My thoughts on…the death of the movie theatre
October 4th 2006 -
I don’t go to the movies very often. In fact, the last two times I went were to watch movies with my family, movies my sister wanted to see. The other times were on school trips. I’ve never gone to the movies just to watch a movie, not even to make out. At one point, my behaviour was ridiculed. Who doesn’t go to the movies? But there are a growing number of people like me nowadays, people who are just content to stay at home and wait a yaer or so until the latest movie comes out on TV. When people ask me why I do this, I mostly say that it’s because I’m fighting suck-spewing Hollywood, but mostly its because nothing draws me to the movies anymore. The last movie that made me feel that way was Star Wars Episode III. Missing the big screen release has become one of my life’s great regrets, but knowing George Lucas, he’ll re-release it to keep his cash pile high.
Nowadays the only people who go to the movies are adolescent males hoping to be made men under the soft glow of the movie projector or overworked moms who want to shut up their spoiled kids. This has caused me to ask myself, is the movie theatre dead? Pretty much, because of file sharing and DVDs, people don’t need to go and see the movies anymore. Who wants to contend with obnoxious people, ringing cellphones, crying babies and overpriced snacks when you can watch a movie in the comfort of your own home, as much times as you want. It’s beginning to show in cinemas nowadays. They’re raising ticket prices and scaling down their operations.
But there is hope. As much as I rarely watch movies at the theatre, I do like the experience, especially when its a good movie. The cheers of the audience, the ear-shattering sound and the big screen help to make a movie more exciting than when you’re watching it on the boob tube at home. I would like to see the movie threatre being resurrected. How? Well, Hollywood can make better movies, instead of these crappy ones obviously made to pay the studio bills, and movies at the theatres should become more interactive, like DVDs. Maybe each moviegoer can have a pair of glasses that allow him/her to be fully immersed in the movie experience without being disturbed by happenings on the outside. My point is, technology is evolving rapidly, yet movie theatres haven’t changed much since the days of black and white. And they’d better, or else it will go the way of so many other primitive forms of entertainment. Like reading.
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Abeni Says:
October 4th, 2006 at 6:13 pm
Am still a faithful moviegoer.I just like the big screen,surround sound and all that.I was actually going to the movies today but I postponed it
Mad Bull Says:
October 4th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
I love going to the movies too… its great fun. Its just that one has to find a sitter or thr movie plan goes into the shi^^er.
Cuppojoe Says:
October 4th, 2006 at 10:03 pm
I’d like to say, first of all, that I still enjoy going to the theatre once in a while. However, like you, I am sick and tired of the crap Hollywood pumps out. So, here’s how I think they should deal with it:
Decide on an upper-limit for ticket prices, say, $10. Then, scale the ticket prices depending on how well the movie does in its opening weekend, first week, etc. That way, if Hollywood wants to ensure that they actually make money off a movie, they’ll first have to ensure it doesn’t suck!
Seriously, when was the last time a Yugo cost the same as a Ferrari? Or steak at Denny’s cost the same as a T-Bone at a high-end restaurant? They say you get what you pay for… Well, you should only pay for what you get, too!
taylor Says:
October 4th, 2006 at 10:33 pm
the movie industry is dead mainly because of tun tunnaaa…. (fanfare sounds) piracy i mean come on before you had to go to the theatre or literally wait a year or more to watch it on tv.. now you dont go the theatre you can even watch it before it gets to the theatre. so thats the main reason behind the death of the theatre adn when it comes to certain movies you better see that shit in the theatre or you’ll nver get the real experience unless your like rick james rich bitch to have your own theatre at home..
starwars all episodes are theatre watches
xmen are theatre watches
the matrix are theatre watches
lucky number slevin can be a theatre watch.. good movies deserved to be seen on the big screen with real surround with echo proof/padded/carpeted wallss.. yes i’m a movie buff of some sort
Atul Says:
October 5th, 2006 at 2:19 am
The same thing is happening with movies as has happened with music. The entertainment industry just likes to get greedy and overcharge for a product that has minimal variable cost. So people who can’t afford it find alternatives and now technology has caught up with them. I believe theaters and movie producers are starting to innovate with nicer theaters and 3D movies, but home entertainment systems provide a great experience too.
I think piracy is a bit overblow as I wrote about a while ago,
http://uh2l.blogs.com/things_ive_noticed/2006/07/the_overblown_p.html
but part of the problem is that the companies produce lots of junky movies, (probably again out of greed). I like cuppojoe’s idea to charge for how good the movie is although a low price will inherently tell people that a movie might not be so good.
aarond Says:
October 5th, 2006 at 4:28 am
Who knows maybe its because I live in California or the fact that right now I am crashing on an actors couch in West Hollywood, but I still like to sometimes sit in a movie theater and have my ears be bombarded by sounds that I cannot emulate in my appt or to have my eyeballs seared with colors and lights that my TV only pretends to produce — I still believe in movie magic so I still believe in going to the movies nothing beats a good movie, but because of the cost of a ticket $10.50US now I have to filter my choices more than ever
Scratchie Says:
October 5th, 2006 at 9:27 am
Well I go to movies for the over-priced hotdogs. Haven’t figured out how to get it tasting like the ones at the theatre…(must be using the wrong bacteria mix :D)
Most of the movies coming out these days gets a “can wait on the cable release” rating from me.
Ri Says:
October 5th, 2006 at 9:34 am
I don’t know if you heard about the firestorm that erupted when Cayman’s only Cinema was acquired by persons from, er, a neighbouring island. Thing is, the new owners decided to have intermissions in the middle of every movie, a practice which is acceptable in er, that neighbouring island. And then,one of the erstwhile owners wrote a letter to the paper saying that the complaints were “borne of what one is accustomed to”. Very pompous and condescending, I thought.
Anyway, a newer, larger, better cinema is about to open, which will take us back to normalcy, in 2007. Thank God for a free market.
CoolDestiny Says:
October 5th, 2006 at 11:06 am
I haven’t been to the movies in a while. Have been getting the DVDs even before the theatre releases the movie. I’m one to always take box seats so I’m saving on average $1,500 by watching the movie at home. I agree that they need to make the theatre experience more interesting. And for real, there’s nothing like the amplified sound effects, the cheers and comments of the other patrons. You just don’t get that at home. I too love the movie snacks!!
Gela's Words Says:
October 9th, 2006 at 8:48 am
I haven’t gone to the movies in a while, don’t really go a lot. I usually just wait on the movie to hit cable.
My thoughts on…the relevance of the Oscars on My thoughts…on stuff Says:
February 25th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
[...] and people just aren’t as fascinated with Hollywood as they once were, as evidenced by declining movie attendance and…as I just said, Oscar viewership. Still, I guess it has its place. Actors deserve thanks [...]