You Say Steak, I Say Not So Fast

OMG, OMG, OMG! I so wasn’t going to finish the week with another article on the shrinking windows issue, but I just can’t help myself. How can I, in good conscience, let this reasoning for theater owners freezing out Steven Soderbergh’s Bubble pass?

We want to put up on the large screen a product made with that format in mind. Bubble, and some of these other direct-to-video titles, are simply not. We want to serve steak, not hamburger.

Now setting aside the satisfaction that comes with a good hamburger, hello? Has this guy (Peter Brown, CEO of AMC Entertainment) watched any of the crap that masquerades as a “feature” film? We’re not talking hamburger. Think dog meat. He’s clearly forgotten that DVD is where the money is printed with black instead of red ink. Of course, every film is made with the DVD format in mind — one way or another.

Brown doesn’t shrink away from the tough topics — he’s not afraid to defend outrageous ticket prices:

Compare that to football games, baseball games, or the symphony – movie theaters are hands down the best value. The downturn you saw in 2005 was a quality issue. People read reviews, and there’s a direct correlation with the box office numbers.

Again, one wonders if this guy watches movies. When I go to a baseball game, sure it’s expensive (and I complain), but at least I know I’m getting real value for my dollar. When I go to the movies, I end up with The Fantastic Four. Could’ve should’ve been a good movie.

Now don’t get me wrong: I really do love movies. And maybe it’s not AMC’s fault that most movies suck. But let’s be honest here — the theater-going experience isn’t worth the effort. It’s clear that consumers will spend boatloads of money on entertainment they value. The fact that they’re turning away from the theaters should give a guy like Peter Brown ulcers.

Or at the very least, make his reconsider the concession pricing structure.

• Just Say No to Direct-to-Video