Tonight Melissa and I went to see the movie “The Day the Earth Stood Still”. This post isn’t about the movie but the theater experience itself. Her and I don’t go to the movie theater very often. Once every few months it seems. There was a time in my life about eight or nine years ago when I used to go every weekend, sometimes twice. But in those years between now and then the experience has changed. It’s like everyone seemed to forget how to act in a theater. People talking, kicking seats, playing on their cell phones and that’s just the audience. Then there are the outrageous ticket prices and the even worse concession stand prices. Three dollars for a bottle of Aquafina, are you kidding me? Then of course there are the commercial advertisements they decide to show both before the movie trailers AND after.
It’s no wonder the theater was mostly dead tonight, a Saturday night, the second night after the opening of a movie that obviously Hollywood believed would have a big turn out. Well it didn’t and I can see why now.
Some years back I heard about an idea the movie studios were kicking around. The idea was to release movies on DVD the same time they released them in the theaters. I’m not sure why it didn’t happen, but I have only to guess that the theater chains probably complained about the idea. Who can blame them, it would have killed their business. After all why would anyone spend the money on two tickets at $18-20 to see a movie in a theater with loud annoying people, when for the same price they could own the movie on DVD and watch it in the comfort of their own home? The studios make more money these days off the DVD sales then the theater sales anyway.
Maybe it is time for movie theaters to end. To go out of business. Maybe that business model just doesn’t work anymore. Especially for a society that seems to have turned into an ADHD ridden, text message addicted group of self righteous individuals who can’t seem to remember how to properly behave in a movie theater.
That said, I am a guy who makes films myself and have referred to the movie theater in the past as my “church”. A holy place of great experiences. But even I must confess that the time for pop culture movie theaters should perhaps come to an end.
I totally agree… It doesn’t make a lot of sense to continue to go out of your way and spend hard earned money (which is hard to come by these days) to put up with childish people. I too remember enjoying the movie experience. Ah… to smell the popcorn popping and to sit back and relax a great movie with “theater” sound! Now the smells have changed and the only sound you really get is cell phones and baby cries…
I totally agree with the person above. I used to love going to the movies and eating the popcorn (best popcorn ever)…but now you can’t sit through a movie without someone talking or a phone ringing. Or a couple with kids who won’t keep them quiet or at least in their seats. It’s so irritating. It’s not really enjoyable anymore.
exactly… i guess it’s more of a nostalgic thing that people want to keep theaters around. but it’s sad to think that movies have even changed their format to evolve to the adhd people out there… constant scene changes. i personally like old movies better but I guess I have a longer attention span than most. most movies suck today anyway.
@jewjewbeedragon – @untainted_love_for_her –
It really is kind of sad. I still believe there is a place for the big screen when it comes to epic event movies. Or at best I still hope there is. But I really do think the world and people are changing. We live in a world now where it’s only a matter of months between the theatrical release and the DVD release. I remember when I was a kid it could take a year or more between the theatrical release and the VHS tape. But what’s more, often times you can go on the
internet and find a leaked copy of the movie only days or weeks after
it was released to the theater. Or so I’ve heard.
Plus people liked going to the theater back then, you didn’t have to deal with cell phones and generally people behaved. I sound like an old fart “these kids these days…” lol.
Don’t get me wrong, I think movie theaters will always be around to some extent. But I can foresee the big chain theaters disappearing in ten to twenty years and only the small indie theaters showing niche films actually sticking around. Those theaters because of the films they show, will cater to a more sophisticated art house crowd.
@shes_lump –
I agree with you. But then I have to admit I can also see myself changing. I have less tolerance these days then I used to. But if the film is good and the pacing it good it doesn’t matter, I’ll watch it even if it’s three hours long and a little slower overall.
Agreed before to long there won’t be many people going to the theatres for the simple reason of how fast producers can get them out on DVD. Not many people will want to go. It’s kind of sad.