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Can my
son or daughter see an R-rated movie at The Clyde? That’s up to you. Parents may
request in person or in writing that their son or daughter be admitted to The
Clyde for an R-rated movie. The note should include the name of the film, the
date, a signature, and a number where the parent may be reached. We reserve
the right to try to talk you out of sending your child to a movie we think
grossly inappropriate for the child’s age, but we believe the decision is
ultimately a parent’s.
Under-age
patrons without written or live permission will be taken upstairs to the
phone so that we can call their parents to make sure the parents intend them
to see this movie. If we cannot reach the parents, we will not be able to
admit the student. Since we do not want it on our conscience if a kid is
roving through Langley for two hours at night, we strongly urge parents to
check the ratings of the movies their kids attend and make sure they have
permission slips if a movie is rated R.
Will a parental note
work for any R-rated movie?
No.
Occasionally we will show a movie that especially seems to us to be
appropriate for adults only. In that case we will note in the print and
on-line schedules and in the taped phone message that we will be requiring
proof of age for any students under 17 who are not physically accompanied by
their parent or guardian into the movies. (And no, your older brother or your
date do not count as a parent or guardian.)
What
happens to patrons who act up at The Clyde?
We have a
“three strikes” policy. If we feel you are being too noisy, we will ask you
politely to keep it down. The second time we have to speak to you, we will
ask you to move to another seat of our choosing. The third time we speak to
you we will ask you to leave (no money back, but you can call your folks from
our phone for a ride home). We may make mistakes in identifying the correct
noisy person, so those sitting near a noisy person would be wise to move away
or get them to shut up.
There’s
an exception to this policy: Anyone throwing anything in the theater will be
asked to leave at once. No “three strikes” in this case—it’s a safety issue.
Who gets to sit in the
balcony?
The
balcony is usually reserved as a haven for adults, especially on Friday
nights. Occasionally we allow kids upstairs with their parents, especially if
they cannot find seats together downstairs, but we do ask them not to clamber
loudly up and down the stairs during the movie.
Can I get a free refill
if I spill my drink?
No, we
won’t refill your drink if you spill it all over the floor. After all, we’re
the ones who have to clean it up. Please use the cupholders
attached to the seat in front of you, and keep the lids on the drinks.
How come The Clyde
doesn’t show movies the day they open?
Movie
studios distribute new films based on three things: how long you’ll play it,
how many times you’ll show it a day, and how much you’re willing to pay for
it. First-run movies are available to theaters that promise to show the film
for a period of four to six weeks, show it several times a day, charge higher
admissions, and pay about 90% of the box office gross (less a set amount for
house expenses) to the distributor. One theater in the Seattle area actually turned over 100% of
the gross in order to get one of the Star Wars films (they made a pile
on the snack bar). Only a certain number of prints of a film are made
available—up to 3,000 for a big movie, and sometimes as few as 50 for a small
one. Obviously, The Clyde is not a big enough market charging big enough
prices to tie up a first-run print here. Nor would you, our patrons, like it
if the same movie showed for a month—no matter how good it was!
Why doesn’t The Clyde
snack bar have butter/ice/espresso?
Have you
seen the size of that snack bar? We’re lucky we can fit two of us in there to
work. We don’t have room for an ice-maker, butter-warmer, or espresso
machine, and if you think the lines are slow now, imagine how slow they would
be if you had to wait for all those fancy coffee drinks to be ordered and
made. We also prefer to avoid the mess of that “butter” stuff—which is
generally just soy oil flavored with real or artificial butter flavor. Who
wants to pour thick soy oil all over their popcorn?
How do I arrange for birthday parties or for the wheelchair seat?
Call us at 730-7915 between 9 am and 9 pm (no earlier and no later) to make
arrangements. For birthday parties we’ll want to know your name, phone
number, what date, which show, how many kids, how many under
12 and how many 12 and over, and where they want to sit. We’ll reserve the
seats/rows requested until 10 minutes before showtime.
What
should I do if I lose something at The Clyde?
If you think you’ve left something at the theater, call us at 730-7915
between 9 am and 9 pm (no earlier and no later), or stop in at the theater
anytime we’re open. Someone is usually there about an hour before each show
and 20-30 minutes after each one. We call as soon as we find a valuable item
(like a wallet) if we are able to locate a name and phone number for the
owner. We keep found items for about a month and then move them on. If you
recognize your scarf on me, let me know and I’ll give it back.
Where’s the best place to sit at The Clyde?
That all depends on your size (both height and width), your temperature
preferences, and your vision/hearing.
Shorter people can see better from the sides of the theater near the
walls, as the sightlines go between chairs. Wider people might prefer one of
our wider seats—look for the rows that have just six chairs rather than
seven. If you get cold easily, sit in the balcony (heat rises) or under one
of the ceiling heat vents. If you cannot hear well, skip the balcony unless
you’re wearing a hearing-assisted device (available free at the snack bar) as
the sound is not as good up there. And if you don’t attend the middle school,
avoid the front rows on Friday nights.
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