Starting the year off with a bang, 586 Luther students went to the year’s first student movie night at Decorah Viking Theatres.

The turnout at the year’s first monthly movie night shows that the event retains its popularity. Both the Student Activities Council’s Cinema committee and Viking Theatres are happy about this.

“The nice thing about partnering with Viking Theatres is that it allows us to bring to the students new movies for free,” SAC Cinema Co-chair Mallory Heinzeroth (‘12) said. “Hopefully, we’ll get even more people to come.”

There is always a choice between three movies at these nights. Last Thursday’s showings included “Inglorious Basterds,” “Julie and Julia” and “District 9.”

The SAC Cinema co-chairs talk with their committee about which new releases are their top choices. The co-chairs then negotiate with Viking Theatres to get the movies they think will attract the most people.

The movie that seems the most popular is screened in the middle theatre, which can seat 456 people, and less popular movies are shown in the two side theaters that hold 225 and 275 people.

“Normally on Thursday nights we would have only had four or five persons, so they are slow nights,” Mike Stevens, manager of Viking Theatres, said.

A normal ticket for an evening movie would cost $7. Last year, SAC received a discount rate of $4 per person, but this year the rate has increased to $5 each. Unfortunately, this increase means that SAC Cinema has one fewer movie night than last year.

“The theatre itself wishes we could do more, but the price increase came from higher up,” SAC Cinema Co-chair Ryan Kitchen (‘11) said.

Students with the Co-Curricular Activities Fee get into movies for free on the designated Thursday nights, and students without CAF are charged the discount rate of $5.

“Everything works pretty [well],” Stevens said. “Most of the students are pretty respectful. Once in while we find drinks outside, but all in all, it works well for us as it boosts our income, and it’s fun for the students.”
To improve the movie nights and hopefully make the line faster, SAC Cinema is considering a new ticket process. Instead of scanning all cards at the theatre, students would have the opportunity to get tickets at Luther’s Box Office prior to the movie night.

“That way, we would have a better idea of what movie to put in what theater, and it might become more efficient,” Heinzeroth said. “But we are not so sure because we would be printing tickets, wasting paper and we haven’t fully discussed whether that would be beneficial.”

The new ticket system is still in the works, as well as a few possible other changes.

SAC Cinema is going to see if it is financially possible to show 3D movies, which they have not yet done due to the high costs.

They are also planning on doing another movie outside sometime during the spring, similar to the one that happens on the library lawn at the beginning of the school year.

Changes are under way, but it appears that student enthusiasm for SAC movie night still remains