ACTION: Rialto Cinemas Lakeside is losing its lease

[Zeno Swijtink]

This is an action item. I don't see clearly how, but I trust that some of you there will step forward to guide us!

Zeno

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ky J. Boyd" [email protected]
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Sent: Wed 17/03/10 10:36 PM
Subject: Fwd: Rialto News
Press Release.doc.pdf (273.6 Kb) attached Customer Handout.pdf (72.7 Kb) attached Hello everyone,

Please forgive the mass message, but I wanted to share some shocking news with each of you directly rather than having you read it in tomorrow's paper. *Attached to this e-mail are a press release announcing that we have lost the lease on the building Rialto Cinemas Lakeside currently occupies as of the end of August of this year. *The story is breaking in Friday's Press Democrat. *I've included a link to the current on-line version of the story. *I'm also including a flyer that we will be handing out all customers at the box office beginning on Thursday. *We are deeply upset by this news as I'm sure you are too. *But as Paul Hawken says "Problems are opportunities in drag." *Well this is one ugly drag act. *I wish I could speak with each of you individually, but this is all moving so fast. *Like the song says "We will survive."

Big hugs,

Ky

Ky J. Boyd
Proprietor
Rialto Cinemas Lakeside
Bringing the Best Films in the World to Sonoma County

551 Summerfield Road
Santa Rosa, CA 95405
Tel 707 539-9771 *Fax 707 538-0325

Showtimes 707 525-4840
Rialto Cinemas

[Barry]

Rialto loses lease to owner of Roxy theater

By ROBERT DIGITALE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 6:06 p.m.

MARK ARONOFF/The Press Democrat
Ky J. Boyd, proprietor of Rialto Cinemas Lakeside
on Summerfield Road, will not have his lease
renewed for the theater when it expires on Aug. 31.

The Rialto Cinemas Lakeside, which became known in the last decade for independent, art house cinema and frequent community fund-raisers, is losing its lease to the company that owns the Roxy Stadium 14 and Airport Cinemas.

The Rialto's lease for the Summerfield Road theater will end Aug. 31.
“I'm in shock,” said Ky Boyd, the Rialto's proprietor. “I'm dismayed. I'm disappointed.”

The announcement Wednesday left leaders of community groups wondering what will happen to their future fund-raisers planned for the Rialto venue.

“I can tell you that we could not have asked for a better community partner,” said Beth Goodman, executive director of the Jewish Community Center, Sonoma County, which produces an annual Jewish film festival at the Rialto. “I am very deeply saddened that they will be leaving this location.”

She added that the film festival will continue “no matter what.”

Dan Tocchini, head of the company that will take over the theater on Sept. 1 ,said he will keep the art house format and will welcome fund-raisers there.

“We will do the same, if not more, in community involvement than they have” said Tocchini, CEO of the SR Entertainment Group. The Rialto owners “have done a great job running the theater,” Tocchini said, and his company intends “a seamless transition” for both moviegoers and community groups.

The Rialto has leased the theater for nearly 10 years. Among other events, it has provided free movies for Slater Middle School as an incentive to get students to do extra reading of literature.

Tocchini, who was reached at a theater convention in Las Vegas, said he lost the same theater's lease a decade ago to Boyd. Now he is about to regain control.

Boyd said he plans to find another movie house and to draw his “loyal audience” to the new location.

Until then, “we're going to take our brand on the road,” he said. He plans to find a temporary location for such Rialto presentations as the Metropolitan Opera Live and London's National Theatre Live.

Melissa Kelley, the past president of the Sonoma County Public Library Foundation, said the Rialto has hosted the group's annual Chocolate and Cinema fund-raiser for eight years.

“He has been so generous to us for so many years, and I feel a loyalty to him,” she said of Boyd. “I would follow Ky wherever he would go.”

Tocchini, who said his father opened Sonoma County's first “talkie theater” in 1924 off Railroad Square, maintained his company has run many art house formats at theaters over the years.

Boyd, however, noted that Tocchini “could have operated an art house theater for years” but didn't choose to do so at his Third Street Cinemas.

“I don't believe that he can do what I do,” Boyd said.

Copyright © 2010 PressDemocrat.com — All rights reserved. Restricted use only.

