Movement To Ban Commercials Before Movies

By Sam Bakken in News on Feb 28, 2005 10:01PM

Do you hate the commercials before movies? We were always sure to yell "Why do we have to pay to watch commercials?" when we'd see them during our Kalle Lasn/Naomi Klein phase. But now we think they have at least one redeeming quality. Anger is an emotion everyone experiences at one time or another, and what better way to express it than with a group spit-and-seethe session before a movie? It's refreshing to walk out afterwards, greet your fellow movie-goers and say, "Wasn't that great when we all got really mad about those commercials at the beginning? I sure do hate them capitalists, but I sure do love you fellow human being."

If you don't see the unifying properties of Pepsi commercials, you might like a bill Illinois House Rep. Jack Franks (D) is proposing. He wants to amend the The Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to require movie theaters to post a two start times for a movie. The first time would be for the movie's commercials and trailers, and the second would be for when the film itself actually starts. Franks isn't all that committed to the bill though. He told the AP, "It's not something I'm going to fall on my sword for." They STILL allow swords on the House floor?.

Two lawsuits have also been filed against movie theater chains for showing commercials. The suits only challenge commercials not movie previews. Chicago high school teacher Miriam Fisch has filed a class action lawsuit against Loews Cineplex Entertainment Group and Loews Piper's Theatres, INC.

Part of her suit states:

Failure to start the movie at the scheduled time and only after foisting commercials advertisements on the movie-going audience constitutes a breach of contract. In addition, the showing of commercial advertisements prior to feature films, without informing consumers of the real starting times, constitutes a deceptive business practice. Plaintiff brings this Complaint on behalf of a class of similarly-situated ticket buyers in Illinois and across the country who find themselves paying good money to sit through unwanted and unannounced advertisements and promotions.

Fisch's lawyers have set up a web site where you can read the complaint. In a press release on the site one of her lawyers Mark Weinberg is quoted as saying, "The function of art is to elevate us beyond commercialism. There should be at least one place left in culture that provides a temporary reprieve from market research and manipulation." OK Marky, but have you seen "The Fast and the Furious" or its sequel "2 Fast 2 Furious"? Have you heard of "product-placement"? Have you ever heard of a "test screening"? That's market research, so there's more to the commercialization of film than just 10 minutes of commercials beforehand. In the press release Fisch's other lawyer Douglas Litowitz says theaters should be required to list start times for the commercials, coming attractions and the feature presentation.

DePaul University Sociology Professor Greg Scott has also filed a similar suit against Classic Cinemas, another theater chain. His lawyer is also Mark Weinberg.

Image: Library of Congress