impolite upbringings, the cell phones, text messaging, getting up and down 50 times during the show and then the complaints from the people trying to watch the movie.
THEN you need as a new operator, anywhere from $1000 on lousy films to $2500 cash to advance studios just to get the big new films.
Beyond that, don’t forget about the property taxes, the liability insurance, the killer workmans compensation insurance, power and gas bills in the cold winters and hot summers, and Employer Taxes, an additional 15% on average beyond what you pay your employees that you have to pay Uncle Sam just for the privilege of paying someone to work for you.
And now the obsession over 3d presentations, which even if you go the discount Technicolor route with the new lens, you need a silver screen ($7000) and their leased lens, which is a minimum of $2000 to them for EACH FILM you play in 3d. So you have 70% in film rentals on big films, then $2000 more just to play them. And then you get to motivate your local poor populous to pay $9.50 a ticket just to break even.
The challenge here is that with just 4 screens and small population, it will have a hard time getting new movies outside of the mega blockbuster summer and winter, so spring and fall will be very sparce. This theatre was opened and operated for years by the areas largest chain, Coming Attractions Theatres, and even they bailed out of the place in 04. They run some verrrrrrrrry poorly attended theatres so this one is really going to be a tough spot!
The Cinema has been leased! Will reopen first quarter 2010 as a First Run Theatre (Was being run as a dilapidated dollar house by Kerasotes). Will feature all new seating, Digital Sound, modern decor and the LOWEST ticket prices around!
CineMajestic’s Lorraine Cinema Celebrates Anniversary with GONE WITH THE WIND
Hoopeston, IL – CineMajestic LLC, the region’s leader for State-of-the-Art sound with first run films and the most comfortable theatres is celebrating it’s first full year of operation of the Historic Lorraine Cinema with the presentation of the the cinematographic David O. Selznick classic, Gone With the Wind, starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh on Friday October 2nd through Sunday October 4th.
“We’ll have the exclusive national play of Gone With the Wind and I’m very excited to finally see this classic” stated Joshua Caudle, owner of the Historic Lorraine Cinema. “I actually have never seen it because it just seemed a waste to see it on TV or even just at home. Now I can say it was the smart thing to do because I’ll see the new print the right way, and I’ve already got a lot of people coming to town to get this treat too. And its a great way to showcase all the work we’ve done on the Lorraine in the last year as the hands down most comfortable place to see a movie anywhere in the area. We’re really expecting this to be well received and that our community is proud of the gem they have at the Lorraine.”
The Lorraine Cinema was originally opened as a live house in 1922 and features a full balcony, stage for live events, and classic Art Deco decor historic artwork throughout. Last year, all new seating was installed with an industry leading five foot wide spacing between rows of seats to maximize comfort and eliminate any visual obstruction for films.
Warner Brothers is sending one of the newest select prints, which has been remastered with pristine picture and modern full Digital Sound, including the elite 8 Channel SDDS Sound featured at the Lorraine, so the experience is anticipated to be first rate.
“We’re celebrating a great first year of being here” explains John Pauley, Manager of the Lorraine Cinema. “Gone With the Wind hasn’t been seen by most on the big screen, and with the brand new seats, the five foot wide aisles, killer sound and the lowest prices on tickets and snacks, we know we really have the best theatre and we want everyone to come and see that too.”
Gone With the Wind will be presented on Friday October 2nd at 715pm, Saturday October 3rd at 2pm and 715pm, and Sunday October 4th at 2pm. Tickets are a flat $5.00 each and on sale now at the Lorraine Cinema Box Office. Advanced ticket purchase is highly recommended.
The owner of the building is an EGO-MANIAC! One lease deal fell apart because the owner Mr. Kraft refuses to take his name off of the front of the building. Mr. Kraft believes he can run the theatre, but he opened a theatre out in Le Roy, Illinois and shut it down shortly thereafter.
Mr. Kraft contacted me to possibly lease the theatre, offering a triple net lease (which means the leasee pays the lease payment, maintains the building, and pays the OWNERS property taxes) at $5,500 a month not including the upkeep and the property taxes. That prices clearly reflects he’s out of touch with reality, and has no interest in the theatre, and is sadly unrealistic for a single screen theatre with 32 screens of competition within 5 or so miles.
