Chicagoist: $35 Movie Theater in South Barrington

joseph_dunphy_in_chicago

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 15:50:36 -0600

"The problem is theatres stopped having ushers. Actual USHERS who stayed in the theatre and kept it quiet. Now there's too much worry about violence, altercations with patrons and other nonsense." Very real worries. I still remember getting a death threat in McClurg Court from a self-described "crazy ass nigger" (his own exact words) when I asked him to lower his voice in the middle of a movie. Charmingly, the staff refused to let me use a phone to call the police. Surprising that the place closed, isn't it?

Spook

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 22:53:47 -0600

You E! E dub, Road trip baby! Road Trip, son! Who's down? Lets tool up! B.B.Q, Flasks, Forties, and of course Chicagoist T. shirts, son!

quicksloth

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:36:26 -0600

"Even if I was admitted to this place for free, I would still prefer the $8 theaters, where I wouldn't be distracted by passing waitstaff or by the conversations between customers and said waitstaff." That's pretty much what I thought when I saw a bit about this place on the news the other night. It's almost guaranteed that anyone who pays $35 to see a film at a theater with waiter service is going to use that service TO THE MAX. As for good theaters, there are plenty in this city as long as you're actually going to see good films. The number of obnoxious assholes at any given screening is inversely proportional to the film's quality. Therefore if you want fewer assholes, see better films. Try the Music Box, Facets, or Siskel and you won't go wrong. Landmark at the Century is usually fairly civil as well. When there is a must see mainstream film, I've generally done OK with the Century Evanston, but I wait until the second or third week and go on a weekday or the first screening on Sunday.

joseph_dunphy_in_chicago

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:13:37 -0600

"Older people with money to burn who want to see a movie in peace." Not to mention comfort. Look at the description of the theatre. Tossing my picks onto the list: I found River East 21 to be reasonably quiet, though, yes, $10.50 for a movie is a bit much, which is why I don't go very often. It isn't, however, really that far out of line with what other theatres are charging, at least in my area. 600 N. Michigan to be reliably terrible. Sort of what McClurg Court got to be like, before it shut down. Given a choice between going there and not going, I just don't go. I miss the Fine Arts.

JawsOfJosh

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:54:15 -0600

Based on the films I've seen in the past year, the preferred social activity amongst teenagers is to wander from theater to theater in a multiplex while text messaging each other. They want only to text the other 3 or 4 kids camped out elsewhere in some other theater. Hopefully you're watching something like "No Country For Old Men" or "There Will Be Blood", where they usually get bored and vamoose after 20 minutes. I must say though, there is still something enjoyable about the communal experience of watching a movie on the big screen when the film is good and the audience is good. That's what keeps me going back to the theater. @filmmakingfiasco TOTALLY AGREED. A solid suit, good manners, and a smile works wonders while out in public.

prat

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:36:47 -0600

Simple solution: show the "Linoleum Knife" bit from Aqua Teens before every movie. Clearly, the dancing hot dogs are ineffective against modern audiences. http://youtube.com/watch?v=tdP_LnA6bwg

E

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:17:25 -0600

I really want to go to this theater and be obnoxious, talk to the screen, and crinkle the wrappers on my smuggled in candy and booze.

sparky

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:03:23 -0600

If you don't mind sticky floors, small theaters that haven't been rehabbed since 1980 or earlier, paying cash, and the occassional broken chair, the Davis in Lincoln Square is for you. On the very rare times that I do see a movie, I haven't had many problems with annoying kids there.

plumbum82

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:04:11 -0600

@Groggy: One of my friends came in from out of town last week and he wanted to see 10,000 B.C. It was easily the worst movie I've ever seen.

Spook

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:45:59 -0600

Hey Rabecca, lets head out to South Barrington......" No thank you But come on Simple Creature, the Logan Still has those old German dudes both rocking the Tux. And it aint like you go there to watch a movie that you actually need to hear, and its not like they don't provide bullet proof vest when you pay the 2.50 for your ticket. Just try not to make eye contact with any one and you will be o.k. p.s. they also except the Link card or as they say in The Square "The Link" What's hood, b*tches, what's really hood!

simplecreature

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:17:35 -0600

The problem is theatres stopped having ushers. Actual USHERS who stayed in the theatre and kept it quiet. Now there's too much worry about violence, altercations with patrons and other nonsense. Low-class people who start screaming when you ask them not to talk on their cell phones or sneak pizzas into the theater. The multiplexes have hundreds of people wandering the grounds on a weekend night, and a staff that's made up of the most-glassy-eyed teenagers and 20-something they could find. The skokie crown 18 I used to go to had cops there on Friday and Saturday nights just to keep order. There aren't many city theaters I'd bother going to these days anyway. The Logan theatre is maxxed out ghetto nonsense. Families of 20 swarming into R-rated movies and bringing the family kitchen along. Lincoln Village is trashed. River East is ridiculously expensive and again, trashy as hell. Are there any really good movie hoses on the north side?

