(Reuters)
Something strange happened at movie theaters in Orange County, Houston, San Diego, Atlanta, and Philadelphia. In these select parts of the country, film-goers were offered the chance to purchase a $50 "mega ticket" before the release of "World War Z" on June 21.
What is a mega ticket, you ask? Regal Entertainment, who partnered with Paramount Pictures to develop the concept, calls it "the ultimate fan event" and a "unique experience" for patrons. Those who purchased the passes were treated to an advance (June 19) RealD 3-D screening of the Brad Pitt film, along with custom RealD 3-D glasses, a limited-edition movie poster and a future digital copy of the film when it becomes available.
Oh, and a small popcorn.
Is all that really worth the price tag, though? While the official "World War Z" website pegged the package at more than $75 in value, Entertainment Weekly estimated the cost of the mega ticket's main components (a ticket, digital download and popcorn) at closer to $40, meaning that the poster, 3-D glasses and advance screening were somehow valued at $35(?) by themselves.
But hey, to each his own. If you're a fan of "World War Z," then by all means, we hope you enjoyed your mega ticket. We, on the other hand, can think of five better ways Brad Pitt (and "WWZ") fans could have spent their hard-earned cash.
For instance, you could've bought:
- A ticket to "World War Z" in RealD 3-D (average cost of $15.45 at the five participating "mega ticket" theaters), a small popcorn (or any popcorn costing under $6), a Kindle download of "World War Z: An Oral History of The Zombie War" by Max Brooks ($9.99 on Amazon), and the Audible.com download of the audio book ($17.95). Or, alternatively, you can purchase three tickets to "World War Z" in ReadD 3-D for you and two friends.
- Two bottles of Côtes de Provence Rosé from Brad and Angelina's vineyards at Chateau Miraval ($23.95 each at Sherry-Lehmann Wine & Spirits).
- Two different Brad Pitt tank tops from Etsy, one featuring a long-haired Brad Pitt enjoying a Coors ($14.99 plus $8 shipping) and one featuring a dreadlocked image of Brad Pitt from Interview magazine ($14.99 plus $7.99 shipping).
- An 8-inch by 10-inch autographed photo of Brad Pitt from his 1991 film "Johnny Suede" ($25 at the time of this post, free shipping) and a color reproduction of the movie script for "Fight Club" with reproductions of autographs of Pitt, Edward Norton and Meat Loaf ($15.95 at the time of this post, $6.82 shipping).
- A single ticket to "World War Z" in RealD 3-D ($15.45), a small popcorn (valuing less than $5.56), and a Zombie Defense Solutions 3-Day Survival Kit featuring energy bars, waterproof matches, water pouches, lightsticks, a survival bracelet with an emergency whistle, a first aid kit, an emergency blanket, water pouches and an emergency hammer ($28.99 on eBay).
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