Should Double Features make a comeback?
 

I was just wondering that with movie tickets being $10.25 in NYC now, theaters should offer some kind of incentive. $10.25 leaves me no choice but to wait for homevideo releases (in more ways than one ;) ). I'm sure lot of other people feel the same burn in their pockets.

Pairing a main attraction to a second run title would be great though. Of course this isn't anything new but I can't remember the last time one was advertised (I think it was a Disney picture)

Anyhow, I'm just curious what people think about it. I know money probably plays a big role in it but I feel it would benefit the theaters more. 3-4 hours in a theater means more concessions sold, right? How the hell can this be bad then?

Till then, I'll be catching the $6.50 morning showings at the Magic Johnson Harlem theater.

A lot of movies nowadays are long enough to be double features all by themselves.

yeah - didn't double features used to be when movies were like 50 minutes long?

Yeah I know. Horror movies, animation and lighter fare usually still run at 90 minutes though.

I've noticed that every summer, there will usually be a double feature of two big films at the end of their run played together (to squeeze a few last bucks out of them). I always wished they could do that more often. Like the way they do at the Drive In.

I don't know if the first run multiplexes could make this work, but it seems an ideal practise for the second run dollar theaters. They really have to be counting on their concession stand to pay the rent, offering double features for a buck would probebly help sell more of that pop corn.

the state that theaters are in right now.. I don't think it would be a wise choice. You have movie prices raising because of the cost to show these films. why take more away by adding a double feature? not only do you cut turn around for the film being played but you also cut the amount both films will make.

Two words.

Theater. Hop.

The classic form of triple+ features. :p

Higher movie prices just make me more selective about what I see in the theater and what I wait for on DVD. But given the releases Hollywood is putting out these days, it's not very hard to be selective.

As for double features - we get them every time a studio runs a "Sneak Preview". You have the right to stay for the next showing of whatever film is playing in the theater you are seeing the Sneak in.

Double-features were great ... but I think the average attention-span has dropped in half. Another thing to consider .. when double-features ruled, there weren't as many mass culture alternatives, and when you went home, you didn't have home video, internet access, play stations, and even television.

My local Drive-In still does double features. God bless that place.

If I were to ever come into some serious money, I would open a movie house that made movies an event again. Along with showing movies, I'd run a old newsreel, a movie serial and a cartoon. Oh, and of course I'd double up the features, too.

I have no idea if it would be viable, but if I were rich enough I wouldnt care.

I think the problem here would be getting the rights to run old serials and cartoons. I'd love to see the return of the movie serial...

I wouldn't mind some great animation shorts. Kinda in the spirit of cartoons before the movie.

on Saturday nights when they show ROCKY HORROR at the Nuart theater here in LA they show a cartoon before it just like the old days.

http://www.webundies.com/images/wb068y24.jpg

Hear you go, Robo. :p

Re: Should Double Features make a comeback?
 

If you can make it to the fairer side of the river, New Jersey, then there is a $2 theater in North Bergen, NJ that just opened. Showing a lot of stuff that's on DVD right now, but if you are a stickler for the big screen as I am, it's a great deal. Did I mention its a stadium seating multiplex?

I"m not sure of what public transportation options I would recommend. If you can take the PATH to Hoboken, it'd be about a 3 mile trip on foot or on bike.

:p

Re: Re: Should Double Features make a comeback?
 

What? Where? I will have to check this out.

Yeah, I'd like to know too.

We had one for a while around midtown (50th st. to be precise). For a while it was 3 dollars, then it went up to 4. The chain they belonged to went out of business I think. Anyway, they're gone forever now. :(

I asked my pop the easiest way to Bergen and he told me it's right outside the Lincoln Tunnel. I was banking on the GWB. Mind you, I was planning on taking a bicycle.


Ah well, I'll definitely look into it. It sounds awesome so far.

Portland has a few independant theaters that show double features. They also usually sell beer too, and it's usually $3 or less for the double feature. If you live in a city with independant theaters, you probably already have double features but don't realize it.

When I was little, I went to a double feature, I think it was the black hole and cindarella. I got bored half way through the first movie and didn't even care about the second one. For kids movies, I just don't think they have the attention span to watch 2 movies in a row at the theater (watching Monsters Inc 10 times in a row at home is another matter).

I don't think double features would work now because of ticket prices and the length movies are now, but I wouldn't mind seeing bonus movies. When I saw Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, it played before The Others, you bought your ticket for the others, and you got to see J&SBSB if you went early. I think it was some kinda special advance screening though. But, I think most people bought the ticket for J&SBSB and didn't even stay around for the others. I didn't stay, but I kinda wished I did cuz when I saw it on the DVD I really liked it and would have liked to see it in the theater, oh well :)

I'd rather instead of double features, they show short films or cartoons before the movie like they did back in the day. Not commerials and stuff like "the twenty".

That's a damn fine idea.

We are getting close to 30 minutes of commercials and previews nowadays at the theatre,i guess thats there way of replaceing the cartoons and shorts