Anyone else feel like movie theaters are going to be extinct?

I mean, these days, movies come out a couple months after leaving theaters, on DVD and Blue Ray. We have large LCD TV's at home (some even have 3D TVs), nice sound systems, etc. If everyone in my household goes to the movies, it's a pretty expensive affair. Or, we can pay one price to rent a movie, and everyone can watch it (and pause if someone has to go, etc.). We can kill the lights, pop some popcorn, flip on the Bose surround sound, and watch a movie on a 60" screen that we're 10' away from. (and we can do it in comfortable seats).

Normally, I'm a pretty avid movie goer, but lately (past 6 months or so), I just find it hard to justify the expense when a little patience is fine.

reply to post by Gazrok


I find it to be the opposite, with the excellence of the IMAX 3D experience that will cost you over 2 million to replicate at home, the answer is NO.

Also the theaters are more full than they have been in years.

I agree.

Movie theaters are definitely dieing out, the constant price hiking is both necessary for them to stay open whilst also strangulating the public's pockets and attitude.

Why spend a DVD price on a large dark room full of strangers who wont pause it if you need a pee, when you can wait a month or two and buy it, own it forever and show it/lend it to your family and friends?

I highly suspect this is why the Xbox One has the technology to scan faces watching the screen with its kinect: i bet M$ and the movie companies will want to move the movie experience to the front room with real time assessments of the audience.

Its coming. We know it. They know it.

reply to post by Gazrok

Movie theaters have already gone extinct, as far as I am concerned. I would much rather wait for them to come to my DVD system, and watch them in the comfort of my own home. The only thing that movie theaters serve a purpose for anymore is having somewhere decent to take a date to; if movie theaters go all together it may completely take all the chivalry out of the modern relationships.

reply to post by Gazrok


Yes & No.

Theaters will need to evolve to deliver a superior movie experience.
And for the most part they are.

Most people don't have the money to install thousands of dollars of high end tv's or high end sound systems in their homes.
So movie theaters will play a role in delivering that movie experience to those people that want "the movie theater experience".

I don't think so, going to the Pictures is still a better experience than any home movie theater and even I at the age of 39 still get a little giddy when I go to the pictures.

Seems to depend on where you are,they are building a bunch here in midland,there is even a drive in here.Try getting in on a weekend,the line of cars makes me think of race day.

With regards to people not visiting the cinema anymore in the future, made me think back 30 years ago, or so…..

I remember when VCR’s first came popular here in the UK, in the early eighties, their popularity was unreal. A new video shop seemed to open every other day, people were renting out video’s in bucket loads, I remember it so well…

I actually remember buying my first video player which was about 600 pounds, which was a load of money then, compared to the items you can buy today for relatively nothing. That was when the cinema’s took a big slump…

Lots of people then would go and rent video’s to last them the whole week or even the weekend, get the beers in, get the snacks in and invite loads of friends round for a video fest…

That was when nobody went to the cinema, most of our old local cinema’s closed down and many people chose to stay indoors. I think now that people are more avid users of the cinema because even today they cannot really get the best quality sensation possible compared to that of the big screen, even though we now have TV’s larger then a house…

The cinema is still magical to me today, ever since I went to see The Jungle Book in 1967, my first movie experience ever. The 1970’s cinema experience was wonderful, first you would have two short films and then you would get the main flick. In those days you could go to the cinema, pay your money and stay in the same seat all day for no extra cost and watch them over and over again. Try doing that today…..

Oooh, and the luxury to sit there with a nice beer and enjoy a cigarette in the smoking section without being told off by the anti cigarette smoking people of today....haha

Mmmmmmmm, the smell of the popcorn….

reply to post by davethebear


I used to goto the now knocked down Davenport theater and they had half time breaks so the ice cream lady could sell drinks and stuff and while she was selling a dude on the big organ came up and played songs
Eeeee those were the days

Cinema is evolving. While the younger generation uses tech the older generation still like to "get out". As a result you are seeing many more movies tailored to the older crowd.

Back when it was just me and the wife, it was one thing. But now, if we go to the movies, like 4 or 5 of us, depending. So, it really changes the financial outlay, especially if you add in drinks and concessions. Also, while I would pay even a 200% markup, I really can't even ethically agree with charging $5 for a cup of soda, or $5 for a box of candy I can pick up for $1 (so both of these are a 500% markup). I realize this is where they make their money, but it doesn't change the fact that it is serious price gouging, if not plain extortion.

My home setup is nice, but it isn't thousands...(and though nice and high end, we got everything from former owners, like through E-bay, craigslist, etc.) . Still, it is certainly enjoyable to watch movies on.

Granted, there are some films I just have to see when they are out, but those are becoming few and far between. Like the next Hobbit, or when Star Wars VII comes out, etc. I just wonder if theaters will survive that long, and if they do, what will it cost to see them? IMAX? Been there, not so impressed. I do enjoy well done 3D ones though. But, won't be too long before we all have 3D TVs I'd wager.

