Marcus Theatres join rivals in wooing audiences

Marcus Theatres, based in Milwaukee, operator of the 14-screen Marcus Cape West Cinema in Cape Girardeau, joined AMC and Regal movie chains Saturday in a one-day ticket price cut to $3.

Saturday was the first-ever National Cinema Day, and more than 3,000 participating movie theaters marked the occasion with Saturday's deeply discounted pricing.

National Cinema Foundation president Jackie Brenneman, noting the record-breaking box office by "Top Gun: Maverick," which could be seen exclusively in theaters until last week, said Saturday's move to $3 was because of two things.

"It was a 'thank you' to moviegoers who made this summer happen (and) an extra enticement for those who haven't made it back yet," she said.

The Southeast Missourian reached out to two regular Cape West Cinema moviegoers.

"We normally go on Tuesday night when it's $5, but to be perfectly honest, I actually would be happy with just watching a movie in the comfort of my own home," said Brandy Green McIntire of Cape Girardeau. "That being said, I do believe certain movies, like 'Maverick,' should definitely be seen in a theater for full effect."

Real estate brokerage owner Liz Lockhart, also of Cape Girardeau, had a similar comment.

"Our family loves going to the movies in person, but streaming at home is much more cost-effective when we have three or four of us watching," Lockhart said. "Certainly the price of going to the theater is a factor. We used to go to the movies more regularly, but now we go only if it's a premiere or a film one of us really wants to see."

CNN reported Aug. 28 that "movie attendance hasn't bounced back after the pandemic, leaving Hollywood struggling to lure audiences back into theaters."

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