Has the movie theater experience gone downhill for you too?

Question

When I was a kid, going to the movies was fun. Giant theater, civilized people, confortable seats. Now you have all these multiplexes with 50 screens so that each theater has smaller, unconfortable chairs, and the walls are so close to the sides of the screen that the light bounces off of them and distracts your viewing. Also, the people talk and act like jerks often which distracts even more. I like the trailers but what's with all those stupid commercials. About 15 minutes of commercials. Before there were none. Sky high ticket prices, about $10. I thought the addition of commercials and advertisements should make ticket prices go down. To me movie theaters suck now. I watch more dvd at home now more than ever.

Answer 1

Yep, I rarely go see a movie in the theaters anymore mainly because of the prices. But you're right, the jerks who won't shut up is annoying too. But really, I think the reason why the "movie-going experience" has gone down for me is because good movies are hard to come by these days. I'd almost rather go see a really good OLD movie in the theater again than go see a "just ok" new movie. Oh well, makes for better movie nights at home I guess.

Answer 2

I think you are being too harsh and not considering several points before making your judgment. I used to work at and later manage a UA movie theatre 10 years ago. At that time, ticket prices were $6.50, and in the same area the tickets are $9.00 now. That's an increase of just over 30%. That's actually not much when you consider inflation in general--a 30% increase in 10 years is lower than the average inflation during the same period. Another thing most people don't know is that movie theatres make absolutely NOTHING on ticket sales. That's right--not a single dime! The ticket revenue goes directly to the studios that produced the movie. How do theatres stay in business, then? Concessions. Popcorn, drinks, candy, etc. That's why popcorn is priced so high--not because they believe a large is actually worth $5.00, but because that's what they have to charge to stay in business. Thus, the reason they discourage bringing outside food and drink into the theatre. Customers that don't purchase concessions aren't making the movie theatre any money--they are actually costing the theatre money. And again, getting back to prices, 10 years ago our large popcorn was $3.75. It's not $5.00, and increase of just over 25%, far less than inflation overall. I suppose because the prices were high to begin with, people see any increase whatsoever as highway robbery, even though going to the movies now is actually cheaper in real dollars than it was 10 years ago.

The quality of the movies--I cannot argue with you there. That's something out of the theatre's control. Theatres show whatever Hollywood produces.

Answer 3

Yes, agree w/you totally. Many people today act as 'tho they're in their own living room w/the way they talk loudly, don't put their cells away, and come in late.

Food prices are equal to or more than the tickets themselves. I miss the little neighborhood theaters that were so common. Hate the ads but don't mind some of the trailers.

Despite all this, I still do like going if it's a movie I really cannot wait to see. Just the idea of getting out w/my husband is enjoyable and I will deal w/the annoyances depending on how badly I want to see the movie. When the lights go down, and the music starts, I get a feeling of anticipation that is reminiscent of how I felt as a little kid in the theater. Silly?

Answer 4

Yeah but you couldn't sneak into the next door movie if you didn't like the one you paid for! Or if you have all afternoon you can see 3 movies!

You forgot to mention how long first run movies were!

Remember when The Sound of Music played at one first run theater for OVER a year!

The last I remember of any of this was when "Back to the Future" first came out and it played at the Cinerama Dome on Sunset for like a month or more. That was still a single, big screen theater.

They even chopped up Grauman's Chinese into little screen theaters!

I also remember FREE noon movies on Saturday sponsored by BANKS, with a double feature and cartoon, 50 cent soda, 50 and 75 cent buttered popcorn and 35 cent candy (of course, it was 5 cents in the stores).

The show cartoons or shorts until about 1970.

The LAST double feature I remember was the re-issue of the first two Bond Films, From Russia With Love and Dr. No, which came right after the big hit with Goldfinger.

I remember in 1965 films like Dr. STrangelove playing alone at local theaters, because it was such a hit film.

Answer 5

I do feel that way a little. In the past year, I have seen 2 movies. I just don't have the time and I agree, prices are out of control.

There is a movie theatre near here that shows indies and foreign films. The line in their movie guide I always remember is: "people used to watch tv to watch something, now they watch anything." Or something like that. Anyway, the point of it is that people will watch anything and movies are not special, not events as they used to be. Now, it is so common to see a movie in the theatre in the multiplexes that the magic of the movies somehow is lost.

I would love to see a movie. I like being in a theatre with my popcorn watching something good. There also has not been anything good recently.

Answer 6

Yes and no. Sure, I miss the old "movie palaces," but I think that stadium-style seating is a HUGE improvement in theatre design...even if it was probably created to enable multi-plexes to cram even more screens into limited space.

Commercials? Yeah, they definitely take away from the experience. And, at the multiplex, you'll probably have to sit through at least a half-dozen trailers as well...most of which you've already seen a million times.

Cell phones? Aaaaaaargh! What is it that people just don't get about "Please SILENCE all cell phones and pagers now"...?!

Still...call me nuts, but there's just something beautiful about going to see a movie on the big screen (even if the screen isn't quite as BIG as it used to be).

Hey, I'm only in it for the popcorn.

Answer 7

in my view i imagine Nintendo is going downhill. Im not a fanboy or something notwithstanding the choose lacks good video games compared to the ps3 and 360. notwithstanding the wii does have some staggering video games. The wii does not have many good third get mutually video games and has an undesirable on-line gadget and lacks good pictures. notwithstanding Nintendo is dropping contact with reality. Nintendo looks obsessed on gimmicks fairly then what the customer needs notwithstanding Nintendo does make lots of the ideal video games accessible. sales smart Nintendo is doing the ideal. At this fee i imagine Nintendo ought to develop right into a third get mutually corporation in 6 years from now. with any success all which will replace with the wii U.

Answer 8

AMEN! I think if theaters are going to start 20 minutes late so that they can force us to watch Diet Coke and car commercials, they ought to lower the ticket prices!

And people are sooooo rude now no matter where you go! Everyone has a stupid cell phone and feels it's a "right" to talk on it in the theater! I think theaters ought to hire bouncers instead of these scared pubescent 15-year-old who can do nothing but gently tap the offending yaker on the knee and say "ummm, excuse me, sir, but would you mind please stop talking ok, sir?"

Uh-uh! We need big ol' Bruno the Bruiser marching in there to say "Hey, jerk! Wanna see if you get a better reception with that cell phone up your... ?"

Seriously, if the theaters would at LEAST enforce their rules and throw out these obnoxious jerks, maybe people would actually obey the rules!

Thanks for opportunity to rant! See you at Blockbuster! ;-)

Answer 9

I refuse to go to movies for the following reasons:
1) the tickets are too expensive
2) the concessions are too expensive
3) I refuse to pay to watch commercials
4) I refuse to sit through 6 previews for movies where the trailer is the best part of the movie
5) I refuse to sit in a theater that doesn't have a cell phone blocker installed
6) I refuse to sit in a theater where they allow little kids and babies
7) I refuse to sit in a theater where the ushers won't remove a$$holes who talk

Answer 10

Suspending disbelieve to enjoy a movie is even difficult with all news all the time around the world in an instant. Besides hollywood recycles so many storylines and steals many others from the instant news that originality is sorely lacking.
I agree with you - although maybe our age is a factor?