In 1978, a frustrated moviegoer named Ed Mintz sat in a darkened theater, utterly disappointed by the Neil Simon comedy "The Cheap Detective." This experience, far from being a mere annoyance, sparked a revolution in how audiences judge movies.
Mintz, a self-described "math whiz" and entrepreneur, wasn't content relying solely on the opinions of critics. He envisioned a system that gauged the collective sentiment of hundreds of moviegoers, a far more democratic approach. Thus, CinemaScore was born.
CinemaScore emerged before the internet, social media, and review aggregators like Rotten Tomatoes dominated the conversation. It offered a widely accessible alternative to traditional reviews and box office figures, providing a snapshot of audience reception upon release. Titles like "Lean on Me" and "When Harry Met Sally..." received A+ grades, while cult classics like "The Big Lebowski" and "Boogie Nights" earned Bs and Cs. F's were rare, reserved for films like Robert Altman's "Dr. T & the Women."
CinemaScore's data provided studios with invaluable insights. Demographic breakdowns revealed which films resonated with specific audiences, allowing for targeted marketing campaigns. A high CinemaScore became a coveted marketing tool, a badge of honor for studios to proudly display. "The ability to say 'A—CinemaScore' resonates with every moviegoer," remarked Rob Moore, a former Paramount Pictures executive.
Mintz, with his "absolute connection to the pulse of moviegoers," as Moore described him, became a trusted source on audience preferences. He observed fascinating trends, like older males favoring baseball films (think "Bull Durham" and "Field of Dreams").
Born in Milwaukee in 1940, Mintz's fascination with numbers began early. As a teenager, he even wrote a book on square roots! This passion continued throughout his life, with him entertaining his children and grandchildren with math games disguised as everyday activities.
Mintz's entrepreneurial spirit led him to create billing software for the dental industry. But his mind never stopped churning out new ideas, from a sports betting algorithm to a bridge table for tournaments. The inspiration for CinemaScore struck him in a temple, where he observed donation cards with perforated answer options. This became the model for the now-familiar CinemaScore card.
In the early days, Mintz's children and their friends, including some "girls Harold Mintz was interested in," polled moviegoers outside Westwood theaters on opening nights. Simple questions like age, gender, and film grade were collected on punch-card-style sheets. Initially, Mintz distributed the scores to newspapers and even co-hosted his own TV show. Over time, CinemaScore expanded its polling operations across 25 markets.
Despite CinemaScore's widespread adoption, it wasn't without its critics. Renowned director Martin Scorsese argued that such tools "have nothing to do with the intelligent viewing of film," reducing filmmakers to mere content creators. Similarly, director Barry Sonnenfeld bemoaned the anonymity of CinemaScore grades, preferring the critical analysis of named reviewers.
Ed Mintz passed away in 2023, leaving behind a legacy that forever changed the movie industry. CinemaScore, his brainchild, continues to provide a valuable gauge of audience sentiment, ensuring that the voice of the moviegoer remains a powerful force in Hollywood.