The ART will be vacated and sit there until the lending markets bounce back and Kraft can get the money to knock it down and build condos and commercial leasing space.
Just an update on this great spot. Both auditoriums have the all new high back flip up armrest luxury chairs, and the aisles are 5 feet wide! No squirming in your seat when someone wants to walk by. Ticket prices are still lower than any other new movie theatre anywhere in the area, and they have an SDDS 8 Channel Digital Surround Sound system that just awesome.
Tons of parking, restaurants right down the block, lowest prices, and all that legroom, well worth a visit.
I met with city officials last year to look into reopening the Park. The city is all for it and will even allocate funds for exterior improvements, however the greedy scheister land owner isn’t budging. He bought the Park and talked just the right talk to appease folks about conversion to nightclubs or dinner theatre. Then he bought the apartment building just behind the theatre. Then he submitted a plan to the city to knock them both down for commercial use, or housing use. He can’t meet the parking requirements so the city wont allow him to proceed, so he’s just letting it sit there and deteriorate until it hopefully falls down or ends up in such a state of disrepair that the city won’t object to him just knocking it down and building just what lafayette needs…::sigh:: more Starbucks or townhouse space. You should ask the city where the guy lives and take a leak on his front door.
The operation of the Orinda Theatre was taken over from Renaissance Rialto on May 8, 2009 by the group currently operating the neighboring Rheem Theatre in Moraga, CA. The new operators let about 80% of the staff go and also locked out the Union Projectionists.
For years RR said they couldn’t pop fresh popcorn at the theatre, and the new operators had a popcorn popper in place within 2 weeks of taking over. RR raised the General Admission ticket price to $10 while their largest and most lovely auditorium still lacks cupholders on the seats to this day. On the flip side, the new operators are just booking the same commerical first run films they have at the Rheem right up the road. I don’t understand why they are doubling up the same films right down the street from eachother, there aren’t that many people there. Its feeling like an election, you know the old guy sucked, but the new guy also sucks, just in different ways. Best of luck to the theatre, the real victim in all of this.
Respectfully to all persons commenting here, as someone who has served as a Projectionist at theatres local to this at issue, know many of these IATSE projectionists including Marty personally, you really don’t need a Union Projectionist to have a quality presentation. You need QUALITY EQUIPMENT and a consistent training and procedural ethic.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, it is true that the only Full Time Union Houses Left are the Grand Lake and Orinda Theatres. Many in San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland and a couple of other scattered do use Part Time Union Projectionists, more so as a concession to the Political Sentiments of the powers that be in those cities vs. a commitment to a quality presentation.
The sad fact and truth is that the following correlation exists; Union Houses have inferior equipment on the whole vs non union Houses because of the additional cost of the Union personnel. While the equipment at the full time Union locations is kept in truly top notch repair by the Union operators (I have seen them personally and can attest to this) the equipment is far behind the times of standard. In the case of the Orinda Theatre specifically, of the 3 auditoriums only one, ONLY ONE has digital sound, and that auditorium has low-back fixed seats without cup holders. In 2008! The Orinda Theatre runs short schedules in the Summertime, meaning 3 and in some cases just 2 shows per day of a film. Why? Not because there is not a demand. And not because its in a poor location, its in a Retail shopping square with its own underground parking garage, bustling with people all day long with a BART (thats our local Light Rail system) station within spitting distance of the theatre. The operator of the theatre restricts his schedule due to the additional cost of running with Union Projectionists for the added hours.
And speaking to the replete comment and opinion that the booths of non union theatres being manned by “poorly trained high school kids” is a myth. I have yet to see any theatre chain allow any staff under 18 years of age to operate a film projector. And of those who do operate them, there is a rigorous training/certification process that is in place.
While I am personally touched to see the IATSE group organize to picket the Alameda Theatre as it only now breaths again due to the City of Alameda’s checkbook, it should be noted that this theatre is an Independent, not part of a Chain, not owned by the Corporate Monopolyplex Obsessed chains that have WalMarted the business of Cinema. The independents in the San Francisco Bay Area (of which you can count essentially on one hand) have a huge challenge in not only competing with the Mega Chains which surround them, but also competing with public perception that a Big Chain is a more quality presentation. While the owners are greedy, especially the operator of the Orinda/Grand Lake, so much more could be accomplished by taking on the Big Guys.
