So tonight I checked out the new ArcLight Theater in Hollywood with my friend Timo, and saw Amadeus: The Director’s Cut. The movie was in the Cinerama Dome theater (as opposed to the new multiplex they just built there), and it was great to see it on the big screen. The extra 20-minutes of footage were well integrated into the film, and the pacing was
exactly the same as before (meaning the middle hour kinda sags a bit, but picks up for the climax).
So what is the deal with the ArcLight Theaters? I mean, $14 for a movie ticket is a bit steep, even if the experience is top notch. If it weren’t for this rude guy talking to his girlfriend behind me to my right, it would have been a more or less flawless show. There were no commercials; there were no screaming babies or little kids. We had assigned seats (that we picked), so we didn’t have to show up until just before the movie started. Granted the showtime was 8:15pm, and it didn’t start until 8:30pm…. not a good thing, since I’ve been to press screenings that started on time – and they had to wait for the “important paparazzi”. So while it was a good movie, and good experience, I honestly cannot say that it is (or will ever be) worth $14. Heck – the DVD of the film (which I will most certainly be getting) will cost about $3 more – which is less than half of what we would have had to pay for parking, had I not found a street spot 1 block from the theater.