Boxoffice-September.1997

I
am
—
Last weekend I
LETTERS
went to my local theatre
to see "Con Air." As the movie started,
noticed that the picture went off the
sides of the screen. You guessed it. The
movie was in Scope and the screen was
wall-to-wall 1.85:1 Flat.
I asked the manager and he played dumb at
first, then told me it was a Scope picture on
a Flat screen. He said most people don't
notice and don't know any better, told me
not to tell anyone, and then gave me a free
pass.
This is a rip-off! The theatre in question is a
10-plex. Only two of the 10 screens can
show a Scope movie—the rest are cropped.
And they are preparing to build more of the
same design!
Who can be contacted in the industry to put
this problem right? I hope you care about this
as I do, and can do something about it.
Thanks,
Bob Meza
Valencia, Calif.
Thank YOU, Bob. We do care about this far
too common problem, which is why we've
run your letter at the top of this section. We
hope you don't mind that we've removed the
name of the circuit you mentioned to avoid
causing needless embarassment for it in
print. Our hunch is
that your letter will suffice
to remind them of your complaint. As to
who to contact in order to deal with this
problem: in our view, you already came to
the right place!
The projection article in the April '97
issue of BOXOFFICE was a benefit for
all projectionists. "Projection's Seven
Deadly Sins" by Sean Lohan is like a pocket
manual that all projectionists should have
hanging in the projection room. Mr. Lohan
listed so many of the important "don'ts"
most notably using shoe polish on prints to
distinguish splices! I myself was once told
that it was the best way to mark splices; I'm
glad to find written proof of my theory about
it ruining film!
possible, can you please publish info on
If
the National Film Service, headed by Mr.
Lohan? I trying to learn all I can about
being a projectionist, as I
would like to own
and operate my own theatre some day.
Thanks, and keep up the good work!
Philip Herman
Rockaway Beach, N.Y.
You'll find a listing for National Film Service
on page 93 in the ALLIED portion of this
issue's Buyers Directory.
was just doing some thinking. Print as
many of the following comments as you
Iwish;
—Re: "The Movie Palace Guard" (4/97): Not
a bad piece in the April '97 issue, but you
missed at least one F^ollywood palace: the
Pacific on Hollywood Boulevard between
Wilcox and Cahuenga. It's been closed in
recent years but will hopefu I
ly be re-opened
in mid-'98 by Tyrone Power's granddaughter...
—Probably the main reason for the closing
of many of the Hollywood single screens
was the opening of the GCC Galaxy multiplex
on Hollywood Boulevard in the early
'90s...
—Still waiting fortheconcessions revolution
to hit L.A. Yeah, we've got bottled water,
nachos, $2 bon-bons and ice cream bars,
smaller pre-packaged hot dogs and high
prices. But where are the branded goodies
you mentioned in "Appetite for Construction"
(4/97)?
—When is the IMAX and Iwerks theatre
revolution going to come?
—Hollywood creativity still seems to be directed
at the making of movies rather than
the showing of movies. Witness all the
shoebox screens with identical starting
times, ensuring long lines at the boxoffice to
accompany the high prices at the concession
stand...
—How about bringing back the double feature
with newsreels and cartoons instead of
a half-hour of previews? Also bring back the
drive-in (a great site in Hollywood would be
the deserted TAV building between Selma
and Sunset)...
—How about earlier starting times (7 to 9
a.m.) on Christmas? And why not have bargain
prices the whole day?
PS: All in all, yours is a good magazine,
except when you don't tell all sides of the
story. Don't your arms get tired from patting
yourselves on the back?
Gerald )anke
Hollywood, Calif.
Re: Our tired arms: They do, which is why
we'll let that comment stand.
Reeponso No. 9