Cinema Rip-Offs

[Nibble]

We always ensure we leave our empty supermarket bought drinks, popcorn and sweet wrappers on the floor when we leave, a small pathetic protest, but one that, in some very small way, might show them that people won't be held to ransom with ridiculous pricing.

That's nice for the minimum wage staff that have to clear your shit up isn't it. what do you think is gonna happen? Nigel working for shit wage is gonna gather up your Tesco Basics choc peanuts wrapper take it up to head office and say "Hey Mr Big, a couple of right on guys left this under the seat last night, rather than shove it straight in the bin bag and take it outside like I do every other f***ing night of my life when lazy, selfish areswipes leave their shit under their seats I thought I'd come out to Hollywood and stick it to the man, waaadya say Mr Weinstein, lets fix this crazy mixed up world, lets change our entire pricing system".??

 

[tonymgc]

As much as i love going to the cinema the cost of its becoming an absolute joke. Its begining to cost as much for a decent meal out for me & the missus once you include tickets, 3d glasses, food & drink.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Just got back from seeing TS3 at the Connaught in Worthing paid £7-00 a head - adults and children same price - £1-50 booking fee for total order plus 3D glasses free.

(Also didn't pay for the free sauna it was steaming in there)

Good to hear the booking fee is still only £1.50 per booking. I did some work with the Connaught when putting in the online booking system. Had a meeting with Ticketshafter who would have put in a more expensive, per ticket, fee but although it was a bit more profitable for the Connaught we decided to go with a different system and set our own prices so as not to rip-off people.

 

[phoenix]

I know these places charge a fortune for soft drinks, popcorn and sweets (in bloody crinkly, noisy bags) but today they have stooped to a new low for me.

Taking the kids, one of their chums and Mrs TRHK to see Toy Story 3. Apart form the fact tht adult prices start at 13, I had to pay £1 each for the 3D glasses (extra fiver) and £2.95 for an online booking fee. WTF is all that about?

You don't buy something from an online shop and then get charged for th honour of making the purchase.

So on top of the £50 it is costing me to take five people to the cinema, there's another £8 for what is essentially nothing. As my 17 year old says "it's no wonder people pirate".

Sorry mate,when I first got a season ticket for the Albion it worked out at £6 per ticket.Cinema was £6 a ticket also.I can still get a cinema ticket for £6.How much is it for tha Albion? yes, if I take my son with me it is more than a days,take home wages.work it out for yourself. Football is priced way over tt.

 

[empire]

Just got back from seeing TS3 at the Connaught in Worthing paid £7-00 a head - adults and children same price - £1-50 booking fee for total order plus 3D glasses free.

(Also didn't pay for the free sauna it was steaming in there)

want to take kids tomin worthing,but on web saying not on till sat?

 

[Meade's Ball]

I went to see Splice today in London town. A long enough journey by uncomfortable bus after a long morning run. I bought a mars bar and a ripple and a little bottle of water in a local shop in Piccadilly to stay awake throughout. My ticket cost nothing because of my cineworld membership card, but my friend who was with me spent £10.50 to watch a film for 15 minutes before realising she doesn't like films about modern frankensteination and the graphics that can carry the dark humour and discomfort to keep a viewer involved. "I can't take this." she loudly whispered and off she went. She should've read what it was about really.
I picked up my bottle and wrappers on the way out,notmaking a binny protest about their cheesy nacho snack pricings.

 

[Razi]

Something that I don't get is why there's an extra charge to watch a 3D film? I've got a Cineworld Unlimited card, but my GF and I had to pay an additional £1.50 each just because Toy Story 3 is a 3D film (and that's not for the glasses, we already have them from watching Shrek). Why the extra charge, when surely the cinema are using the same projection technology?

On the food query - we went in yesterday with Poundland Crisps, Chocolate and Can for £1, and also a Greggs doughnut. Not questioned at all.

 

[Philzo-93]

Ever since I was charged over £2 for a bottle of water in the cinema I've taken my own food and drinks. Couldn't care less that it's not allowed - I'm paying them to supply me with a film not food.

Went to Crawley last month with a few friends and brought my own food and drink. The `security` guard that checks your ticket and your bags refused to let me in because I had my own food and drink. The reason!? I'm guessing Brighton let you do that!?

"It's unfair"

"So's your prices"

 

[Spider]

Something that I don't get is why there's an extra charge to watch a 3D film? I've got a Cineworld Unlimited card, but my GF and I had to pay an additional £1.50 each just because Toy Story 3 is a 3D film (and that's not for the glasses, we already have them from watching Shrek). Why the extra charge, when surely the cinema are using the same projection technology?