Originally posted by boymonkey74
reply to post by davethebear

 

I used to goto the now knocked down Davenport theater and they had half time breaks so the ice cream lady could sell drinks and stuff and while she was selling a dude on the big organ came up and played songs

Eeeee those were the days

Hey boymonkey74, now you are making me feel old....haha..............but saying that, they were good times....yeah, I remember the interval in the middle of the movie and the usherette's coming and standing at the end of the aisle by the screen and selling ice-creams and the like.

In those days you would know that you could actually go to the toilet half way through the movie for a good pee....haha.........today it is just a conveyor belt, they get you in, you watch the movie, you try not to pee yourself and then they herd you out again like sheep.....Baaaaaaaaa!!

reply to post by intrepid


The Cinema Draft Houses are a cool concept. Can eat dinner and watch a movie. Now, if they'd just do it with multiple screens, sound at the tables, and first run movies, they might survive more. I've seen "Premium" theaters try this out too (adult only, so no crying babies....who takes a baby to see Prometheus anyhow?)......

I hate going to the movies! Everything is way overpriced and uncomfortable to see a movie that will not be very good. Maybe I'm one of those people who cannot find anything in popular culture to be entertaining.

reply to post by Phoenix267


I always smuggle my own sweeties and pop in, I did go through a stage of getting nachos with lots of chillies but at 6 quid a pop I had to stop

I believe they'll evolve.

My prediction is that within 10 years, they will turn into things more like the old-time stages. only, instead of live actors, movies will be played holographically. Think 'tupac' hologram.

Its completely feasible already. replace normal movie screens with a green screen and then have a deep stage where you project the holograms.

reply to post by boymonkey74


You call it pop! Awesome. My friend and I used to smuggle McDonald's into the movie. Like fries, cheese burgers and what not. Dear God we must have smelled horrible. I did like the ice cream because they're the only people who serve ice cream on a cone in my area.

I use to be a huge movie goer, at least 3 times a week. However with the decline of decent movies with original thought and the increase in ticket prices I barely go 3 times a year now.

The last movie I saw in theaters was The Hobbit. I just don't see paying $12 bucks for a ticket and then another $15 for snacks ( I like to sneak my own in but sometimes I don't get the chance to) it gets expensive. When my husband and I went to the movies back in January/February we saw Nemo in 3D. It was over $20 for the tickets total and another $25 at concession! We vowed after that to just watch movies at home unless it was worth the price to go. The only movie I want to see next in theaters is the next Thor movie. I'd like to see Iron Man but with a newborn, that won't be happening lol so I will wait for DVD or online rental I can view through the Roku.


I think one day theaters will be irrelevant. It may not be any time soon but I think it will happen. It is getting too expensive and it is cheaper to just watch it from the comfort of your own home. I know theater seats are not comfy for the most part and you have people talking or walking infront of you. I would rather be at home in my pj's watching a movie.

I know some say but what about "IMAX and 3D", well those are not enough imo to hold up the movie industry. A ticket for IMAX here is like $16 bucks I believe, no thanks! I could buy it on DVD in 6 mths for that price.

I use to love the days of matinee prices (4-6pm) of $3.25! There was a little theater where I use to live and they always had the Horror Fest movies and many of the independent movies that i wanted to see. I use to go there at least 3-4 times a week. Sometimes I'd see two movies in a row, they were an awesome little theater.

reply to post by Gazrok


The box office is alive and well but, like you, I want no part of it and only go if the kids want to see something in particular (like once a year).

Without fail some tall dude or lady with the big hair sits right in front of me, screaming kids all around, I hate the food they offer, the seats are uncomfortable, if you have to go to the bathroom you miss parts, you can't be in your pajamas lol, etc.

At home, we can all lounge in our jammies, sit in bed/hang out on the couch, eat whatever we want, pause for bathroom breaks or important phone calls, cuddle with our pets, and not have to put up with inconsiderate people.

Win!

Originally posted by Gazrok
I mean, these days, movies come out a couple months after leaving theaters, on DVD and Blue Ray...

The Hollywood news in the last few years isnt so much that people are leaving movie theaters in favor of DVD's, its actually that people are leaving DVD's in favour of (legal) downloads.

An article from 2011 describes: Ownership of TV Sets Falls in U.S.

An article from 2011 says:

Hollywood in turmoil as DVD sales drop and downloads steal the show
Online rental and streaming saw the DVD market plunge by 20% in the first quarter of this year

And it got worse in 2012 with the hadline calling it DVD death.

So what this means for the Hollywood studios is that a full 50 percent of their profit base (the DVD's) has been lost in just the last few years.

According to Lynda Obst:

Hollywood’s completely broken.

“The implications are— you’re seeing the implications—the implications are, those studios are frozen. The big implication is that those studios are—not necessarily inappropriately—terrified to do anything because they don’t know what the numbers look like.”