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All Bets Are Off
"Clearances" are gentleman's agreements between theatrical chains that are basically about respecting territory and boundaries. One L.A. clearance arrangement that's been in effect for some time is between the Landmark plex on West Pico Blvd. and the AMC Century City 15 plex, located about a mile or so to the northeast. The basic deal has been to give each other economic breathing room by not showing each other's films. Simple.
Landmark plex on Pico
But all that has recently changed. The Landmark has essentially decided that with times being tough all over, their indie-movies-for-upscale-audiences plan hasn't been bringing in enough dough and it's time for a new strategy. And that means showing more mainstream-y films even if their AMC cousins are showing the same titles. Which is a roundabout way of saying fuck the Diaz brothers.
Situation: The Dark Knight and Mamma Mia! will be opening at both the Landmark and the AMC C.C. plex next weekend, and it may be that the Landmark will beat out the AMC as far as Mamma Mia! business is concerned due to the latter having a stronger 25-and-over female customer base.
"Landmark just decided to do it," a friend confides. "They decided they really wanted The Dark Knight and WB was perfectly willing to let them show it. Landmark, meanwhile, had Mamma Mia! exclusively for that area, but now AMC is going to go show Mamma Mia also." In short, a little tit-for-tat, quid pro quo action.
Landmark CEO Ted Mundorff was unavailable, but his sentiments were summed up by a professional colleague: "Let's just show good films that everyone likes and not be so exclusionary."
AMC Century City 14
The friend believes that the Dark Knight booking is as much about appealing to Landmark regulars who are serious Chris Nolan fans (Memento, Insomnina) as much as anything else. I'm not sure I can buy that one but whatever. I myself am a Nolan fan first, a Heath Ledger fan second and a Batman fan second.
Before they altered or broadened their identity by letting mainstream popcorn movies in, Landmark had been...how to say it? The term is either "suffering" or "somewhat hurting," but then so has everyone else in the indie exhibition sector. It's not a flush time right now. The Landmark has been plugging along, but the biggest indie films they've been showing have been The Visitor, Mongol and Guillame Canet's Tell No One. That's fine as far as it goes, but an operation like the Landmark needs more grease on the axles.
As someone else put it, "There's so much good product around now. Why not just just give people what they want?"
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 12, 2008 at 12:23 PM
comment #1
D.Z.
says ...
Star Wars fans got screwed by this "agreement", when Graumann's didn't want to show Sith for more than a week, and they were forced to break tradition and endure the Sucklight.
Posted by D.Z.
at July 12, 2008 1:58 PM
comment #2
Terry McCarty
says ...
The question is: Will this upset the Westside homeowners who were allegedly assured that mainstream product (which could be Westside code for "product that might attract too many young people") wouldn't be prevalent at the Landmark?
Posted by Terry McCarty
at July 12, 2008 2:25 PM
comment #3
iamjoe
says ...
I would buy the argument that Landmark fans are Nolan fans. As The Dark Knight has been a topic coming out of my mouth quite a bit over the last year, it's been interesting to see the respect his films have gotten from people like us who pay close attention to film, and from the casual moviegoer. Landmark was both smart and justified to book The Dark Knight.
Posted by iamjoe
at July 12, 2008 2:30 PM
comment #4
Fien Print
says ...
When all is said and done, I'd expect "The Dark Knight" to be as well-reviewed, Rotten Tomatoes-wise, as any film this year other than "Wall*E" so at least the Landmark is keeping on-ethos somewhat with that one. If memory serves, though, the Landmark was also showing "The Love Guru" a couple weeks ago, which was inexcusable on both commercial and critical levels...
Posted by Fien Print
at July 12, 2008 2:30 PM
comment #5
cjKennedy
says ...
From the start the Pico Landmark has had a broader booking policy than the chain is known for, but they haven't abandoned the arthouse stuff. Dark Knight fits right in with their attitude.
Do they have any auditoriums big enough to really put a dent in AMC's bottom line?
DZ, go play with your action figures.
Posted by cjKennedy
at July 12, 2008 2:37 PM
comment #6
cjKennedy
says ...
good point about Love Guru, Fien Print
Posted by cjKennedy
at July 12, 2008 2:39 PM
comment #7
berg
says ...
here in space city there used to be 2 Landmarks and 1 Angelika, all within 5 miles of each other ... they would open the same film at the Landmark and the Angelika to see which would get the top gross: we're talking about titles like I Capture the Castle ... now there is 1 Landmark (down from 6 screens to 3) and the Angelika (8 screens) regularly opens titles like Get Smart ... just sayin'
Posted by berg
at July 12, 2008 2:49 PM
comment #8
D.Z.
says ...
cj: Don't really care about that franchise, to be honest. I just hate yuppie theaters which will (hopefully) go out of business, due to high gas prices...
Posted by D.Z.
at July 12, 2008 3:37 PM
comment #9
Aris P
says ...
I live in the middle both of these theaters. I prefer Landmark because it shows art-house films, yes, but I do enjoy my share of AMC popcorn fare. The main reason I like it though, is that the parking is way easier (try finding parking at AMC Friday night), the clientele is older and QUIETER than the 15 year olds at AMC and oh yeah, no one brings in bags of fucking PANDA EXPRESS to eat at the Landmark during the movie. I'll gladly be seeing Dark Knight there, with reserved seating no less.
