Revolutionary Moderation

Coming Attractions: Molson



Two Calgary theatres will soon be serving alcohol before a film, which is going to make my Return of the King midnight geekfest much more tolerable.



Mothers Against Fun Times Drunk Driving opposes the licensing, claiming that children will have easier access to alcohol. Now, going by traditional movie-house markups, I don't think this is too large a worry - what seventeen year old is going to get drunk at fourteen bucks a wobbly-pop?



MAFT MADD is also concerned that adult moviegoers will drag their drunken asses out onto the street after the film. Which never, ever happens when people are leaving bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, golf clubhouses, casinos, or their own homes. And none of those others enforce a two-hour sobering period before driving. I dislike drunk driving as much as the next person, but when did MADD become the bloody Temperance Union? (Do you suppose this is how those anti-smoking crazies got started? "Hey, you can put up without smoking for two hours through a movie" became "You're standing too close to this fellow's Hummer with your cigarette... there's a fine" awfully damn quick. I digress.)



Now, if I were the theatre owner, I might have reason to be concerned. The last thing I want while I'm screening, say, Gigli, is an audience liquered up and prone to rioting. In as much as you can get a decent riot going in a place named "Silver City".