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TRENDS
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Cinema Venues
Light Up St. Louis Movie Scene
By Laurie Burstein
Above:
Harman Moseley relaxes in the new stadium seating at the renovated
Galleria 6 Cinemas at Saint Louis Galleria.
From megaplexes to single screens, movie buffs have lots of choices
when it comes to catching the latest films in town. Savvy consumers
have embraced many of the latest trends in moviegoing such as online
ticketing and website reviews before the movie, and gourmet chocolates
and specialty coffee drinks during the show.
One local movie theater veteran who has helped bring many recent
cinematic innovations to the region is Harman Moseley. He currently
operates The Chase Park Plaza Cinemas, as well as the newly redesigned
theaters at Saint Louis Galleria, and The Screening Room at The
Ritz.
Moseley describes his niche as a specialized boutique theater operator.
“As a locally owned and operated theater company, we are very hands
on,” he says. “I like to say we are the megaplex alternative,” says
Moseley who has been involved in local cinema operations since 1977,
and ran the Kirkwood Theater from 1991 to 2000.
Going against the trend is The Screening Room at The Ritz, a one-screen
theater, which opened in November at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Clayton.
Moseley’s partner on The Screening Room, Steve Litman, says, “One-screen
theaters are not something you see very often, but the unique environment
of The Ritz allowed us to create a very different movie experience
that has taken off.”
Litman says many customers enjoy having dinner at The Ritz before
the movie and then relaxing in the lobby while listening to live
jazz after the film. Other amenities at The Screening Room are the
sound system, the smaller intimate theater, and the cocktails and
limited menu served during the show.
“The Screening Room at The Ritz offers a sophisticated adult movie
experience. We are the only theater in town where you can have a
glass of wine, sushi or popcorn while you watch a movie,” Litman
says.
Litman adds that customers have rented out the movie theater for
private parties and meetings.
When it comes to megaplex theaters, the Ronnie’s 20 Cine in South
County is the ultimate multi-screen movie venue. With 20 screens,
it is the largest movie complex in St. Louis and is owned by Wehrenberg
Theaters. Founded in 1906, Wehrenberg Theaters owns 16 movie theaters
throughout Missouri and Illinois. The St. Louis-based movie company
is the oldest family-owned and operated chain in the United States.
The Ronnie’s centerpiece is its ’50s-style “indoor drive-in theater”
with a restaurant modeled after the original Ronnie’s Drive-In opened
in 1948. A large drive-in screen mixes popular movie previews with
cartoons and clips from old movies such as The Three Stooges. The
tables at the restaurant are made from classic cars, with shakes,
burgers and fries as the mainstay. A two-story gaming area is also
on-site.
The Tivoli Theater in the University City Loop is yet another kind
of movie experience. The Tivoli is owned by Joe and Linda Edwards
and is operated by Landmark Theaters out of California. Landmark
also runs the theaters at Plaza Frontenac.
Tivoli Theater Manager Dale Sweet says one trend he has noticed
is that customers know more about sound. With digital sound all
the rage and the advent of DVDs and sophisticated home theaters,
Sweet gets suggestions about the tweaking of the sound system at
the theater.
Sweet says theatergoers also care about the food and drinks during
the movie. “The Tivoli sells gourmet coffees, grinds the beans on-site
and serves real cream. We have pastries, cookies, and imported chocolates
and use real butter on our popcorn. Our customers say it makes a
big difference.”
With a total of 45 screens in the four theaters, AMC Theaters is
another motion picture player in the area. The Kansas City-based
firm owns West Olive 16, Creve Coeur 12, Crestwood Plaza 10, and
The Esquire 7.
Rick King, a spokesperson for AMC Entertainment, Inc., says online
ticketing has been extremely popular. “We began offering online
ticketing in May 2000. In the first year, we sold more advanced
tickets with online ticketing than we did in the previous 10 years
of ticketing by phone. Consumers appreciate the ease and speed of
going online to order their movie tickets.”
King says both sound and seating are also very important. “Today’s
moviegoer has higher expectations for comfort, selection and presentation
quality. Our customers have come to expect bigger, sharper pictures
and digital surround sound. Also popular at the new AMC theaters
are the stadium seating with bigger plusher chairs.”
Whether one screen or 20, theater operators agree that movie going
has come to mean more than just watching a movie. St. Louis movie
fans want an overall high-quality cinema experience and have responded
enthusiastically to the wide variety of venues the region has to
offer.
Laurie Burstein is a St. Louis-based free-lance writer. |
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