Will the recent midnight movie massacre at Cinemark‘s suburban Aurora theater bring to an end the popular practice of kicking off big movies at 12:01 a.m.?
I don’t think so.
In checking this Thursday’s—actually Friday morning showtimes—it looks like many of the major circuits Kansas City complexes have scheduled midnight performances of the sci-fi action-thriller reboot TOTAL RECALL. And that includes Cinemark’s two local theaters.
I’ve had discussions with a number of theater executives and personnel during the past week. And while none would go on the record, I have the distinct feeling that security has been beefed up for for the time being. I also suspect that unless the boxoffice numbers for late shows stay solid and/or the film distributors are willing to share in those midnight show security expenses, they could soon become a thing of the past.
In those conversations I’ve brought up the much discussed alarming of exit doors and frankly have yet to come across even one theater person who would welcome the practice—or thinks it would work. An exit alarm going off in a dark auditorium would be like yelling fire in the theater was what was often mentioned. And one complex staffer jokingly said that there’d be at least one exit event per show, per auditorium. (Seems some customers prefer those emergency exits over regular auditorium doors when leaving after the show.)
The only way alarmed exits could work according to insiders is if those doors were connected to a master control panel at a central location in the theater complex that could be monitored regularly.
With lawsuits over the Colorado incident now coming into play it will be interesting to follow the industry’s actions—and reactions.
Screw midnight viewings Jack.
Tell us where the three breasted ladies hide out?
That is what a hot woman would look like to a man after having a few too many!
As a rule, good things don’t happen after dark unless you’re lucky enough to find a three-breasted woman in a skimpy outfit (not that I’m looking). Trouble is, all the men I’ve ever known have only two hands. Oh, well, such is life.
In bed by ten and up by six,
The wise man skips the late-night flicks.
Yep, look what happened to Fred Willard when he decided to slip in and catch a midnight screening of Flesh Gordon!