[Barry]

Here are the attachments, thanks to Zeno:

[Gratongirl]

Very, very sad news. They could have done something art house at 3rd street if they were interested in actually pursuing this genre. Unfortunate that this family chose to treat their long term tenants in this fashion...
It wil be a loss to our community if something isn't found that can be renovated quickly...may be an opportunity for a better location near the Smart train and bike paths...what about the old Coddingtown cinemas?

[Richard Nichols]

It would be sad to the community of cinamaphiles who love good films to not have the Rialto. If there is a silver lining, maybe it is the Rialto could move closer to the West County, where many of the customers live (I swear that after a show, the stream of traffic heading west is visibly larger) say in the Roseland area where there may be some big spaces, and perhaps some help from Carrillo. Also, there perhaps is some good space in the northwest industrial section of Sebastopol. I'm selfish, I'd prefer not to drive to good films, but walk instead.

[averyart]

This is almost a microcosm of what has happened to our country: crude gain first, quality of life only for the rich. Perhaps the corporate leaders do not realize that the Rialto is more that just a theater. It is an old-fashioned "art house" that did well because they offered entertainment at a fair price, in a welcoming setting and offered good, affordable refreshments.

Something like this happened in Paris several years ago when a restaurant juggernaut, Flo Prestige, quickly sucked up an old old bistro, Balzar. It all hit the fan (with a fine write-up in the New Yorker!) Devotees of the restaurant struck and Flo promised -- perhaps with fingers-crossed -behind-back -- to change nothing. We will probably hear some obsequious platitudes, too.

I, however, plan never to buy a ticket to any of the company's theaters.

VIVA RIALTO!

[The Owl]

It would be sad to the community of cinamaphiles who love good films to not have the Rialto. If there is a silver lining, maybe it is the Rialto could move closer to the West County, where many of the customers live (I swear that after a show, the stream of traffic heading west is visibly larger) say in the Roseland area where there may be some big spaces, and perhaps some help from Carrillo. Also, there perhaps is some good space in the northwest industrial section of Sebastopol. I'm selfish, I'd prefer not to drive to good films, but walk instead.

This is sad indeed... however, is it possible that whoever got the lease plans to continue it as an art movie house? I mean, the building IS a movie theater. What else are they going to do there? Miniature golf?

["Mad" Miles]

I took a couple of days to reply to this issue because I wanted to think about it. I too was shocked to hear this terrible news.

As readers know, I've harshed on Ky Boyd's policy of only having one matinee, instead of running them up to around 5:00 p.m. like all the other commercial theaters. But that doesn't justify being leased out like this!

Ten years of hard work, what I suspect was a large capital improvement cost when they rehabbed the Summerfield Cinemas and made it into the Rialto, and what do they get? The bigger bully operator goes behind their back to make a better offer to the landlord, and sorry buddy, screw you!

It reminds me of The Old Vic and Chris Stokeld being flushed by the owners back in 2003. A loss that still hurts some seven years later.

As for alternative sites for Ky and his Rialto operation, while I have no insider information, the old Coddingtown Cinemas was gutted years ago and made into a hobby shop warehouse store. Even if that space was still configured as a movie theater, who would willingly contract with Codding Enterprises after what they did to Narsi's?

And does Ky have the capital to start anew somewhere else? And why should he have to?

Here's why, it all about the money, and property rights. After years of considering becoming a lawyer, when I left college in 1979, eight incompletes shy of a double major in Philosophy and History, I ended up not applying to law schools five years later. Even though William S. Kuntsler was my hero ever since the Chicago Seven trial in 1968, I didn't want to beat my head against that wall.

The wall being that American (U.S.) jurisprudence is based on English Common Law. And the primary right in English Common Law is Private Property. As a Leftist Radical I felt that I'd spend my professional career frustrated by that limit, plus I did much better on the GRE than I did on the LSAT. So I bailed on that plan to justify the expense and "futility" of studying Philosophy. Isn't that what a University education is for? To secure the highest paying Professional position that one can? Why would anyone go to college just to learn interesting and important ideas? What a waste!?

The fact that later I realized that every non-profit doing the kind of organizing work that I was doing for free, was run by some do-gooder with a law degree who got paid a low (for a professional lawyer) but living wage, rankled. But I still didn't want to crunch the books and study for the bar. That ship had sailed.