Tower18

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:33:11 -0600

I'd do it. Not regularly, but as some silly excursion with friends, or maybe a 3rd or 4th date with a girl who appreciates randomness (and/or me spending $35 on a movie ticket)

Ingrid

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:28:58 -0600

When the last Harry Potter movie came out, we went to a midnight showing, just to make sure that the theatre wouldn't be deluged with tots. Ha. Three seats away, in our same row were two grown women with one fat ass 5 year old who was wearing those sneakers with the lights. All through the show he was kicking those sneakers so all I could see was the red lights flashing. Every 2 seconds he would ask his mother questions, very loudly, about what was going on. And she had no problem loudly answering his every question...like they were in their own living rooms and not bothering anyone. This was MIDNIGHT. The kid was 5. This movie wasn't appropriate for a 5 year old even at a matinee. Then they break out the smuggled in giant bags of candy housed in crinkly cellophane. I wanted to lunge across the 3 seats and choke them. When we went to see the last Bourne movie, we sat behind a group of 6 teenagers who were talking on cell phones, looking at pictures on their cell phones, talking to each other. I did tap one of them on the shoulder at one point and ask them to stop. Which they did. For 3 minutes. I was appalled..I mean those Bourne movies are pretty exciting...how could you take the time to talk on your cell when Matt Damon is dashing through the mean streets fending off assassins? So...yeah..it's a crying shame, but I think I'd pay the $35 just to avoid this kind of low brow crap.

Spook

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:21:59 -0600

Oh my God, the Western Theatre in Logan Square is the worst. "Hey I'm gonna take my five kids to see kill Bill"! Good people start demanding your money back after the show! They have to give it back. There should be a law "No babies in rated R Movies!" Lets get some petitions going!

Pinko

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:53:40 -0600

Me too. Getting caught smoking weed in a movie theater at my age would be just too embarrassing...

sparky

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:50:24 -0600

No, AJ, I'm with you on that.

ajgallion

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:37:30 -0600

am i one of the last few who prefer watching movies at home. i can't remember the last time i stepped into a movie theater.

Ward Up

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:23:56 -0600

Even if I was admitted to this place for free, I would still prefer the $8 theaters, where I wouldn't be distracted by passing waitstaff or by the conversations between customers and said waitstaff. And you can be sure if the aisles are wide, these customers are going to get up and stroll around more, ducking out to answer cell phone calls, etc. I just want to watch a movie and not be distracted. Otherwise, I'll bring a mini-DVD player to a restaurant and cut out the middle man.

Pinko

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:11:28 -0600

$35? I'm assuming the waitresses are topless, right?

filmmakingfiasco

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:50:07 -0600

I see those 1940's and 50's pictures of people dressing up in suits and dresses when going out to a movie or to a baseball game and I wish we still did try to look nice no matter where we were going out to.

Navin

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:28:09 -0600

This'll be an excellent place to watch It's a Wonderful Life, make sure you put the tickets, drinks and snacks on your credit card.

simplecreature

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:27:07 -0600

Basically, you're paying to get away from "the riff raff", i.e. teens, babies, families, people who think that a movie admission is a ticket to chat with the characters in the film. Older people with money to burn who want to see a movie in peace. I'm in my 20's and I already can't stand going to opening weekends of most films. Wait a week or two, then see it at a matinee. The last straw for me was seeing "Capote" on it's opening weekend at the Century Cinema and some woman brought a gaggle of toddlers in to the R-rated, long, slow and graphically violent film. If I had the money I'd do this in a heartbeat. Color me snob.

groggy

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:20:19 -0600

I am totally fine with this idea as a one-time, indulgent, ridiculous, trip-to-the-suburbs-to-pretend-I'm-wealthy thing. But as long as the movies they show are of the caliber of 10,000 B.C., count me out.