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Topic: Midnight Movies

Matt Elzie
Film Handler

Posts: 17
From: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Registered: May 2001

posted 05-31-2001 07:14 AM

I'm looking to start doing midnight movies at the theater I work at, and, subsequently, am also looking for a distributor with a good library of titles. Can anyone recommend one (or more)?
Movie suggestions and tips for running midnight showings are also more than welcome.

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Aaron Mehocic
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 804
From: New Castle, PA, USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 05-31-2001 09:27 AM

We run midnight shows at our theatre but they are the prints that we run for the rest of the day. One of our theatres in Kent, Ohio (home of the infamous Kent State University), does run some old titles when they can snare them. Such films as "Clockwork Orange", "Rockey Horror", "Planet of the Apes", mostly old cult stuff. Our booker is Don Woodward of Woodward Booking in McKeesport, Pennsylvania.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 05-31-2001 11:51 AM

I have customers that run midnight movies and for a service tech they are a pain as you can't start till 2 or 3 in the morning on service work.
Mark @ GTS

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Aaron Sisemore
Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day!

Posts: 3061
From: Rockwall TX USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 05-31-2001 12:06 PM

Matt: Check out the thread 'Cult Movies' in Film Handlers' Forum for some more info re: midnight shows.

Prints are available from Kit Parker, Swank, Criterion, and in some cases regular distributors, but beware that the print quality can be VERY spotty, especially the more popular titles. Some of the titles have had new (within the last three years) prints made as part of their 'anniversary' revival ( Warner and Columbia come to mind) but you can also try obtaining a collectors' print of a rare title (after making all booking arrangements for same title with the distributor and agreeing to the collector's handling terms)...

I have noticed that in many places the 'midnight movie' just doesn't do it business-wise anymore, plus you have to deal with all the unpleasantries that go along with such screenings in this day and age...

Good Luck!
-Aaron

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Aaron Mehocic
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 804
From: New Castle, PA, USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-02-2001 12:17 AM

Aaron Sisemore said:
"I have noticed that in many places the 'midnight movie' just doesn't do it business-wise anymore . . ."

In some places I'd say your probably right, but that is not a proven trend. In our company we run midnights in at least three seperate locations and business has been strong in all places. I know in the suburban Pittsburgh market, midnights do very well, sometimes even selling out 200-300 seat auditoriums (not often, but they do). At our Kent, Ohio theatre we do extremely well at that time of night. If your in a college town, you would be stupid not to be running midnights.

Just my two cents. Now drink!

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Matt Elzie
Film Handler

Posts: 17
From: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Registered: May 2001

posted 06-03-2001 06:08 AM

Thanks for all the input, guys. It's been helpful. By the way, Aaron, I called Kit Parker Films, thinking that they would be ideal since they are located in Sand City, which is within easy driving distance of Santa Cruz. My thinking was that I could save on shipping by simply picking up prints myself. Turns out, Kit Parker is retiring, and the company is on sort of a hiatus at the moment. Ah well, Murphey's Law, I guess.
I did manage to scrape together a couple of films already though, and we are running our first midnight tonight (Gremlins; definately not my first choice, but who knows?). I'll post again soon, and let you guys know how it turned out.
Again, thanks for the help. -Matt

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 06-03-2001 01:10 PM

Sad as it may seem, Kit Parker Films closing is actually very good news! Never have I received even one print that was in acceptable condition from them, and I've been sent a lot of them for repertory and college circuit.

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Mike Jones
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 108
From: Birmingham, MI, USA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 06-03-2001 10:44 PM

Yes, in our area, midnight films are extremely lucrative. Our two shows for the weekend have beaten some of our lesser films for the entire weekend (not that we do poor business either). Just depends on the demographics.

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Matt Elzie
Film Handler

Posts: 17
From: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Registered: May 2001

posted 06-04-2001 06:59 AM

Suprisingly, Gremlins did decent business, considering we had only a week to advertise it. My thinking is that now with some better advertising and exposure, we'll pick up more of a crowd for the rest of the month. Next week we're showing Blazing Saddles, and after that it's Batman, Enter the Dragon, and The Shining. People are already asking if they can buy tickets for the last three (The Shining in particular), so I think we will do alright.
Anybody have any tips on maximizing the sound presentation for some of these older prints? Gremlins was Dolby Type-A, and that worked fine once we cranked it up enough, but for some of the really old ones we are looking to show, I have no idea what to expect. Suggestions?

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-04-2001 07:48 AM

Matt -- let me know if you want to borrow a trailer for "The Shining." This film did great business for us when we ran it as part of the WB 75th fest a few years ago.

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Aaron Sisemore
Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day!

Posts: 3061
From: Rockwall TX USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 06-04-2001 02:48 PM

>>Anybody have any tips on maximizing the sound presentation for some of these older prints?<<

Check the leaders on the prints, if they are the originals. NEVER trust the labels on the cans. Some of the 'anniversary' reissue prints have remastered soundtracks in Dolby A or SR, but are still basically center channel only. Others, especially the older (pre-1987) titles are either mono or Dolby A, and should be played accordingly.

Aaron

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Darryl Spicer
Film God

Posts: 3250
From: Lexington, KY, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 06-04-2001 08:17 PM

the shinning and enter the dragon are both mono.
Batman is dolby A not sure about sr but if it was it was a duel inventory of prints at the time.

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Bill Enos
Film God

Posts: 2081
From: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 06-04-2001 11:14 PM

Midnights? Ugh! Too many drunks puking, the druggies O.D.ing, vandalism, slashed seats, it ain't worth it.

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Matt Elzie
Film Handler

Posts: 17
From: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Registered: May 2001

posted 06-05-2001 05:32 AM

We actually inform customers that if they act innaprapriately, we will: "throw your asses out the god damn door." We have several people in the theater watching the show, and acting as security, which the audience is also informed of. We make good on our promises, and, so far, we haven't had any trouble. Granted, we've only done two shows as of yet, but hopefully the tactic will work in the future as well.

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