Entertainment : In Depth - The Ides of March, and Price Increases

     Playing Friday, November 4 through Thursday, November 10 at 7 p.m. every evening, and Monday, November 7 at 2 p.m. is “The Ides of March.”

     Central to the storyline is lying, cheating, manipulating press secretary Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling). He works for Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney), an idealistic liberal. Philip Seymour Hoffman is Paul Zara, a veteran campaign manager. Paul Giamatti as Tom Duffy rounds off the very strong cast, directed by Clooney.

     Running time on this film is 100 minutes. “The Ides of March” earned its R rating for pervasive language.

$1 MORE THING...

     Those of my loyal readers will recall my cryptic note about Warner Brothers cancelling our “Dolphin Tale” run a few weeks ago. Due to Warner Brothers’ reclassification of our theatre, and the looming potential that several other big studios will do the same (Fox and Paramount have already indicated so), the Palace Theatre will raise its admission prices beginning November 4.

     After an amazing 11-year run, the Vinton Palace Theatre is now a $3 2D and $4 3D theatre.

     How studios classify a theatre: Obviously, it is based on admission costs.

     ON THE BREAK theatres carry a high admission price and must be willing to take a movie on its national opening for a minimum of two or three weeks.

     OFF THE BREAK theatres, like the Palace, must now have at least a $3 admission price and will receive a film within seven weeks of its national opening.

     SUB RUN theatres are those charging less than $3 and may receive films 2, 3, even 4 months out.

     The Palace managers (Gerald and I) and the Palace board of trustees (Mark Mossman, John Ketchen, Alan Woodhouse, Jim Hilliard, Dick Kerdus and Doug Martens) discussed this latest decree by Warner Brothers over the weekend. We contemplated raising prices to $4 and $5 as we see other potential cost increases in the near future. (Sony recently began charging for 3D glasses and we fear RealD will follow suit.)

     However, the vote was unanimous. The Palace Theatre is committed to maintaining the lowest possible admission cost for our patrons, while still remaining an Off the Break theatre.

     We thank you for your patronage and support. Please feel free to contact Gerald or me or any of the Palace Trustees with questions or concerns.

WHAT’S A JELLICLE CAT?

     Come find out this weekend, November 4 and 5 at 7 p.m., and November 6 at 2 p.m. Vinton-Shellsburg High School Drama Department presents CATS, by Andrew Lloyd Webber at the VSHS auditorium. Tickets, $4 students, $5 adults, may be purchased at the door.

     The high school cast of 25 talented cats will be joined by several beetles and mice dancers from Cooling Dance Center. I am proud to direct and promote this incredible production, with Gerald stepping in as music director, WHS alum Erin Horst as choreographer, and retired middle school band director Judy Trystad returning to conduct a pit band made up of both students and community band members. CATS is sure to delight, amaze, frighten (just a tiny bit), and amuse.

     Hope to see you at the movie and the show!