I don't know if it's just greed that has led some of the bigger chains to bolster their bottom lines by selling commercial time in front of movies, but I do know that it's really annoying. It's not as bad when they start the ads before the movie's scheduled start time, but too many of the ads themselves look like shoddy digital projections taken straight from the TV. Is there anything we can do? Apparently, we're already doing it. According to the market research firm InsightExpress, 27 percent of those surveyed say they go to movies less because of the blurb barrage. This survey is backed up by stats that indicate that movie attendance has been dropping over the last couple of years, countered only by increased ticket prices.
Those of us addicted to movies won't stop going, but knowing that it's the exhibitors and not the studios that are responsible for the commercials allows us to shift our protests to the concession stands. One simple protest would be to bring in "outside food" to theaters that show commercials. An even better protest would be to skip the chain theaters altogether and visit our city's independent screens.
The Grand Illusion has a new calendar coming out shortly, and though I don't know all of what's on it, I do know that it'll include the 400th annual screening of the beloved holiday classic It's a Wonderful Life. The Northwest Film Forum is also putting out their new calendar, and it looks great. Some highlights include the reconstruction of Sam Fuller's epic WWII movie The Big Red One, the return of late-night programming, the first feature from NWFF-based Film Company called Telephone Pole Numbering System, a special pre-Christmas run of Jim Van Bebber's 10-years-in-the-making The Manson Family--and that's all before the end of December. Next year includes some even more exciting programming, like the new film from Jean-Luc Godard, the beginning of the Yasujiro Ozu retrospective, and in conjunction with a screening of his Cowards Bend the Knee, Guy Maddin will be making a short film in town with the Film Movement. Really, I'm starting to wonder when I'll have time for the Hollywood releases. Maybe I'll have to TiVo them when they hit cable.
