Some points of interest from Australian cinema.

At my local cinema, we have what is called “Gold Class” This cinema is sepearte from all the rest in the complex and has a bar out the front, where you can buy a beer or hot food (an Aussie drinking beer?? Unheard of….) You can even order drinks and food to be bought into the cinema at a disignated time during the movie. The beauty of this is that you have to over 18 years old. I watched Fiding Nemo at “Gold Class” purely to avoid the mass of screaming children that were surely lining up to watch it.
There are only about 50 seats in the cinema, and they are all lazy boy recliners. In fact, the wife and I are going to a movie marathon this weekend at one of these cinemas and watching Spiderman 1, 2 and 3, back to back.

The down side it costs about $30 a ticket (US$20)

The other thing we like to do is go the drive ins. We only have 2 drive-ins left in Sydney, which is unfortunate, but they are shit-tin* of fun.

We very rarely go to the regular cinemas anymore, and never on opening weekend.

Great podcast again.

Mike
Sydney, Australia
* Shit-in means a large amount

Also, I too love drive-ins. It’s been far too long since I’ve gone to one. Even if the movies suck or fog rolls in before the end of the final reel (as it usually does at our home town’s Drive-In) they’re a good time. The best thing is that if a movie sucks you and your buddies can sneak in booze and mock it in the comfort of your own automobile. I even have fond memories of seeing “Judge Dredd” and “Johnny Mneumonic” at the drive in, even though both of those movies are fairly atrocious.

I also would love to have the option of the Gold Class experience. That sounds great! $20 is steep, but I could justify it for certain films to be sure. It would be cool if they would do something like this in the US. Hell, they probably do just not anywhere around here.

If I were a theater owner I would definitely provide this option for my customers. You could even go overboard with it and theme the place like the Korova Milk Bar from A Clockwork Orange. Now THAT would rock!

On the subject of remakes, I read a dreadful rumor today. Apparently there are whispers of a remake of the De Palma classic Dressed to Kill. With the script being written by the guy writing the Conan remake no less! This is ridiculous!

I can’t take much more of this!!! AGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Also, we have this drive-in that was closed down a while ago and it sucks! I never even got to go. With a drive-in, you get to make your own environment. My mom would tell me stories of when she was a kid and they would go into the back of their station wagon and get into their pajamas while mom and dad would watch. It sounds so fun…

Then there was that putz who kept yelling “Busta!” throught the remake of Shaft when I unwittingly went to see it at the theater. He was neither teenager nor a senior citizen. LOL