Feature: The Future of Cinema: Part 1 of 2
We are in an awkward period for the Film Industry, where the way people watch film is rapidly changing. With most Cable companies providing great On-Demand services, the ability to construct a home theater with a killer sound system more affordable then ever, why would the general public go to see a film at your local cineplex?
The Loews Boston Common costs an average $10.25 for admission to their theater. If you decide to skip the lines and order ahead, you have to pay a whopping $11.25 just to save yourself the trouble of showing up and finding the movie sold out. After paying $22.50 for you and your date (or sibling), you have to find a seat in a usually filthy theater, (sometimes moviegoers are so into the film they are watching, they throw a nice red gummy bear that sticks and melts to the screen), then you fall victim to the Preshow entertainment. I personally would have no problem with this preshow advertising, if in fact it made my ticket prices go down, rather then going up, because they are slowly becoming much more intrusive, silly, and lame. The next aspect of seeing a film at this particular Loews may not quite be any sort of Preshow entertainment, but it borders between a rude Vaudevillian comedy act to obnoxious. A gentleman rolls his little popcorn/drink cart into the theater, and though I've never purchased anything from this man, I'm going to say its pretty safe to say that the ice has melted and watered down his soda, and the popcorn is cold. This guy gives you his "pitch," is heckled at, tells you that you'll be "kicked out" for smuggling in outside food, then, rolls out just as the previews start to roll.
To top off any lack of incentive, the average DVD release for a film is now three months! A movie has essentially a week to do well, bomb, then go to DVD. Where you can purchase from as low as 19.99! So for the price of admission for you and a date, you can OWN the film.
All this is stated, and probably the fact above all, pretty much every film the studios have been putting out have been mediocre at best.
This is what the theater going experience has been reduced to. What would one want to do? Fall victim to high price points with low return, or just spend the money to make your own theater. But then, there are still pros to going to the movies at the theater. Nothing can mimic the feel of those seats, the fact that you are actually AT the movies. The smell of popcorn in the air, the hum of the 35mm projector, the grain on the screen. Reasons still exist to attend the cinema, but certain things must be changed:
-Lower admission
-Better theater going experience
-Stop making bad films.
The Loews Boston Common costs an average $10.25 for admission to their theater. If you decide to skip the lines and order ahead, you have to pay a whopping $11.25 just to save yourself the trouble of showing up and finding the movie sold out. After paying $22.50 for you and your date (or sibling), you have to find a seat in a usually filthy theater, (sometimes moviegoers are so into the film they are watching, they throw a nice red gummy bear that sticks and melts to the screen), then you fall victim to the Preshow entertainment. I personally would have no problem with this preshow advertising, if in fact it made my ticket prices go down, rather then going up, because they are slowly becoming much more intrusive, silly, and lame. The next aspect of seeing a film at this particular Loews may not quite be any sort of Preshow entertainment, but it borders between a rude Vaudevillian comedy act to obnoxious. A gentleman rolls his little popcorn/drink cart into the theater, and though I've never purchased anything from this man, I'm going to say its pretty safe to say that the ice has melted and watered down his soda, and the popcorn is cold. This guy gives you his "pitch," is heckled at, tells you that you'll be "kicked out" for smuggling in outside food, then, rolls out just as the previews start to roll.
To top off any lack of incentive, the average DVD release for a film is now three months! A movie has essentially a week to do well, bomb, then go to DVD. Where you can purchase from as low as 19.99! So for the price of admission for you and a date, you can OWN the film.
All this is stated, and probably the fact above all, pretty much every film the studios have been putting out have been mediocre at best.
This is what the theater going experience has been reduced to. What would one want to do? Fall victim to high price points with low return, or just spend the money to make your own theater. But then, there are still pros to going to the movies at the theater. Nothing can mimic the feel of those seats, the fact that you are actually AT the movies. The smell of popcorn in the air, the hum of the 35mm projector, the grain on the screen. Reasons still exist to attend the cinema, but certain things must be changed:
-Lower admission
-Better theater going experience
-Stop making bad films.
posted by Vatche at 8:57 AM
0 comments
