Movies and more

Watch TV on PC - 12,000 TV Channels and Movies

Theaters are offering a diversified experience to help convince consumers it's worth leaving home to see a flick

FOXBORO - Oscar night is upon us, and that means stars, move clips, teary eyed actresses, and lame jokes. But as predictable as those Academy Awards show staples are, the movie industry itself has become anything but predictable.

It used to be that going to the movies was a fairly straightforward proposition. You went to the local theater, plopped down a few dollars, got your popcorn and soda, and settled in for an afternoon or evening of entertainment.

Now, of course, everything has changed. Movies tend to spend only a few weeks at the cineplex, if that, and the mantra of a large percentage of movie fans has become "I'll wait for the DVD." Or, possibly, the Blu-ray. Or maybe they'll stream it onto their computer or iPod.

It's all a lot cheaper than going to the movies, and in the dead of winter you can argue there's also a comfort factor involved.

So what's a movie theater owner to do? In a word, diversify. And they're already doing it.

"Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience" reflects the resurgent popularity of 3D movies. The film is due out Feb. 27.

In this area, movie theaters are offering patrons table dining and cocktails while they watch their flick.

They've opened separate restaurant/bars and comedy clubs on the premises.

And they've turned themselves into "destinations" with quirky, audience participation spectacles, sporting events, and even celebrity celebrations.

"Like every industry today, the film and exhibition industry is changing because of a variety of influences including technology and peoples interests," said Wanda Whitson, director of corporate communications at National Amusements, which runs Showcase Cinema de Lux at Patriot Place in Foxboro. "Today, consumers have more entertainment options than ever. We are competing for their time and attention."

"People are looking to be interactive," said Bill Cunningham, executive director of the Orpheum Theatre in Foxboro, which recently premiered the colorfully quirky, audience participation film "Repo! The Genetic Opera." "Why just go to the movies when you can be part of an experience like this?"

The Lux Level in Showcase Cinema at Patriot Place offers dining service inside the theater. Set back from the regular patrons, it has enormous seats (no bumping elbows) with push buttons that summon waiters and waitresses who deliver your food and drinks. There are also lounge areas and a full service bar. Additionally, Showcase at Patriot Place has a full service restaurant and bar in the lobby.

"We are offering more than just a movie," Whitson said.

Shari Redstone, president of National Amusements, began transforming the movie-going experience after concluding it "had been commoditized, with theaters trying to get people in out and out quickly," Whitson said.

The idea was to bring back the luxury and comfort of movie palaces from the 1920s and '30s, but with more modern offerings and the unique amenities.

This past year Showcase Cinema at Patriot Place screened the new DVD by the band Boys Like Girls, a hot national rock group whose drummer is from Mansfield and bassist from Wrentham.

Showcase Cinemas has converted a theater auditorium in Warwick, R.I. into a live venue for music and comedy.

Earlier this month it hosted Ladies Night Out, which celebrated the release of the movie "Confessions of a Shopaholic" with a preview screening and a mini-fashion show featuring Patriot Place merchants.

Last month, Curt and Shonda Schilling were among the celebs who attended a sneak peek-showing of the chick flick "Bride Wars," in which Shonda had a small role.

The cinema is also reaching out to sports fans, only natural given its location in the shadow of Gillette Stadium. Recently it was selected as one of the first locations to screen a live 3-D sports event, a Dec. 4 NFL Network game between the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders.

Showcase was also the first theater company to feature live, high-def, in-theater broadcasts of Red Sox games, and worked with the Boston Celtics this spring to produce several games at its theaters, Whitson said.

In Warwick, R.I., Showcase has converted one of its auditoriums into Center Stage, a live entertainment venue that features comedy and music.

Redstone's focus, Whitson said, is to make Showcase Cinema a "community entertainment destination."

The historic Orpheum Theatre on Foxboro Common is decidedly less high-tech than the modern Showcase Cinema on Route 1, but has still answered the call to innovate.

A few times a year it shows "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," and people from all over dress up as their favorite characters and act out the movie on stage.

"Repo! The Genetic opera" launched its national run at the Orpheum in mid-January. Despite bitter cold, more than 350 fans - many in costume - turned out, some traveling from as far away as Pennsylvania.

"We are taking the movies to the kids," Cunningham said. "We are trying to change it to make it more than just a sit-in-the-dark experience. And it will continue to change."

Cunningham pointed out that other theaters are showing musical sing-a-longs as a way to get the movie goer involved. "Mamma Mia" and "Sound of Music" have both been shown with the lyrics displayed on the bottom of the screen.

"These movies are more fun, more interactive," he said. "It gives you an opportunity to express yourself; it's like Halloween 365 days. Whether you wear all black, have facial hair, have tattoos or not, 'Rocky' and 'Repo' give you the chance to express yourself and be part of a special atmosphere."

Whitson said that another recent wrinkle in the movie industry has been the resurrection in popularity of 3D films.

"This year's new 3D releases like James Cameron's 'Avatar' along with DreamWorks 'Monsters vs. Aliens,' a Jonas brothers concert film, 'Up,' 'G-Force' and 'A Christmas Carol' are just the beginning of where this technology can go," she said.

"The industry is just learning and exploring the exciting possibilities that both 2D and 3D will bring to us with the advent of digital projection, and we are finding that this is also an education process for our audience members," Whitson said. "We are getting audiences to our theaters that may not have previously visited stadium-style theaters before."

As for what the more distant future might hold for moviegoers, Whitson said "we can't even begin to imagine how the combination of cutting-edge technology, for example holograms, and creative developers and unique new content will transform the entertainment and moviegoing experience."

But whatever the future may be, movie theater owners believe there will be a place for them, as long as they hustle to keep up with the times.

"(Redstone) believes that the movie-going experience will never go away," Whitson said. "There is nothing like enjoying a great film, on the big screen, with a group of people laughing, crying, or applauding together. There is no other experience like it."

source Watch TV on PC - 12,000 TV Channels and Movies