There are a few theaters that already do list the time that the trailers start, and the actual film start time

:eek: Are they legally allowed to do that.

You think this guy Franks is sitting at home, all smug in the belief that he's getting the job done for the folks back home? Or surprised at the coverage his idea is getting?

There are some multiplexes here that even list the size of each theater (screen size and number of seats), so when you spend your allowance on the latest blockbuster, you know you'll be seeing it at a nice big screen, and not jammed in some smelly corner theater.

Which brings up another point for me. Here in San Francisco, unless you're going to a bargain matinee, you have to arrive about an hour before show time to get a decent seat for a first-run hit. Whether I know that the actual feature is going to start at 8:00 or 8:18, if I'm not in my seat by 7:30, I'm gonna be in the first or last row.

This is so very silly (but at least it's keeping me out of the icky political thread).

Well...

I do not agree with that law at all, though, I do believe -- with all my heart -- that there should be at least one new law aimed directly at our so-called, moving picture theaters. And you can misquote me on this.

I am going to write a book about Movie Theatres some day. I worked projection for 16 years and put up all those trailers. Briefly: In the beginning, we put on what we wanted, then the chains/ studios figured they could make $$ by marrying the prints and the trailers to the point of me loosing my mind. Changes requested at the last second because some Asshole producer was coming to see a film and we had to show a trailer. That's just one thing. I could go on for chapters (So buy the book if it ever comes out)

BUT, although we were "Regulated" by what went on; I always was one to make the programing go as quickly as possiible, like cut the "Green" at the start either completely off or in half. If it was a preview that had a 4 min version and a 60 second version, I'd use the .60 second. Etc, etc.

When I picked what went on, it was LA Times, Coke, 3 previews, the "Logo" and sound logo - that's it. Plus if a trailer sucked, it never went on. In addition, I would always put the "cool" trailer last, right before the feature. Mostly, so I could run down and watch it in house. :)

Buy my book...there will be naughty stuff in it...

I think it's the same own here. If I'm going to a brand new hit movie, I'm going to get there an hour in advance at least. I don't mind hanging out in line in order to get good seats.

I generally dislike people (well, at least sticky ones. In groups. With cell phones.) so we wait until the movie's been out a few weeks and then go to the first showing on a weekend. Matinee prices and fewer people. I used to prefer "adult" audiences to "kid" audiences, but lately the "kid" audiences have been better behaved.

And I've become picky about theaters. I'll only go to the ones with stadium seating and I like to sit in the last row of the first section (usually "ground level" is an aisle midway up with seating above and below). Stadium seating means I won't get stuck with world's tallest person plopping down in front of me five minutes into the movie when I can't change seats anymore. And back row of the front section means no one puts their feet in my hair.

Since no one else has, I'm going to play devil's advocate and chime in with an opinion in favor of the proposed law. I am a strong advocate of consumer protection laws, which include regulations requiring truth in advertising.

This whole issue of movie start time vs. trailer start time came about when theaters started showing over half an hour of trailers and commercials in New York City. It is only the greed of theater owners and studios that have necessitated consumer protection on this front. I will gladly pay a dollar more to ensure that I only get 10 minutes of trailers and, yes, a regulation that will leave empty seats in the theaters for the first 20 minutes of the half-hour trailerfest will soon accomplish just that.