re: Will we ever hit a point where movie theaters

quote:

---

These people complaining probably go to movies on weekend nights at 8 on one of the first weekends of a movie opening. There are numerous ways around that. Weeknights pretty much kill all of the annoying shite. Waiting a while to see a movie does as well. Going to afternoon showings works. These are all obvious but I feel like people still don't do it.

---

This is the main problem people have but they must not be smart enough to realize it.

I see at least one movie a week most weeks two, but I go on a weekday afternoon/evening. I can usually count on one hand the amount of people in the theater. Always an enjoyable experience.

I haven't been to a movie after 7pm on a weekend in years b/c of the problems you encounter. But the problems, rude people on phones, talking, texting, getting up constantly, etc. are creeping into what was once considered the safe zone. I saw the re-release of Lion King in 3D at 9pm on a Wed. night. The jackass teenager next to me was on his phone the whole time. I was trying to figure out why what appeared to be an 18ish male would be in the movie alone. I repeatedly asked him to put his phone away and he would sigh heavy and do it for a while, but then get back on it.

At a weeknight showing of Dark Shadows in a nearly empty theater an older couple with their grandchildren came and sat right in front of us and then proceeded to be rude the entire time(kids talking, pulling Subway sandwiches out of grandma's purse and rustling the paper, dropping the coke bottles on the floor that grandma also took out of her purse, etc.

At a Sunday matinee(1st showing of the day at 10am) of Les Miserables with mostly older watchers(like 50 and up older), phones ringing, constant getting up to leave the theater and come back etc. Raised whispers to explain what was going on to their companion, loud snoring etc. etc.

I HATE going to the movies nowadays. I am looking forward to the Alamo Drafthouse which is being built not far from my house. They have a strict policy on talking, phones, etc. and they will kick people out. I will patronize them often if they can keep the distractions away.

quote:

---

To the OP. The issue isn't theaters, it is the city you live in. I have never had these problems where I live.

---

When did I state that these were my issues? I actually tend to have good experiences at theaters, but I'd still prefer to avoid them most of the time.

Here is how I look at it. There are few movies I want to see in the theater. If I do go, I have a buddy I go with, and that's really the only reason I go is to hang out. And in the several years we've been doing this, we have maybe been to maybe 2 opening night showings. The rest are afternoons when our kids are out doing stuff with the moms. Or late at night when everyone is going to bed. It's easy to avoid the teens and dumb asses if you pick and choose when and where you go. Finally, any movie I want to see is available on a torrent site pretty much immidiately so, if there is something I want to see but not in the theater, i'll download it.

quote:

---

This is the main problem people have but they must not be smart enough to realize it.

I see at least one movie a week most weeks two, but I go on a weekday afternoon/evening.

---

Not everyone has that luxury.

I sort of do this. I haven't been to the movies in a while. I'd much rather chill at home and watch it considering the investment I've put into sound and picture.

Not to mention it ends up costing over 20$ a person to go and I'd much rather just get the blu ray and be able to watch it again whenever I want

quote:

---

I think they may be more worried about cannibalization of movie sales. It's not like they can do a head count before showing the movie at someone's home so they probably have to target an average audience size. The experimentation they've done has been around the $60 price point IIRC. That price may be fine for a family or a group of friends, but why would a couple or a single person pay that much of a premium for home viewing?

---

Well they can do a head count, there are webcams and software that can count how many people are in a room. So they could figure that out.

And they are not thinking outside the box for business models either. yes, you will get lower attendence in the theater but if priced appropriately, you get a larger audience plus fewer people to share the pie with. you could also do subscriptions, i.e. one new movie a month for $X but you have to buy a year.

I really think the bigger worry is piracy. once you stream it, its going to get ripped and posted online.

quote:

---

get bypassed by some form of electronic means to view a new film at home?

Seems like a lot of people already dislike theaters due to the crowd, noise, costs, etc and with televisions in most homes only getting larger and nicer, will we hit a point where the theater is deemed unnecessary? I'm thinking of it in the same scenario of redbox/netflix/etc killing off rental stores.

---

This was my idea for my business class. Was told it would be too hard for the movie studios to keep track of their sales or some BS.

People liked it, but didn't think it would work.

quote:

---

theaters that serve meals, alcohol, etc

---

For people that have been to these (I Have not), ever had any trouble with someone being hammered?