Anyway, in thinking about old Santa Rosa money screwing new money, big surprise there, I've compiled the list of theaters that I will no longer attend. The Roxy Stadium 14, The Airport Cinemas (which sucks since they're the closest and most convenient to me in Forestville) and 3rd Street Cinemas (which is no loss since they only show late run movies and I have already seen everything I want to see in the theater by the time anything gets screened there, also weren't they slated to shut down soon?)

That leaves me Petaluma, Rohnert Park and Sebastopol. Not too bad. I do hope an Art Cinema opens next fall in a venue nearby and not run by Mr. Tocchini.

I hope Ky lands on his feet somewhere, but given the nature of this economic beast, unless he has deep pockets, I won't hold my breath.

This sucks, but it's in the nature of our system that quality gets ground under by quantity, pretty much every time.

Just remember that Santa Rosa is at its heart an old conservative cow town and the elite want to keep it that way. Anybody who is having a little too much fun, will be dealt with, eventually, if not sooner.

As for "Miles On Movies", I haven't seen anything new since "Fish Tank" (at the Rialto) on March 1. Been meaning to write about it, it's a keeper, but have been distracted by my new found freedom to sleep until noon and do only things that I really, really want or need to do, and only if they're easy!

I haven't even made the inquiries to get invited to pre-release press screenings so I can write about films before they come out. That's my next move for my little project to be a movie reviewer.

The Rialto didn't / doesn't do press screenings. I'm told the Petaluma Theaters do. I'll keep waccoland apprised of any developments.

I did learn a little something about film distribution and film booking, when I was at the Rialto at the beginning of the month. I'll put the details in my next "Miles On Movies".

But in a nutshell, Mr. Tocchini does have economic incentive to squeeze Ky out. Distributors won't open independent films in more than one theater in a market. Because of the economics of the audience demographic. That means that if the Rialto books an art film (which is all they book) the Roxie can't, and vice versa. So if one wants to own the "quality" market, apparently one has to cut out the competition. Sounds stupid to me, but apparently that's the economics of film distribution.

Just cause it's what the economics demand doesn't mean it still doesn't SUCK!

Like the Old Vic closing. Like the Best family razing an apple orchard at a local semi-rural intersection to put in a winery operation, screw the neighbors and their sight lines and quiet. Screw the County's General Plan, money talks and .....

Everybody's seen the famous R. Crumb series of panels showing the "growth" from a lonely prarie, to a frontier crossroads, to a little town, to a strip mall?

Progress, it's a wonderful thing.

"Mad" Miles

[Dixon]

...3rd Street Cinemas...weren't they slated to shut down soon?

If that's true, maybe the Rialto can relocate there. It's already configured as a movie theater, has a good location near public parking, etc.

Hate to see my fave local theater go under; I hope they can survive somewhere.

In the meantime, fans of good cinema should be aware that SFI (the Sonoma Film Institute) shows art films, foreign films, docs and old classics regularly at Ives Hall at SSU. Not the snazziest venue, but inexpensive, and high quality cinema! Also, the Petaluma SRJC campus currently has a weekly film with lecture and discussion. Perhaps these options (as well as driving to the Rafael Film Center or further) can keep us cinema buffs happy until Ky and company get re-established someplace new. And don't forget local film festivals. I think the next one is the Sonoma Film Festival.

["Mad" Miles]

If that's true, maybe the Rialto can relocate there. It's already configured as a movie theater, has a good location near public parking, etc....

Dixon,

Good advice on local university film clubs, etc. The only problem being that the Rialto screens brand new first run art/indie films, and those clubs don't.

As for Third Street, I think the lease is owned by Tocchini et al, I don't know who owns the property. But aside from the dank interior that would require a major overhaul to correct, the local parking is not free, unlike the Rialto location.

And not to speak for Mr. Boyd, Ky, but if someone had cut you out of your lease, how willing would you be to negotiate with them for an exchange of venues?

Also the whole distribution issue may be key. If only one theater can release movies like, "Crazy Heart", "The Ghost Writer" (can't wait to see it!), "The Last Station", etc. Then it won't do Ky any good to open a new venue, if he can't get distribution of the upscale films because Tocchini has snagged their bookings along with the venue he's finagled from the property owners.

