Not in dispute are this theatre's art deco magnificence, its plentiful, delicious concessions and…read moremostly friendly staff.
It's management, however, like so many other struggling independent theaters these days, feels compelled to bait unsuspecting patrons with popular flicks only to attempt to exploit their presence as captive audiences to impose upon them, like a public nuisance, amateur film hosts or faux-entertainers, most mistakenly thinking that these blowhards, who revel in hearing themselves talk when nobody else cares to be subjected to their amateur antics, will fill empty theater seats. It doesn't and won't. Quite the contrary, all it really does is discourage real film aficionados from coming for special screenings at all. And it's typically a matter of these self-appointed clowns having somehow ingratiated themselves to the theater management to step up onstage to spout their gibberish in the first place!
So, we just went excitedly to this theater to see a special screening for the Halloween season of Alfred Hitchcock's minor masterpiece, PSYCHO(1960)with a program scheduled to begin at 6:30pm.
Program?! Please!
The gentleman, boasting that he was born in 1960, bored everybody to tears regaling his captive audience for upwards of a full HALF HOUR with his REAL ESTATE pitches! He's an area realtor, evidently, out of El Cerrito with an office in Walnut Creek.
Just when you think you've seen it all when it comes to cinema gimmickry this theater's management stoops to permit its patrons to be treated to a bombast of crass real estate commercialism.
No, it's not funny. Nor is it even remotely entertaining. It's downright ridiculous and annoying to say nothing of outright tedious!
They just can't, don't, or won't get it: patrons come to see the flick, NOT their cornball hosts!
If you're going to pretend to introduce any film, people, then at least give your captive audience some interesting TRIVIA about the movie instead of trying to sell real estate or otherwise plead for patronage.
Like Hitchcock's daughter, Patricia, played the flick's secretary, Caroline. Like John Gavin, playing Sam Loomis, was first cast as James Bond for Diamonds Are Forever(1971)before Sean Connery returned to the role. Something of true interest!
These classic flicks sell themselves and the very LAST thing they need are your adolescent antics on stage!
Remember, it's the economy, stupid! Likewise, it's the PROGRAMMING, Stupid!
So do us massive favor: STFU, get OFF the stage, and just SCREEN THE EFFIN' FLICK!
Or, if that's too much to ask or expect. post a public and transparent actual STARTING TIME for the flick so patrons retain the free option to preferably SKIP the so-called program, and arrive in good time solely to watch the movie!
Otherwise, if you honestly THINK you're ALL THAT amusing or entertaining(you're most definitely NOT!), then rent out your own venue and sell your own separate tickets to your own dull and boring show to discover precisely how many patrons will give your appearance a big MISS!
As we'll be doing here in future.