Res Life Cinema rules CMU’s TV sets
Students living on campus can find an entertaining distraction from this semester’s scramble time if they turn to channel 35 on their television sets.
The Residence Hall Assembly has made it easier for students to catch the latest movies by offering a free trial of Res Life Cinema, which offers 10 movies in three-hour blocks, 24 hours a day.
The service started April 12 and now RHA is encouraging students to take an online survey to provide feedback about the new channel.
“If they want it back (next year), we need them to take the survey,” said Andrew Harpold, Grand Rapids senior and RHA president.
Harpold said the nonstop movie channel will become a mainstay only if there is sufficient information showing students watch, enjoy and support the channel.
If they do, he said it is likely the channel will be available next year at a reasonable cost.
“The fancy marketing price tag they gave us is $6 per year, per student,” Harpold said.
The survey’s results also should provide information regarding future programming, he said.
On Res Life Cinema, a movie begins every three hours, starting at 2 a.m. and p.m., 5 a.m. and p.m., 8 a.m. and p.m., and 11 a.m. and p.m.
Ten movies are selected per month. The same ten then play on a fluctuating time schedule, which can be found at http://centralmovies.tripod.com/.
Students also can take the online survey at the Web site.
Elizabethtown, Rent, The 40- Year-Old Virgin, Waiting and Crash are some of the movies scheduled to appear in April and May.
Fenton freshman Doug Hecox said he watched the channel a few times and enjoys it.
“I think it’s pretty sweet,” he said. “You always know there’s a movie on you can catch.”
Hecox said he has seen Waiting, Madagascar and part of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on the new channel.
Even though he enjoys it Hecox said he doesn’t know if he would be willing to pay for the service.
“I don’t know if I’d go that far,” he said. “It’s just kind of convenient.”
Local movie theaters and rental stores have mixed feelings about the channel.
Celebration! Cinema, 4935 E. Pickard Road, is the only mainstream movie theater in the area.
Greg Howell, assistant manager, said he is unsure of how the movie channel will affect his business.
“I don’t know if it will hurt us, but it’s not going to help us,” he said.
East Lansing junior Jeremy Martin is a clerk at Videoland, 1022 S. Mission St.
He said he supports the movie channel in residence halls.
“I think we (at VideoLand) take the stance that anytime people can watch good, cheap movies, it’s a benefit to society,” Martin said.