Again, I'm just learning about how smaller release (i.e. "Art") pictures are distributed. But what I was told at the Rialto on March 1, indicates that only one venue per area is allowed to open them.

Remember me asking a few weeks ago about why "Crazy Heart" opened in Sonoma County two weeks later than a few select large theaters in "The City" and the East Bay?

What I was told is that film distributors open alternative films in central markets, in only a few venues, to test the audience interest in them, before deciding where else to allow them to be screened. And apparently we're too far from the center to be considered a useful test market.

Who would have thought that out here in the foodie, wine country, nouveau riche ex-urbs that we are actually country hicks out in the boonies not deserving of the finer things in cinema, until 'dem city folks have weighed in on what 'culcha to sell to us art snobs?!

Of course, with patience (which I sorely lack!) I can just watch anything I want at home with a netflix dvd some six months after a film is first released. Prior to the current great recession, film theaters were hurting financially. Mostly due to cocooning and home theater technology. But attendance went up in the last two years, because money is tight and people need to get out of the house once in a while.

But this mostly applies to big box, big budget films. From what I've been reading on Slate.com, many of the production companies that make "alternative" films, have taken a bath in the last five to ten years. So not only is production of art cinema down (nobody wants to risk the financing because of the poor track record for this genre) but distribution is also too risky.

My understanding is that film distribution can cost as much, if not more, than film production. Advertising costs being the main expense. Hence the market limitations I've been regailing you with. Again, I'm not an expert on film financing and I'm sure others could fill in the details much better than I can.

What I see is what has been deplored for decades. The dumbing down of culture through mass marketing and lowest common denominator art production. Fast, cheap and easy is how to make the bucks. And it's a vicious cycle. The shittier the films, the dumber the audience, the dumber the audience, the smaller the market for good films.

And I'm not one to disparage the masses as a habit. I think people are smarter than many manufacturers of mass culture credit them. But, since I just spent two hours reading chat on the IMDB board for, "McCabe & Mrs. Miller", I've been reminded that film, like any other art, requires an educated audience to appreciate the more sophisticated artists in that metier. And when most people are only exposed to schlock produced for an unsophisticated audience, the market for the "good" stuff is limited.

So, one art theater per market, the highest bidder wins. The highest bidder is the one with the deeper pockets. Apparently in this case that means Tocchini money trumps Boyd money.

Same as it ever was, same as it ever was....

"Mad" Miles

[The Owl]

...
So, one art theater per market, the highest bidder wins. The highest bidder is the one with the deeper pockets. Apparently in this case that means Tocchini money trumps Byrd money.

Same as it ever was, same as it ever was....

"Mad" Miles

"And the days - Go - By...."

[markwjam]

I wonder about the possible effect of a letter writing campaign to the owners of the theater....would shaming them help, or hinder?
Mark B.

[Barrie]

I'm very sad that it looks like we are loosing the Rialto. I wonder if I will get to see the second half of the Milarepa story, the first was at the Rialto, no where else? Maybe the Sebastopol theater will step in. The Raven in Healdsburg used to get foreign and art movies. I liked that the Rialto was in town and that there were some good food options right next door.

[urlove]

I would love to have the Rialto move to Sebastopol!!!

[Barry]

Me too! When the Sebastopol Cinema's opened, they said they were going to show art film's upstairs. That's not what happened. It would be wonderful to have an art film theater! But where?

I would love to have the Rialto move to Sebastopol!!!

["Mad" Miles]

My Fellow Film Lovers,

Sometimes I think I write so much that the important details get lost.


On the Rialto/Ky Boyd MOVING to Sebastopol, or Windsor, or Calistoga, wherever (I vote Forestville since that's where I live!):

If I'm correct that film distributors will only lease to one Art Cinema in a market, and if Tocchini sticks to what he's publicly said is his intention, to run the current Rialto site as an Art Cinema (which seems logical given that apparently his primary motivation in taking the lease from Ky is to take over the Art Film market in central Sonoma County, it's not like he doesn't have enough screens to play mainstream stuff on already), then even if Ky opens somewhere else, he will be in competition with Tocchini to lease those films.

