Pay attention? Didn't I just pay for my ticket?!

[Jay 2K Winger]

They have assigned seats? Actually, I kinda wish theaters here in America did that, would be easier to get the middle seats.

I know at least one theater I frequent does that for all of their screens now. Some theaters only do assigned seats for their "premium" screens. (IMAX quality/size, nicer quality seats and HD audio, etc.)

I personally like assigned seating because I can then make sure I get a seat way back in the back corners if they're available.

[Legacy_of_Torment]

I too was made redundant as a projectionist. I chose not to take their offer of front of house work - I wouldn't have been able to make it pay on low wages and part-time hours.

Having worked front of house for a long while I came to hate it. I really did not want to go back. Customers being one of the main reasons.

It was a tough choice for me to choose what I did, but it has given me the time to begin setting up my own little business, so hopefully the suck won't be forever! I miss projection, did it for 11 years until the company changed hands. But now I work freelance and project for film festivals and events, which thankfully gets me off the floor almost weekly
I really do think a lot of cinemas have shot themselves in the foot by making projectionists redundant though.

[EricKei]

Not sure if they still do it, but one small place in New Orleans (The Prytania, maybe?) used to do movies with full-on prix-fixe dinner service. Complete with nice tables, dinner by candle-light, wine, the works!