Luxury Moviegoing Coming to the US?
By Norm Schrager at March 27, 2008 | 11:19 pm | Print
One of our earliest posts asked Would You Pay $30 To See Spider-Man 4? We were discussing the possibility of ordering a blockbuster via On Demand the day of its theatrical release. Even Mark Cuban joined in our conversation. But now an Australian super-luxury theater chain is asking “Would You Pay $35 For A Movie… In the Theater?”
The group is Village Roadshow Gold Class Cinemas and they’re on their way to the States, according to Variety. Each complex would have roughly eight screens, top amenities (like those seats above) and an inflated ticket price.
This would be a step up from the “premium” theaters some chains offer, with usually one screen in a multiplex. Nice seats, free popcorn, swanky booze — and a $15 to $20 ticket. Here’s what Village Roadshow has planned…
THEATER DETAILS
:: reclining seats with armchairs and footrests
:: digital projection, with equipment for 2-D and 3-D screenings
:: lounge and bar, serving cocktails and appetizers
:: concierge service
:: valet parking
:: made-to-order food from sushi to more traditional concessions
:: a call button at each seat to beckon a waiter
:: ticket prices up to $35… excluding food
Check out the Gold Class website
PLANNED LOCATIONS
Fifty theaters by 2013, with the first two in South Barrington, Illinois (Chicago) and Redmond, Washington (Seattle) in October. After that, Fairview, Texas (Dallas) and Scottsdale, Arizona.
LOBBY TAKE
Is this what the moviegoing public wants to hear about? The American economy is in generally dire straits, overall movie quality is questionable, and box office performance is fair (in fact, 2008 numbers would be less than 2007 year-to-year if not for the Hannah Montana movie.)
We’ll count on cinema fans and semi-regular moviegoers compelled to check out new fancy digs. But whether they’ll return at $70 a couple will be a giant question mark. That $30 ticket for an On Demand film may be much more reasonable…
Share your comments on luxury movie theaters
Like this post? DIGG IT
Scott, 2 years ago
In Atlanta GA we have a couple of more bourgeois dinner theaters (with limited success), where wait staff serve you on a long common table while you watch the film, with standard bar food fare, like burgers and philly cheesesteaks, usually to see an older film before release to DVD. So you are dropping about $15 / $20 person for dinner and movie at a theater. Being pretty cheap, that’s more my style – I won’t be spending $35 for a film, excluding food especially. But Gold Class could be fun for the upper echelons in these communities.
Michael Open, 2 years ago
This is a fatuous notion. The only way to *properly* see films is (a) in the total dark; (b) in total silence (saving laughter, gasps etc., induced by the film). If people are wandering in an out of your vision and you are eating, it is a much better idea to wait for the film on DVD – at least for those who want to experience the film as it was intended.
Allison, 2 years ago
I know a place where I can get the same kind of luxury where the only cost is the food. In place of reclining chairs, you can find a queen size bed. That’s my home where I’ll be renting movies from the library for free! You won’t catch me at those luxury theaters.
Bangalore-hotels, 5 days ago
I think its on the expensive side, but worth it for a good movie..