Consolidated to expand early sales, reserved seats

The opportunity to buy tickets early and reserve seats for a night at the movies is being expanded at Consolidated Theatres Ward Stadium 16.

The multiplex began offering reserved seats with the launch of its TITAN XC theater, with its large screen and leather reclining chairs, and screenings would "sell out very quickly," said Lindsey Chun-Hori, Consolidated Theatres’ events and promotions manager.

The concept proved so popular the decision was made to expand the reserved seating option for its other auditoriums "when we experience peak demand," such as the multiplex was expected with the 12:01 a.m. Friday screening of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1."

A similar crush is expected for the Wednesday release of "The Descendants," starring Oahu — oh, and this guy named George Clooney and based on a novel by local author Kaui Hart Hemmings.

The company makes advance tickets available — and will add reserved seating, where applicable — "as soon as the studios allow us to," Chun-Hori said.

Show times and advance tickets for "Descendants" are available online via Consolidated’s website and at the box office.

Advance tickets and reserved seats also will be available for the Dec. 21 releases of "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" in TITAN XC and the remake of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."

Advance tickets with reserved seats also will be available on weekends and holidays for the Ward Stadium 16 theaters.

Reserved seating already is factored in to the higher price for TITAN XC screenings, but for the other auditoriums these tickets will each cost $1.50 more.

Once a moviegoer has a reserved seat, that person "will not need to wait in lines or worry about rushing to their seats," Chun-Hori said.

There is still no bottle service in the TITAN XC theater or other auditoriums as Consolidated does not have a liquor license, "but we’re always looking for new ways" to improve the moviegoer’s experience, she said, chuckling.

This is the point where a less responsible columnist might mention the types of tiny liquor bottles often found in hotel rooms’ self-service minibars.

OK, who wants to change the subject?

Consolidated has succeeded in boosting attendance on at least one Monday night a month with its Hana Hou Picture Show screenings of movies from back in the day.

"We started in May when we did a 25th-anniversary showing of ‘Top Gun,’" Chun-Hori said. "It was gangbusters" and was sold out, with many attendees showing up in flight suits and "Top Gun" T-shirts, she said.

"We’ve been having people vote online as to what they’d like to see return to the big screen," via Consolidated Hawaii’s Facebook page.

A back-to-school-themed September event offered voters on Facebook a choice among "Grease" (1978), "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982), "The Breakfast Club" (1985) and "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off" (1986). The last one was the top vote-getter.

The winner chosen for the Dec. 5 event will be "Die Hard," while for the January screening, "Bladerunner," made in 1982 and considered by many a cult classic, is ahead of "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," from 1991. Other choices are "RoboCop" (1987) and Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" (1981).

The Hana Hou screenings generally are once a month, unless the "studio wants to do a special anniversary bonus," Chun-Hori said.

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Reach Erika Engle at 529-4303, erika@staradvertiser.com, or on Twitter as @erikaengle.