Odeon - the best advert for Home Cinema

[DandyCobalt]

I rarely go the cinema these days, as my home cinema setup is as good as am allowed (by wife and neighbours).

But lots of pressure from my teenage children to go and see "The Hunger Games"...and I must I admit that I've also read the books...meant a trip to the local Odeon multiplex yesterday. Total cost with popcorn was over £40 for four of us for the cheap seats (which seem more comfortable than the expensive ones).

Five minutes into the film and I started to think I would turn into Michael Douglas in "Falling Down".

Everyone in the cinema had noisy popcorn, noisy boiled sweets and noisy plastic bottles, with ice that needed sucking from the bottom.

The polite, respectful ones made things worse by trying to slowly and quietly unwrap their Werther's Originals...leading to even longer drawn out noisy unwrapping.

But the icing in the cake was the cinema's own sound system - absolutely awful!!!!

Almost all the sound was coming from front centre, but even that was muffled. The dialogue was inaudible.(the image wasn't much better)

And then, at the end in the credits, it says that T Bone Burnett (fabulous guy...just think Gregg Allmann's latest, plus the Leon Russell and Elton John superlative "The Union") was responsible for the soundtrack !!! I never even heard the soundtrack!

Rant over - thank heavens for home cinema:dance: (Last time I waste any money on the "real thing").

Hunger Games? Very good film - I'll definitely get it on Blu-ray after the first price drop. Can't wait to hear what it was really meant to look and sound like.

 

[Andy Clough]

Tell me about it. I've given up going to the local multiplex in Kingston as a) it costs a fortune and b) I'm always next to a couple of teenagers chatting amongst themselves and wittering into their mobile phones. And don't get me started on the popcorn munchers. |(

Victor Meldrew

 

[DandyCobalt]

At least any offenders at home can be dealt with quickly by a well-aimed cushion or a hot poker

 

[The_Lhc]

Tell me about it. I've given up going to the local multiplex in Kingston as a) it costs a fortune and b) I'm always next to a couple of teenagers chatting amongst themselves and wittering into their mobile phones. And don't get me started on the popcorn munchers. |(

Victor Meldrew

GUH! Kids today! I went to see The Artist at our local recently, all the way through the three girls behind us insisted on giving a running commentary to each other so they knew what was going on, bloody kids! They couldn't have been a day over 65...

 

[Oldboy]

I must admit i refuse to go to the cinema for all the reasons stated above but it must be said that some are worse than others and that from my experience Odeon cinemas are by far the worse offenders when it comes to price, quality of sound and picture and the most uncomfortable seats ever invented by man!

My local cinema is an Odeon and i haven't been back to it since The Dark Knight was completely ruined by what i like to term 'the one hour factor' after that the seats become increasingly unbearable to sit in and at two hours in it's numb bum time lol. I went to a Virgin cinema in Brighton some time ago and that was excellent (no idea if they still exist) with really comfortable seats and simply the best sound and picture i have seen outside of an iMax, it's a shame that cinema chains are so focused on bums on seats and cramming people in that they scrimp on the most essential aspect...a comfortable seat.

When you factor in the noise from kids, wrappers, drinks and mobile phones etc it's hard to make a case for a night out at the cinema anymore in my humble opinion and i'm far happier waiting for a blu ray release in order for a good movie to not be spoilt by the cinema "experience".

I must be getting old |(

 

[chebby]

Which is why - the last few times i've been - I go in the morning, on a school day.

People who slurp empty drinks through straws should be shot wherever they do it. It is the second worst sound in the universe.

 

[Oldboy]

Which is why - the last few times i've been - I go in the morning, on a school day.

People who slurp empty drinks through straws should be shot wherever they do it. It is the second worst sound in the universe.

+1 for that

 

[Chisy1]

It is the second worst sound in the universe.

What's the first worst?

 

[chebby]

It is the second worst sound in the universe.

What's the first worst?

Joint "first worst" are (a) people with head colds who snork back the contents of their nose every 10 seconds (b) anything sung by Phil Collins.

There is a case for people (especially those with false teeth) who were taught it was polite to noisily suck soup from the edge of a round soup spoon, but they can't help it. Their punishment is to spend a lifetime trying to eat peas balanced on the convex side of a fork! (Those old etiquette books have a lot to answer for.)

 

[Paul.]

It is the second worst sound in the universe.

What's the first worst?

Teeth on a curb. Never watching American history X again, too traumatic...

 

[BenLaw]

It is the second worst sound in the universe.

What's the first worst?

Joint "first worst" are (a) people with head colds who snork back the contents of their nose every 10 seconds (b) anything sung by Phil Collins.

That would make drink slurping third worst tho.

 

[DandyCobalt]

[/quote]

That would make drink slurping third worst tho.

[/quote]

There is that bit in 127 hours where he can't get through the bone, so has to break it.

On the other hand, I did have a cushion over my face and ears at that point, so maybe I was imagining it.

Took me back to Dr Who with Jon Pertwee - the cushion thing, I mean.

Cushion over face - mmmhhhh - perhaps a solution for the Odeon slurpers >)

 

[Diamond Joe]

People who slurp empty drinks through straws should be shot wherever they do it. It is the second worst sound in the universe.

Is that you Jeremy Clarkson??

