yeah...and pay to get into sex clubs with the other adults right? That's CLEARLY more respectable than sneaking into movies.

Hey, we all have our own standards of what is moral. If we didn't, how would we be able to look down on everyone else?

That made a great, if strange, double feature with Sack Lunch. Glad they didn't pair it with That English Patient Movie.

BTW, my answer to the poll is "Nope." On the rare occasion that my wife will agree to see two movies back to back (the last time was Halloween 2004 when we wanted to stay away from home until the trick or treaters were through) we go back to the box office and buy tickets for the second show.

How could I not take it literally? You restated the same sentiment 6 or 7 times in three posts. In fact, if you hadn't been so adamant about it, I probably never would have said anything.

I don't think twice before rounding a fraction of a cent, over a lifetime of movie-hopping, down to zero. You think it's significante enough to spark a debate. Beyond that, there's nothing more to say.

Bye then.

-JP

Goin' to the movies today, at the Parks Mall in Arlington TX. If any of you nazis wanna see if you can catch me, get there before the first show (though I'm not sure what time I'll arrive...or leave!).

Good luck! (and I'll be seeing you in whatever section of hell is reserved for theater hoppers -- which probably consists of eternity trapped in a multiplex theater, complete freedom to hop as much as we want, but every screen is showing a Uwe Boll movie ) Here are some tips:

1) Don't be disruptive (like entering a show after its started, being noisy with your friends, and/or making a point to be slow walking around picking a seat, talking during the movie, etc). In other words, be a model theater goer in your behavior, and don't give the management/other people a reason for wanting your ass out of there.
2) Have theater concessions in your hand when entering your "hop" screen. Immediately removes almost all suspiciousness from you (after all, why would someone be too cheap for a ticket, but buy their outrageously overpriced concessions?). Of course, if you're really a cheap bastard you can just pick up a leftover popcorn bag and/or drink before you leave the screen you actually paid for (there are always tons of them lying around). I'd advise against eating/drinking the "leftovers" though -- they're just your cover
3) Don't be obvious and walk right from one screen to another. Stop in the restroom, visit the concession stand, arcade area in between.
4) Don't look too memorable. Now is not the time to strut about in your most outrageous clothing! Leave the "bling" at home. If you have a mohawk, multicolored hair (or worse, a multicolored mohawk), full body tattoos, massive physical deformity, are taller than 7 feet or weigh more than 300 pounds, are drop-dead beautiful (or panic-inducing ugly) -- you may want to rethink your theater hopping plans, and just pay for everything.
5) Last but not least -- exude confidence. Say to yourself "I'm not stealing or doing anything wrong ... I'm exercizing my American freedom in protest of high movie ticket prices, and no one is being harmed as a result of my activities". An alternative is just to put on the same blank look most theater patrons have, thinking "Hmmmmm ... goin' to see a movie!"

Again, good luck in your trip to the dark side. Though I think it may have been a mistake to inform this forum about the day and theater of your planned crime -- could there be an informant's reward (like maybe a free ticket?).

Brainee...

Excellent. I've done all of them.

Apparantly we still disagree on the amount of cost (while not monumental, I think it's a good bit higher than your estimate) and, again, I didn't think that the cost was significant, but I also didn't think it was so insignicant as to completely deny it's existance as vehemently as you were.

Dang it . . . you've exposed my real reason for not theater-hopping.

Okay . . . well not quite 7 feet . . .

There should have been options for "yes, I do it and still do;" or "I have done it, but not for a while." A couple of times in my life, I have stayed in the theater to watch a movie I really liked a second time (Pulp Fiction was the last time I did that), but I wouldn't do it now. So, I had to vote yes, but that doesn't mean I still do it.

The question is "do you do it?" Meaning...do you do it now...which would encompass the last year. Not...have you ever done it in the past.

If "Pulp Fiction" came out today, I'd see it 2-3 times, via hopping...but there ain't SHIT I'd choose from that I'd even waste my time on...

So how did it go? Did the movie police arrest you? Did you have guilty feelings? Was your popcorn buttery enough? Enquiring minds.

Saw "40 Year Old Virgin" and slipped into "The Cave". Good times were had. Popcorn was too greezy by the end of the second film, tho...LOL

This is so true. I knew at one time theater profits were 2/3 concessions and only 1/3 ticket prices.

So, it's worse to take food into the theater than to theater hop!

I know a lot more people take food in vs. hopping, but I'm guessing they see nothing wrong with this, but instead look down with contempt at the "hoppers".

I found this thread late (obviously), but it was hilarious to read through.

I had to comment on this, though.

