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I remember cleaning up those used tissues (and napkins). "Love Story", "The Champ", "Summer of '42" may have been the top three. Ewww...
We gave out little tissue packs to the customers going in to see "Love Story". They were definitely used during the film!
Back then, theatre auditoriums were larger and got the movies exclusively in the town. "The Sound Of Music" played 88 weeks at the theatre I started out in. We were the only multiscreen theatre in town (twin) until 1969 when a fourplex was built across town. The first movie that played day and date at two theatres here was "Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid". We ran it from October to December, when we had to get rid of it for our Christmas movie, "The Reivers". "Butch" was still filling the theatre up when we dumped it, and "The Reivers" never did. The theatre across town kept "Butch" for a little over a year!
I think the shared, communal experience is so important, and we don't get enough of that. It was great being "cheek by jowl" with our fellow man laughing or crying together at the same thing. It has slowly died out and, since Covid, may never return. I go to a little art theatre once in a while that used to be almost full, but now there are just two here, one there, scattered far apart... It's rather sad!
There's a lot to be said about seeing a movie in a crowded theatre. I had seen "Casablanca" many times on TV and enjoyed the movie very much. A theatre in town ran it a few years back with a brand new film print. The theatre was packed, and the audience and I really got into the picture. Even though everyone had probably seen it before, the laughs, cheers, and tears were genuine.
I had vowed never to go to a movies theater again. But I was coerced to go to see “Jurassic World Dominion” at the local eight screen. From the people who talked and texted on their phones, to a busted speaker that rattled at every bass note, the experience was horrible. It’s a shame as I used to love the hype of a blockbuster movie. But those days long gone. Ruined by people with no social values.
You go if you want to. But for me, I’m going to enjoy my comfortable couch, fresh popcorn, superior Dolby Atmos surround sound, and large screen OLED TV in an atmosphere where I can enjoy the the movie.
I had vowed never to go to a movies theater again. But I was coerced to go to see “Jurassic World Dominion” at the local eight screen. From the people who talked and texted on their phones, to a busted speaker that rattled at every bass note, the experience was horrible. It’s a shame as I used to love the hype of a blockbuster movie. But those days long gone. Ruined by people with no social values.
You go if you want to. But for me, I’m going to enjoy my comfortable couch, fresh popcorn, superior Dolby Atmos surround sound, and large screen OLED TV in an atmosphere where I can enjoy the the movie.
Thankfully, I got out of theatre management in the 90s before the advent of cell phones. I had my share of problems though. From smoking in the auditorium to vandalism, and people putting their feet on the back of the seats, I saw it all. One day a man came out and told me there were no toilets seats on the toilet in the men's room. They were there in the morning when we opened! I went in, took a look at the customer was right! How someone got them out without anyone noticing has always intrigued me!
The price of movies started going through the roof when stadium seating became popular. Old theatres converted to stadium at big expense. Digital sound systems cost a lot of money. Digital projection systems cost $50,000 per screen! Many small town theatres and drive ins had to close up when the studios quit making film prints, and the theatres couldn't afford the conversion. I stayed with the projection side of the business, making service calls, and running shows until the digital age started.
Thankfully, I got out of theatre management in the 90s before the advent of cell phones. I had my share of problems though. From smoking in the auditorium to vandalism, and people putting their feet on the back of the seats, I saw it all. One day a man came out and told me there were no toilets seats on the toilet in the men's room. They were there in the morning when we opened! I went in, took a look at the customer was right! How someone got them out without anyone noticing has always intrigued me!
The price of movies started going through the roof when stadium seating became popular. Old theatres converted to stadium at big expense. Digital sound systems cost a lot of money. Digital projection systems cost $50,000 per screen! Many small town theatres and drive ins had to close up when the studios quit making film prints, and the theatres couldn't afford the conversion. I stayed with the projection side of the business, making service calls, and running shows until the digital age started.
