Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > Entertainment Discussions > Movie Talk
Reload this Page >

Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Movie Talk A Discussion area for everything movie related including films In The Theaters

Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Old 05-13-12, 01:13 PM
  #1  
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
 
bluetoast's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 11,696
Received 271 Likes on 204 Posts
Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

It's been many years but I'm just not a fan of this "pre-show entertainment" nonsense with commercials for Iced Tea, or some TNT show nobody's going to watch.

I miss listening to Miles Davis while reading trivia cards, quotations from stars and seeing ads for local businesses.

Granted these days I don't really arrive that early so I only catch like 5-10 minutes of it, but when I went to the theater as a kid, we would usually arrive pretty early, so maybe that's why I remember seeing it more.

So do any theaters still do this? Anyone?!
Old 05-13-12, 01:17 PM
  #2  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Mike86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,710
Received 1,128 Likes on 888 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

My local theater (Carmike Cinemas) still does this. They have something called Screen Vision that shows little multiple choice trivia questions along with some behind the scenes featurettes on upcoming movies and stuff.
Old 05-13-12, 01:21 PM
  #3  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Sacramento, Calif.
Posts: 13,525
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Every major chain around here does (Regal and Cinemark/Century theatres). They're played before the Pre-Show countdown thing.
Old 05-13-12, 01:33 PM
  #4  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Jules Winfield's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: wandering the earth like Caine in the Kung-Fu
Posts: 19,937
Likes: 0
Received 13 Likes on 5 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

I see trivia questions sometimes still. It would be nice if theaters showed a short, cartoon, anything besides ads.
Old 05-13-12, 02:08 PM
  #5  
DVD Talk Godfather
 
Giantrobo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Gateway Cities/Harbor Region
Posts: 63,126
Received 1,748 Likes on 1,093 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

AMC does as far as I can tell. To me pre show stuff is better than a blank screen.
Old 05-13-12, 02:31 PM
  #6  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Why So Blu?'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 38,131
Received 1,177 Likes on 906 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

I think the Nuart in L.A. does.
Old 05-13-12, 02:48 PM
  #7  
Inane Thread Master, 2018 TOTY
 
OldBoy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Are any of us really anywhere?
Posts: 49,295
Received 888 Likes on 751 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

yes.
Old 05-13-12, 03:11 PM
  #8  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Shannon Nutt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 18,352
Received 323 Likes on 241 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Mine does, but I prefer Cinemark's BTS videos. The theater that shows the slide cards only has about a dozen of them, so if you're in the theater 15 minutes early, you've got to sit through those things about 20 times. They contain such "fascinating" trivia as John Haam's nickame is "Ham and Cheese", and Anne Hathaway's first career choice was to be a nun. They're pretty lame.
Old 05-13-12, 03:26 PM
  #9  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Drexl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 16,077
Likes: 0
Received 15 Likes on 13 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Originally Posted by Shannon Nutt
Mine does, but I prefer Cinemark's BTS videos. The theater that shows the slide cards only has about a dozen of them, so if you're in the theater 15 minutes early, you've got to sit through those things about 20 times. They contain such "fascinating" trivia as John Haam's nickame is "Ham and Cheese", and Anne Hathaway's first career choice was to be a nun. They're pretty lame.
Now I'm imagining a movie of The Flying Nun with Hathaway.
Old 05-13-12, 04:08 PM
  #10  
DVD Talk Godfather
 
The Bus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: New York
Posts: 54,916
Received 19 Likes on 14 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Otm Shank!
Old 05-13-12, 05:28 PM
  #11  
Banned
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: The lonely depths of my mind
Posts: 3,863
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

AMC still does this. They also show the commercials for TNT shows. The thing about going really early is that they can run through the same trivia cards several times before the movies.
Old 05-13-12, 05:47 PM
  #12  
DVD Talk Legend
 
EdTheRipper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 15,722
Received 64 Likes on 46 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

My local theater has music videos, trivia questions and brief vignettes presented by the Reelz Channel.
Old 05-13-12, 05:59 PM
  #13  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
arminius's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Here I Is!
Posts: 6,967
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Originally Posted by Shannon Nutt
Mine does, but I prefer Cinemark's BTS videos. The theater that shows the slide cards only has about a dozen of them, so if you're in the theater 15 minutes early, you've got to sit through those things about 20 times. They contain such "fascinating" trivia as John Haam's nickame is "Ham and Cheese", and Anne Hathaway's first career choice was to be a nun. They're pretty lame.
Originally Posted by Spottedfeather
AMC still does this. They also show the commercials for TNT shows. The thing about going really early is that they can run through the same trivia cards several times before the movies.
Well there is only a finite amount of trivia so it is understandable that they have to repeat them.
Old 05-13-12, 06:44 PM
  #14  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Shannon Nutt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 18,352
Received 323 Likes on 241 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

You'd think a big theater chain would invest in creating new serials. They're always looking for ways to get people to come to theaters...anything but making us look at a blank screen for 20 to 30 minutes.
Old 05-13-12, 09:30 PM
  #15  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Hokeyboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 20,387
Received 680 Likes on 419 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Originally Posted by The Bus
Otm Shank!
Goddamn you...
Old 05-13-12, 11:59 PM
  #16  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 7,114
Received 78 Likes on 63 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

I remember them from when I was younger. They showed trivia about movies like Pet Sematary {"What was the cat's name? a) Church b) Fluffy c) Jeffrey d) Kiwi"). All the cool movies were used like Chinatown, The Fly, Aliens, etc.