Why doesn’t the Union organize and picket any of these chains? Why doesn’t the Union push their own theatres to spend a couple bucks on Equipment or Marketing to actually compete vs concede? The worst that could happen is that they end up sending some of the persons from these megachains to the independents who can then see the quality experience…oh wait that’s right, the experience even if every element there presently functions 100% is inferior vs the chains. PICK A FIGHT WITH THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM…NOT THE NEW SMALL FRY THAT’S TRYING TO COMPETE WITH AND GIVE THE PUBLIC AN OPTION FROM THE PROBLEM. The RHEEM theatre in Moraga just changed hands without the Union…where’s the picket line? The Elmwood in Berkeley changed hands late last year..wheres the Picket line?
REGAL OWNS 50% OF THE NATIONS SCREENS…WHERE’S THE PICKET LINE??? Oh that’s right…it’s off on the Island of alameda picketing a restored Movie Palace that’s locally and independently owned and operated.
You think it takes a Union Hand to have a quality experience? Since assembling a film is just spinning it to the end, looking at the last picture, counting to four and cutting it, then getting the next reel, spinning it to the first picture, counting to four and cutting that, taping it together, spinning that reel on, then rinse and repeat 5-7 times, it takes a pulse, patience, and eyes to do this. And since once you thread the film through the projector, you need only push start on an automation box (YES even in the all union houses) it doesn’t take a union person to do this either. “ULTRA SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT?” A projector is basically a lamp with a bulb and a lens.
The Park Theatre in Lafayette was Union, sold and closed in 2005. The Oaks was union, sold and now essentially a sub run house which will close as soon as their current lease is up, the Northside is gone, the Act 1 & 2 is gone, the Metro in San Francisco is gone, the Galaxy too, and Regency 1 & 2. How many more classic venues must fall before the greedy owners and the greedy union pull their heads back from the nether-regions and get on the same page?
The business is a race. You put a young driver behind the wheel of a brand new hot rod vs Al Unser Jr. in a used Honda the new car’s going to win the race. TAKE ON THE CORE OF THE PROBLEM.
Actually you negative neigh-sayers, they have been found, and for less than that.
Slope seats can be installed on a flat floor and vice versa if you have a proper shim for the angling. We aren’t having to do that but I think it key to note.
Thanks!
Well take it on a case by case basis. How are their ticket prices compared to their competition? I have ads at my theatre, and pass on that revenue to my patrons, as our admission prices are 13% less than our nearest competition (who also shows ads and charges more)
N H U, I feel that the majority of theater goers behave well and enjoy the experience, and that as usual its a minority of them that are behaving badly, but VERY BADLY, as is the case pretty much everywhere…HOWEVER…it is the fault of all who every time a new chain opens up they simply go there and forget about their local independently operated cinemas that now they find themselves having to go along with the will of the monopolyplexes.
You know who’s responsible for the high prices? YOU. You fat, greasy, slobs who cant seem to find your cake holes with the food you buy without spilling it all over the ground.
I have a great balcony in my theater…which I have had to now close off due to people being so physically screwed up they can’t walk up and down the stairs without falling down. I can’t say “hey you i don’t think you’re up to the stairs…because that would be "wrong”.
Screw you. You people made it this way. You people flock to the big Walmart chains the second they open a new shiny high priced dump, putting the independents out of business because the new guys had bigger wider seats you could slide your fat, sniveling asses into since you gorge yourself on garbage.
Now that they have done away with all the competition in the metro areas you cry foul because they charge a higher premium to have to deal with you people. You raise your kids to be spoiled brats who ruin the movies for everyone else. Then you go and make a horrible mess. Great role models you are.
YOU MADE IT THIS WAY. Stop whining, stop wearing your crocks with socks in public, try walking a little bit more, and deal with it. So pat yourselves on the back, nice job. Idiots!