It was around 93 or 94 when the cellphones began to be a problem in theatres. Fortunately, the DO took a hard line as long as possible, and the circuit I worked for got sold before it became intolerable. TBH, the cellphones were just the tip of a looming iceberg, and the mega-chains were wimping out and giving bad offenders who complained free passes. You can't buy your way out from under bullies. What happened is a recognition by the public that jerks would be tolerated, and that opened floodgates where any miscreant would waltz around like they owned the place. A few of the managers managed to hold the line for a while, but the sheer numbers eventually overwhelmed them.
People conveniently forget that in the movie palaces there were armies of ushers and usherettes that were constantly watching and patrolling. Generally there was no second warning. Bad behavior? OUT! NO refund. And if your friends tried to interfere? All of you - OUT! There was constant testing, but once word got out the customers behaved. Surprisingly, there were no reprisals - I think because it was obvious that everyone was being held to the same standard of behavior and it was recognized that it was probably just the job.
I, too, have noticed an increase in talking during the movie; evidence that we're sadly out of practice as to how to behave OUTSIDE our own living rooms.
It was around 93 or 94 when the cellphones began to be a problem in theatres. Fortunately, the DO took a hard line as long as possible, and the circuit I worked for got sold before it became intolerable. TBH, the cellphones were just the tip of a looming iceberg, and the mega-chains were wimping out and giving bad offenders who complained free passes. You can't buy your way out from under bullies. What happened is a recognition by the public that jerks would be tolerated, and that opened floodgates where any miscreant would waltz around like they owned the place. A few of the managers managed to hold the line for a while, but the sheer numbers eventually overwhelmed them.
People conveniently forget that in the movie palaces there were armies of ushers and usherettes that were constantly watching and patrolling. Generally there was no second warning. Bad behavior? OUT! NO refund. And if your friends tried to interfere? All of you - OUT! There was constant testing, but once word got out the customers behaved. Surprisingly, there were no reprisals - I think because it was obvious that everyone was being held to the same standard of behavior and it was recognized that it was probably just the job.
I'm curious, did you work for Santiko?
I worked for Santikos Theatres as a projectionist. The first time I met John Santikos was in 1968 when I was an usher at a General Cinema twin. At the time he had two theatres. One was a single screen indoor theatre and the other was a two screen drive in. He came in and spoke with the manager in the lobby in front of me and the other employees about building a four screen theatre on the south side (the poor area of town). The manager rolled his eyes and laughed at the idea. Santikos had the last laugh though. That 4 plex was a hit from day one, and Santikos eventually owned and operated almost every theatre in town!
I enjoyed working for him. He went all out to make sure his theatres were well equipped, maintained and operated.
I worked for Santikos Theatres as a projectionist. The first time I met John Santikos was in 1968 when I was an usher at a General Cinema twin. At the time he had two theatres. One was a single screen indoor theatre and the other was a two screen drive in. He came in and spoke with the manager in the lobby in front of me and the other employees about building a four screen theatre on the south side (the poor area of town). The manager rolled his eyes and laughed at the idea. Santikos had the last laugh though. That 4 plex was a hit from day one, and Santikos eventually owned and operated almost every theatre in town!
I enjoyed working for him. He went all out to make sure his theatres were well equipped, maintained and operated.
A lot of those managers came to south Florida with Jon W. All good people except for one. After TALP, Jon went back to S.A. to retire, but got bored and wanted to get back with Santikos, who was beginning to have the issues you wrote about with cell phones and audience. It didn't gel for various reasons. Jon always spoke very highly of the man.
I worked for GCC for a while. Companies have a lifespan, and it was obvious that beancounters and entrenched paper pushers and loss prevention were killing it and it would not survive against competition. Back in the 1970s it was more relevant. To give an idea how stupid GCC got, it demanded managers make a bank drop every thirty minutes to an hour during peak business, rather than investing in time-lock safes or Brinks pickups. Just when might it be most important for a manager to be AT a theatre??? Apparently, the concept flew over the heads of ...
The war stories we could tell, but might only want published posthumously.
You're probably right. Most of the war stories I remember the best would at least rated R.
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