Dr. DVD

I hate ads in general, but it seems at some theaters they actually make an effort to wait until the movie is supposed to start and air this spot.

I don't mind the military putting on a spot, but I preferred the ones that were short and only lasted about 30 seconds back in the day. The style is what bothers me, they make it look like a music video/action movie directed by Michael Bay. I highly doubt that is what it is like.

Travis McClain

You can't see those commercials until they permit you to enter the auditorium. Unless you know of a theater that allows you to enter auditoriums without paid admission, then they are, in fact, part of the "paid experience."

Dr. DVD

One thing I do like about IMAX is that they don't have commercials. The one I go to tends to play music from the movie's soundtrack while waiting for a start.

toddly6666

If anyone is curious, I've noticed that European movie theaters play TONS of commercials after the starting movie time. The European movie theaters also seem to play more commercials than trailers - more time given to the commercials than the trailers, unlike in American theaters. I love trailers so I'm happy if a movie theater plays 5 trailers. So I prefer the commercials-to-trailers ratio more in USA than Europe at least.

The European movie theaters have reserved seating so you can time it to just come 15 minutes after the starting time, but it's a pain in the ass to find your seat in pitch black and inconsiderate climbing over people's feet that are trying to watch trailers.

So either way, everyone's screwed.

Which company was the first to have movie theater commercials by the way - Coke? I remember a time when the pre-movie commercial was just food or drink related.

kms_md

they still release G-rated movies?

i hate all commercials prior to previews. but, since they are not going away, i voted for propaganda. i have no problem with the military advertising (in fact, locally, most of the ads are for the army or air guard). say whatever you want to your son - it's your family. pass on whatever values/morals/choices you want.

resinrats

The theaters around here stop playing commericals at the time the showtime is listed for. They run the 'shut off your phone' bits then. Then they start showing trailers. Considering they tend to show at least 10 minutes of trailers, anyone who wants to avoid the commericals can just go in at the showtime & still have time to find a seat before the acutal movie starts.

Personally, I don't mind the commericals. My friends and I usually MST3K them. Much better than a long time a go with a blank screen or not long ago with the slide show/dumb questions.

My Other Self

My kick last year was making sure I caught the Kid Rock "Warrior" National Guard commercial because of how incredibly bad it was. Seriously, that commercial was so damn cheesy I always laughed my ass off every time it came on.

Commercials are commercials - I wouldn't say that is propaganda. What I don't agree with is military recruiters hanging out at movie theaters. I was at a Century Theater maybe 2 years back and there was an Army guy with a little desk set up close to where the guy that rips your ticket stands.

Travis McClain

See, this is bad placement. His desk should have been right next to the exit door. That way, he could ask, "Did you think it looked cool blowing shit up in Transformers? How would you like to do that for real?" At the ticket stand, you haven't seen the movie yet!

GoldenJCJ

Or, say, get a free popcorn with your 4 year commitment to the military. With concession stand prices these days, it would almost be worth it.

Travis McClain

Come to think of it, they should revise the G.I. bill. Instead of just getting college tuition, you should be able to get the equivalent in movie concessions. That would solve not only the recruiting problem, but give a boost to the theaters and candy companies, thereby helping the overall economy. I could get behind that.

ardathbey

Any and all commercials are propaganda.

War happens. It sucked 30 years ago. It sucks now.
Deal accordingly.

If you "can't deal" with military commercials, or any previews for that matter, do what I do.
Ignore them, LIKE I DO ON TV. I have the brain power to do so.
Hit me up for my "How to manual".

Goldblum

In that case, you're safe to say anything you want to your kid without fear of harm. So what's the problem?

dino88

Many countries require a certain number of years spent in the military. In the US we are forced to watch advertisements for the military before we see the newest Shrek and piss away $30 on high fructose corn syrup products. Life is hell.

UAIOE

I could tolerate *one* commercial that dealt with *product actually sold at the concession stand*. Theater serves coke, and there is a commercial for coke .There is a logical link there.

I could maybe, possibly semi-tolerate the commercials if they were specifically made for movie theater viewing, but the ones I've seen were the same commercials I see hundreds of times on regular TV.

superdeluxe

lol truth. We got it pretty easy.

clckworang

Am I the only who misses the days when they would show nothing at all before the movie? You would go into a lit theater, find your seat and there would just be quiet. And then came the moment when the curtains would start to open to reveal the movie screen, the lights would start to go down and then images on the screen. It was always an exciting little moment. I miss that.

Rockmjd23

No previews either? What about the old days when they showed newsreels? Now that was propaganda

Hank1215

I remember up until about the late 70's even early 80's most theaters and drive-ins I went to either showed cartoon shorts or Three Stooges shorts. And if it was a double feature you got the same in between the two movies.

Daytripper

The latest National Guard clip feels like it's 15 minutes long. Still, I'm glad they're not showing the 3 Doors Down or Kid Rock ones anymore.

NitroJMS

Before Avatar, I heard the couple behind me start to laugh and joke about how incredibly long and redundant the ad becomes after thirty seconds or so. I'd say about half the audience was giggling at it in some form before it was over, so its certainly not doing what our tax dollars intended it to do.

BJacks

Tell me about it. And then the piano player would cue up and someone would accidentally let off a round and all hell would break loose.

My Other Self

When the theaters around here had "Throwback Thursdays" (showing older films for a cheap price), they showed them in the vein of how they originally ran in theaters. It was nice not to see commercials.

clckworang

Oh, there were trailers but not until the lights went down. I thought it just added to the mood. You'd get there early and have to wait patiently. There weren't any slides, ads or promos on a screen. There was just the closed curtain. And seeing that curtain open up and start to reveal a screen, it was always a "Here we go!" moment. If you get there early now, they try to "entertain" you with ads and bad movie promos.

I just reread my previous post and thought I would clarify that when I was referring to showing something before the movie, I guess I more meant showing things before the show time. Yes, they should preview/trailers, but not until show time.