tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8505209.post6170442687544001478..comments2023-05-20T11:17:23.173+01:00Comments on The Blog of Eternal Disappointment: My ongoing battle with Odeon CinemasDanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01773088730561800442noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8505209.post-88173708031245834572013-04-22T20:28:38.331+01:002013-04-22T20:28:38.331+01:00Thanks for your comment, Andy.
I agree that Odeon...Thanks for your comment, Andy.<br /><br />I agree that Odeon's business model is designed to make money. However, I respectfully suggest they should change their tagline from 'Fanatical About Film' to 'Fanatical About Profit'.<br /><br />It might be nice if, occasionally, they showed something that wasn't the latest big-budget blockbuster. You never know, they might find that there's a whole section of the local community who'd start going back to the cinema if there were more quality films available.<br /><br />Just a thought.Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01773088730561800442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8505209.post-39044174411111613402013-04-22T18:45:23.969+01:002013-04-22T18:45:23.969+01:00Piley i think you actually need to look into how c...Piley i think you actually need to look into how cinema's work , "God forbid, cinema managers like dear old Ron Stewart used to listen to his punters and get films in that they asked for - no wonder they did away with him.."yea intresting point you make there given cinema Managers dont actually get a say as to wat is put on in there cinema as this is chossen by Film booking Nothing to do with the actual Cinema, And wow how dare Odeon put Money making blockbusters on i mean after all its not like the business model is to make money ..... you all need to get a grip ....Andy Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8505209.post-27770714750226092912010-08-20T09:15:02.802+01:002010-08-20T09:15:02.802+01:00ishouldbeworking - Ah, if only I lived somewhere l...ishouldbeworking - Ah, if only I lived somewhere like Brighton. I've visited before and remember being driven past a couple of independent-type cinemas. I was hugely jealous.<br /><br />One of the times that I recently visited my father, I was dismayed to see that the Odeon in Putney was showing both Four Lions AND The Ghost. It was like some sort of universal conspiracy against me - "No, sorry, YOU don't get to see these films because you live in Shitville-On-Sea. If you lived in the thriving heart of this cosmopolitan hub, you could watch any film you wanted. Toy Story 3 for you, you inbred yokel."<br /><br />On the other hand, despite my contemptuous ire for the Odeon and other companies of its ilk, stamp and cardigan, I do enjoy sending them emails. If I can bitterly complain about something, highlight their many inadequacies, yet give the poor bugger on the other end of the computer something to smile at, then that's all to the good.<br /><br />Oh, and more film reviews will follow...Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01773088730561800442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8505209.post-91369619935406599872010-08-19T09:44:35.967+01:002010-08-19T09:44:35.967+01:00This made me groan and laugh aloud in equal measur...This made me groan and laugh aloud in equal measure. I love the notion of you becoming a perpetual thorn in Odeon's suppurating side, but on the other had the paucity of care and imagination in their 'ethos' is spirit-crushing. <br /><br />Brighton's an arty-farty up-itself place so we do better than most for films, but in general the whole experience of an evening out at the cinema is so horrible that I've tended to wait and take my chances with Lovefilm when the DVDs come out. I never have to wait that long for the ones I want as most of them are foreign (said the arty-farty up-herself Brightonian). <br /><br />I think you should keep going at them. It's cathartic if nothing else. <br /><br />And I loved the film reviews too. More please.Kolley Kibberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07055145770836351738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8505209.post-59115510369078221392010-08-18T21:00:37.340+01:002010-08-18T21:00:37.340+01:00Piley - You make very good points. My anger with t...Piley - You make very good points. My anger with the Odeon started way back in 1997 when I popped in to ask them if they had any plans to show 'Kundun'. The ticket-seller looked at me blankly. <br />"You know, Kundun. Directed by Martin Scorcese, one of the finest directors who ever lived. Did Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver." <br />I received another blank stare and then they very carefully said, "Don't fink so."