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Theater owners too obsessed with home viewing?
posted by
Michael Zoldessy
on
July 8, 2011 at 7:40 am
In Tech Dirt, they put out the idea that it’s the big theaters' fault for a declining box office. They claim that their preoccupation with tightening of the home release window instead of enhancement of their services is holding things back.
I’m constantly reading stories about the major chains opening up new glossy theaters so I feel there is still a trend to issue a better product to consumers. However, I think this writer does hit the nail on the head with the argument that people are also looking for a special experience.
Comments (10)
How ‘bout better movies and more choices. Dumb ass comedies and special effects are all that’s out there. I suppose that’s what the MTVers are used to…fast paced and brainless.
I agree with you, dhroc. Better movies and more choices, ranging from better newer movies to great old classic movies would be great, instead of movies that’re long on style (if one can call it that with a straight face!), and woefully short on substance. Many, if not movies coming out today reflect a trend that’s been going on for several decades; the dumbing down of America.
Amen, guys! Can’t put it any better myself.
Let me make that number four,Oh, for the days of"BUTCH CASSIDY and THE SUNDANCE KID".dhroc said IT.
Oh, for the days of West Side Story, Lawrence of Arabia, The Graduate, and many other great, golden oldie-but-keeper classics of the 1960’s and early 1970’s!
“Many, if not movies coming out today reflect a trend that’s been going on for several decades; the dumbing down of America.”
It may look that way to an adult, but what’s happened is that adults largely fled the moviegoing market and abandoned theaters to their kids. So movies made for adults have become few and far between, and the studios cater to the audience they have: kids. Naturally it has nothing to do with people being “dumber,” it has everything to do with appealing to kids' standards of entertainment, which are much different than adults.
But if you want to argue that today’s “Jackass” is so much dumber than yesteryear’s “Three Stooges,” you go right ahead…
The biggest problem with the article is that it was written by someone who has no experience in exhibition, and has only tangental and anecdotal “facts” to form their worldview.
One word…Netflix.
Most movies suck, the theatres are illkept, and the audiences are idiots who think they are sitting in their living rooms. When they sat going out to the movies in their slippers and robes I will definitely stay home. My wife and I saw “Larry Crowne” Saturday night. Despite what most critics said, we both enjoyed the film immensely. It had a good story (go figure!), no car chases or smashing wrecks, and no explosions. However, all during the movie people were checking their cell phones (I thought maybe senators or representatives or even the president were in the audience.) There was an older couple behind us that kept making comments to each other. This after the 20 at 20 commercials – that you see on TV – and about 8 previews before the movie even started. Gone are the days when people actually “behave” in theatres and there was a theatre staff that made sure they did. The multiplex that we have to patronize opened in 1990’s and I think it is still the original carpeting and seating in the theatre. So much for the entertainment starts at the curb!!!! My home theatre is looking much better each time I go to a multiplex!!!
dennisczimmerman, I agree that most movies today suck, and that they appeal to a lower level of intelligence, if one gets the drift. As a general rule, I avoid the multiplexes like the plague, because they play the schlockiest movies, and because there is so much more cellphone use and texting that goes on in those cineplexes.
I do not have a home theatre system, nor do I plan on getting one. Instead, I’ve held annual memberships to the two only independent, repertory/revival art movie theatres in our area, both of which show much better-quality films, thus making cell phone use and texting far less of a problem.
While unacceptable behavior always has been somewhat of a problem in movie theatres, which was immediately brought under control by ushers, the advent of cell phones and texting has brought unacceptable movie theatre behavior to newer, unprecedented levels.