I am a theater operator…if all of you whiners would make the extra effort to patronize your INDEPENDENTLY owner theatres instead of just lazing out and going to Regal, AMC, Cinemark and the like, then you’d find you’d get a quality experience and a lower price on both tickets and snacks, and then the BIG BOYS will take some prices down. YOU WHO ONLY GO TO THE BIG GUYS BECAUSE THEY’RE “NEARER” ARE THE SOLUTION HERE..IF THIS ANGERS YOU THEN DON’T GO TO THOSE CHAINS.
Promotion costs money, and the problem with this and every other small midwestern town (I own a two screen in a small midwestern town with no competition for 30 miles, so I can speak to this with authority) is that the community won’t in the long run support it.
Sure, everyone will say they like it, everyone will talk the right talk about how its important for it to be there, but on Friday Nights up against High School Football, and every other community activity over the weekends, they won’t consistently spend money here. The draw of food for the usually oversized and underfunded families takes up the family money, and the singles just go to the bars. You’re left trying to get Senior Citizens (who don’t have dispoable income to spend on Concessions) and teenagers if you can pull them away from their other partying lives, AND if you’re patient enough to deal with their bs with impolite upbringings, the cell phones, text messaging, getting up and down 50 times during the show and then the complaints from the people trying to watch the movie.
THEN you need as a new operator, anywhere from $1000 on lousy films to $2500 cash to advance studios just to get the big new films.
Beyond that, don’t forget about the property taxes, the liability insurance, the killer workmans compensation insurance, power and gas bills in the cold winters and hot summers, and Employer Taxes, an additional 15% on average beyond what you pay your employees that you have to pay Uncle Sam just for the privilege of paying someone to work for you.
And now the obsession over 3d presentations, which even if you go the discount Technicolor route with the new lens, you need a silver screen ($7000) and their leased lens, which is a minimum of $2000 to them for EACH FILM you play in 3d. So you have 70% in film rentals on big films, then $2000 more just to play them. And then you get to motivate your local poor populous to pay $9.50 a ticket just to break even.
GOOOOOOD luck!
The challenge here is that with just 4 screens and small population, it will have a hard time getting new movies outside of the mega blockbuster summer and winter, so spring and fall will be very sparce. This theatre was opened and operated for years by the areas largest chain, Coming Attractions Theatres, and even they bailed out of the place in 04. They run some verrrrrrrrry poorly attended theatres so this one is really going to be a tough spot!
The Cinema has been leased! Will reopen first quarter 2010 as a First Run Theatre (Was being run as a dilapidated dollar house by Kerasotes). Will feature all new seating, Digital Sound, modern decor and the LOWEST ticket prices around!
Correction: the balcony does NOT have HIGH BACK ROCKER SEATS, it has HIGH BACK SEATS, they DO NOT ROCK.
If its brand new and in such good shape, why was it installed and removed after one week? Seam lines? Someone throw a soda at it?
AND THE PRICE IS???
Why dont you go picket the problem in your industry which is the big chains?
and the price is…?
CineMajestic’s Lorraine Cinema Celebrates Anniversary with GONE WITH THE WIND
Hoopeston, IL – CineMajestic LLC, the region’s leader for State-of-the-Art sound with first run films and the most comfortable theatres is celebrating it’s first full year of operation of the Historic Lorraine Cinema with the presentation of the the cinematographic David O. Selznick classic, Gone With the Wind, starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh on Friday October 2nd through Sunday October 4th.
“We’ll have the exclusive national play of Gone With the Wind and I’m very excited to finally see this classic” stated Joshua Caudle, owner of the Historic Lorraine Cinema. “I actually have never seen it because it just seemed a waste to see it on TV or even just at home. Now I can say it was the smart thing to do because I’ll see the new print the right way, and I’ve already got a lot of people coming to town to get this treat too. And its a great way to showcase all the work we’ve done on the Lorraine in the last year as the hands down most comfortable place to see a movie anywhere in the area. We’re really expecting this to be well received and that our community is proud of the gem they have at the Lorraine.”
The Lorraine Cinema was originally opened as a live house in 1922 and features a full balcony, stage for live events, and classic Art Deco decor historic artwork throughout. Last year, all new seating was installed with an industry leading five foot wide spacing between rows of seats to maximize comfort and eliminate any visual obstruction for films.
