The Jesus how crap is Letterkenny Cinema thread

rikerdonegal

Saw Avengers 3D today and I just have to throw my two cents into the mix.

And yes, I've experienced all the same problems as other posters: sound, curtains, (especially) out of focus and I've frequently had to go out and complaint about these issues (and issues of unruly kids, always a problem in 7 and 8 at the week-end, it seems.)

But this takes the biscuit...

A friend (luckily for me) brought me to Derry yesterday to see Avengers. I enjoyed it. Lots. And decided to go again today with someone else.

I twigged right away that the aspect ratio was 2.35:1 instead of the 1.85 version I saw yesterday in Derry. My worst fears were confirmed about about ten minutes into the movie when we get to a scene with subtitles. In Letterkenny cinema you can't see the subtitles because they are 'below' the screen area. Crazy.

Also, on a couple of occasions (group scenes usually) you are missing someone's eyes and the top of their head when they speak. This happened to Samuel L. Jackson at least twice! He was giving some pivotal speech or other and all we could see was his nose, mouth and chin.

Crazy. Beyond crazy. I was too stunned to get up and complain. I was genuinely in total disbelief.

I've been chatting about it non-stop since, however. Hence I was alerted to this thread. I'd really like to go back in and (a) complain, (b) ask them how the hell this can be allowed to happen. Is it worth it?

Should I post on their Facebook page? In a nice way. Just ask - in a public forum - how/why this can be allowed to happen.

oranbhoy67

well they arent going to sort themselves out if no one complains!!

EdenCyrus

Hello

Dropping in. I have always had a problem with this cinema for the last 6 years.Im glad other people also feel this way. I thought i was going mad!

Literally every time I go there. There is a problem. If it is not the sounds issues its the lighting. Or there is sound but no picture. I mean, how stupid can these people be. Who work in these establishments. Sholdnt they know when something doesnt work. Do they just turn it on and leave it. Half the time its not even focused properly or off the screen. I think even the people who work there arent even focusing on your face when you talk to them.

The prices you pay for it are an immense ripoff. But unfortunately sometimes I'm unable to go to Derry or lifford and they aren't much better. So im left with little choice

The guy who owns it literally doesn't care. I remember him trying to control a crowd(Harry Potter 7). He was so arrogant. I wanted to smack him. :mad:

I actually have a betting pool with whoever im with anytime i go there Whether or not the film actually will actually work.

Im only skimming the surface on this issue.

Why havn't there been massive complaints about this on Radio, or do i miss them. How people here accept this appalling level of quality is beyond me. I literally have to get up out of the room of 150 people and complain. No one does it. I do it every time. I'm bloody 22. There are 35-60 year olds that just sit there and do nothing. Sometimes I think they arent even real people who watch these films. Not to mention the bad service from the grumpy uneducated workforce there, that have taken a hatred to me because i want to watch a film with picture and sound.:mad:

If this was anywhere else in the world. It would of gone out of business a Long time ago. this cinema is in need of some stiff competition.

muffler

EdenCyrus wrote: »

Literally every time I go there. There is a problem. If it is not the sounds issues its the lighting. Or there is sound but no picture...............Half the time its not even focused properly or off the screen.

Is this a recent problem -- last few weeks/months?

I heard that it was good quality picture and sound.

EdenCyrus

muffler wrote: »

Is this a recent problem -- last few weeks/months?

I heard that it was good quality picture and sound.

Often! I havn't been in the last 3 weeks. But hunger games was horrendous!
The picture is MUCH better than it used to be. But its no good without the sound really. I mean the quailty of the picture is not of their own volition, that is the projectors that they got.

Im not slating the actual quality of the picture, its the establishment i have the problem with. People dont often bother me when it comes to rudeness and the sort. But century cinemas always rubs me the wrong way. Now i must say in fairness there are some lovely people who work there. But 70% of them are ****s.

donegal_road

there was a film club at the Regional Cultural Centre a couple of years ago, I will find out if they plan to run another one. link

They showed independant arthouse type films, biography, documentary etc. Would be something different at least

homer simpson

EdenCyrus wrote: »

Hello

Dropping in. I have always had a problem with this cinema for the last 6 years.Im glad other people also feel this way. I thought i was going mad!

Literally every time I go there. There is a problem. If it is not the sounds issues its the lighting. Or there is sound but no picture. I mean, how stupid can these people be. Who work in these establishments. Sholdnt they know when something doesnt work. Do they just turn it on and leave it. Half the time its not even focused properly or off the screen. I think even the people who work there arent even focusing on your face when you talk to them.