I haven't seen any of those trivia slideshows any more and I usually go to Century and AMC.

Now it's just ads for video games, and television shows.
Old 05-14-12, 12:05 AM
  #17  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Sacramento, Calif.
Posts: 13,525
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Originally Posted by brayzie
Now it's just ads for video games, and television shows.
AMC and Century still show them, you just have to basically be one of the first people in the theater. I tend to stay until after the credits for movies and for the most part the trivia bits start up after the film ends.

The United Artists theater here that's a cheap show only shows the trivia bits. They don't have that other stuff before the movie.

The Brendan Theater chain has one location about 45 minutes from here and the times I've gone they have more local ads and things, then the trailers start.

I started a thread on it a number of years ago because it was so different from other theaters I had been to.

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/other-talk/...s-theater.html
Old 05-14-12, 01:31 AM
  #18  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Matthew Chmiel's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 13,262
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Originally Posted by mcfly
I started a thread on it a number of years ago because it was so different from other theaters I had been to.

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/other-talk/...s-theater.html
I can't believe I didn't notice that thread when you posted it.

The Brenden Theaters location here in Vegas is one of the best theaters in town. Great IMAX screen, all their auditoriums are converting to Barco DLP systems within the next few weeks, and it'll be one of the first theaters in the country with the Dolby Atmos system installed. You know what? Johnny Brenden is actually a geniuenly swell dude and does a lot for the Vegas community.

... and after a business deal we did with him, he allowed us to watch the Super Bowl a few years ago in his fucking sweet office that is located above the movie theater's box office.
Old 05-14-12, 03:20 AM
  #19  
DVD Talk Godfather
 
davidh777's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Home of 2013 NFL champion Seahawks
Posts: 52,458
Received 987 Likes on 818 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

I don't get the trivia any more (mostly Regal and AMC)--just commercials and promos. "Be sure to get here 20 minutes early to watch our crap!"
Old 05-14-12, 03:52 AM
  #20  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: The Last Frontier
Posts: 4,763
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Local theater does this. Movie music, local advertising, and occasional movie "trivia", though it mostly consists of new releases. I wish they would throw in some trivia from older movies.
Old 05-14-12, 08:03 AM
  #21  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Troy Stiffler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Under an I-10 Overpass
Posts: 25,783
Received 362 Likes on 262 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Of course they're still used everywhere. It brings in big ad revenue for the theaters.

They used to use slide projectors. Now they use video projectors. Most everyone transitioned in the early 2000's. Everyone got on board because it wasn't very expensive.
Old 05-14-12, 08:29 AM
  #22  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Jaymole's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: N.Y, N.Y
Posts: 10,515
Received 441 Likes on 249 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Jumble fun...guess the title:

rforste upmg
Old 05-14-12, 04:02 PM
  #23  
DVD Talk Reviewer & TOAT Winner
 
Alan Smithee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: USA
Posts: 10,422
Received 328 Likes on 247 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Sad that the stuff they're currently doing is making the older slides look tasteful in comparison. I just about hit the roof when the theater I was a projectionist at got slide projectors installed. They made the screens look like fucking billboards, some of the trivia slides were even wrong. We had one screen with curtains that opened when the film started and closed at the end, but we had to disable them when the stupid slides were installed.

I mainly resent any kind of advertising in theaters because they already charge too much for tickets, then they expect you to buy overpriced snacks, so THEN force-feeding you ads that they're being paid to show is just going too far. (And when I had to put ads on the screens, I did NOT get a raise.) Besides, going to the theater should be an ESCAPE from crap you'd see on TV. Given that I hardly ever watch broadcast TV nowadays, I bet my TV hasn't shown nearly as many commercials as most theater screens have!

Another thing I hate about pre-show crap (and this is why I left my job at Regal) is that many new theaters have been built with common-width screens so scope movies are shown letterboxed with masking at the top and/or bottom of the screen. This is poor design in itself, but theaters that show ads have the masking go up in between shows so the ads are shown on a bigger screen than the actual movie, then the audience sees the masking come down at the start of the movie making the screen smaller.
Old 05-14-12, 04:06 PM
  #24  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Posts: 43,973
Received 1,886 Likes on 1,456 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

I thought that most theaters don't make that much money from the actual ticket prices...
Old 05-14-12, 04:08 PM
  #25  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 7,114
Received 78 Likes on 63 Posts
Re: Do any theaters still do those slideshows/trivia cards before the previews?

Originally Posted by Alan Smithee
Besides, going to the theater should be an ESCAPE from crap you'd see on TV. Given that I hardly ever watch broadcast TV nowadays, I bet my TV hasn't shown nearly as many commercials as most theater screens have!

.
I agree. I liked going to the theaters, and if you got there too early you got those cinema trivia slides, then a few preview trailers for other films, then the main event.

Showing ads for TV shows and candy bars makes it seem more mundane and less special.

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.