April 17, 2005
Ruining the Movie Experience
Wow, there is one area where commercialism is actually worse in Europe than here: screening of ads before movies.
I’d just like to point out that, not only could it be worse, it is – in Europe.
At least in the US, features actually begin more or less at the
advertised time. Not here [Germany]. A 9 pm showing, say, all too often actually
begins at 9:20, even 9:30, once all the ads unreel (and I don’t mean
trailers – ads, some of them merely blown up from the broadcast video
versions we’ve already zapped away from on our TVs at home, but of
course, as a captive audience in a theater, you can’t). In Germany, this swath is interrupted only by a break to sell ice cream. Seriously.
At least in the US, features actually begin more or less at the
advertised time. Not here [Germany]. A 9 pm showing, say, all too often actually
begins at 9:20, even 9:30, once all the ads unreel (and I don’t mean
trailers – ads, some of them merely blown up from the broadcast video
versions we’ve already zapped away from on our TVs at home, but of
course, as a captive audience in a theater, you can’t). In Germany, this swath is interrupted only by a break to sell ice cream. Seriously.
I think a half-hour of ads is justifiable cause for some kind of vandalism. Apparently there’s actually an organization dedicated to stopping movie ads. According to this article, “Among other things, the organization has produced signs
for audience members to leave on their seats. They say, “RESERVED. This
patron is avoiding cinema advertising and will return when the feature
begins.”
Filed by cynthia rockwell at 10:28 am under Just Movies
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