Duck tacos with your Milk Duds?

Movie fans will be able to experience the comfort and pampering of first-class flying when luxury cinemas open in dozens of cities, including Ontario, over the next several years.

But at $35 a person, some Inland moviegoers wonder how many people will be able to afford it, especially in these wobbly economic times.

"Thirty-five dollars per person? No way," Ted Williams, 37, balked as he strode into the AMC Theaters at Ontario Mills shopping mall last week. He said he'd rather watch the Lakers.

Officials with Village Roadshow Ltd., the Australian-based entertainment company behind the Gold Class cinemas, believe their brand will attract adult moviegoers who favor a classier night out and who chafe at the long lines and hordes of gum-smacking teenagers that populate movie monsterplexes.

The cinemas will feature suede-covered reclining armchairs, and each theater will seat no more than 40 people. Moviegoers can sip fine wine and dine on gourmet food prepared on the premises, though they will pay more for that. Feeling chilly and need a blanket? Not a problem. Personal attendants clad in black uniforms can be summoned with the press of a button.

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Special to The Press-Enterprise

Australia-based Village Roadshow Ltd. is bringing its luxury movie theaters to the United States. It plans one in Ontario in 2009.

Think of it as an escape, said Rob Goldberg, chief operating officer of Burbank-based Village Roadshow Gold Class Cinemas, which is overseeing the U.S. rollout. "It's an affordable luxury. Some people may not think of an international vacation this year, but they still want to go out and have a good time."

Village Roadshow introduced its luxury cinemas in Australia in 1997. The cinemas also exist in Greece and Singapore.

The goal is to open 50 of the luxury cinemas across the country within five years. The first two will open next month in South Barrington, Ill., and Redmond, Wash.

3 in Southern California

Three are planned for Southern California by the end of 2009, including one at the former Guasti Winery in Ontario, which is being redeveloped into a retail, office and residential district. Cinemas are also planned for Costa Mesa and Pasadena.

The theaters will show first-run films that are geared toward more adult audiences, Goldberg said.

Gold Class cinemas also provide patrons online seat reservations, complimentary valet service and access to a bar and lounge before and after the movie.

The U.S. menu will feature an array of finger foods, including duck tacos ($15), crisp lobster rolls ($18) and New York strip steak sandwiches ($19). Glasses of wine will go for $8 to $20.

Popcorn and soda are available too -- though expect the soda to be served in a glass.

"It's a great idea," said Herbert Spiegel, a vice president of the Gencom Group, which is developing a Ritz Carlton in Rancho Mirage. "In this day and age, time is precious. You want (going to the movies) to be a hassle-free, comfortable experience."

Changing Demographics

The emergence of luxury cinemas in the U.S. market doesn't surprise Patrick Corcoran, director of media and research for the National Association of Theater Owners.

American moviegoer age demographics have shifted, he said. Today, the largest group of moviegoers is ages 40 through 59 -- 32 percent -- followed by 12- to 24-year-olds (28 percent) and 25- to 39-year-olds (27 percent).

This demographic group has more disposable income, and many of them are looking for a different moviegoing experience, Corcoran said.

More than 400 cinemas nationwide have responded by offering upscale amenities, including wine and cocktails and online seat reservations.

Theaters are trying to make themselves the destination and grab some of the dollars that might go to the shopping mall or restaurant down the street, Corcoran said.

The Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood and Sherman Oaks incorporate café bars that serve appetizers and martinis.

But Corcoran said the comfort and personalized service offered by Village Roadshow's Gold Class cinemas go above and beyond anything offered today.

Representatives of Arclight Cinemas did not respond to a request for comment.

Worth It?

Joseph Nunes, a USC marketing professor, wonders whether American moviegoers, used to dinner and a movie, can be persuaded to try dinner during a movie.

If moviegoers can reserve their seats online, they have even more reason to take their time and enjoy a meal elsewhere, he said.

Perhaps the combined dinner-movie concept might work in cities with inclement weather, but in Southern California, it's not that inconvenient to drop by a restaurant on the way to a theater, he said.

Nunes said he also wonders whether the 40-seat theaters eliminate part of the fun of going to the movies, sharing the experience of a film with hundreds of other fans.

Opinions among shoppers and moviegoers at Ontario Mills last week were mixed.

Troy Yerman, 24, of Upland, said he liked the luxury-cinema concept, especially the more intimate theater environment and the bar.

"It's a more classy night out," he said.

But Monae Pugh, 52, of Moreno Valley, said it's a gamble whether you'll even like the movie. She'd rather go to Disneyland.

Ignacio Leyva, 30, of Fontana, initially scoffed. "Maybe rich people" will check it out, he said. "Me? I can't afford it."

But after contemplating further, he said he is willing to give it a try.

"It's a way to impress the girlfriend."

Reach Douglas Quan at 951-368-9479 or dquan@PE.com