Hollywood Reporter Publisher Calls for Theaters To Cut Ads - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zebra 3 · 06-06-2005, 01:18 PM

(Studio Briefing) With the box office now into a four-month slump, the publisher of the Hollywood Reporter has blamed exhibitors for part of the problem. In an editorial appearing in today's (Friday) edition, Robert J. Dowling, who apparently does not watch movies at press screenings, described attending a movie last weekend and being "assaulted with one inane commercial after another. Not commercials that are geared to movie fans, but ads for television shows, telephones, soft drinks, credit cards -- seemingly every product on the market. And I could not stop thinking about how this onslaught of commercials was coming after we'd paid $20 for our senior tickets plus what we ordered at the snack stand. On and on the commercials went. They were loud, annoying, distracting, and, above all, they totally ruined that transcendent feeling you look forward to when you're just about to watch a movie." Dowling notes that "the exhibitor's unique selling point" is his ability to show films on a big screen. "But I caution theater owners and managers not to be so sure that even the biggest movie buffs won't eventually prefer to pay what it takes to watch a film at home without all the incredibly loud and annoying advertising."

ABlairican Pie · 06-07-2005, 08:15 AM

I LOOOOOVE previews, but boy, those ads are grating. They get on my nerves.

webuster · 06-07-2005, 12:04 PM

I hate the countless ads and previews. I went to see Star Wars and although I think in the US there was a restriction placed on the ammount of ads played before the film, there were about 6 advertisements and 4 previews before the film! What's worse is some of the ads have a 'reprise' sort of- an ad divided into 2 parts- one long part, another ad, then a little bit of the first one again!

There should be limits. Previews for other films are more interesting but at the same time a PG or U (G) film trailer shouldn't be shown before a 15 or 18 (R) film.

It's not just adverts. Tickets are more expensive, few movies are so 'must-see' that people want to rush out right away to see as opposed to waiting and seeing at a cheaper price, and some lack the 'must-see' quality so much, the people wait for the film to come out on dvd. Plus, there are far too many movies being released, none seem to have so much importance. More releases in the cinema equals more DVD's being released 7 months later. A person has too many choices and will then opt for the cheaper option of renting a DVD of one of about 50 blockbusters released 7 months earlier that they didn't get to see on the theatrical run.

06-06-2005, 01:18 PM	#1
Zebra 3 Striped Tomato Forum Veteran Join Date: Jun 26, 2002 Location: Bay City Posts: 5,811	Hollywood Reporter Publisher Calls for Theaters To Cut Ads (Studio Briefing) With the box office now into a four-month slump, the publisher of the Hollywood Reporter has blamed exhibitors for part of the problem. In an editorial appearing in today's (Friday) edition, Robert J. Dowling, who apparently does not watch movies at press screenings, described attending a movie last weekend and being "assaulted with one inane commercial after another. Not commercials that are geared to movie fans, but ads for television shows, telephones, soft drinks, credit cards -- seemingly every product on the market. And I could not stop thinking about how this onslaught of commercials was coming after we'd paid $20 for our senior tickets plus what we ordered at the snack stand. On and on the commercials went. They were loud, annoying, distracting, and, above all, they totally ruined that transcendent feeling you look forward to when you're just about to watch a movie." Dowling notes that "the exhibitor's unique selling point" is his ability to show films on a big screen. "But I caution theater owners and managers not to be so sure that even the biggest movie buffs won't eventually prefer to pay what it takes to watch a film at home without all the incredibly loud and annoying advertising."
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06-07-2005, 08:15 AM	#2
ABlairican Pie Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 12, 2001 Location: Living where cats reign more Supreme than a pizza. Posts: 31,620	I LOOOOOVE previews, but boy, those ads are grating. They get on my nerves.
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06-07-2005, 12:04 PM	#3
webuster Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 26, 2002 Posts: 2,150	I hate the countless ads and previews. I went to see Star Wars and although I think in the US there was a restriction placed on the ammount of ads played before the film, there were about 6 advertisements and 4 previews before the film! What's worse is some of the ads have a 'reprise' sort of- an ad divided into 2 parts- one long part, another ad, then a little bit of the first one again! There should be limits. Previews for other films are more interesting but at the same time a PG or U (G) film trailer shouldn't be shown before a 15 or 18 (R) film. It's not just adverts. Tickets are more expensive, few movies are so 'must-see' that people want to rush out right away to see as opposed to waiting and seeing at a cheaper price, and some lack the 'must-see' quality so much, the people wait for the film to come out on dvd. Plus, there are far too many movies being released, none seem to have so much importance. More releases in the cinema equals more DVD's being released 7 months later. A person has too many choices and will then opt for the cheaper option of renting a DVD of one of about 50 blockbusters released 7 months earlier that they didn't get to see on the theatrical run.