It seems that the problems that plague AMC’s Boston Common theater are no longer Boston’s secret.
I have twice this year named AMC’s Boston Common as one of the worst theaters i’ve ever been in. Back when Loews operated it, it was a great place to see a movie – the theaters were always clean, the employees always friendly, and the picture always top notch. Since AMC took it over about two years ago, it has turned into an absolute abyss – rude and obnoxious employees, inedible snack bar food, poor picture on the screen, messy and uncleaned theaters and the like.
Now, it’s shortcomings have made a national blogger’s bullseye.
Hollywood Elsewhere’s Jeffrey Wells attended a press screening of Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd on Tuesday at this, the largest theater in Boston. And he wasn’t happy at all…
I saw it again today at a 2 pm critics’ screening at Loews Boston Common 19, and the projection and sound were way below par. The delight that I experienced last Thursday had been reduced by a good 30% or 40%. The focus wasn’t quite 100% at first — I had to go out and complain and ask the projectionist to please improve it. The sound levels were pathetic at first, and even after they turned them up very slightly after I complained there was something odd about the mix — the orchestra seemed to overwhelm the voices.
On top of which the screen was lit with a red-pink glow on the lower right and lower left due to brightly-lit exit signs, which naturally f**ked with your delicate gray- black color scheme.
I talked to a couple of critic friends about the lousy projection after the screening; I also spoke to the publicists who were handling it. They all agreed that the Loews Boston Common can be a substandard or at the least problematic place to see films, but what are ya gonna do? As one top critic said, "Welcome to our town." I know that when I complained about the above issues the manager very faintly grinned during our conversation. Faint grins do not connote hard-core attitudes.
You can read the whole article here on Wells’ always opinionated and usually brilliant blog.
But it wasn’t so much Wells’ blog (aside from not knowing AMC now runs the theater), but the comments that popped up by his regulars about this poorly managed, once bright crown jewel of theaters. Sadly, many of their remarks were too true.
We used to LOVE going here…now we go here only if we have to, for a press screening or free sneak. We haven’t paid money to see a movie here all year except for Ratatouille, and even then we got gypped – for that full story, and our Summer Tour review of the theater, click here.
AMC’s job of managing this facility has been downright EMBARRASSING. And someone at AMC needs to DO something about it. The management and staff needs a complete overhaul, or they need to sell it to a theater company that will return the theater to what it was when it opened just 6 years ago – a pristine and beautiful place to see a movie. Because right now, unless we’re desperate, we won’t set foot in this place, and neither will most of the film fans we know. And it’s going to STAY that way until something gets done.
COME ON AMC! GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND BACK ON THE BALL! Bring Boston Common back to what it was…or pay the price when you end up having to close this facility for lack of business…
Nuff said, I think…