Visits

Premiere Theaters

Norwalk's New Stadium Style Theaters

My wife and I both love going to a movie theatre, although in the past few years there have been very few movies that have interested us enough to pay to see, but we finally had an opportunity to visit Norwalk's new Premiere 8 Theaters last summer (2006) when we went to see a movie and in a word, BEAUTIFUL! You'll love the stadium style tiered seating, wide aisles, large screens and excellent sound system. In my opinion, the Norwalk Premiere 8 Theater Complex is better than any theater complex I've been to in the Erie/Huron County area. Check it out the next time you're in a mood to see a movie. Since then, we've been back three times to see various movies and have enjoyed this theatre just as much. If you're not from the Norwalk area, you may have trouble finding this theater complex. It's off a road that is off Rt.250 which I know doesn't help much. I have no idea what the street is called, but it's pretty much across from Arby's Restaurant. There is a small strip center on the corner and you turn down the street and go about a 1/2 mile and you'll see the theater complex on your left. It's hardly visible from 250 so don't waste your time looking for it while driving.

There are several other points I would make about this theatre and in fact, small theaters in general. First, and most annoying, you can't call the theater and talk with a human being. The only thing you get are the show times. I can't begin to tell you how annoying this is. Secondly, they don't always run their ad in the Norwalk paper which means if you wanted to go to a movie on Tuesday evening, and they didn't run an ad in Tuesday's paper,  good luck in finding out what was playing there or the show times. Of course, you can always call the theater phone and listen to a 10 minute recorded message which is more annoying than anything.

The second point I would make is that there is something wrong with the concession stands in theaters today. I remember when I would go into a theater and smell the popcorn popping and couldn't wait to buy it because it smelled so good. Well, they don't make popcorn at the theater anymore. Oh, they have a popcorn machine filled with popcorn but, presumably, that popcorn comes out of a plastic bag and there is no smell whatsoever.  And, by the way, the popcorn is stale and tasteless so if you love good, warm, home cooked popcorn, don't waste your money buying this stuff. The candy is overpriced and the service is mediocre at best. We usually stop at Wal Mart and pick up some sugar free candy to take to the theater with us when going to a movie which, of course, they forbid in signs at the theatre. Hey, serve us fresh food at a fair price and we'll buy from you instead of sneaking our own snacks into the theater.  

For years and years we've been hearing theater owners saying that the reason their concession stand products are priced so high is because the rental fees on the movies they show is so high that they must rely upon their sales at the concession stand to pay their overhead. Same argument a car dealer has that they only make money on their service department, not their new car sales. All of that may be true, but it begs the question if concession sales are so important, why don't theater operators make their concession stands more appealing - by the products they display and by the smell and variety of the  products  You may get us to buy bad popcorn once, but shame on us if we do it a second time. I'm sure part of their thinking is that their audience is kids anyway and kids will eat anything, so don't worry about it. Which brings me to the next point.  

Since I wrote this review, my wife and I had wanted to see two movies that were released in the last year. Neither movie ever showed in this area and you would think with all the multiple screen complex's today, they could squeeze these movies into their theatres. Instead we subjected to an endless stream of  children animation films or teenage movies or gross out comedy's for immature young adults. I understand that you have to book in movies that people will pay to see and that kids will use their parents money to pay to see anything that is gross or disgusting, but I hope you'll also understand that it has created the vacuum that exists today. Most people over 40 (which, by the way,  is the majority of the population) just have little interest in what you're selling and that's why your audience is what it is. We're not staying home because we're to old to go out an enjoy a movie, but rather because you give us no reason to come to your theatres. I'm not singling out the Premiere 8 Theatres for my comments, but all  theatre owners and people that make the movies..

In the last 25 years, there have been huge improvements in theaters. Beautiful widescreen pictures, multiple surround sound systems, stadium style seating, and amazing special affect photography that must be seen on a large screen to be appreciated. Yet more and more people are staying away from theaters because the product doesn't appeal to them or they just don't feel welcome. Theater owners blame much of this on movies rental at home or DVD sales. But the truth is that often they're simply not booking product that appeals to the over 40 crowd which is really sad because almost any movie will be enjoyed far more if seen in a theater. And that theater experience will stay with you when you rent the movie at home for viewing on your television. You may be watching it on a 30" TV screen, but your memory will see it on a huge, movie screen.  It's hard for me to imagine enjoying Star Wars on my TV at home, if I hadn't first seen it in a theater. Or the classic Disney animation films of the 50's and 60's. Imagine seeing "How The West Was Won" on TCM without having first seen it at a Cinerama theater screen. How about "Ben Hur" or "Lawrence of Arabia" for the first time on your TV at home. The fact is that any movie is more enjoyable if first seen in a theater. And the movies being made today with stunning special effects will never be fully enjoyed if not seen is a theater first. With the advent of high definition DVD's and large wall screens, I don't know how long movie theaters will be in business. Maybe they're right in just going after the kids. But for me, the ambience of a movie theater is important and I treasure the opportunity to see a movie that I want to see on a big screen movie theater.  So a few times each year I'll get an opportunity to see movies I want  to see like "The DeVinci Code" or "Wild Hogs" or the newest Harry Potter film. And I'll sit there in amazement that just my wife and I and few other couples are enjoying ourselves so much in the theater. And I know that time marches on for the theaters just like everything  else, but I will enjoy having a wonderful new theater complex in Norwalk whenever they get a movie in that my wife and I want to see.  I encourage all of you to do the same.    

Premiere Theater - Updated:07/28/2007