The Ridgmar Movie Tavern

             When going to a movie I expect a certain atmosphere that can make or break my movie going experience. At the Ridgmar Movie Tavern I was pleasantly surprised on the warmth of the movie theatre when I walked in.  I wasn’t all that excited about the movie we were going to see (The Host) but I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere there. They had so many aspects that contributed to the ethos, pathos, and logos of the movie going experience. These aspects also helped solidify them as not just a movie theatre but as an experience. When audiences have to pay so much to see a movie they expect great things such as a nice snack and food area, a clean and comfortable theatre, and a mood setting theatre. The Ridgmar Movie Tavern delivered all of these items on my list.

            While walking into the building the first thing you see is a huge snack counter with tons of options for food. This aspect really contributes to the ethos of the theatre. All movie theatres promise to show you a movie but what separates the Movie Tavern is that it offers not only the movie but tons of food items to go with it helping to enhance the overall experience. The character of this particular theatre is that it is not only a movie but a meal to go along with it if the viewer chooses that path. What makes this Movie Tavern unique is that it offers that service with the traditional snack counter. Andrea Lunsford says that we “aim to brand [them] by helping to establish character” (Lunsford 42). I believe the character of the movie theater is that it aides to give the movie going experience an even bigger draw and the Movie Tavern really enhanced my experience with their take on the dinner and a movie draw.

            Logos is an important factor in a movie theatre. Logically the theatre should have a clean area to sit in order to make the viewing more pleasurable. The Ridgmar Movie Tavern used leather seats, which I found to be a great twist on the usual red velvet seating. Leather seats seem more cleanly to me than the traditional red velvet seat. This was a great logical move on their part. Not only are leather seats easier to clean, but they are more comfortable giving the viewer a better overall experience. If someone spills on the leather simply wipe it up and then it’s ready for the next person. These comfortable leather seats were an incredibly logical choice that really helped appeal to the average viewer (me). Lunsford says that “we respect appeals to logos- arguments based on facts” (Lunsford 56). The fact that the Ridgmar Movie Tavern used leather seats really helps the audience enjoy the movie even more. Not only are the seats extremely comfortable but they are also easy to clean giving the clean freaks, like myself, a little peace of mind.

            One of the hardest ways for a theater going experience to connect with the audience is through the use of pathos. Movies may connect with logic and character but it takes a special theatre to be able to set the right mood for the movie. The Ridgmar Movie Tavern does a great job at setting the perfect tone for a movie from start to finish. When you enter the theatre the lights are dimmed as to help relax the audience and help them get ready to enjoy the experience they are about to have. Giannetti says that “color tends to be a subconscious element” (Giannetti 22). The color and lighting in the movie theatre really sets the mood for what is about to come. The Ridgmar Movie Tavern used an incredibly dim light that helped me relax. This helped me enjoy the movie even more because I had been so stressed out the previous week. As I entered the theatre it was as if the light was calling me to relax which helped create an emotional attachment to the movie experience I was about to have. They did a great job at creating an unforgettable feeling within me that will make other theatres difficult to see movies at. This is the most important way to make a theatre stick in the mind of those that go to see a movie and the Ridgmar Movie Tavern did this for me.

            In order to fully enjoy the movie going experience the ethos, pathos and logos of the theatre environment must be top notch. The Ridgmar Movie Tavern created an environment that made going to the movies a great experience, not a chore. Other movie theatres charge the same ticket price but offer fewer amenities than the Movie Tavern. While I wasn’t a huge fan of The Host, I did enjoy the experience as a whole because I was able to see a new theatre that I would most definitely go back to. For the rhetoric of space I give the Ridgmar Movie Tavern three tickets.