Old dogs and new box office tricks

As a city with a rapidly aging population, Shanghai authorities have introduced many programs to help senior citizens. However, sometimes the benefits seem to miss the target.

The Huangpu district government recently began offering senior citizens living in the district a bonus movie ticket deal. It sends 50 free movie passes to every retired person and as well, local and non-local retired people can buy a movie ticket for just 10 yuan ($1.59) at the Ever Shining Circuit Cinema. The price of a movie ticket is normally between 50 and 100 yuan.

The movies the senior citizens can enjoy for free or very cheaply are not the latest blockbusters and the session times when the special tickets are valid are just in the mornings. But it's a good offer for older people.

However, an investigation by Shanghai Evening News recently discovered that many of the users of the free or cheap movie passes were not senior citizens. People have worked out a way to get around the regulations and make a profit. Touts are buying the passes and reselling them for a small profit.

The cinema itself is part of the problem. The cinema insists that senior citizens using free or cheap movie passes have to book at least three days in advance. But many senior citizens say this is impossible. Some say health problems might stop them from being able to attend. Certainly most would prefer to go and see a movie when they feel like it. Many people actually prefer to turn up at a cinema 15 minutes before the screening and buy a cheap ticket for 13 or 15 yuan from a tout.

Although the free and cheap passes are ostensibly restricted to senior citizens, there is a way around the regulations. The cinemas demand to see proof of age when a senior citizen goes to the box office to buy a cheap ticket. But once the ticket is bought, the ushers in the actual theaters don't check any further. Older people are buying tickets cheaply and then selling them to touts who pass them on to others knowing that they will be allowed into the cinema without a problem. The senior citizens make a profit, the touts make a profit and the audience get to see a film for very little.

This is a problem for the cinemas. They should enforce the regulations better and ensure that someone checks that the users of the tickets are actually entitled to the cheap rate.

Cinemas should also try to make their ticketing systems more flexible for the elderly. It is accepted that they have to make the best use of their off-peak screenings and make them economical. Perhaps at these off-peak screenings they could set aside a block of seats that could be used by senior citizens who arrive unheralded to enjoy a film.