 

[davejberry]

the biggest problem i had (i haven't been for more than 7 years for all the reasons above) was that the volume of the soundtracks. Our local was always painfully loud and distorted...in all the screens. I believe the projectionist was still in his teens, what do they know about sound quality, I pass them in the street daily, their strange choices of 'music' blaring from their mobile phones sounding like a trapped wasp on red bull

 

[fr0g]

I agree with most of the above although I like Genesis and some Phil Collins

Biggest one for me though... If I want a beer, I'll bloomin well get one! (and I will...and do)

That and the fact that the picture on my TV is better than watching in the Cinema...My last cinema film... Inception. Very poor quality, then on bluray through my PS3...wonderful

 

[Hems]

Does anyone know what resolution digital cinema systems run at (like the odeon digital 8000)?

 

[Paul.]

Most are 2k, 2048x1080. Some of the newer systems are 4k, 4096x2160. I think Odeon 8000hd is 2k. The 8000 refers to the number of films it can store.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

I used to love going to the Ritzy in Brixton during week days when I lived in London, and once saw Amores Perros with only 2 other people in the theatre. Great days.

I really like Picturehouse cinemas, but now, it's a Cineworld multiplex or Odeon multiplex, and yes, the extreme volume actually hurts at times.

Am I getting old?

 

[gosalh]

Good thread!

I totally agree, i used to go to the cinema every week many years ago but i got fed up with the chattering and irritating noise while me and my wife were trying to watch a movie. We even resorted to late showings i.e. midnight or 1am, even then you had idiots on mobile phones etc. Either way the experience wasn't worth the money or the hassle. I refuse to go to the cinema based on this, and i have invested a lot of money in a decent home cinema setup which sounds and looks far better than the real thing. I'd rather spend the money on Blurays or Lovefilm / Netflix.

 

[Big Chris]

Biggest beef I have with Odeon is them shutting their Lakeside cinema. I've been going to that cinema for 20 years, many of mine and my Wife's first dates were there. We even went to a Tarantino all-nighter there many, many years ago, when Jackie Brown was first released.

I was genuinely gutted when they closed it as we still went there regularly, having watched 'Safe House' about 3 days before it shut.

My options now are Greenwich (far too many annoying kids) or Chatham.

 

[bigboss]

Both me & my wife love going to the cinemas. We've got Cineworld unlimited cards. It's better to see movies when they're just released, as they tend to be shown on larger screens for the first couple of weeks. Some screens are obviously better than others. The Sheffield one has recently opened an IMAX screen. It's not great for IMAX experience as the seating is too far back. But otherwise it's a large screen with brilliant audio.

Oh, & we love munching popcorn ......

 

[Anonymous]

just to balance the thread - I'm really into AV at home and have a pretty decent system

but I went to the "Impact" screen at Empire Cinemas the other week to see Hunger Games. I'm normally disappointed with cinemas both from a PQ and SQ point of view.

Impact screen was slightly more expensive - but I was suitably impressed ....

big big big screen (largest I've seen outside of an IMAX theater), superb PQ - and actually very decent SQ. Unusually had decent very deep - non flabby subwoofer bass. Quite happy to pay extra in the future to see decent films in that theater

 

[BenLaw]

I find there's better and worse examples. After living away from Manchester for years, I am again a regular patron of Cornerhouse. Seats aren't especially comfortable, screens and theatres aren't especially large, but it's a respectful audience who clearly love their films.

As for multiplexes, we rarely go to blockbusters and therefore don't experience the worst excesses of many of the teens. Until recently we went to Vue the Light in Leeds quite often, comfy seats, pretty clean, good PQ and SQ. Also go to Odeon Printworks in Manchester, which has very comfy seats but a less good atmosphere. Saw Tron Legacy at the iMax which was great, very impressed with the sound quality, especially the bass impact, which was nicely controlled having since played the blu ray a few times. Finally the AMC in Manchester, which again stays fairly clean, comfy seats, perfectly fine PQ and SQ.

My main frustration is that the mainstream cinemas don't show most of the films I want to see, but that's what Cornerhouse is for.

So, if you're only going to see blockbusters between 5pm-10pm on a Saturday or Sunday then I can see how the experience will be consistently grim. If on the other hand you do that only occasionally, and/or see the blockbuster towards the end of the run and otherwise see smaller release films, then going to the cinema can be a very pleasant experience, to go alongside watching in the comfort of your own home.

 

[chris hollands]

I have 2 eight year olds, and we take them to see the latest blockbusters.

We go to tesco the night before and get bags of popcorn, haribo sweet bags and a few drinks,

We toss a coin to see who is gonna carry the rucksack in without getting caught !!

Try to make it an occasion , ( as it should be for the price ) !

the munching and slurping drives me nuts, but i do not worry because everyones at it ,

Ultimately, most people go go ,the kids,teens,mums and dads, to watch a movie,have quality time with family, or a first date,a social outing, they are not bothered about how good the picture quality is, or if it is in 2k or 4k or 200k with 7.1 or 9.1 HD sound.

After all, the noisy kids are going to be the ones buying into what we are all obsesive about in the years to come, and the big screen is where it is at !

I would much rather have serious viewing at home , with a beer,just me and the missus ,with the kids in bed, on a great projector.( or TV )

 

[strapped for cash]

We go to tesco the night before and get bags of popcorn, haribo sweet bags and a few drinks,

We toss a coin to see who is gonna carry the rucksack in without getting caught !!

Concessions are essentially how cinemas stay in business, since the great majority of money from admissions makes its way back to the distributor, particularly during the early weeks of a film's theatrical run.

I do begrudge paying so much for drinks and popcorn, but I'd rather my local cinema continued to operate, as it still betters the home video experience in my opinion.