Posted by Aris P
at July 12, 2008 4:18 PM
comment #10
cjKennedy
says ...
Sorry to disappoint you DZ, but Arclight is almost always crowded and for good reason: the extra 1 or 2 dollars on the ticket keep away people like you.
Call it a douche tax.
Posted by cjKennedy
at July 12, 2008 5:21 PM
comment #11
MPNeeb
says ...
Has Arclight raised their prices recently?
Their rates were pricey when they opened, and in line with what other theaters are charging now.
Posted by MPNeeb
at July 12, 2008 6:25 PM
comment #12
cjKennedy
says ...
They're mostly the same. The weekend price is still a steep $14 though that's not far off other theaters any more. In Sherman Oaks it's $13.50 and the parking is free vs. $2 if you park in the garage in Hollywood.
The weekday non-member price went up to $12 at Hollywood, but the member price is still $11. In Sherman Oaks the weekday price is $11.50 for both.
Posted by cjKennedy
at July 12, 2008 6:36 PM
comment #13
The Winchester
says ...
It makes a lot of sense, especially for "spill-over" business when Dark Knight sells out.
Posted by The Winchester
at July 12, 2008 8:05 PM
comment #14
D.Z.
says ...
cj: "Sorry to disappoint you DZ, but Arclight is almost always crowded and for good reason: the extra 1 or 2 dollars on the ticket keep away people like you."
People like me? I guess those Scientologists got to you. Oh, you mean people who like good sound and picture projection for their money, not whatever the Arclight charges for mediocre grainy prints and seats you can't even choose.
"Call it a douche tax."
I hear it's named after the people who came up with the fee.
"The weekend price is still a steep $14 though that's not far off other theaters any more."
Other theaters only charge close to those prices at non-matinee shows, though.
Posted by D.Z.
at July 12, 2008 10:18 PM
comment #15
trimmer
says ...
DZ, what do you mean when you say Arclight charges for "seats you can't even choose"? Unless it's the AFI Fest I choose my seats in advance every time.
Posted by trimmer
at July 12, 2008 10:46 PM
comment #16
D.Z.
says ...
trimmer: That's sort of the point. If you don't choose in advance, you're stuck with whatever's left when you buy tickets there...
Posted by D.Z.
at July 12, 2008 10:52 PM
comment #17
Pornotension
says ...
Then get your seats in advance.
Posted by Pornotension
at July 13, 2008 1:30 AM
comment #18
Pornotension
says ...
I mean, or go to a different theater.
Posted by Pornotension
at July 13, 2008 1:31 AM
comment #19
cjKennedy
says ...
DZ's mom won't let him use the credit card to order tickets in advance.
Posted by cjKennedy
at July 13, 2008 7:50 AM
comment #20
D.Z.
says ...
cj: Yes, I really want to pay even more money, in the form of interest, just for some damn movie tickets. Brilliant.
Posted by D.Z.
at July 13, 2008 1:21 PM
comment #21
DarthCorleone
says ...
That's a shame if the Landmark starts going more mainstream. I don't live that close, but the several times I have made my way to that part of town, I've enjoyed the indie fare they offer (compared to the cramped, uncomfortable theaters around here that offer most of the indie flicks). It's definitely one of the better theater experiences in LA in my estimation, and, yes, the parking plays a part in that.
As for Graumann's, I can't stand that theater. The sound in there sucks. I keep giving it another chance because it is such an iconic location, but it never satisfies.
Y'all squabbling about the seating at Arclight is funny. The bottom line is that if you want your choice of seats - no matter what theater you go to - you're going to have to do *something* early. I like the ability to choose my seat so that I can come as close as possible to guaranteeing that I'm not seated next to other human beings who are going to talk and ruin the movie for me. Yes, the parking isn't that great, but there are no commercials, and the seating is comfortable, so the Arclight is usually my first-run theater of choice.
Posted by DarthCorleone
at July 13, 2008 2:45 PM
comment #22
D.Z.
says ...
Darth: "The bottom line is that if you want your choice of seats - no matter what theater you go to - you're going to have to do *something* early."
True, but at least I can still get a good seat at other theaters, if I'm late.
"Yes, the parking isn't that great, but there are no commercials,"
Just an idiot summarizing the plot and cast, because we're too stupid to not know that beforehand.
"and the seating is comfortable,"
If you like chairs which don't bend back and which are arranged at odd geometric angles, sure.
Posted by D.Z.
at July 13, 2008 6:49 PM
comment #23
DarthCorleone
says ...
*shrug*
I'm not that enamored with it. It's just the closest theater to my house. Where do you recommend I go?
Posted by DarthCorleone
at July 13, 2008 7:57 PM
comment #24
cjKennedy
says ...
Don't worry Darth, Landmark is still mainly indie with a few more mainstream films worked in the mix.
Posted by cjKennedy
at July 13, 2008 11:27 PM
comment #25
cjKennedy
says ...
DZ, I'm just going to let your last comment to me hang with the weight of its own retardness, twisting gently in the wind.
Window licker.
Posted by cjKennedy
at July 13, 2008 11:31 PM
comment #26
saranie
says ...
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Posted by saranie
at July 14, 2008 8:04 PM
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