The prices you pay for it are an immense ripoff. But unfortunately sometimes I'm unable to go to Derry or lifford and they aren't much better. So im left with little choice

The guy who owns it literally doesn't care. I remember him trying to control a crowd(Harry Potter 7). He was so arrogant. I wanted to smack him. :mad:

I actually have a betting pool with whoever im with anytime i go there Whether or not the film actually will actually work.

Im only skimming the surface on this issue.

Why havn't there been massive complaints about this on Radio, or do i miss them. How people here accept this appalling level of quality is beyond me. I literally have to get up out of the room of 150 people and complain. No one does it. I do it every time. I'm bloody 22. There are 35-60 year olds that just sit there and do nothing. Sometimes I think they arent even real people who watch these films. Not to mention the bad service from the grumpy uneducated workforce there, that have taken a hatred to me because i want to watch a film with picture and sound.:mad:

If this was anywhere else in the world. It would of gone out of business a Long time ago. this cinema is in need of some stiff competition.

When was the last time you were in either of these? I make a point of not going to letterkenny, purely because of the rip off prices. Lifford is an ok Cinema much better than Letterkenny IMO, but the new Cinema in Derry (in at the bowling alley in Pennyburn) is nothing short of excellent, well priced (half price all day Tuesday ), seats are class with lots of room and the picture / sound is second to none!

oranbhoy67

donegal_road wrote: »

there was a film club at the Regional Cultural Centre a couple of years ago, I will find out if they plan to run another one. link

They showed independant arthouse type films, biography, documentary etc. Would be something different at least

I walked into the cinema one day to try pre-book a film for a few nights later.. there was no one around (apart from a few student -looking lads also looking for service) so i wandered around for a few minutes till i eventually found someone cleaning up.. he said he would get the manager for me.. when the manager came out he said he couldnt sort me out because "the tills werent on yet" this was at just before 12 o clock on a weekday lunchtime and he told me they where opened at 1 & to come back then..needless to say i didnt as i had walked a fair wee distance to get there on a rainy day & i didnt fancy hanging around for another hour waiting for it to "officially" open.

Sure i should have checked to see what time it opened instead of assuming it would be open at that time but they must be doing well when they cant make the effort to turn a till on for a sale!

I said to the manager he should think about showing some old classics or documentaries or the like during the day for a reduced rate seeing as there is so many students in town & ( & others with not much to do at times ) he just kind of looked at me as if i was from another planet - and people wonder why so many local businesses are going bust these days!

But having said that i can honestly say ive never had any problems during any screenings ive went to.. im not doubting for a minute that people have ..but i must have been lucky

jagallagher

A few years back (it was Transformers I or II), the sound was atrocious - gradually dipping, and then suddenly getting SUPER loud over the course of the whole film. Reluctant to miss 5 minutes while I complained I put up with it, but made a point of mentioning it to the woman at the ticket desk on the way out. I even started off with "I'm not looking for a refund or anything, but..."

Her attitude was appalling - "you should've come out and told us while the film was on - we can't do anything about it now" was her reply, although she didn't seem to have an answer when I asked her if the projectionist wasn't qualified to notice these things.

Jokers!!

rikerdonegal

muffler wrote: »

Is this a recent problem -- last few weeks/months?

I heard that it was good quality picture and sound.

It's always been like this. I had a friend, years ago, who would never go near the place if she could avoid it - for this reason. At the time, to be very honest, I thought she was being kinda fussy and I used to say so to her face(in a humourous way).

But over the years, I've had to out and ask for the projector to be fixed (or the sound or something) just too many times and I don't see the funny side anymore.

The staff are always very, very nice I must say. Always. Some seem disinterested in helping (as if you are a nuisance for complaining about the image being out of focus) but they always do. And I gather from this thread it happens a lot.

But that's not the point, really. Surely it should be someone's job to watch the first 5 mins of every movie and ensure it can be seen and heard.

donegal_road

oranbhoy67 wrote: »

I said to the manager he should think about showing some old classics or documentaries or the like during the day for a reduced rate seeing as there is so many students in town & ( & others with not much to do at times ) he just kind of looked at me as if i was from another planet - and people wonder why so many local businesses are going bust these days!

I used to live close to an old cinema in Toronto that opened at noon, and played the old classics and documentaries, it was always busy. Maybe this idea could be suggested to Letterkenny cinema.
If there are technical difficulties, they could be straightened out during the daytime shows, then the night films will run without a flaw.

*Google Documentary Heaven, and Documentary Storm in the meantime*

oranbhoy67

donegal_road wrote: »

I used to live close to an old cinema in Toronto that opened at noon, and played the old classics and documentaries, it was always busy. Maybe this idea could be suggested to Letterkenny cinema.
If there are technical difficulties, they could be straightened out during the daytime shows, then the night films will run without a flaw.