And given that Tocchini went to the trouble of privately negotiating with the owners of the Rialto site, clearly offering a better deal than the one they have with Boyd/Rialto (otherwise, why the change/betrayal of Ky and his partner?), who thinks Tocchini won't do the same with the distributors to capture the Art Film market? In other words, even if Ky and partner have the money to move, rehab a new space and open, how will he win the fight for distribution?


On putting pressure on the owners of the Rialto site, Duggan Family Partnership:

Cool, go for it, that's what Ky called for in his leaflet.

But if Duggan Family Partnership were willing to shift their lease to Tocchini, negotiating "privately" (i.e. In Secret) and then informed Ky that he was out, who really thinks the Duggans are going to change their mind?

They know how popular the Rialto is. They have already signed a contract with Tocchini, aka SR Entertainment Group. Otherwise this wouldn't be public information.

Does anyone really think they're going to change their mind at this point?


That's why this sucks so badly. Money and property beat service, dedication, willingness to take a risk, good ideas and commitment to quality and community. It's a crime. But a "legal" one.

Welcome to Capitalism.

Anybody want to argue about how the Free Market guarantees the best possible outcomes?

I'm serious about re-watching "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" all of the themes are there, beautifully shot by Robert Altman and masterfully portrayed by his actors.

What is not being said in all of this is:

Are there issues between Boyd & Partner / Rialto and the Duggan Family Partnerships which led to this ouster? Parking issues?

Was it simply better money from Tocchini / SR Entertainment Group?

Or are there "old Santa Rosa money" vs. parvenu money dynamics?

The fact that Mr. Ky Boyd and his partner are gay, and out about it, part of the equation?

Nobody has dared mention this here, or in the PD, but I wonder how much their dedication to Liberal causes has influenced this decision by the landlords?

It would be interesting to know what was said in the negotiations between the Duggans and Tocchini. We'll probably never know. But I wouldn't be surprised if conservative homophobia didn't have a hand in the matter. And before anybody sues me for libel. I am not accusing anyone of anything (other than greed and insensitivity). I'm "just ask'in."

Finally, the letters in the PD have been pretty good on this matter. I'm sure some enterprising journalist will get to the bottom of this, eventually, and we'll get some facsimile of the story. Or not....

"Mad" Miles

["Mad" Miles]

Whoah!

The other shoe drops...

Ask a question and it often answers itself.

While engaging in my Sunday afternoon ritual of absorbing the NYT's and PD, imagine my surprise in reading Chris Smith's report about the Rialto lease loss:

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100320/NEWS/100329969/1350?Title=Surprise-plot-twist-for-Rialto-operator

He covers the history, players and plot twists of this imbroglio.

Who knew the new real estate manager was a partner in SR Entertainment Inc.?

I hope Ky Boyd opens a Rialto Nouveau in the West County (Forestville, Forestville, Forestville!!!) and we can convince the art film distributors to only rent to him by boycotting SR Entertainments "new" venture and promising only to watch alternative films screened by Mr. Boyd and partner.

"Mad" Miles

[The Owl]

Me too! When the Sebastopol Cinema's opened, they said they were going to show art film's upstairs. That's not what happened. It would be wonderful to have an art film theater! But where?

That was because of that stipulation mentioned earlier in this thread about not allowing an art film to open in more than one theater in an area... Rialto was the designated art film house... only occasionally did a film showing there also show in Sebastopol. Actually I think Sebastopol Cinemas has done pretty we getting around that stipulation... quite a few times it was the only place besides Rialto where an art or independent film was showing.

[urlove]

I'm wondering what is considered "an area"? A town, a county....?

That was because of that stipulation mentioned earlier in this thread about not allowing an art film to open in more than one theater in an area... Rialto was the designated art film house... only occasionally did a film showing there also show in Sebastopol. Actually I think Sebastopol Cinemas has done pretty we getting around that stipulation... quite a few times it was the only place besides Rialto where an art or independent film was showing.

[Richard Nichols]

Can the Rialto owners afford to redo a raw space into a theatre? If so, perhaps they should look towards Sebastopol, the closet town to thier base of support, and with a warehouse district. Any chance the redo of Barlow building could include a theatre? Barney, where are you, and your architect Kathy Austin? This would be so exciting for Sebastopol.

