In China, Woman Sues Cinema For Wasting Her Time With Advertisements

One of the most annoying and dreadful elements to the movie-going experience are the advertising spots before the actual movie commences. Trailers not included, advertising spots are usually old, horrible and sometimes, too long. With this in mind, I had to share this story with you guys; it was too funny. Enjoy…

CinemaBlend:

The Calgary Herald reports that a lawyer named Chen Xiaomei has decided to sue Polybona International Cinema film distributors Huayi Brothers Media Corporation for “wasting her time and violating her freedom of choice ” by not informing her as to how long the advertisements would last. Don’t be confused, however, as she is not doing this out of greed. The amount she is suing for is 71 yuan – about $10.55. The price comes from the price of one movie ticket, the same total in compensation, and one yuan for emotional damages. She has also demanded a letter of apology. While this may sound like a hoax, the case has been accepted by the People’s Court in Xian, though no court date has been established.

How serious does this woman take her precious time? Insanely, too serious. I truly hope she does win. Maybe she will being a revolution regarding this topic. Incredible.

Do you think this will impact the advertising before movies? Do you feel the same way as Xaiomei? I do!

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24 thoughts on “In China, Woman Sues Cinema For Wasting Her Time With Advertisements

  1. i dont mind the film clips them its the rest of the crap i get pissed off with like a lot of film goers i havw kids and if i take them i have to make them sit thure

  2. We have 15 minutes commercials/trailers before the movie starts. If it says 19h45, the movie will start at 20h00. So, I just show up at 20h00 instead of 19h45…no problem

  3. While I agree in part, some commercials can be just as entertaining or even more memorable than the main feature, and I love commercials like that, just a shame that most of it is annnoying rubbish.

  4. In Regal theatres and some other chains I think, theres first look, which is like 20 minutes BEFORE the actual start time, and that’s mostly just some stuff like a behind the scenes thing here or there to help time pass while people walk into the theatre.

  5. Personally I don’t mind the ads to much as sometimes when I’m late for a film it buys me some time. But truth be told, sometimes it can be pretty bad. Sometimes ads can go for around 10mins or so, before trailers. The actually film usually doesn’t start until about 20-30mins after the posted start time.

    Although I wouldn’t sue, I can understand this women’s frustration. Also, I’m wondering if they get rid of these ads, will that mean an increase in our ticket prices?

  6. I personally don’t care either way. I mean, I can understand the frustration of the movie starting a certain amount of time after the given time on the sites [example – 7:00 (7:20)] or marque.

    To be fair though, here in Orange County (and I’d imagine elsewhere) they have The Twenty… which is basically 20 minutes of commercials and schtuff before the film starts, with the movie previews usually starting on the time the film itself is supposed to start. Idk, in the end I usually am just happy to have a good seat in the theater at whatever time :D

  7. This is one of many reasons I love living in Austin. We have the Alamo Drafthouse, which never shows commercials and has awesome pre-movie material to watch while people arrive, not to mention beer, wine, and awesome restaurant quality food items. The only time you ever see commercials for products is during the pre-movie material, and it is always for nostalgiac purposes and related to the film.

  8. not sure about other places in the world but here in the good ole USA our ads run before the scheduled start time of the movie and only last about 5 min. we also have local ads that run inbetween showtimes to give people something to look at while they wait for their movie. i also find it rather odd that the court case is going to cost more than she is asking for as a result of the case…these cases should get thrown out of court and the plaintiff should be arrested for wasting the courts time.

    1. Maybe where you’re from. But here in my area, The commercials don’t start until just before the time given. So If I go to a movie that says start time 7:00. The commercials usually start at 6:55. By the time the trailers start. It’s between 10-15 minutes after 7. Then they throw in 1 more commercial (Usually for Sprite) in between the last 2 trailers, or between the last trailer and the movie. By the time the movie actually starts. It’s 15-20 minutes after 7.

      They use to say 7:00 then in parentheses that would say (7:20). Until people just started showing up at 7:20. Now they got rid of the “Start time” and just say 7:00.

  9. Studios just need to start splitting the revunue that comes in from product placement in movies with the theatres they are show in. I mean, how much did GM pay for their cars in Transformers, to the point that there is no beloved Sunstreaker or Sideswipe????

  10. Movie theaters bring in a lot of revenue from these commercials. Since most deals with studios channel most of the money from ticket sales right back to the studio, local theaters feel they need this revenue. They won’t give it up.

    If they stop showing commercials, they will simply raise prices on concessions, tickets etc.

    You will pay either way, either with time or money.

  11. I agree that adverts are a waste of time. We anticipate trailers, its part of the movie going experience, but I get so upset when I have to sit through COMMERCIALS. Do the businesses that buy this time not realize that generally we are offended by their presence? How does this help them?

    In a PVR society, commercials on TV are easy to ignore, so they have to put them where I PAID and am trapped to endure them? That’s going to be counter productive to your brand.

    Play non stop commercials while we are seated and waiting for the movie to start. That’s fine. But if they film starts at 9:05 the only thing we can expect to see at 9:05 on is trailers and the feature.

    1. Thats something I couldn’t get – surely annoying everyone with endless (well, it seems anyway), stale and generally terrible adverts is counter-productive to what they are trying to achieve: a sale. I have made a particular effort to NOT buy anything thats been forced down my throut while I wait for the film to start. The trailers I have no problem with – they make sense because the films they are advertising are coming out at the cinema you are in. Adverts are not.

  12. I certainly agree with her. In the old days (anytime before the early/mid 90s) it wasn’t too bad – a quick advert for the food at the food stand, maybe a quick spot for the actual cinema chain then about 2/3 trailers and then on to the film which started at the time it said it would (give 10 mins or so AT MOST). Now its plain ridiculous! 10-15 adverts for awful shite – sometimes the same advert gets played 2-3 times. Then 5-6 trailers then finally the f**king film about 30-40 mins after the STATED time. I really hope this signals the beginning of the end to this. It has to stop.

    1. it never will stop…theaters need the revenue that comes with those commercials. also if the theater you go to does not start trailers at the posted start time, then id suggest going to a different theater, its not like that everywhere.

      1. I think it’s actually like that everywhere in PR. The 15-20 min mark feels too conservative imo, it feels more like 30 (though maybe that’s the frustration and boredom talking). I’ve never minded the ads all that much, i understand why they’re there, but if they say the movie starts at 7 then it should start at 7.

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