*Google Documentary Heaven, and Documentary Storm in the meantime*

Thats what im saying i did suggest it to him but he kind of just shrugged the idea off ..surely he could get these films for dirt cheap & charge 3 or 4 euro & they would make money on food etc too.. i think a lot of students would love the idea of somewhere to go during the day that they can sit for a few hours especially during the winter etc.


I wish i had the capital to start my own business id be a millionaire within a year ..

Seriously though it annoys me when i see shops and businesses, pubs and cafes etc with great potential yet people with zero imagination running them!

Cee-Jay-Cee

Slightly OT but what happens if you decide to break the glasses (accidentally or otherwise) before giving them back, do they charge you more? I cant see myself ever going to see a 3D movie, i dont see the point, no film is going to be that good that i want to see it in 3D, i've survived all these years on regular 2D films and never failed to grasp the story line so i dont see the point in 3d films...maybe just me.

danniemcq

as its a "deposit" then I can't see that they can do anything.

What did you do?!

chris_ie

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I went through a very annoying stint of cinema going. Out of about 7 movies 5 I had to go out and ask for things to be fixed. Craziest one was what I mentioned earlier :

chris_ie wrote: »

One night we went to see Hot Tub Time Machine and we were stuck way on the inside, one of the screens with the aisle down one side only. Myself and my girlfriend were chattin about the positioning because of the last few movies we had seen, sure enough the movie comes on and about a quarter of the screen is missing at the top. I thought someone on the outside near the aisle is bound to go out and say something, I can be fussy at times about movies but this was bad. 15mins later and no one had gone out and the place was full. A scene came on where one of the characters was talking at the top of stairs and you couldnt see his face, just from his mouth down, again no one moved! So, I had to get up, trip past a load of people and go out and tell them to sort it. Came back in and after a few mins it was fixed.

Luckily I havent had to go out in the last while although there a few things that bug me sometimes but not as major as they were.

Maybe the cinema should be alerted to this thread

With regards to 3D, yeah its a bit of a gimmick but I have to say I enjoyed Avatar in 3D when it came out and doubt I would have got the same experience in 2D. That being said Cameron did a really good job with the movie in that it was made for 3D. Alot of the crap that comes out and ultimatley gives 3D a bad name are either conversions (filmed in 2D then later poorly converted to 3D to make more money) or overusing the 3D effect by having alot of content flying out at you. Want to go and see Avengers in the next few days and not sure whether to just go 2D or try 3D. Some have said the 3D is very good but I dunno.

AxeToTheHead

I have been a regular (once a week if I can) at the cinema in question since it opened and I have to say I have never ever seen or heard any of these complaints. In comparison to other cinema’s I think LK Cinema is up there with the rest of them. A friend took my kids to see Pirates last week in Derry wasn’t at all impressed. He told me it just isn’t worth the drive.

I have found LK Cinema very comfortable, has good quality picture and sound, and I have always found the staff to be on the ball and helpful. Can’t fault the cinema or staff.

Local-womanizer

I was in Derry a few weeks back and was very impressed. The staff were excellent and the cinema was extremely comfortable with great picture quality and sound.

In comparison I have been to LK cinema and find it very hit and miss. Good sound quality, so good you can hear the film next door in some screens! The staff seem hit and miss at times too. They are pleasant at the front desk and helpful but at the confectionery counter they seem dis-interested and are not very helpful.

I have heard a lot of complaints from LK cinema.

muffler

AxeToTheHead wrote: »

I have been a regular (once a week if I can) at the cinema in question since it opened and I have to say I have never ever seen or heard any of these complaints. In comparison to other cinema’s I think LK Cinema is up there with the rest of them. A friend took my kids to see Pirates last week in Derry wasn’t at all impressed. He told me it just isn’t worth the drive.

I have found LK Cinema very comfortable, has good quality picture and sound, and I have always found the staff to be on the ball and helpful. Can’t fault the cinema or staff.

That's very thoughtful of you to sign up to Boards.ie today and with your very first post say so many sweet things about the cinema in Letterkenny. :rolleyes:

homer simpson

muffler wrote: »

That's very thoughtful of you to sign up to Boards.ie today and with your very first post say so many sweet things about the cinema in Letterkenny. :rolleyes:

*sniff sniff* awful fishy smell in here :pac:

Only person I've heard criticise Derry Cinema too!

muffler

homer_simpson wrote: »

Only person I've heard criticise Derry Cinema too!

And I **** cod you not but he's the only one to praise the cinema in this thread afaik :eek:

Local-womanizer

Also talking down Derry cinema having not actually been there....

oranbhoy67

muffler wrote: »

That's very thoughtful of you to sign up to Boards.ie today and with your very first post say so many sweet things about the cinema in Letterkenny. :rolleyes:

funny that ... i posted a link today to Century`s facebook page informing them of the feedback here (its since been removed ) .. & lo and behold they get a great review on the same day

Penfailed

homer_simpson wrote: »

the new Cinema in Derry (in at the bowling alley in Pennyburn) is nothing short of excellent, well priced (half price all day Tuesday ), seats are class with lots of room and the picture / sound is second to none!