<br /><br />They probably couldn't fit it in because, as I recall, the Robin Williams vehicle 'Flubber' was in its twelfth glorious week. To this day, certain of my friends will mention Flubber in conversation because they recall how much I ranted at the time.<br /><br />Cocktails - I'm afraid that I'm the sort of man who will pick at a scab until it bleeds, or wobble a tooth with his tongue until it falls out. I simply can't leave things alone and the Odeon is no exception.<br />I just continue to be astonished at how piss-poor their customer service is and am regularly incandescent with rage at how they appear to have given up.<br />I have another post coming soon on Cinema in general, but it needs more tweaking to make it less angry and more funny. Watch this space.<br /><br />EF Rice - I'm afraid that while I found the first Shrek film to be enormous fun, the others are just designed to milk that cash cow for all its worth. Utter drivel, all of it.<br />Delightful to see that some directors (Christopher Nolan springs to mind) have totally rejected the use of 3D because they feel it doesn't add anything to the filmgoing experience. We need more people with morals.<br /><br />As for the film-rating system, all three of you have mentioned it and I might make it a semi-regular occurrence. I have absolutely no problem with reviewing a film I haven't seen. Indeed, I see it as my duty to "horizon-scan" and warn people away from this sort of nonsense.<br />Additionally, I think that in the same way that the addition of bacon or cheese can improve any meal, the addition of extreme profanity improves any example of the written word.<br />Sweary film reviews are the way forwards, you mark my words.Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01773088730561800442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8505209.post-70103947618414805852010-08-18T20:46:25.377+01:002010-08-18T20:46:25.377+01:00Typical Odeon Southend Dan and I admire your perse...Typical Odeon Southend Dan and I admire your perseverance, another quality post. I will probably need to bare knuckle fist fight you on Shrek 3 as I found it thoroughly entertaining and little Miss E F Rice is a big fan (although 3D is just darn irritating).<br /><br />What I like about your post is a potential new rating system for films which could prove a worthy replacement for the much missed alpha ratings (U, A, AA and X I think). Rising up the ranks through various flavours of fuck off, perhaps with fuck you rsole for the most offensive of films, people would know where they stand although I accept not a great example for kids. <br /><br />I would write to the Odeon with this idea but I obviously don't want to steal your thunder. I can't say I am too impressed with the customer service there either !E F RICEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06323043569136307149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8505209.post-56201691005326155922010-08-17T09:57:32.662+01:002010-08-17T09:57:32.662+01:00I don't mean to be rude Dan, but did it really...I don't mean to be rude Dan, but did it really take your lengthy correspondence to reveal that Odeon don't care very much about film?! <br /><br />I am impressed by your perseverence, but really wish I knew what your customer service rep was thinking. Does he/she really believe their own crap or are they actually having a deep internal struggle over whether to admit that they're not screening the films because a. Odeon doesn't think that Southend has the demographics to make a screening profitable and b. Odeon don't care anyway. <br /><br />I too, liked your film reviews. Although the jury is out on Karate Kid. Apparently it is 'quite good'. Not that I'm going to see it.Cocktailshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06091341579556869010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8505209.post-27660485802849561712010-08-15T22:17:48.090+01:002010-08-15T22:17:48.090+01:00Great stuff Dan... Remember when we were sold the ...Great stuff Dan... Remember when we were sold the 'all new' Odeon as being "more choice"? (I think all multi-plex cinemas offered the same lie). Well before the new Odeon we had 2 (maybe 3?) cinemas in the areas - all showing a different film (so there's 6 to chose from already), and add to that the special showings and Friday late nighters at the classic and I'm sure we had much more to chose from in those days than now. God forbid, cinema managers like dear old Ron Stewart used to listen to his punters and get films in that they asked for - no wonder they did away with him... <br /><br />Love your (amazingly accurate) film review. Although I'm sure Mark Kermode gave the exact same review last Friday on the radio.<br /><br />Is there any possibility of a weekly film round up? It would certainly help me before setting out to the theatre of dreams...<br /><br />PPileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15540380685492699957noreply@blogger.com