NEW LINE CINEMA just called me about the HAIRSPRAY fiasco

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 3:20pm

Rebekah from NLC of SF call me today and sent her apologies for the mess that happened nation wide.

We had a 30 minute conversation about what could be done in the future and that they tried something new and that the EVITE passes were real and those who were with the glossy passes were to go in first.

Her explanation was that there was major miss communication between the haircare production company and those with EVITE passes. Apparently the haircare product company originally was not expecting to have that many people at the screening which is why they opened it up to the public.

She assured me that they will never do this again and when they open it up to the public they will honor that.

Again, she will be calling everyone shortly if you have not gotten a call yet.

Support the movie guys,it is good!

[elimeyer]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 3:23pm

No compensation offer to make it right?

[Anakela]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 3:24pm

...and when they open it up to the public they will honor that.

Sorry, what does this mean- will EVITE passes be honored (as some sort of free ticket or something) when the movie opens on Friday? Or did she mean that the next time New Line says it's a free public screening for their next film that it will actually be a free public screening?

[Ivan the Wonderful]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 3:45pm

I hope this means we can use our e-vites as a pass.
Dr. Theater is she calling everyone personally or just the people in New York?

[LoringsGuy]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 3:45pm

"Sorry, what does this mean- will EVITE passes be honored (as some sort of free ticket or something) when the movie opens on Friday? Or did she mean that the next time New Line says it's a free public screening for their next film that it will actually be a free public screening?"

I'm assuming the latter.

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 4:22pm

No...I live in SF and she called me. I think she is the SF rep. I just got a called back because I know someone at NLC and she invited me and two guests to see a PRIVATE SCREENING tonight. So she did make up for it and she sent me some goodies.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 4:25pm

Whats good for the goose....

[Becky]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 4:40pm

No compensation offer to make it right?

As much as I think they really screwed up in the way the screenings were handled - I'm not sure this is a situation where compensation should be expected. It was a free screening. I can't imagine them offering free tickets (or whatever) to everyone who had an evite and didn't get in - it's not quite fair to expect that.

I think NLC calling and trying to explain was a nice gesture, and I'm sure they learned from this and will try to handle things better next time.

[JRybka]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 4:48pm

Yea I have to agree with you on that one Becky... I have to say that they did not even have to call anyone about the problems and the fact that they did was really nice. I do not see them having to give anyone anything when they were free to begin with.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 5:03pm

Once again, it's good ol' Americans with their sense of entitlement!

You weren't entitled to anything with that pass except to be treated fairly... which you weren't.

That was a mistake, it was handled terribly by the reps involved, and you should receive a public apology from AMC and New Line for their reprehensible handling of the situation.

BUT...

You were not ever guaranteed a free admission into the screening. And you aren't owed one now.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 5:06pm

Wait, they are calling EVERYONE?

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 5:09pm

I believe it was the SF rep fro NLC. She called me and said she was very sorry for the mishap!

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 5:12pm

"You were not ever guaranteed a free admission into the screening. And you aren't owed one now.

That is corrected. But even those who were in first in line did not even get in. So by saying that, you mean that no one should ever go to these free screenings cause you will never get it in.

You are right that we are not owed one, we are owed an apology just to the way people were treated, that is all.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 5:30pm

I just received a DVD screener of HAIRSPRAY. Is this what they're sending out as compensation?

It arrived via overnight DHL and in a blank 'Not For Resale' stamp on the DVD case with the New Line Cinema logo all over it.

I didn't sign-up for anything nor even attempted to go to any of the advance screenings, so I have no idea where this came from.

Just watched a good 15 minutes of the film and it looks sensational. Now I'm battling whether to see it on the big screen at the movie theater or the one at home. I am planning on watching the entire thing tonight, though.

[emo_geek]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 5:47pm

Woah...they sent you the entire movie???

[Paulyd]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 5:50pm

Brodyfosse123 - Dont do it. Go and watch it on the big screen.

Over here in the UK "Entertainment Film Distribution" are handling the release and i went ovr their offices today to take my friend out for lunch and what was on his desk, but a digi beta version of Hairspray. Very tempted to tske it and play it at work, but I can wait three days and watch it on the big screen.

They have done 10 screening within the last 3 days and the response has been fantastic for all of them.

Fingers crossed for Friday

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 6:49pm

Damn, Brody... I wish I would have gotten dIcked around at a screening.

[fxy2003cmu]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 6:52pm

I don't know who ended up with my letter but someone from New Line just emailed me and offered me tickets to a screening tomorrow night in Novi, and they're sending me a Hairspray gift pack (not sure what that entails). So it looks like they're at least doing something to make up for it.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 9:30pm

Did she explain why we were told there were two showings or why they all vanished when the crowd began asking questions? I am pissed because I wrote to several New Line and Hairspray people but I got nothing. No response. No free special screening. No free DVD or anything else.

[Elphie4ever]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 9:32pm

hey how could i contact new line.
i want to tell them how i feel because this better NOT happen again.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 9:53pm

My sister works in PR; I told her about this situation, and she said it was a PR nightmare, and that New Line definitely owes people some sort of compensation. She also thinks that all of the calls, gifts, etc., people have been receiving today are due to New Line's crisis PR people who are presently doing damage control.

[elimeyer]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 10:04pm

Hey, who and when did you email to? I also emailed and got NO reponse at all!

Thanks
-elli-

[jimnysf]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 10:29pm

I also emailed and got NO reponse at all!

That makes two of us. I heard from one person who said she was sending my e-mail to someone else (last night) but I have heard nothing.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 11:50pm

I think they're all just imagining that the movie is going to open Friday, we're all going to dish out our 11 bucks, and we'll all going to completely forget about this nightmare.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 9:06am