Yuppie Alamo Drafthouse coming to the Domain Near You
Everything else, basically.
Moderators: arclight, happywaffle
There was (is?) a place just like this in Chicago. It worked because the high price made it exclusive. It is sort of the diametric opposite of hooking a projector to a car battery and staging a guerrilla drive in. I admit that I tried it out and yeah - it was nice but not my scene really. Long live the Alamo Drafthouse.
I'm with Kerri on this. This will only be a good thing.
Even if you hate the idea of going... THAT'S GREAT! People who you don't like won't be at the theater you go to!
There's a nice theater in Oklahoma that doesn't quite go this far, but it offers a "classier" theater-going experience. That theater has done nothing but make more people there see movies in the theater. There have to be more reasons to get people out to see the movies or we won't get movies anymore.
I'm sure I'll visit this new place once or twice, but it's not really my thing. I support it's effort, but I would really prefer something between this and the Drafthouse. Something more like the the Warren Theater in OK (where you can choose between the fancy balcony and the regular, non-tabled seats) that focuses on the entire experience.
As much as I love the Drafthouse, they have suffered some quality control issues in the past couple years. I remember when going to the Alamo pretty-much guaranteed a smooth movie-going experience. Now the love isn't as apparent as the branding. Now I often have to raise a flag to let them know that not all the speakers are on (an amateur mistake or an intentional strategy that screws the audience out of a better experience).
Enter real competition and the Alamo will have to up their game. Maybe cancel one of the awful "quote-alongs" so they can spend some time training the projectionists and making sure the waitstaff isn't rude (another issue lately).
This can only lead to good.
Even if you hate the idea of going... THAT'S GREAT! People who you don't like won't be at the theater you go to!
There's a nice theater in Oklahoma that doesn't quite go this far, but it offers a "classier" theater-going experience. That theater has done nothing but make more people there see movies in the theater. There have to be more reasons to get people out to see the movies or we won't get movies anymore.
I'm sure I'll visit this new place once or twice, but it's not really my thing. I support it's effort, but I would really prefer something between this and the Drafthouse. Something more like the the Warren Theater in OK (where you can choose between the fancy balcony and the regular, non-tabled seats) that focuses on the entire experience.
As much as I love the Drafthouse, they have suffered some quality control issues in the past couple years. I remember when going to the Alamo pretty-much guaranteed a smooth movie-going experience. Now the love isn't as apparent as the branding. Now I often have to raise a flag to let them know that not all the speakers are on (an amateur mistake or an intentional strategy that screws the audience out of a better experience).
Enter real competition and the Alamo will have to up their game. Maybe cancel one of the awful "quote-alongs" so they can spend some time training the projectionists and making sure the waitstaff isn't rude (another issue lately).
This can only lead to good.
http://www.austin360.com/movies/new-art ... 45116.html
small art house cinema coming to 2nd street downtown. looking forward to it.
small art house cinema coming to 2nd street downtown. looking forward to it.
Speaking of prices... went to a screening this morning at the Alamo on S. Lamar and ordered a glass of iced tea. One glass. Bill: $4.32
Ye gods!
It was too dark to read the bill, so I asked the waiter what it was and just about keeled over when he told me. I put down a $5 and didn't see him again, so the rest was tip by default.
I failed to be enchanted by the Alamo Drafthouse experience.
Ye gods!
It was too dark to read the bill, so I asked the waiter what it was and just about keeled over when he told me. I put down a $5 and didn't see him again, so the rest was tip by default.
I failed to be enchanted by the Alamo Drafthouse experience.
What is to give light must endure burning. - Viktor Frankl
Sweet. Somewhere nice to watch the Haneke and von Trier and Solondz and Maddin and stuff.Miggy wrote:http://www.austin360.com/movies/new-art ... 45116.html
small art house cinema coming to 2nd street downtown. looking forward to it.
Yes!Jeff wrote:Sweet. Somewhere nice to watch the Haneke and von Trier and Solondz and Maddin and stuff.Miggy wrote:http://www.austin360.com/movies/new-art ... 45116.html
small art house cinema coming to 2nd street downtown. looking forward to it.
http://getup.austinimprov.com
"She fascinated me 'cause I like to run my fingers through her money."--Abner Jaymadeline wrote:i average 40, and like, a billion grains?
The drinks are the most overpriced item on the menu. I usually stick with water and a large popcorn (huge serving size, lasts me a whole film with plenty to share), total bill just about $5.KathyRose wrote:Speaking of prices... went to a screening this morning at the Alamo on S. Lamar and ordered a glass of iced tea. One glass. Bill: $4.32
Ye gods!
It was too dark to read the bill, so I asked the waiter what it was and just about keeled over when he told me. I put down a $5 and didn't see him again, so the rest was tip by default.
I failed to be enchanted by the Alamo Drafthouse experience.
The Quiet One
Improv For Evil
Improv For Evil
This new place sounds like it will be the new Dobie. Tiny theaters that feel like a student's living room. Except instead of a student's living room, it'll be like a rich friend's.
As long as the theater's upkeep is decent, this will probably drive people out of the Dobie, which has unfortunately had to start showing more mainstream movies and I guess can't afford to keep the theater in good shape.
As long as the theater's upkeep is decent, this will probably drive people out of the Dobie, which has unfortunately had to start showing more mainstream movies and I guess can't afford to keep the theater in good shape.
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- bradisntclever Offline
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Landmark is done with the Dobie Theater and isn't renewing the lease. I asked Mark Cuban about the theater a few times over the last few years and while he never confirmed a lack of interest, he made it clear that the theater wasn't a big priority.Lants wrote:This new place sounds like it will be the new Dobie. Tiny theaters that feel like a student's living room. Except instead of a student's living room, it'll be like a rich friend's.
As long as the theater's upkeep is decent, this will probably drive people out of the Dobie, which has unfortunately had to start showing more mainstream movies and I guess can't afford to keep the theater in good shape.
I'm honestly not sure who would want to take over that lease. Whoever bought it would probably want to renovate it heavily, but the surrounding mall is always going to be a dump. The sad thing with the Dobie Mall is that the Theater accounts for a large portion of the foot traffic. Without it, you've got a dying food court, a hair/nail salon, The Princeton Review (which owns about 50% of the bottom floor) and a few other restaurants. Parties seem interested in taking a lease all the time, until they actually walk around inside the mall. I've seen a few good leasing managers come in wide-eyed and optimistic about turning that place around, but so far none have succeeded.