One of the pleasures of being a theatres historian is seeing photos of many promotions done for individual films and events. The older theatres, many of them movie palaces, often did wonderfully creative displays that spelled FUN and EXCITEMET to the passerby. True, any cinema of today set back from the sidewalk may have difficulty making a display large enough to be appreciated and affordable. And, yes, years ago it was the deep pockets of the chains that paid for promotions, not the manager's local budget. But I believe that it is in the interests of local owners today to do as much as possible to make noteworthy films seem special via some sort of visual promotion -- else watch your audience go elsewhere for fun and excitement.
Of course, every operator is tired after being in his cinema from maybe noon to after midnight, and not inclined to stay up later designing, making and buying materials for displays for new movies every few weeks. But maybe you know a local artist or sign painter who would get a kick out of coming up with something for you, at least for some flicks.
A possibility that is cheap but fun is one of those Stand-up boards with a hole cut into it for one to stick his head through such that the character painted on the front side had the head of some patron showing through from the back. Yes, you would have to have a lobby big enough for this and the crowd it would draw, but teens and kids would get a kick out of it, especially if you could have a clerk there with a Polaroid selling instant prints. Naturally, you would have the thing repainted to match each film you want to do this for. If your area is known for rowdies, it may be more trouble than it's worth, but otherwise it creates nice souveniers at a profit to you.
With the snakes movie one could make a 'Snake Pit' out of an aquarium acting as a terrarium holding some harmless snakes with the top covered in clear glass upon which you place slips of paper giving a free chance to anyone willing to thrust their hand through a ring of rubber serpents such as Mike speakes of, and grab a slip of paper giving a cut price on a drink "Before The Serpents Strike!!!" as a luridly painted sign atop it would taunt the patron to do. "Girls, Will Your Guy Be Brave Enough To Take On The Serpents??!! A Dollar A Try! (We Will Give You The Bandages For The Blood.)" Of course it is all a hoot with a pile of sleeping grass snakes under a light, but the girls will be happy to push their guys! The sign at the top would be painted as a gaping snake's mouth with hollow "fangs" dripping something like pop corn oil onto the hand entering. The throat would be fixed into a bend so that the hand could not see the papers and it would touch a sandy surface with the slimest plastic snakes anchored to it with the coupon slips of paper scattered about. If all of this is done upon a surface mounted atop the snakes in the aquarium, the patron would never be able to touch the live snakes, thus preserving them and your sanity. Could you make this all in fun?
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