Are new trends in the movie theater experience over the last couple of years driving movie patrons to watch from their living room couches? Spiraling costs, commercials before films and increasingly rude behavior by patrons with cell phones are three good reasons for some to stay home instead of stepping into your local movie house. How do you want to watch a film?
I’m a film lover. I enjoy movies in the theater at a rate of one to three every week. I don’t believe that you can beat seeing a film in a theater such as the Paseo in Pasadena, California. Nice big curved screens. Comfortable seats in a stadium seating format. Good sound. Good quality prints most of the time. Cherry or Coke Icee available at the concession stand. And the fun of meeting a friend for a night out. These are the things that make me go to a movie theater.
The payoff is seeing a really good film. I’ve seen some great films lately such as Memoirs of a Geisha, Brokeback Mountain, Match Point and last weekend Munich. The answer in the title question above would have been yes. The answer to the question as I thought of it in reference to the film King Kong would have been no. Why are more people answering no to that question now? Hollywood has been asking that question all 2005 with the declining box office receipts.
Costs have become prohibitive for many. The total of $17.25 for one person (with no popcorn) is likely to keep most families at home in front of the TV instead with a film from Netflix or Blockbuster. You can rent a film for the cost of the parking and view with the number of persons you choose with some cheap microwave popcorn and a few sodas. A family of four could watch a film with popcorn and soda for about $10.00. To enjoy the same film in the theater with soda alone could easily run $51.00 for that same family of four. Is Hollywood ever going to lull that family back into the theater? Probably not. They’ll have to wait till the kids are older and the parents can drop them off at the theater on a Saturday afternoon with a group of their friends.
Other factors have soured some on the theater experience. I know that one of my pet peeves in the last few years have been the increasing number of commercials before the previews (which are commercials themselves). I’m in there paying for the film, paying to park and for the food, why am I seeing commercials for products other than film? If I’m home and paying for premium channels, I’m paying not to watch commercials so why am I seeing them in a theater before the film. Last time at the Paseo there were 5 before the previews. Come on Hollywood and theater owners, give us a break. Ditch the commercials!
Kids and adults on cells phones. What part of the word rude do these people not understand? Talking on cell phones in a theater during a film or in the next bathroom stall is incredibly rude to others. This includes being rude to the person you’re talking to on the phone as they listen to you or someone else go to the bathroom or flush the toilet. Knock it off! Parents, teach your kids to knock it off. It’s called respect for others. The same goes for talking and yelling across the theater to your friends during a film. Don’t do it! They’ll be there after the film to talk to. I promise (unless I’ve clobbered them with my turned off cell phone).
The cost of seeing a film will never go down and only up in the future. Hopefully the other factors are something that can be worked on, but maybe the reality is the future of movie watching is changing forever or even evolving. It’s still a huge industry, but perhaps the home industry needs to have as much consideration as the theater when it comes to releases. Steven Soderbergh is one filmmaker who is actually doing a dual theatrical and TV Friday release then DVD release Tuesday of his film Bubble. The industry will be watching. The future may be a balancing act between those who want to watch films in a movie theater and those who prefer a home theater experience. There certainly is room for both.
Thanks, Marie (that was a writing class assignment)
Friday, January 27, 2006
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