Now, the other day I decided I wanted to pull a double-header. Charlie and WC. Hopefully, sneak into the second one. I went over to Times Square, where there's an AMC and a Lowes right across the street from eachother. Of course, they split the movies, and never carry anything that's playing across the street. I had to ge into different theatres to see each of the movies. Now, I assumed this just had to do with competition in the immediate area. But then I noticed WC only played at every Loew's in the area (even when there wasn't an AMC nearby, say, in uptown Bronx), and vice verse. Where I used to live on Rt. 9 in MA, it was like this too. In Boston, all of Boston, as well.

I'm noticing it as a trend, but don't know if there's any truth to it. Do certain theatre names buy a release en masse and then not allow the other ones to carry it? I don't see how there could be 4,000 theatre releases if that is the case? Or, are there "unattached" theatre chains like Clearview, United Artists, small local theatres, that have to buy into any movie they want to show? Would it cost more than Loews or AMC in that case? I understand distributors and production companies, but I've never really seen how "chain" theatres operate in this system. Pros? Cons? I've really noticed that AMC and Loews refuse to touch eachother's movies.

Actually, I thought I read an article that AMC and Loews had merged... That might explain the strange distribution...

Joy

They did, but theater splits have happening for a long while. 2 Ontorio theaters (Edwards 22 and a Ontorio 30) Sometimes they have to fight for a movie.

In LA it is more common.

In Westwood, a movie can either play at the Crest, the Mann Village, National, Bruin, Festival, the Landmark Regent, or the AMC Avco.

In Hollywood, a movie can either play at the Graumans Chinese/Chinese 6 or the Archlight (but not both). Disney movies are reserved for El Capitan.

In Beverly Hills, a movie can either be played at the Grove 14, or the Beverly Center 13.

In Santa Monica, a film can only play in one of the following, the AMC 7, the Loews 4, or the Mann Criterion 6.

It will happen in several other places too.

So you're a New Yawker too, Dolce? You should go see Charlie at the IMAX if you haven't already. I used to live in the Times Square area. Now I avoid it like the plague.

Thanks wanderer. i don't even know where the IMAX is? I saw it at AMC in Times Square because I like stadium seating and that's pretty much where I find it. I rememeber you and I had a discussion about Columbus Circle metrostation and how we practically felt like we had won golden tickets and were in the factory ourselves.


Didn't know you were in the area. We had a movie night (weekend) just a little while back. You should have come.

That's off-topic, but...

Where the heck is an AMC at the Times Square? Martin and I sure didn't see it. The only theatre there I know is that Loews theatre under that Virgin Megastore.

I was just gonna ask the same question.

I've never seen this AMC at Times Square, and I go a few times a year...

It's on 42nd Street.

and 8th Ave. I've been to both of them. Really nice theaters.

Oh, I didn't realize that was you that posted about the station! The IMAX is in the Loew's Lincoln Square on 68th (I think) and Broadway. It's my favorite theater because not only does it have the IMAX but it was also where I got to meet Johnny Depp a couple of years ago \:D/ When I tried to see Charlie and all the IMAX performances were sold out for the weekend, I had to settle for a regular screen, but it was still very big and nice, much better than the ones on 42nd St I think.

right across from another theatre .. both are very flashy.

You know, the part of 42nd St that used to be Peep Shows. That's probably why some people don't know about those theaters :wink: Ah, the good old days, before Times Square was Disneyfied...