Another thought: would Sebastopol Cinema rent 4 of the 10 screens to the Rialto?

Are the Rialto owners reading this thread, and if so, please give us some hope that you can relocate.

[The Owl]

I'm wondering what is considered "an area"? A town, a county....?

That would be an excellent thing to define or have defined about now...

["Mad" Miles]

Hey Waccie Film Addicts!

Thanks for all the gratitude for my previous posts on this thread.

As for Sebastopol Cinemas showing "Art" films. You may have noticed that the few single films in that category that show up there, always show up at least a couple of weeks later than when they opened at the Rialto. Part of this selective distribution I've been writing about.

As to what constitutes an "area"? Again I'm no expert but circumstantial evidence shows that our area is ALL of Sonoma County. You don't have the films shown at the Rialto shown anywhere else, at least not until two weeks later, and not all of the films run at the Rialto.

Speculation about Ky Boyd running films at other theaters? Why would another theater owner sublease to their "competition"?

What I learned at the Rialto back on the first, other than what I've already covered in this thread, is that theaters have film "bookers" who contract with distributors for which movies they want to show. But the distributors put the restrictions on where they're shown that others and I have already discussed.

The more I think about a guy being partners in a theater chain, and the new property manager of another theater under different managment, giving advice on who to rent to, to the owner of the other theater. Isn't that a classic conflict of interest? Collusion?

Very slimy,

"Mad" Miles

[Mrs. Wacco]

Can the Rialto owners afford to redo a raw space into a theatre? If so, perhaps they should look towards Sebastopol, the closet town to thier base of support, and with a warehouse district. Any chance the redo of Barlow building could include a theatre? Barney, where are you, and your architect Kathy Austin? This would be so exciting for Sebastopol.

Barney is considering......

[Mrs. Wacco (Linda) is the project manager for The Barlow project -Barry]

[Richard Nichols]

Barney is considering... What? details please. Are Rialto owners interested?

["Mad" Miles]

Ahh, nothing like drama about drama!

The plot thickens:

Dan Tocchini was on KRSO yesterday giving his side of the story. Here's Chris Smith's summary of that and other developments:

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100322/NEWS/100329902/1068/NEWS12?Title=What-8217-s-true-what-8217-s-fiction-at-the-Rialto-

"...perhaps it doesn’t matter, really, who did what to whom...." Chris Smith 3/23/10

Man, what a smug asshole! Me, "Mad" Miles. 3/23/10

I've read C. Smith over the years and I happen to know one of his neighbors. He may be connected to community in Santa Rosa and environs, his little local news tidbits are often fascinating and touching, but his blase attitude in matters such as this, grates.


There were two letters on this in today's PD. One good, the other excreble and based on Tocchini's version of things:

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100323/OPINION/100329909/1042?Title=Tuesday-s-Letters-to-the-Editor


Here's the overview news article from today's PD:

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100322/ARTICLES/100329917/1350?Title=Supporting-Rialto

The more that comes out, the more it appears that Ky Boyd / Rialto are caught in the grinder of the local movie theater real estate business blood feud / grudge match between David Codding and Dan Tocchini.

As for the landowners comment, "Duggan said he's sorry that Rialto operator Ky Boyd organized a public fight over the lease. 'I don't think it's a very appropriate thing to do,' he said."

All I can say is, what the hell did you expect? You may have worked for the Secret Service, and think everything should be confidential. But when the owner of the best movie theater in miles is summarily booted, people are gonna talk! And the people directly responsible for that booting are not gonna be talked about nicely.


I was discussing this whole mess yesterday with several people. One brought up the issue of the owner's mother's wishes. Were they in a document? Such as a will or family trust? Or were they only verbal? Seemed like good questions to me.

Another person, who works for a separate movie conglomerate (sic.) indirectly indicated that Dan Tocchini is, well, not really liked by his associates in the industry. In other words he's pretty much universally known as an ..... (You get the drift.)

The fact that two people, Ky Boyd and David Codding, have publicly stated that Dan Tocchini's claim that he summarily lost his lease on Lakeside Cinema / Rialto property back in 1998 is false, seems to back up this opinion as to his character. (Hence my characterizing the second letter in today's PD as excreble.)