Warner Brothers is sending one of the newest select prints, which has been remastered with pristine picture and modern full Digital Sound, including the elite 8 Channel SDDS Sound featured at the Lorraine, so the experience is anticipated to be first rate.
“We’re celebrating a great first year of being here” explains John Pauley, Manager of the Lorraine Cinema. “Gone With the Wind hasn’t been seen by most on the big screen, and with the brand new seats, the five foot wide aisles, killer sound and the lowest prices on tickets and snacks, we know we really have the best theatre and we want everyone to come and see that too.”
Gone With the Wind will be presented on Friday October 2nd at 715pm, Saturday October 3rd at 2pm and 715pm, and Sunday October 4th at 2pm. Tickets are a flat $5.00 each and on sale now at the Lorraine Cinema Box Office. Advanced ticket purchase is highly recommended.
The ART is a great facility but has one problem…
The owner of the building is an EGO-MANIAC! One lease deal fell apart because the owner Mr. Kraft refuses to take his name off of the front of the building. Mr. Kraft believes he can run the theatre, but he opened a theatre out in Le Roy, Illinois and shut it down shortly thereafter.
Mr. Kraft contacted me to possibly lease the theatre, offering a triple net lease (which means the leasee pays the lease payment, maintains the building, and pays the OWNERS property taxes) at $5,500 a month not including the upkeep and the property taxes. That prices clearly reflects he’s out of touch with reality, and has no interest in the theatre, and is sadly unrealistic for a single screen theatre with 32 screens of competition within 5 or so miles.
The ART will be vacated and sit there until the lending markets bounce back and Kraft can get the money to knock it down and build condos and commercial leasing space.
What a classy guy Mr. Kraft is!
This is the new site and has some brilliant photos of the place, recent one!
www.cinemajesticltd.com
Just an update on this great spot. Both auditoriums have the all new high back flip up armrest luxury chairs, and the aisles are 5 feet wide! No squirming in your seat when someone wants to walk by. Ticket prices are still lower than any other new movie theatre anywhere in the area, and they have an SDDS 8 Channel Digital Surround Sound system that just awesome.
Tons of parking, restaurants right down the block, lowest prices, and all that legroom, well worth a visit.
Barry,
I met with city officials last year to look into reopening the Park. The city is all for it and will even allocate funds for exterior improvements, however the greedy scheister land owner isn’t budging. He bought the Park and talked just the right talk to appease folks about conversion to nightclubs or dinner theatre. Then he bought the apartment building just behind the theatre. Then he submitted a plan to the city to knock them both down for commercial use, or housing use. He can’t meet the parking requirements so the city wont allow him to proceed, so he’s just letting it sit there and deteriorate until it hopefully falls down or ends up in such a state of disrepair that the city won’t object to him just knocking it down and building just what lafayette needs…::sigh:: more Starbucks or townhouse space. You should ask the city where the guy lives and take a leak on his front door.
The operation of the Orinda Theatre was taken over from Renaissance Rialto on May 8, 2009 by the group currently operating the neighboring Rheem Theatre in Moraga, CA. The new operators let about 80% of the staff go and also locked out the Union Projectionists.
For years RR said they couldn’t pop fresh popcorn at the theatre, and the new operators had a popcorn popper in place within 2 weeks of taking over. RR raised the General Admission ticket price to $10 while their largest and most lovely auditorium still lacks cupholders on the seats to this day. On the flip side, the new operators are just booking the same commerical first run films they have at the Rheem right up the road. I don’t understand why they are doubling up the same films right down the street from eachother, there aren’t that many people there. Its feeling like an election, you know the old guy sucked, but the new guy also sucks, just in different ways. Best of luck to the theatre, the real victim in all of this.
Could you JUST say where the theatre is?
