Movie Indignation
So this weekend I went to see Pirates 4 in 3D at the movies. I go to the movies every Friday night and I either go to Severance, Richmond Mall, or to Valley View – most of the time to Severance.
About 1/3 of the way into the film – the lights went up – not all the way but enough to really be annoying. I – like most in the theater – figured that when the usher came through on their usual rounds to make sure that we weren’t recording it that they would notice and turn the lights back out. But the usher didn’t come in (probably figuring its hard to record a 3d movie) and the lights stayed on for I would guess at least 45 minutes until someone got frustrated enough to leave. I know this because the moment this guy came back the lights went out.
I also found the entire thing a little off. Part of me thinks that the screen was dimmer than it should have been. But it wasn’t until the credits that I noticed that the right eye was in focus but the left eye was not!
So when the film was over I sought out the manager (I was a little disappointed because it wasn’t the usual manager who knows me very well). I explained to him about the lights and about the focus and he said that the usher should have caught the lights that the automation must have been set wrong and that the focus thing is done by someone else and that they don’t have control over it.
This is absurd. I am not saying that their inability to focus the projectors is absurd – that is probably true. But if I told him that the toilet was leaking or that the faucet was running would he tell me that he isn’t allowed to fix it – only a plumber could do that.
If its broken you call the person to fix it – not explain that you can’t. I guarantee you that knowing that the film was out of focus that they still ran other performances under the guise of – its easier to deal with complaints then it is to fix it!
I was upset by the answer. I was upset by the attitude.
I was there with a friend and I think he was a little taken aback that I would complain. I don’t send food back at a restaurant when it is a little off but this is something that is broken and will STAY broken unless they care to fix it.
He begrudgingly (though I didn’t ask) went and gave us free passes for another film. But the attitude to me and to the services they offer as a theater sucked and I am reminded about the old adage about knowing the difference between ignorance and apathy: I don’t know and I don’t care.
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So after I posted this on Facebook I decided to email Regal and tell them again about their little problem with theater 6 at the Severance location only to find out that you can’t email customer service unless you register online! How obnoxious is that? I can’t tell you what my problems are without becoming a part of your system? Unacceptable.
What a nightmare at the movies tonight!
First it took forever for the film to start – it was like they forgot that we were there and then even after I ran out and told someone they left the lights on for the first ten minutes.
So we are watching the movie and all of the sudden – BAM – the film goes off, the lights go on, and the strobe starts to flash, but no real alarm. I am sitting there and my wife gets up and goes “I’m outta here” and starts to walk back to the lobby. (Funnily enough no one went for the emergency exit – just to the lobby).
When we get to the lobby every theater is pouring out with the same story and one of the managers is asking us why we are leaving and then says someone must have pulled a fire alarm. This wasn’t an announcement – she just kinda said it. So I decide to go back into the theater since people aren’t leaving and the lobby is getting dangerously congested.
Back in the theater we wait for more than 20 minutes with the full lights and the strobe. The strobe finally goes out and a guy comes in – to CLEAN the theater. He is like – are you still eating that popcorn. No manager came in to make an announcement or anything just some guy who is on a schedule.
Then out of the blue the theater goes fully dark and the movie continues (the last 10 minutes).
So finally we leave and we are late to dinner elsewhere and it was with no surprise that there was no manager in the lobby waiting to apologize or anything. I’m sure if I wanted to say something I was going to have to work at it – I mean it isn’t like I didn’t just drop $50 for my wife and I to go to the movies (and have popcorn and drinks).
So yeah – I’m pissed:
1) Bad experience
2) No customer service
3) Unsafe handling of an emergency situation – if this was a fire there would have been no leadership – people would be trampled and burned – way to practice that fire safety.
I understand that accidents happen and people do stupid things – but I still paid for my experience and its like the managers and staff where looking out for ‘their’ experience and not ours.
Unacceptable.
So I went to email Regal Cinemas and their customer comments only allow for 255 characters – this is almost 10 times that – apparently I have to complain on their terms too.