You are right Tal. They aren't packed. THAT would be another negative thread. We will see how this works out, if a New theater complex is being built.

They have to keep running some of their movies because their contract with the distributor states that according to Rachel Ballou. I went to some film festivals and people were allowed to question them about why they show some movies when there are sometimes no one in the theater watching it.

Ms. Ballou manages the Villages Theater Division the last I looked. It has been a while since I looked though.

In the 70's I was assistant manager for the largest theater in the county with 999 seats. At that time movie distributors leased the house out for a period of time. We had The Exorcist run for, I think 6 months. (Saw it about 100 times.) We were the only theatre in the county to show it. The percentage that the house gets grows each week the longer the picture shows. I believe that is still how it works. That might be why many showings are empty.

Our Hungarian projectionist was a member of the very strong, at that time union, and was a midget. He had performed as a Munchkin in the Wizard of OZ. We also had an Ambulance parked out front for the first few weeks paid for by the studio to give aid to those that fainted. We had two fainters and one false labor emergency.

I find that very interesting. :thumbup:

(Humorous reply follows):

While I cannot blame you one bit "too loud" is a very subjective personal feeling as is one's pain threshold. One's pain might be someone else's pleasure. 😁😁.

One can easily reduce their loudness pain without taking away someone else's loudness pleasure by use of a remedial device (a pair of 16c foam earplugs) but one cannot add loudness pleasure back to some stranger in the crowd that has had it removed by another stranger in the crowd who is not enjoying it. 😁 😁

Personally, had I been there enjoying the pain I would have been upset.

Safeword optional 😁😁😁😁😁

The Rialto plays the independent films. These are the artsy films that normally win the awards. I’m not a huge fan of independent films but it’s nice they can offer them for the people that like them.
The seats seem to sit lower to the ground. Once in the seat I’ve never had problems but I wouldn’t want to sit in the front rows at any theater.

The Rialto usually plays the blockbuster films too, especially musicals. Let's not lose site of the point the OP made. The Rialto is most certainly an inferior movie theater compared to the other two theaters in The Villages.

My main gripe with The Rialto is the theater does not have one large screen that even comes close to the large screens in the newer theaters. Why put the blockbusters and the big brash musicals on a small screen? That just does not make sense to me.

I can endure having to look up at the high screen in the Rialto. I can endure the loud volume of the movies anywhere if I have to. I have put tissue in my ears to make the volume more comfortable.

I do not like that the theater with the smallest screens are showing the big block busters. Another example of poor scheduling in these theaters....."The Greatest Showman" is now playing at The Rialto. That is purely asinine, in my opinion. Another big brash musical put on the smallest screen in The Villages. That is not good customer service at all.

I agree. With the $$ The Villages has coming in, there is no reason we the residents have to settle for a second rate movie theater where many of the blockbusters are shown. I suggest people make their opinions known on the yearly residents survey. As far as the noise, I carry the foam earplugs with me at all times when going to the movies in case there is a problem. But every once in awhile even those don't do the trick, and I have to leave, and try to tell the manager if there is one around.