Moving on, momentarily,

What this person who works in film theaters also told me is that standard industry practice for what constitutes a matinee, is any show before six p.m.. So my years old complaint that Ky Boyd only sells the first show of the day at matinee prices, has been substantiated.

I don't wish to kick the injured here. Overall I am impressed by what he did with the Rialto, and hope he can relocate to an even better, and more convenient location to me! But if he still only sells the first show at a discount, in the face of standard practice at every other commercial movie theater in the land? It's still going to piss me off!

My "industry informant" also mentioned that what constitutes a distribution area is a certain number of miles. But I didn't get that number as I was going to be late for a 4:15 matinee showing of "Repo Men". I made the show and a "Miles On Movies" of it is forthcoming.

And on, and on, and on...

"Mad" Miles

[theindependenteye]

Copy of a letter I sent to the PD. Granted, it's nasty and without any clear function, but I just felt like expressing myself.

***

One has to sympathize with the new lease-holder of the soon-to-be-no-more Rialto. He has the near-sole responsibility of determining all movies that are shown in central Sonoma County, and to this burden he's now added the heavy task of taking over the patrons of the Rialto. Hard-working guy, and clearly the only reason could be: he doesn't have enough money.

You'd think that controlling two or three dozen screens, plus the popcorn, would allow you to live pretty well, but apparently not so. He's acknowledged that the programming of the Rialto is superlative, and he doesn't want to change all that: he just wants the business that the other guy has built up over the past ten years.

Clearly he doesn't care about getting into art for art's sake. If that were so, he might have experimented with one or two of his countless multiplex screens that are now devoted mainly to entertaining Beavis and Butthead. No, it must be just the money. If anyone would care to start a fund to help Mr. Tocchini out of his straits, I'll put in a couple of bucks. I don't like to see our better classes suffer.

Or, well, I'll probably buy a ticket to his newly-colonized enterprise when I don't want to drive all the way to San Rafael, though I'd reluctantly support an organized boycott. Likely, he needs a new name for the multiplex; I suggest "the Terminator 8."

Conrad Bishop

[Richard Nichols]

I for one will not attend screening at the "new" Rialto.

[pbrinton]

Brilliant, Conrad. Not many people recognize the true beauty of properly directed and well-expressed sarcasm. This, people, is a perfect example. Not nasty at all, actually; biting, perhaps, but completely within the bounds of civility.

Patrick Brinton

Copy of a letter I sent to the PD. Granted, it's nasty and without any clear function, but I just felt like expressing myself.

***

One has to sympathize with the new lease-holder of the soon-to-be-no-more Rialto. He has the near-sole responsibility of determining all movies that are shown in central Sonoma County, and to this burden he's now added the heavy task of taking over the patrons of the Rialto. Hard-working guy, and clearly the only reason could be: he doesn't have enough money.

You'd think that controlling two or three dozen screens, plus the popcorn, would allow you to live pretty well, but apparently not so. He's acknowledged that the programming of the Rialto is superlative, and he doesn't want to change all that: he just wants the business that the other guy has built up over the past ten years.

Clearly he doesn't care about getting into art for art's sake. If that were so, he might have experimented with one or two of his countless multiplex screens that are now devoted mainly to entertaining Beavis and Butthead. No, it must be just the money. If anyone would care to start a fund to help Mr. Tocchini out of his straits, I'll put in a couple of bucks. I don't like to see our better classes suffer.

Or, well, I'll probably buy a ticket to his newly-colonized enterprise when I don't want to drive all the way to San Rafael, though I'd reluctantly support an organized boycott. Likely, he needs a new name for the multiplex; I suggest "the Terminator 8."

Conrad Bishop

["Mad" Miles]

Gawdaaammm! It jess gits thikr an thikr!

Thanks to Gloria Lagan we now have a detailed history of the film theater bidness in SonomaCo and answers to my speculation about film distribution, zones and all.

I'm still reading it myself.

"Mad" Miles



The Long, Ugly Story of the Rialto Deal

March 24, 2010 – 8:01 am by Gloria Lagan

Bohoblog

[Richard Nichols]

The Lagan article kinda brings all the the idealism and "save the Rialto" stuff thumping back to earth in a cloud of dust. Jeez, i give up, let the f**ers
have at it and leave me out of it.