Agreed

GoldenGreen

well I may throw in my two cents worth here, and I have not just singned up recently ;-) now I am not a massive Cinema goer, maybe 5-6 times a year. Always to Letterkenny, and I must say I never have a complaint about it either, service or quality, screen quality and sound are always fine. The only think to compain about is the price so expensive to go to the cinema, but thats the same with them all.

TPD

I've been to Letterkenny cinema a few times and will not return if I have any say in the matter. Bad image and sound quality, ridiculous price, pretty crap location. A small independent cinema up the main street showing classics / indie films for 5 or 6 euro a go would probably draw me in twice a week or more.

danniemcq

GoldenGreen wrote: »

well I may throw in my two cents worth here, and I have not just singned up recently ;-) now I am not a massive Cinema goer, maybe 5-6 times a year. Always to Letterkenny, and I must say I never have a complaint about it either, service or quality, screen quality and sound are always fine. The only think to compain about is the price so expensive to go to the cinema, but thats the same with them all.

Thats the thing if you were only ever fed dairy milk and it was the same over and over you'd never know that it was a meh product whereas other cinemas would be like experiencing Golden Crisp.

Once you've had it you realise just how crap dairy milk is. You'll still eat it occasionally but its not the same!

I've had issues constantly and have had to tell them a few times to adjust the screen, when i seen the avengers i noticed the subtitles and someone did go out but nothing changed so i guess its cause of the aspect ratio.

Was quite annoying as you'd start to forget about it or think its fixed when someone starts talking and you notice that you can't even see them from eye level up.

and i think its screen 7 (the one below the girls toilets) has a wile loud fan or something in there thats really distracting!

chris_ie

And another thing, how can they charge the same amount for a movie in Screens 7 and 8 as they do for screens 1-6?!! Ridiculous.
Been in them once and anytime we go to the cinema now and find out the movie we had originally planned on seeing is in 7 or 8 we either leave or pick something else.

md23040

The Jesus how crap is Letterkenny Cinema thread

What a revelation! Thought it was just me who complained directly about the various issues mentioned on here and being very picky.

We won’t go to Letterkenny anymore, the last time was about 10 months ago and the picture was zoomed 20% too much and resulted in a terrible feeling of motion sickness etc. Complained after 10 minutes because everyone else just sat there and were willing to put up with it.

By comparison the cinema in the Bowling Alley (not the Strand Road Omniplex) remains miles ahead in price and quality. There is loads of staff and any issue gets sorted real quickly. At the Hunger Games recently, one or two boys were acting the whack and the staff had it sorted by remaining in the cinema.

Also they do a well-priced meal deal with Martha's Vineyard and the steaks here are really good (same operator owns all the units). The restaurant normally hovers in the top five on trip advisor.

Everything is really well run (IMO) and owned by a Donegal businessman too, so indirectly being patriotic.


Edit Add/on - here's the link for meal deals and other promotions (btw Letterkenny has €4.50 Tuesday promotions weekly).

Also noticed 3-D Avengers is €9.60 per ticket in Letterkenny and £6 CineBowl or £3.50 on Tuesdays (3D at Century €6 Tuesday's).

No affliation whatsoever with the premises or know anyone working there etc.

DrPhilG

danniemcq wrote: »

and i think its screen 7 (the one below the girls toilets) has a wile loud fan or something in there thats really distracting!

Ah but if they turn the fan off the smell would be overpowering.

Before the Cinebowl in Pennyburn opened I used to like L'Kenny cinema because it was so much better than the one on the Strand Road in Derry. But now Cinebowl is making LK cinema look just as bad.

James74

homer_simpson wrote: »

...the new Cinema in Derry (in at the bowling alley in Pennyburn) is nothing short of excellent, well priced (half price all day Tuesday ), seats are class with lots of room and the picture / sound is second to none!

Tuesday has become me and the better half's regular movie night. The Avengers in Screen 1 last night was £7 for the two of us. You keep your 3D glasses so no extra to pay there. Bargain. Just book and arrive early because it gets packed very quickly.

The weekend kids club is great too. They show one or two recent kids films every Saturday and Sunday morning, all seats are £1.50. And they get a balloon on the way out. Cheap family cinema outing if you can avoid the popcorn and slushies.

In the few times I've been to Letterkenny cinema I don't remember it as particularly more expensive than other places at the time, I do however remember a really annoying stain (possibly a tear or hole, not sure) very near the middle of one of the screens.