The logical fallacy seems to be that operating costs of the movie theater also includes: hoppers! Yes, the ticket price even factors this in. In addition, it also factors in people who sneak in without even buying any ticket and also people who sneak in concessions. The concessions stealers are really eating into the profits more so than the "hoppers".

Also, all movie goers don't wear and tear the equipment equally. For example, how about those people who put their feet all over the back of the seat in front of them or on the arms of the seat in front of them (tearing the fabric on the arms)? Or carve/scratch stuff on seats? There are other examples, but the point is it is possible for a paying customer to cause more damage than a non-paying "hopper". I see this all the time at the around here. It doesn't take much damage to remove the profit of those cheapie $1.50 tickets or the $5.75 matinee tickets. And I see a lot of damage.

I just don't see the cost of the hopper who buys the ticket for the movie he wants to see, then watches the newest Uwe Boll movie in a damn near empty theater for "free" afterwards. He wasn't going to see the Uwe Boll movie at all otherwise... And maybe he likes the "free" movie enough to buy it on DVD later? That could happen (maybe not with the Uwe Boll movie, but you know what I mean). Also, if the "hopper" buys more concessions between the movies, the theater has made out very well.

I suspect that this is the reason that most theaters that I see seem to be moving the concessions behind the ticket taker. This would maximize the chances that any hoppers would also buy concessions... after all they're in there at least twice as long as normal. If they put the concessions in front of the ticket taker, they're just not going to buy because they don't have a valid ticket stub for re-entry.

It's been a while since I worked at a movie theater, but I seem to recall that chains bid on prints, promising a certain number of screens and a certain number of weeks. The first ticket sales go back to the studios and distributors and HOPEFULLY, the theater has bid high enough to secure a film, yet low enough to ensure they don't run a stinker for 5 weeks. After they pay this contracted bid to the studios, anything else is profit for the theater company (not the employees) and pays for leased buildings, equipment, advertising, and more print bids. Maybe the higher regional managers and up might get paid from box office profit, but certainly not the ushers/projectionists/concessions. Employees get their paychecks from the concessions. If that model is still true (for Carmike Cinemas at least), jumping movies only makes it harder for the company to break even with the studios. Absolution by saying, "Well, I wouldn't have paid for it anyway." doesn't make it any easier for the theater chains to meet the bottom line. I know the prices are outrageous (concessions WAY more than tickets), but theaters are competing with cable, home theater, and computer P2P trading. One person hopping for a freebie because it's raining outside and they don't want to get wet is understandable. Planning your day around doing your fair share is just lazy.

About the worse I do is change film times. We went to see Jarhead and the place was PACKED (and we showed up 10 minutes BEFORE showtime). There was another showing 20 minutes later, so we went to that one instead.

It's clear that they oversold the show (both actually). But I figure I paid for a showing, and watching one showing, so that's pretty even to me.

It has been a while for me. One time I did I was at the window trying make up my mind what to see, The Crow or Speed, the guy at the window suggested see Speed at 12:15 then The Crow at 3:00. So that's what I did.

Back in the day (the 70's) this used to be allowed, unless the movie was selling out. There'd always be a large handful of folks who just stayed in the theater, either to watch the whole movie again or to catch the beginning if they'd come in late. I remember my mom taking me to see The Sting and we liked it so much we sat through it twice. Nowadays they clear the theater between screenings but back then they didn't. We didn't do it often - who has the time? - but it was kinda nice to have that option. Ah, the good old days.

I never pay for a movie ticket, I sneak into the one movie I see, and leave after one movie. I could never sit in a theater for more than a few hours.

And no I don't justify my actions, I just don't care enough. It's stealing, yes, but I'm afraid I care about my wallet a little more than the movie companies.

Nope! Never have, never will, so enjoy your stay in Hell everyone. I on the other hand...oh crap. Sneaking stuff in is immoral? I'm screwed...

Never theater hop but once did the sit through the same movie twice thing. Way back when I was little, we saw Mary Poppins (one of the rereleases. Not old enough for the first release) and they started showing it again immediatly after it ended. We were moving out of the aisle when it started so we sat back down.

I've done it tons of times. Haven't been caught yet. It's easier if you're by yourself as opposed to a big noisy group. I just fake like I'm going to the bathroom after the movie, then go to the next. I have done 3 movies in a role. That usually messes up your eyes big time though. lol If it makes some of you honest follow the rules type feel better, lots of times I'm very nervous and paranoid about getting caught whenever I see an employee come inside the theater. The movies I see for free or steal, are usually ones I wouldn't pay to see anyways. Movies like Star Wars, in which I love, I will pay for every viewing even if seeing it three times in a row like I did with Episode 3.

I've never done it. Never would either.