Millions of moviegoers across the country recognize the unmistakable voice and trademark greeting of Mr. Moviefone. But did you know that, in addition to telling you where the movies are playing, Mr. Moviefone also gives you the real deal on which movies offer the most bang for your buck? Every week, Mr. Moviefone brings his unique take on movie reviews to TV and radio stations across the country, as well as on Moviefone.com. Unlike snobby, know-it-all critics who drone on about cinematography and art direction, Mr. Moviefone is simply your everyday moviegoer who talks about movies the way real people do. With his irreverent sense of humor, Mr. Moviefone simply -- and with no personal agenda -- answers the question: "Was it worth the price of admission?"
Mr. Moviefone also wants to hear your opinions on movies. Agree with his reviews? Think he's off the mark? E-mail Mr. Moviefone directly at mrmoviefone@aol.com.
Q&A with Mr. Moviefone:
The voice of Mr. Moviefone actually comes from the co-founder of the company. He started Moviefone in 1989 because he was frustrated that there was no easy way to get movie information. Tired of searching through newspapers or calling every theater in town, he thought: "What if a moviegoer could call one number or go to one Web site for all the movie information they need?" The rest is history. Moviefone and Moviefone.com are the most used movie guides in the country serving millions of moviegoers each week. We asked Mr. Moviefone how he went from having an idea and building a company to becoming one of the most recognized and popular movie personalities today.
Where did the character "Mr. Moviefone" come from?
"When we first started Moviefone, it was just me and a couple guys with a microphone and a recorder. We got behind the mic to see how each of us would sound saying "press one, press two." One guy had a very mid-western accent and the other sounded like Donald Duck. I had done some diskjockying in college so I was comfortable behind the microphone. On that fateful day, I got behind the mic and uttered the words "Hello and welcome to Moviefone!" I used an over-the-top, "Dick Clark on crack" spin and it stuck. We knew that people would react strongly to the voice. Whether they loved it or hated it, they would remember it. Soon, the media started picking up on it and everyone from Letterman, "Saturday Night Live," "The Simpsons," and of course that infamous "Seinfeld" episode did a number on it. People ask if it bothers me that so many people are making fun of my voice. I think it's funny and flattering. I make a living at it. I would be an idiot to complain."
Now you review movies on CNN, CBS and other places. How did you go from starting and running the company to reviewing movies?
"Well, it was a fifteen-year transition. And let me say for the record that I don't consider myself a critic. I think the term critic brings a lot of negative connotations. I see myself as an avid moviegoer who sees a lot of movies and likes to tell my friends about them. My friends just happen to be a national TV, radio and online audience. But back to the question. While running Moviefone with my partners, I worked with the studios a lot -- helping them create marketing campaigns for Moviefone, etc. I had to see nearly every movie, but since I was helping studios to promote their films, I could never voice my opinion about them. Then in 2000, AOL bought Moviefone which gave me a certain amount of financial freedom. When they were deciding who at Moviefone would stay, I told them that I wanted to keep the fun parts of the job (seeing all the movies) and give up the not-so-fun parts (the "corporate" gig). I thought that after 15 years of biting my lip, I could finally tell people what I think about these films.
"So I started giving my movie opinions on ABC-7 in Los Angeles and the reaction was overwhelming. People told me that they had never heard anyone speak that honestly about the movies before. Honesty in reviewing... this seemed to be a new concept. I started doing the same on CNN, on the radio and on the Web. Moviegoers seem to appreciate my "no-nonsense" approach to talking about movies. Other critics aren't so thrilled: 'What, you didn't spend eight years in film school? You should be banished!' Well, no, I didn't. And neither did 99.9999% of the other moviegoers going to theaters each week."
So are you a critic?
"I guess in the strictest sense of the word I am. I see movies and give people my opinion of them. Fortunately, my tastes seem to be in line with the majority of moviegoers out there. I will also take the opinion of others I saw the movie with and add them to my comments. Just because I love a movie doesn't mean everyone else does and visa versa. Movies are subjective. I really consider myself a consumer advocate for moviegoers. Going to the movies isn't cheap. I want to make sure you put your money in the right place."
What's next for Mr. Moviefone?
"Well, I want to continue to spread the word. I think moviegoers need a reliable source that they can trust. My goal from day one with Moviefone has always been to make moviegoing easier and better. I look forward to continuing that journey."
