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I'm looking forward to returning to a movie theater. Though only Alamo, which was really the only one I went to pre-pandemic anyway, because the rest of the ind

I'm looking forward to returning to a movie theater. Though only Alamo, which was really the only one I went to pre-pandemic anyway, because the rest of the industry was already in shambles. Alamo is the only chain I know of whose experience has evolved past "big screen and big speakers and overpriced snacks".

bob1029 5y ago
Alamo is amazing. More businesses should follow their example.
- brundolf 5y ago
  I think their secret is being run by people who are actually into movies, instead of people who are only into money
  - Animats 5y ago
    Their "secret" is a liquor license.
    - tolbish 5y ago
      There are several movie theaters that serve alcohol. The Alamo Drafthouse is the only place that tries to make the movie going experience a genuine blast.
    - Elidrake24 5y ago
      Ha, AMC has a liquor license around here, but since re-opening I've still had: 1. A movie start 30 minutes late as they had forgotten about the showing 2. 30 minutes worth of ads after the supposed start time of the film 3. God awful food whose quality rivals Circle K at quadruple the prices 4. Alcoholic beverages that are several times more expensive than the plastic bottle their liquors come from Not to say all theaters are this way, but certainly the only theaters I have access to around me are. Decided to give up after the third horrible repeat. I do miss the old independent theater from down in Tucson, they suffered from none of these issues; unfortunately nothing like that where I am now. Can't speak to Alamo.
      - bob1029 5y ago
        AMC is the counterargument I was thinking of too. Total shitshow of a cinema chain. Cinemark is the bare minimum experience IMO.
sodality2 5y ago
What, exactly, is special about Alamo? I'm unfamiliar.
- tenebrisalietum 5y ago
  They kick out people who text or talk during movies and they were the first theater I heard of that served alcohol and food.
  - jsjohnst 5y ago
    Only through coincidence of living where it was founded at the time, Warren Theater beat Alamo by about a year. I’m only mentioning as when it opened they had limitations I found interesting. The small swivel tabels at each seat apparently somehow failed THX certification so when they first opened, you’d have to set the plate of food in your lap. I found it incredible that the tables somehow had a bearing on the THX certification of the theater.
    - nitrogen 5y ago
      THX probably specifies a stat like RT60 reverb time, or EQ matching the target curve, or prominence of early reflections, and the tables (big flat reflective surfaces) probably threw off that metric.
  - jjgreen 5y ago
    I want this so bad
- brundolf 5y ago
  On the surface, they serve decently good food and an array of cocktails and other beverages, and it generally isn't overpriced. They have great milkshakes and they'll bring you warm cookies just as soon as a giant bowl of popcorn with parmesan. But that stuff isn't strictly unique anymore; there are other dinner-and-movie chains. What really makes them special is all their auxiliary stuff. Before a movie, instead of ads they show relevant obscure video clips that are funny and/or interesting. Before a superhero movie they might show relevant action figure commercials from the 80s, or clips of goofy unlicensed knockoff movies that they found on YouTube, etc. Famously, you're not allowed to talk/text once a movie is playing [1]. They'll have themed cocktails and food for movies that are currently showing. Every month they pick a selection of classic movies and do showings of those throughout. Sometimes they'll bring in an actor or the director for after-screening Q&A. For cult hits they'll do themed "movie parties" where everybody's encouraged to quote/sing-along, and often there are props. We went to a Monty Python and the Holy Grail party where everyone was given, among other things, coconut shells to clap. We saw Hackers on the big screen (which was incredible in its own right), and everyone was encouraged to wear their best hacker-punk getups and then they had a costume contest (and we got to take home floppy disks with "HACK THE PLANET" emblazoned on them). We saw Akira on the big screen (!!) and they had a synchronized laser-lightshow in the theater. We went to an "anime brunch" they did several Sunday mornings in a row where they'd pick a genre of anime and show four or five episodes from different shows and you could order coffee and stuff and it only cost $5 at the door. And the person hosting/organizing these events always comes up to the front and talks about the thing you're going to be watching. They're personally invested. They geek out, telling anecdotes from their own life and giving background on why people love this thing so much. It gets you excited even if you've never heard of it before. Everything - even the decorations and marketing - gives you the distinct sense that everyone calling the shots at this company is super into movies, and their enthusiasm is contagious even if you don't consider yourself an enthusiast [1] Except at movie-parties, which are all about audience participation

bob1029 5y ago

Alamo is amazing. More businesses should follow their example.