The justification is that the cinemas have spent a huge amount on upgrading their projectors to allow 3D films to be shown - the projectors for this cost hundreds of thousands I believe. Somehow I doubt the charge will be dropped once the initial outlay is recouped.

It's also complete rubbish anyway, because 3D is something the industry is massively pushing which has nothing to do with enjoyment or immersion, but is simply an effective way of preventing piracy. Hopefully people will start demanding to see films in 2D again once the realisation arrives that 3D is a complete non-event after the initial excitement.

 

[jordanseagull]

The justification is that the cinemas have spent a huge amount on upgrading their projectors to allow 3D films to be shown - the projectors for this cost hundreds of thousands I believe. Somehow I doubt the charge will be dropped once the initial outlay is recouped.

It's also complete rubbish anyway, because 3D is something the industry is massively pushing which has nothing to do with enjoyment or immersion, but is simply an effective way of preventing piracy. Hopefully people will start demanding to see films in 2D again once the realisation arrives that 3D is a complete non-event after the initial excitement.

Yeah exactly, the thought of people sitting at home with 3D glasses on watching a film or TV is somewhat disturbing, don't you think!

 

[Spider]

Yeah exactly, the thought of people sitting at home with 3D glasses on watching a film or TV is somewhat disturbing, don't you think!

3D at home sounds like complete shit but I bet it will be another technology pushed and pushed until it becomes the norm, much like the idea of HD. Unfortunately there are too many people who will buy new technology regardless, and people who don't stop to think "do I really want to sit in my living room wearing glasses to watch Eastenders on a small screen in my front room?" to prevent 3D being picked up.

 

[HampshireSeagulls]

I am a pirate. There, I admit it. I refuse to pay for the "cinema experience" when it consists of being ripped off for substandard food, poor customer service, annoying kids and adults who cannot go more than 2 hours without using their phone/going for a piss/unwrapping a compressed-sugar type food/having a conversation with less than 2500 F-words in. I download using Piratebay and Demonoid, and despite what FAST tell you, the quality is great, it's all in English and no-one gets up to walk across the screen half way through. I get to see films in the comfort of my own home, with food and drink that did not require a Group4 Security van to pay for and the ability to watch it more than once.

If a film is worth going to the pictures to see, then I will go. That has only included Shrek, Avatar and Saving Private Ryan in recent memory. Once I upgrade to a larger home cinema screen, the the likes of Vue can go f*** themselves up their highwayman-modelled farters.

 

[jordanseagull]

Toy Story 3.

Well, during that film, a group of 3 or 4 'rowdy' and 'cool' 16 year olds were in the bottom left hand corner, shouting throughout the whole thing and standing up claaping and laughing, and not ONE bloody thing was even done about it.

£7? No wonder I pirate nearly every movie.

Bastards.

 

[goldstone]

Ever since I was charged over £2 for a bottle of water in the cinema I've taken my own food and drinks. Couldn't care less that it's not allowed - I'm paying them to supply me with a film not food.

Why the f*** do you need to eat and drink during a 2 hour visit to the movies. No wonder there are so many fat bastards in this country.

It's like going to a football match. All these people needing to line up for food and drinks ... and leaving their seats before half-time.

Eat at meal times.

Go to the movies to watch a film.

Go to a football match to watch the game.

 

[D'Angelo Saxon]

Best thing I ever took into the cinema was a 12" pizza hut pizza. Bloody lovely.

 

[Acker79]

3D is not entirely supported by the industry. Christopher Nolan is against it, as are lots of people, because it is dark, it can be up to 80% darker than a regular 2D picture because of the conversion. It's why James Cameron made avatar so bright and colourful, he was trying to compensate, but even that was darker than a regular film.

Roger Ebert: Why I Hate 3D Movies - Newsweek
Christopher Nolan Speaks Brilliantly Against 3D
The Dark Flaw in 3D's Bright Future | TheWrap.com

 

[lucky007]

Went to Cineworld in Chichester yesterday afternoon to see Eclipse and I was robbed of £15.60 for 2 adult tickets....is it really worth it when you can download them for free??

 

[strings]

The 3D glasses thing annoyed me - the first couple of times we went to see a 3D film the glasses were free. Then, all of a sudden, Cineworld started charging for these glasses - forcing us to buy them. So, we still had to queue up (having bought online to avoid queuing) so we could have some glasses - even though we had 4 pairs of 3D glasses at home.

We thought they should have said online that the tickets did not include a pair of 3D glasses.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

All these things add up to take the gloss of what should be a really pleasant experience.