Page 1 of Who here is an Empire reader?

I was over on the Empire site earlier today, and came across a "reader feedback" thread which was quite interesting. Now, I`m not a member of their forum, and I don`t intend to be. Not because of some snobby reason or anything, it`s just that I join forums, make one post then never post again (usually).

Anyway, I thought why don`t we have a similar thread here on lovely ol` DVD reviewer? I`ve been reading Empire for many a year on and off, and have been a subscriber for a few years and I`m sure there must be similar minded folk here too. I have to say, I`m not a fan of the new look at all. Somebody on the Empire forum made the point that it`s difficult to tell where the ads end and the editorial begins, and I have to agree.

The editors clearly feel too, that the issue of advertising has been addressed and that we`re stuck with it, citing worse examples in US magazines, but in truth that`s a poor response. It`s been getting worse for some time, but the recent issue (Kong on the cover) has been the only time it`s really made me feel used. I appreciate y`know, it`s Christmas etc, but it`s the same for the games industry too, and I can`t think of any games mags that have had such a dreadful proliferation of advertising/"advertorial" to match the latest Empire. The whole thing just seems to be aimed at people with zero attention span.

What do you think? Hopefully there`ll be enough interested parties to get a discussion going!

This item was edited on Wednesday, 14th December 2005, 21:39

Totally agree,

I`ve just been buying it the last few month out of habit more than anything else.

Half of the mag this month must be ads and it seems to me like its getting more FHM orientated with each issue. I`d like to have more features and interviews relating to classic films (like Hotdog magazine does) as well as more focus on Foreign cinema/DVDs - not just those that will be on at the local Multiplex or be lining the first shelf you see when entering HMV etc.

I also get the feeling that the magazine` target audience has lowered.

Must admit I`m beginning to get a little p***ed off with it now. Too many ads and it seems to have gone a bit silly to me. The thing which annoyed me was the way they changed the format of the perfectly decent dvd mag type thing at the back into a pile of s***!!
Starting to prefer Total Film nowadays...




"I`ve not seen someone taking a beating like that, since someone put a banana down my pants and set a monkey loose.."

This item was edited on Wednesday, 14th December 2005, 23:27

I actually started a thread about this in the General Forum a while back, and totally agree.

The new look is awful, and its bordering on being Maxim or something similar. Its not a movie magazine anymore, its a lads mag. I always thought of Total Film being the fun magazine, and Empire the more serious read. Now though, Empire has completely just dropped out of orbit and crash landed into the bog of eternal stench. I hate it, and wouldn`t read it again were it not for the fact that I`m waiting for my subscription to run out.

Agreed that Total Film is the better option, and I buy that religiously.

Anyone remember Neon? that was the best film magazine for a while.. shame it had to close... I buy a good one in Borders on Oxford Street..It`s called Little White lies, and there have only been a few sporadic issues so far as I can work out.
The first one I got was a life aquatic special and it was great, lovely graphics everywhere, and interesting - not run of the mill - reviews. Next issue was all Sin City, and the latest one I got was a Land of the Dead Romero edition.. There is a new one out, see earlier link, so time providing I`ll nip out and get that at lunchtime.
As much as I wanted to I never got on with Sight and Sound, but I did always like the fact that they would tell you the length of a film in feet. My views on Empire are in Ben`s thread. If I want a mag to read on a flight I`ll buy Total Film, but I never really read it. The film reviews and interviews in most newspapers are better, and the gossip almost keeps pace with that interwebby thing I keep hearing about.

"I`m sick wit dis, straight gangsta mack
but sometimes I get ridiculous"

neon, whilst it was out, was a fantastic little mag good alterantive to the others.

i used to buy empire all the time, first got it in 94 i think. and most months i also bought total film and film review and impact which was great for asian cinema until it gave half of the mag over to normal films, because i love film.

but then i got a computer and went online, and apart from one or two, lord of the rings and star wars covers, i havent bought for over 2 years, i dont see the need. although i still look at empire if im in the shops and check out their website, still like to read their reviews before any others.

I haven`t picked up a mag in years. Neon was good while it lasted, and the last issue of Empire I looked at was the one in which they awarded Independence Day five red stars. Sometimes that`s all it takes.

I get Hotdog which kinda reminds me of Neon, its a shame that the Hotdog letters page isn`t answered by someone like Mr Miyagi like in one of the old Neon editions.

floyd


SALE/TRADE HERE!!!

I used to get empire from about 14-18ish, so I stopped buying it regularly about 8 years ago. I pick it up now and then when im waiting for a train, mainly to see if its got better. It hasnt.

The last one I got had a flipped back cover celebrating however many years of 20th century fox, which amounted to, basically, a 30 page `advertising feature`. Im not paying 4 quid for the priviledge of Fox pimping their films to me and, as such, wont be buying it again.

I went through a phase of getting Total Film for a while and quite enjoyed that.

I dunno...Its a curse thats afflicting most magazines. SFX has almost as many `advertising features` as articles now. Thankfully, some of them are reasonably interesting and pimp fairly obscure stuff, but its still a lot to swallow.

And while were on the subject, my favourite games mag, GamesTM, is skating on thin ice at the moment. Im no prude, but it is a shade embarassing when you are reading a games mag on the train and every other page is wall to wall adverts for `DIRTY SCHOOL GIRLS WHO GO LIKE A JACKHAMMER!!`. Not only does it reaffirm the notion that gamers are a `bit sad`, but it also gives the impression you are reading a porno.... Not cool.

I don`t read any film magazines at all. I find they give away far too much of the storyline(this is true of most movie reviews in my opinion).

The way i do it is to use Rottentomatoes and just try to get a feel for what the critics are saying, without finding out any specifics. It`s not foolproof, but i prefer it to having every movie spoiled for me.