AMC is back to its old tricks. Regal Cinemas heats up for bankruptcy and closure of 39 theatersthe only other game in town decided to make the movie experience even worse: Higher prices for “better” seats.. Nothing says “come to the movies” quite like “we’re more outrageously expensive than ever.” Thankfully, one person who disapproves is national treasure and ring bearer in our hearts, Elijah Wood, and he has a big platform.
Tweeting on behalf of the theater-going publicWood took a Morgul knife into the heart of AMC’s hair-raising scheme.
“The movie theater is and always has been a sacred democratic space for all. This new initiative by @AMCTheatres will basically penalize people for low income and reward them for high income,” he wrote.
He has a point. AMC plans to launch a program called “AMC Sightline,” breaking the theater into three sightlines: Value, Standard, and Preferred, reminding audiences that some seats in AMC’s auditoriums suck while others is preferred. The company announced plans to appeal to its investors, which we assume include people who hate going to the movies and Redditors still hanging on to their meme stock.
“Sightline at AMC more closely aligns AMC’s seat pricing approach with many other entertainment venues, offering experience-based pricing and helping moviegoers find value in movies. There is another way,” said Elliot Hamlisch, EVP and CMO of AMC Theaters. “While every seat at AMC provides an amazing movie-going experience, we know that there are some moviegoers who prefer their specific seats and others who prefer value movies. Sightline at AMC both Adjusts emotions to help ensure our guests have more control over their experience, so that every AMC trip is the best.
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Looks like they made a mistake in the press release. Sightline at AMC does not “confront” moviegoers who prefer to sit in the center. It penalizes people who have already paid too much to go to the theater. It wouldn’t be surprising if even more people said, somehow, that heartbreak at home feels just as good. As Elijah Wood said, “Those who can only afford less (or are less willing to pay a premium) will get worse seats than those who can and want to pay more. I’m not sure It really benefits someone. See, Elijah Wood got it. We don’t know what’s going on with the rest of these weirdos.
[via Deadline]
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