I just came back from seeing Shoot ‘Em Up, a highly enjoyable film. What was not enjoyable were the overwhelming number of commercials shown prior to the film. Commercials before movies are, unfortunately, not a new trend, but the quantity now is more than ridiculous. I paid for my time to be there – what is Coke Zero or Hyundai giving me? (Ugh! and now I’ve fallen for their trap. Brand recognition. That’s what it’s all about.)
I was so angry that I decided that if they didn’t show five movie trailers (the only acceptable form of advertisement in the cinema) I would not enjoy the entire evening. Luckily for me, they actually showed SIX trailers.
On Labor Day, I saw Rocket Science at the Uptown. Before that movie, they showed at least six, maybe seven, product commercials and then only TWO trailers! Unacceptable!!
so what? where’s the call to action? what ‘s your plan? should we spilil coke all over the seats and leave notes to get them to stop the coke commercials? should we park our hyundaes infront of the box office in protest?
What do we DO about it?
My first thought while sitting in the theatre last night was that I should start defacing movie screens, shoot ’em up (so to speak) with Silly String or something. But that would hinder the movie-watching portion of the trip.
One thing to do is to stuff the suggestion boxes at theatres – if the boxes even exist – with complaints about the commercials. And then if one could get a number of audience members to walk back out to to the lobby en masse during the commercials, only returning when the previews started. If large numbers of people are acting as one (and even 10-15 people could be considered large), theatre managers might start to get nervous and pass that sentiment up the ladder.
Thoughts?
there you go!
we’ll call them lobby parties! and people could choose between watching commercials or attend a social event in the lobby that makes a statement. you could meet new people. just go into the theatre and claim your seats, then wait in the lobby, and refuse to stop confusing the concession stand lines until the ads stop.
undoubtedly someone will remain in the theatre and will call on a cell phone when the previews start.
That’s funny, I was just watching a Howard Stern taping with Eli Roth and he wants to make a “movie” that is actually just a bunch of really bad trailers, appropriately named, “Trailer Trash.”