brundolf 5y ago
I think their secret is being run by people who are actually into movies, instead of people who are only into money
- Animats 5y ago
  Their "secret" is a liquor license.
  - tolbish 5y ago
    There are several movie theaters that serve alcohol. The Alamo Drafthouse is the only place that tries to make the movie going experience a genuine blast.
  - Elidrake24 5y ago
    Ha, AMC has a liquor license around here, but since re-opening I've still had: 1. A movie start 30 minutes late as they had forgotten about the showing 2. 30 minutes worth of ads after the supposed start time of the film 3. God awful food whose quality rivals Circle K at quadruple the prices 4. Alcoholic beverages that are several times more expensive than the plastic bottle their liquors come from Not to say all theaters are this way, but certainly the only theaters I have access to around me are. Decided to give up after the third horrible repeat. I do miss the old independent theater from down in Tucson, they suffered from none of these issues; unfortunately nothing like that where I am now. Can't speak to Alamo.
    - bob1029 5y ago
      AMC is the counterargument I was thinking of too. Total shitshow of a cinema chain. Cinemark is the bare minimum experience IMO.

sodality2 5y ago

What, exactly, is special about Alamo? I'm unfamiliar.

tenebrisalietum 5y ago
They kick out people who text or talk during movies and they were the first theater I heard of that served alcohol and food.
- jsjohnst 5y ago
  Only through coincidence of living where it was founded at the time, Warren Theater beat Alamo by about a year. I’m only mentioning as when it opened they had limitations I found interesting. The small swivel tabels at each seat apparently somehow failed THX certification so when they first opened, you’d have to set the plate of food in your lap. I found it incredible that the tables somehow had a bearing on the THX certification of the theater.
  - nitrogen 5y ago
    THX probably specifies a stat like RT60 reverb time, or EQ matching the target curve, or prominence of early reflections, and the tables (big flat reflective surfaces) probably threw off that metric.
- jjgreen 5y ago
  I want this so bad
brundolf 5y ago
On the surface, they serve decently good food and an array of cocktails and other beverages, and it generally isn't overpriced. They have great milkshakes and they'll bring you warm cookies just as soon as a giant bowl of popcorn with parmesan. But that stuff isn't strictly unique anymore; there are other dinner-and-movie chains. What really makes them special is all their auxiliary stuff. Before a movie, instead of ads they show relevant obscure video clips that are funny and/or interesting. Before a superhero movie they might show relevant action figure commercials from the 80s, or clips of goofy unlicensed knockoff movies that they found on YouTube, etc. Famously, you're not allowed to talk/text once a movie is playing [1]. They'll have themed cocktails and food for movies that are currently showing. Every month they pick a selection of classic movies and do showings of those throughout. Sometimes they'll bring in an actor or the director for after-screening Q&A. For cult hits they'll do themed "movie parties" where everybody's encouraged to quote/sing-along, and often there are props. We went to a Monty Python and the Holy Grail party where everyone was given, among other things, coconut shells to clap. We saw Hackers on the big screen (which was incredible in its own right), and everyone was encouraged to wear their best hacker-punk getups and then they had a costume contest (and we got to take home floppy disks with "HACK THE PLANET" emblazoned on them). We saw Akira on the big screen (!!) and they had a synchronized laser-lightshow in the theater. We went to an "anime brunch" they did several Sunday mornings in a row where they'd pick a genre of anime and show four or five episodes from different shows and you could order coffee and stuff and it only cost $5 at the door. And the person hosting/organizing these events always comes up to the front and talks about the thing you're going to be watching. They're personally invested. They geek out, telling anecdotes from their own life and giving background on why people love this thing so much. It gets you excited even if you've never heard of it before. Everything - even the decorations and marketing - gives you the distinct sense that everyone calling the shots at this company is super into movies, and their enthusiasm is contagious even if you don't consider yourself an enthusiast [1] Except at movie-parties, which are all about audience participation