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Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Do you like going to second run movies?
The recent closure of the Beaver Valley movie theater in Beavercreek brings to mind something that I don’t hear much in the discussion of moviegoing: the second-run experience.
Somewhat surprisingly, I don’t go to second-run houses much anymore. That’s partly because I do most of my moviegoing in first-run houses because of this blog.
However, it’s also because, I have to admit, I don’t find the second-run theater as appealing as I once did. I’ll go every once in awhile, but I’m a stickler for presentation, and by their nature, that’s not the best feature of second-run houses. I’ve been rather spoiled by the big screens and digital sound of the megaplexes, and you don’t typically find those in a second-run house. Moreover, by the time the prints reach the second-run theaters, they tend to be beat up and scratchy, and for me, that takes away from the experience.
Probably most importantly, I’m not personally fond of the second-run places here. The Danbarrys in Huber Heights or behind the Dayton Mall are OK, but I’ve seen better second-run places. It would be nice if, for instance, someone would take the old Showcase Cross Pointe and turn that into a sub-run, but that seems like wishful thinking.
Considering all the stories about the recession and how moviegoing supposedly booms in such times, I find it curious how news stories very rarely mention how well second-run houses fare in such times. Since they’re not telling me anything, let me ask you:
Do you go to second-run movie theaters, like the Danbarrys? Why or why not? If you do, do you go to second-run houses instead of first-runs, or in addition to them? What has your experience been there?
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