UPDATE!!!!:My life asperations: Cool or Crap?

NES_fanatic · Post by **NES_fanatic** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 12:45 pm

See page 3 for update...

My Brother and I talked about it all our lives, and decided that this should become our career path. We thought about buying a small theatre (small as in only 1-2 medium-large screens) and running it as any normal theatre. But there's one key difference: we don't run current movies, we would rerun classic movies, movies that haven't been on the big screen in years. Wouldn't it rock to see Goldfinger or UHF in a real theatre? We had decided that it would be impossible to aquire the old film reels as they have meen retired and losing or damaging one could cost us thousands of dollars. Instead, we would purchase a high-definition digital projector and project DVD versions of the films. It would cost a whole lot less and give the same theatrical experience. We could even host videogame tournaments in the theatre!

The reason I'm telling you this, is because my folks said "You're idea is all well and good, but would that actually attract people? You may open a re-run theatre, and have nobody want to see old movies again."

What do you think, large user public? Would you pay to see a classic flick in a real theatre like never before, or will me and my Brother's plan never take off?

Big-O · Post by **Big-O** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 12:47 pm

I think so, but you gotta remember to install classic arcade cabinets with pac-man and street fighter.

NES_fanatic · Post by **NES_fanatic** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 12:56 pm

@ Big O: That's a great idea! But aquiring an old Mr. Pacman can be pricey.

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 12:57 pm

Big-O wrote:I think so, but you gotta remember to install classic arcade cabinets with pac-man and street fighter.

Ya, and only have old-school phones and other stuff. Have the projector be the only new tech or at least have it look that way.

Radon199 · Post by **Radon199** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 1:23 pm

Unfortunately showing DVD's in public is illegal. If you read the back of any DVD box or on the disc it states that DVD's are for personal use only. The only way you would be able to show DVD's would be to pay royalties to the studios and you would have to contact them directly. As far as old movies I don't tend to watch them. Anything I would want to see in theaters would be new. I personally wouldn't go but other people might.

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 1:32 pm

Radon199 wrote:Unfortunately showing DVD's in public is illegal. If you read the back of any DVD box or on the disc it states that DVD's are for personal use only. The only way you would be able to show DVD's would be to pay royalties to the studios and you would have to contact them directly. As far as old movies I don't tend to watch them. Anything I would want to see in theaters would be new. I personally wouldn't go but other people might.

Couldn't you have them pay to "get in" and you just "happen" to show the movie.

MESAJARJARBINKS · Post by **MESAJARJARBINKS** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 2:04 pm

id go if you reran star wars (4,5 and 6)
sadly i never got to see them in the movies (stupid being born in 1990's)
and i missed the 1997 rerun of them...

Oh and in '07 i hear they are rerunning them in 3-D
*smiles at thought of deathstar blowing up and coming towards me*
then episode 5 in '08
and episode 6 in '09

sgtpepper · Post by **sgtpepper** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 2:37 pm

Sounds like a great idea to me, just as long as you have a rather sizable bugdet for licensing movies.

Oh and some kinda "one time fee" might be cool where you pay an undefined amount at the door and then stay as long as you like for movies and such, but still have to pay for video arcade and refreshments.

Super Cameraman · Post by **Super Cameraman** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 2:48 pm

vskid wrote:
Radon199 wrote:Unfortunately showing DVD's in public is illegal. If you read the back of any DVD box or on the disc it states that DVD's are for personal use only. The only way you would be able to show DVD's would be to pay royalties to the studios and you would have to contact them directly. As far as old movies I don't tend to watch them. Anything I would want to see in theaters would be new. I personally wouldn't go but other people might.
Couldn't you have them pay to "get in" and you just "happen" to show the movie.

That could work, right? Say it's a... gathering... area... And an arcade! But they "happen" to show a movie! The people pay to get in! That's not a bad idea!

-Super

Metroid fan · Post by **Metroid fan** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 2:51 pm

It could work except how would people know which movie was playing at what time...

Darth Fett · Post by **Darth Fett** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 2:53 pm

That sounds awesome!

Edit at Metroid Fan:Posters out front?Website perhaps?

scherzo · Post by **scherzo** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 3:09 pm

There are a couple theatres in Chicago that are like that and I think they do pretty well. One of them off the top of my head is called the Music Box. Check out their website. They run independent films, classics and every now and then some anime, which totally rocks.

Extreme_Jesus · Post by **Extreme_Jesus** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 3:13 pm

Sounds like a good idea, however asking us probably isnt the best idea seeing as the majority on this forum probably aren't your target audience

You'd have to have quite low ticket prices or the all you can see ticket becuase the price of movie tickets these days is extortionate, and people arent gonna pay full price to see old movies (or at least i wouldn't)

It might cost a bit to renovate a theatre to look "classic" (depending on what era the majority of your films are) unless you find one already like that but it may be run down. Do you have a place picked out?

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 3:17 pm

I think it's a really cool idea. From a business perspective, it might be quite successful - one thing to think about is "what else can I sell people while they're here?" Show the old movies, yes, but what else can you add on in addition to the movies?

Post by **Triton** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 3:35 pm

i for one love the idea, the only thing you would have problems with is licensing movies, especially the real big time ones (starwars for example) but gettting REAL old movies and ones that are now public domain would be easy. also the idea of arcade machines is good, the expense to restore an old theater and maintain it will be nothing short of huge tho, plus getting the building to begin with