Cinemas: No wonder we're all pirates!

barbiedoll

We tried to take DS to see the new Harry Potter film last week. We checked the times online and headed off to our local Odeon to catch the 4.45 showing. When we got there, the only showings were at 4pm and 8.30pm. Luckily, we were early, so we got in the long queue, to see the 4pm show. Got to the end of the queue at 4.10pm, to be told that it had sold out. My DH had a bit of a moan along the lines of "well, why are you showing it on only one screen and yet you have 4 screens showing "Gullivers Travels", which no-one wants to see?" When the girl at the till shouted out that HP had sold out, half of the queue walked out!

After a frantic call to my sister to find out the times at the local Cineworld, we dashed there to catch the 5pm showing. Again, it was only being shown on one screen, again it was sold out and again "Gullivers Travels" was being shown on 4 screens. We tried to book tickets for the 8.30 showing which was also sold out. We gave up and went home and ended up watching a pirated copy last night with a cup of tea and the rest of the left-over Christmas chocs.

I can't believe that a cinema with 10 screens can sell out every seat for a film that has been out for almost 6 weeks! There was clearly still a big demand to see the film, why were there only 2 showings each day on just one screen? It's like they don't want our money. (Which is hard to believe, looking at the price of their horrid food!) No wonder illegal downloading is so popular! :mad:

DCFC79

barbiedoll wrote: »

We tried to take DS to see the new Harry Potter film last week. We checked the times online and headed off to our local Odeon to catch the 4.45 showing. When we got there, the only showings were at 4pm and 8.30pm. Luckily, we were early, so we got in the long queue, to see the 4pm show. Got to the end of the queue at 4.10pm, to be told that it had sold out. My DH had a bit of a moan along the lines of "well, why are you showing it on only one screen and yet you have 4 screens showing "Gullivers Travels", which no-one wants to see?" When the girl at the till shouted out that HP had sold out, half of the queue walked out!

first thing is the cinema decides which film has which screens and they also try to anticipate how much demnd there will be for a film, yes a film sold out(it is thed holiday season so alot of kids hae gone to watch it as a treat form the parents) and its happened to me as well,

After a frantic call to my sister to find out the times at the local Cineworld, we dashed there to catch the 5pm showing. Again, it was only being shown on one screen, again it was sold out and again "Gullivers Travels" was being shown on 4 screens. We tried to book tickets for the 8.30 showing which was also sold out. We gave up and went home and ended up watching a pirated copy last night with a cup of tea and the rest of the left-over Christmas chocs.

and i bet the pirated copy was so poor,
again a film sold out and not much you can do

I can't believe that a cinema with 10 screens can sell out every seat for a film that has been out for almost 6 weeks! There was clearly still a big demand to see the film, why were there only 2 showings each day on just one screen? It's like they don't want our money. (Which is hard to believe, looking at the price of their horrid food!) No wonder illegal downloading is so popular! :mad:

why not put your questions to cineworld and odeon

Entitled

I honestly believe they should offer you compensation. I believe companies should compensate when they mess up

lucylucky

We are not "all" pirates.

What good parenting skills you are teaching your son.

If you can't get what you want - steal it:cool:

ukjoel

The wife and I have seen all previous HPs in the cinema within 48 hours of release.

Last time we came out of a packed noisy cinema having spent £25 on two tickets a popcorn and a coke and said wont do it no more.

DVDs are £6 or £7 each on release day and would much rather sit at home, watch it without hundreds of other people, and get some decent take out food in.

Agree with comment about downloads as well.
I prefer to wait for a DVD quality copy of things to come out but the amount of films I watch that are absolutely awful and there is no comeback at the cinema.

If you have a bad meal in a restaurant people complain. This forum is full of complaints but dont see many posts from people saying Film as abysmal and complained to Odeon and got my ticket money back.

Cinemas should have a 15 minute policy whereby if you walk out a film in first 15 minutes you either get to choose another film to see or a full refund.

That would sort out the issue of having Gullivers travels on 4 screens.

The_One_Who

I'd be more bothered by the fact they had advertised times online which turned out to be different on the day. Although I've never known that to happen.

Harry Potter has been out for weeks, cinemas can't keep screens open for one film when there are other, newer ones coming out. Why not look into any smaller independent cinemas? They might get the blockbusters a bit later, but they tend to be quiet and not too overpriced.

timeportal

if you looked on line for the times, why not book the tickets while you're there?

Saves a wasted trip and the show times "should" have been correct on the ticket even if the web site had the wrong one.

I always print my tickets before I go to save time when we get there and hopefully by-pass the overpriced consession stands too

jackieb

I live 40 miles away from our nearest cinema. If I plan on going to the cinema and i'm in town anyway, I pre-book my tickets. I used to phone and book them as you used to be able to talk to a person and choose the seats you want. You can't do that now as it's automated so I prefer to actually go in and buy the tickets in person. If i'm not going to be in town, I go earlier and if I can't get the seats I want for an earlier showing, i'll get ones for a later showing instead.

Helix

Don't the film studios have a lot of say in what a cinema can show and for how long? I remember there was a big thing about the Alice in Wonderland film last year and some cinema chains were refusing to show it because they could only show it for a certain number of weeks and then it was going to be released on DVD.

It could be that Cineworld and Odeon couldn't put more screens and showings on if they wanted to, if warner brothers are saying no.

Esqui

Entitled wrote: »

I honestly believe they should offer you compensation. I believe companies should compensate when they mess up

How does selling every seat become "messing up"?

NoSatisfaction

barbiedoll wrote: »

No Wonder We're All Pirates

Speak for yourself!

I do not pirate. :mad: