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Just returned from the trade screening of Return of the King and it was, as expected, great, awesome and every other superlative you can think of. Anyone else see it? What did you think? Only thing, I want the extended version now!! Hope I we don't have to wait a full year for it.
BTW, It clocked in at 3 hours 10 minutes from beginning of film (no trailers) to start of credits and 10-12 minutes of credits, so the running time of 200 minutes is fairly close.

They didn't show it in San Francisco for "security reasons".

Yea, Burney, We freaky, left wing, ex-hippie types might have video taped it or something. Because the first thing you think of when you here San Francisco is Piracy. The official explanation that I got was that an L.A. screening satisfied the letter of the law and that a screening wasn't required up here.

Oh well, I'll just have to see it with the rest of the great unwashed. I'm sure I will have a choice of theatres and show times to attend.

Went to a screening of ROTK Thursday night. It is an amazing film and will definitely not disappoint the fans. It is every bit as good -- if not better -- than the first two. However, Linda is right in saying that it's very, very long. Thirty years ago this movie would never have been released without an intermission. My question is, would an intermission increase the take at the concession stand? I know "2001" had an intermission when the 70mm prints were shown around the country. Has anyone on the forum screened a film with an intermission recently? Now that studios are making long movies again, what are the pros / cons of intermissions?

Exhibitors love Intermissions because they increase concession revenues. However, if you close your concession stand 15-minutes after the last show starts, you will have to keep the concession stand open till after the Intermission, thus increasing staff hours.

Distributors do not like Intermissions because they do not share in the concession revenues. Intermissions interupt the flow of the film and take the audience out of the story. Intermissions could effect the quantity of show times. But at 3.5 hours, I don't think 3 15-minute interuptions would reduce the show times.

What show times do you like?

1:00 5:30 9:00
12:00 4:30 8:00
11:00 3:30 7:00

Or all of them if you have 3-prints.

A road show would be at 2:00 and 8:00 with a 20-minute Intermission, reserved seats, 70mm and an overture.

New Line's website says specifically: RUNNING TIME:
3 hours and 21 minutes; or 201 minutes. NO INTERMISSIONS!

What if you put one in and the checker, who will probably show up, writes in his/her notes that an intermission was shown. Would you be penalized in some way by that studio later on?


[This message has been edited by BurneyFalls (edited December 07, 2003).]