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Author Topic: Marcus Offering Unlimited Movies - $25 per month Mark Lensenmayer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1605 From: Upper Arlington, OH Registered: Sep 1999 posted 11-29-2011 01:40 PM                     Just got an e-mail from Marcus advertising a program that offeres Unlimited Movies for $25 per month (Only Operas and other special events are excluded.) It is valid 7 days a week, 365 days per year and is also good for 3D or UltraScreen movies. One free popcorn is available after 12 transactions at the concession stand. A FAQ about this program is here. Wasn't there another chain that offered a similar program? I'd take them up on this, but the Marcus is a bit out of the way from where I live.  |  IP: Logged Mike Rivest Expert Film Handler Posts: 185 From: Montréal QC Canada Registered: Nov 2009 posted 11-29-2011 03:43 PM                     Didn't AMC tried that in Oklahoma City and Paramount withdrew their product from AMC? It is quite common in France. http://www.ugc.fr/typepage.do?alias=offre-ui  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-29-2011 05:57 PM                        And these are for 1st-run shows? How do they compute percentages on a deal like that? Surely the studios are not allowing them to get 1st-run titles FLAT are they?  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-29-2011 06:37 PM                        The key is in the first Q&A of their FAQ: quote: When you come to a participating theatre, simply present your Passport and picture ID to the box office attendant for your movie ticket. In other words, the ticket seller is merely punching up a regular ticket when you show a passport and ID. Marcus will then pay a percentage on that ticket, the same as if you'd bought it for cash. I doubt the film companies are involved in this at all. Marcus is just figuring you probably won't use more than $25 a month worth of movies, and even if you do, you'll spend enough at the snack bar to make up for any losses on the ticket end. The previous program, as I understood it, would allow you to go to the movies as often as you wanted but the theatre would not issue a regular ticket. Therefore it would go against the film company's terms.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 11-29-2011 06:55 PM                        No different than the old "Student Ticket." Louis  |  IP: Logged Kurt Zupin Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 989 From: Maricopa, Arizona Registered: Oct 2004 posted 11-29-2011 07:10 PM                     If I didn't work in the industry I would tear something like this up. $25 equals what, 3 evening priced tickets. Yea I could blow that out of the water every month.  |  IP: Logged Edward Havens Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 614 From: Los Angeles, CA Registered: Mar 2008 posted 11-30-2011 02:04 AM                     But... but... but you'd have to go to a Marcus Theatre!  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 11-30-2011 02:43 AM                        Basically it sounds like they are willing to take a hit on their film rental with the assumption people will be buying things from the snack bar - hence the incentive for a free popcorn after 12 transactions. When you think about it, it won't result in much of a loss for the theatre. If the theatre runs a show - whether for 1 or 200 people, their costs are basically the same. The only issue is whether the $25 per month will cover the per ticket film rental cost. If you assume an evening admission price of about $9.00 with a net film rental of 55-60%, that means the theatre will be paying the studio about $5.00 for each ticket. The average moviegoer isn't going to go to the movies more than 5 times in a month, and even if they do wind up going 10 times in a month, the theatre would only be eating about $2.50. While there is no guarantee they will spend money at the snack bar, it makes sense as a way to fill more seats and potentially generate greater concession revenue.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-30-2011 06:47 AM                        Do they have any 3D houses and, if so, is there a 3D surcharge? If so, how does that work with this pass? Do customers pay the difference in cash, or is it included with the pass? Is the pass transferrable (I'm guessing not, but...). Are there any limits on the number of films per day that one can see with it? I actually think that this is a good idea, and one which would make sense for many people. Since most films last at least four weeks in first-run theatres, one could do very well by buying one of these passes every other month. In addition to the added concession revenue, it would also encourage patrons to bring other people (who will pay full price) with them to the screenings. This could be a win-win deal for everyone. Edit: oh, wait. I just read the FAQ. Seems like this "deal" requires buying 12 months' worth of passes for $300. Not transferrable. Good for 3D shows. Works for multiple shows on the same day. Requires giving out personal information when purchasing. This does not look to be such a good deal, then, due to the $300 up front and the requirement for providing personal information beyond one's name.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 11-30-2011 07:43 AM                     I was in Bradford again last week; staying at the Holiday Inn Express at the Leisure Exchange. Most of the ground floor of this building is a cinema, with the hotel above, and I have to walk past the cinema to get to the hotel entrance. I noticed a sign about unlimited movies for £x per month, but I can't remember the amount. I haven't seen this anywhere before. Found details on website: http://www.cineworld.co.uk/unlimited/intro?locale=GB&secure=false&embedded=false&fallback=false&gbLocale=true&isMobileAgent=false  |  IP: Logged Caleb Johnstone-Cowan Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 593 From: London, UK Registered: Mar 2006 posted 11-30-2011 01:25 PM                     The Unlimited card has been around for over ten years in the UK, it's a very good deal. When I worked for UGC the people who had the cards spent no money at the stand. People coming in looking for what can be a very cheap night out aren't going to spend £10 on food.  |  IP: Logged Jamie Glossop Expert Film Handler Posts: 100 From: Nottingham Uk Registered: Jan 2004 posted 12-03-2011 11:50 AM                        cineworld here in the uk do an unlimited card http://www.cineworld.co.uk/unlimited/intro?locale=GB&secure=false&embedded=false&fallback=false&gbLocale=true&isMobileAgent=false and have been doing it for years. my little cinema film clubs will be doing them too, but yearly memberships  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 12-15-2011 08:57 AM                     Well, sure they have thought this over. Will these people spend somthing at Concession? Sure, because the ticket is 'free'. Will there be times were the flat rate won't be used? Sure, holidays, etc. Will these people bring with them friends paying the normal tickets? Sure. Then after a while they will find out wether their assumptions were correct or not and how the numbers come out after the studios got their share. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged

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