How Grownups Can Save Good Money on Good Movies

America’s movie theaters are making innovative efforts to lure back over-50 filmgoers, with discount tickets and special screenings of the kind of good movies grownups love. AMC, the biggest movie-theater chain, offers sneak previews of upcoming movies for $5 plus tax — you find out what the movie is when the lights go down — and offers the same deal in its $5 Fan Faves program.

In another major trend, the over-50 audience is flocking to special repertory screenings of classic movies, often at grownup-friendly times, and for less money than they’d pay to see the latest superhero flick on a Friday night.

“With the pandemic and the [Hollywood] strike slowing film production, repertory films are helping to fill any gaps for theaters,” says Ray Nutt, CEO of Fathom Events, whose Big Screen Classics presents immortal old movies with introductions by Leonard Maltin, 73, arguably America’s most-read film historian. “Moviegoers are bringing their kids and grandkids to see the film as it was meant to be seen — they want to share that experience with their younger loved ones,” adds Nutt.

The over-50 audience also flocks to The Met: Live in HD, the Saturday afternoon telecasts of operas from New York’s Metropolitan Opera, often with discounts for grownups (coming up: Bartlett Sher’s production of Roméo et Juliette, March 23, 12:55 p.m. ET). They’re screened in over 700 theaters in most major cities — check here to find a participating theater near you.

​Sometimes grownup-friendly programming actually outsells more mainstream blockbusters. At Far Away Entertainment chain’s Bainbridge Island Cinemas near Seattle, the majority of moviegoers are over-50 cineasts feasting on the Met telecasts, England’s similar National Theatre Live telecasts screened at over 2,000 movie theaters worldwide, and classic films like Gone With the Wind. “It’s a great way to get people over 50 into the theaters,” says Far Away managing partner Jeff Brein. “They’re traditionalists who like good stories more than the razzle-dazzle computer graphics and superheroes that kids like.”

“Older viewers are a little bit more cautious on what they take the chance on with first-run movies,” says Ryan Oestreich of Chicago’s Music Box Theatre, but his nine-week Billy Wilder series sold out 700 seats Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. “Those aren’t prime showtimes — but for an older audience, those are great showtimes.”

Here are some of the deals and film programs that might get you off your couch and back to the movie house, just like in the good old days.

Fathom’s Big Screen Classics

This series set a box-office record last year with $20 million in tickets sold (a great many to 50+ viewers). Coming up: Gone With the Wind (85th anniversary) April 7, 8 and 10, and Steel Magnolias (35th anniversary), May 5 and 8. Prices vary. Check here to find a theater near you and upcoming films.

AMC Theaters

AMC’s Screen Unseen program lets you buy a ticket to a not-yet-announced film for $5 plus tax, for a limited time. This month, it’s called AMC Scream Unseen, with a horror movie that will surprise you. For the same price, you can watch $5 Fan Faves, which recently featured Luca and Shrek 2. And for other AMC movies, guests over 60 get ticket discounts at varying prices — select the senior ticket option and see what you’ll save.