New Motion Seats at Frank Theatres Let You Feel the Films

For 20 minutes on Friday morning, I was Vin Diesel and Paul Walker in "Fast Five."

I felt the punches thrown. I felt the acceleration of the vehicles. I felt the tingling of the car engine being revved. I felt the impact of trucks and cars crashing into buildings and trains. 

And when the screen panned back or revolved around an object, my seat moved back and hula-hooped in a circle.

At one point, I was also part of the group on the front of a runaway train in "The Polar Express" animated film. The seat I was in rumbled with each hit of the roller-coaster train track at one scene in the film.

"It's its own script," said Frank Theatres Montgomeryville Stadium 12 manager Russell Davis. "It moves with the movie."

This new seat technology at is known as D-BOX MFX.

While 3-D and IMAX enhance the visual entertainment at the movies, D-BOX MFX has enhanced the physical entertainment at the movies.

You can be lifted up, lowered down, and moved forward, backward or in a circle.

"I've seen how things move up in the industry," said Davis, who has been a movie theater manager for Regal and Frank Theatres in his 12-year career. "When 3-D hit, everybody wanted that. Now, that's dialed back a bit because they are not making great 3-D movies in my opinion."

The seats debuted at the movie theater on Friday and are available beginning Friday night with viewings of "Snow White and the Huntsman."

The best part - aside from the motion synchronized to the action of the film - is you can reserve a specific seat in the theater. You can reserve in advance when you purchase tickets.

"Nobody can sit in your seat," Davis said.

There is an $8 extra upgrade, however, to purchase the D-BOX seats. Add that to the $8 matinee price of a ticket before 4 p.m. or the $10 adult admission and $8 senior citizen and youth ticket price and you are looking at $18 and $16 respectively.

Soon, you will be able to watch 3D in a D-BOX seat. Altogether, that's an $11.50 upcharge added to the ticket price. 

Right now, only one of the 12 theaters at Frank Theatres has the seats. There are 30 of them arranged in two rows.

You can also control the intensity of each seat by a control panel on the seat. There's also a cupholder too, as well as arm rests and plenty of legroom.

According to Michelle Guillery, marketing director for Frank Theaters, D-BOX films are planned for release every two weeks.

Following "Snow White and the Huntsman," moviegoers can experience D-BOX with "The Dark Knight Rises" in July.

Frank Theatres is the first movie theater in Montgomery County - and the first company on the East Coast - to have the D-BOX MFX seats.

"You won't find these at Regal or AMC," said Davis. "There are no big, big chains that have this yet. The top five theaters don't have them."

If you don't know if you'll like it, no problem - Frank Theatres has a demo kiosk in the lobby.

"Anybody can sit and try it out," said Davis. "People in passing have noticed the demo, but they haven't said much."

There's no fear of motion sickness here either.

Davis said his staff experienced the 20-minute trailer in the D-BOX seats and they all loved it.

"I think it's pretty awesome," said Frank Theatres Montgomeryville assistant manager Jeremy Lindenmuth. "We have IMAX and 3-D, but this is a whole other experience. The aerial views in the film are great."

Davis said Frank Theatres has been increasing in business since it bought the theater and changed it from the Eric 7 in 2005.

"Things are going good," he said.

Movie prices these days are affected by the movie industry. Davis said D-BOX gets a share of the profits, the movie studio gets a share and Frank Theatres gets a share.

"We set our prices based on the industry," he said. "The film companies want a certain amount of revenue."

He said Frank Theatres offers the lowest movie ticket price, on average.

"We are cheaper than Regal, AMC and Barn Plaza," he said. "Keep that in mind."

There was a bit of education I got regarding what movies are played at which theaters.

Davis said that for Frank Theatres Montgomeryville Stadium 12, there is a split arrangement with AMC Cinema 309. It has nothing to do with the production studios.

For instance, Frank Theatres will feature "The Dark Knight Rises," but AMC Cinema 309 will feature "The Amazing Spider-Man."

"If Warner Brothers comes out with four movies, since we picked first last time, they pick first this round, for example," Davis said. 

"It all balances out," said Lindenmuth.