I bought a theatre last year from a listing right here on Cinematreasures.org and guess what…they LISTED it…not a foreign concept
Respectfully to all persons commenting here, as someone who has served as a Projectionist at theatres local to this at issue, know many of these IATSE projectionists including Marty personally, you really don’t need a Union Projectionist to have a quality presentation. You need QUALITY EQUIPMENT and a consistent training and procedural ethic.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, it is true that the only Full Time Union Houses Left are the Grand Lake and Orinda Theatres. Many in San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland and a couple of other scattered do use Part Time Union Projectionists, more so as a concession to the Political Sentiments of the powers that be in those cities vs. a commitment to a quality presentation.
The sad fact and truth is that the following correlation exists; Union Houses have inferior equipment on the whole vs non union Houses because of the additional cost of the Union personnel. While the equipment at the full time Union locations is kept in truly top notch repair by the Union operators (I have seen them personally and can attest to this) the equipment is far behind the times of standard. In the case of the Orinda Theatre specifically, of the 3 auditoriums only one, ONLY ONE has digital sound, and that auditorium has low-back fixed seats without cup holders. In 2008! The Orinda Theatre runs short schedules in the Summertime, meaning 3 and in some cases just 2 shows per day of a film. Why? Not because there is not a demand. And not because its in a poor location, its in a Retail shopping square with its own underground parking garage, bustling with people all day long with a BART (thats our local Light Rail system) station within spitting distance of the theatre. The operator of the theatre restricts his schedule due to the additional cost of running with Union Projectionists for the added hours.
And speaking to the replete comment and opinion that the booths of non union theatres being manned by “poorly trained high school kids” is a myth. I have yet to see any theatre chain allow any staff under 18 years of age to operate a film projector. And of those who do operate them, there is a rigorous training/certification process that is in place.
While I am personally touched to see the IATSE group organize to picket the Alameda Theatre as it only now breaths again due to the City of Alameda’s checkbook, it should be noted that this theatre is an Independent, not part of a Chain, not owned by the Corporate Monopolyplex Obsessed chains that have WalMarted the business of Cinema. The independents in the San Francisco Bay Area (of which you can count essentially on one hand) have a huge challenge in not only competing with the Mega Chains which surround them, but also competing with public perception that a Big Chain is a more quality presentation. While the owners are greedy, especially the operator of the Orinda/Grand Lake, so much more could be accomplished by taking on the Big Guys.
Why doesn’t the Union organize and picket any of these chains? Why doesn’t the Union push their own theatres to spend a couple bucks on Equipment or Marketing to actually compete vs concede? The worst that could happen is that they end up sending some of the persons from these megachains to the independents who can then see the quality experience…oh wait that’s right, the experience even if every element there presently functions 100% is inferior vs the chains. PICK A FIGHT WITH THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM…NOT THE NEW SMALL FRY THAT’S TRYING TO COMPETE WITH AND GIVE THE PUBLIC AN OPTION FROM THE PROBLEM. The RHEEM theatre in Moraga just changed hands without the Union…where’s the picket line? The Elmwood in Berkeley changed hands late last year..wheres the Picket line?
REGAL OWNS 50% OF THE NATIONS SCREENS…WHERE’S THE PICKET LINE??? Oh that’s right…it’s off on the Island of alameda picketing a restored Movie Palace that’s locally and independently owned and operated.
You think it takes a Union Hand to have a quality experience? Since assembling a film is just spinning it to the end, looking at the last picture, counting to four and cutting it, then getting the next reel, spinning it to the first picture, counting to four and cutting that, taping it together, spinning that reel on, then rinse and repeat 5-7 times, it takes a pulse, patience, and eyes to do this. And since once you thread the film through the projector, you need only push start on an automation box (YES even in the all union houses) it doesn’t take a union person to do this either. “ULTRA SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT?” A projector is basically a lamp with a bulb and a lens.
The Park Theatre in Lafayette was Union, sold and closed in 2005. The Oaks was union, sold and now essentially a sub run house which will close as soon as their current lease is up, the Northside is gone, the Act 1 & 2 is gone, the Metro in San Francisco is gone, the Galaxy too, and Regency 1 & 2. How many more classic venues must fall before the greedy owners and the greedy union pull their heads back from the nether-regions and get on the same page?
The business is a race. You put a young driver behind the wheel of a brand new hot rod vs Al Unser Jr. in a used Honda the new car’s going to win the race. TAKE ON THE CORE OF THE PROBLEM.