A Growing indifference to Cinema Going

[BAYLOR]

I used to watch Siskel and Ebert for two reasons: 1) They had the best clips. 2) Whatever movies they gave two thumbs down to were always the best!

I enjoyed their show. Even though I didn't agree with them on a number of occasion, they were both even entertaining. It's too bad that they are no longer with us . I miss that show.

 

[Cathbad]

I enjoyed their show. Even though I didn't agree with them on a number of occasion, they were both even entertaining. It's too bad that they are no longer with us . I miss that show.

It was entertaining, even though they had a consistent method: One movie Siskel would give a thumbs down to and Ebert a thumbs up; one with the thumbs reversed, one movie both thumbs down, and a foreign film they both gave a thumbs up to.

 

[HanaBi]

Another irritation with the cinema: chewing gum!

Chewing gum, empty crisp packets, chocolate wrappers, empty coke tins, popcorn cartons et al!

Quite often when I go into an auditorium some of the aisles and seats are littered with the above! And worse, some seats still have crushed crisps, melted chocolate and/or spilt liquids. And then of course there's the treading on chewing gum as you make your way through a busy aisle.

Of course nothing will top an unsavoury incident 10 years ago at a local Empire cinema, and finding a condom down the side of my seat! (for the sake of decency I will not expand on this further)

 

[Vince W]

Another irritation with the cinema: chewing gum!

Chewing gum, empty crisp packets, chocolate wrappers, empty coke tins, popcorn cartons et al!

Quite often when I go into an auditorium some of the aisles and seats are littered with the above! And worse, some seats still have crushed crisps, melted chocolate and/or spilt liquids. And then of course there's the treading on chewing gum as you make your way through a busy aisle.

Of course nothing will top an unsavoury incident 10 years ago at a local Empire cinema, and finding a condom down the side of my seat! (for the sake of decency I will not expand on this further)

I was about to say that if snack detritus was all you've had to contend with you should count yourself lucky, but I see that it's not.

 

[Daisy-Boo]

I hadn't gone to the cinema in years and then at the beginning of this year I suddenly wanted to get the cinema experience again. One of the two cinema chains in my country launched their VIP screens at a major mall close to me. I loved the experience. Large reclining leather chairs in small viewing rooms (between 20 and 25 seats), dedicated snack bar with alcohol and light meals available. I've seen a few films at VIP and it is the way to view movies. I hate sitting in the regular ones now.

 

[BAYLOR]

Thus far, I have not bothered going to the Cinema. The current crop of films and those up coming just don't appeal to me.

 

[Dave]

Thus far, I have not bothered going to the Cinema. The current crop of films and those up coming just don't appeal to me.

I saw Guardians of the Galaxy vol 2 last. On that occasion, there was no one eating, no one was talking or using their phone, no one pushied past with luggage cases to sit down, no one was puking or mooning, no babies were crying, no doors were slamming, no people were arguing or fighting, and no heart attacks stopped this performance (though I would have forgiven that.) All in all, it was an enjoyable experience.

 

[BAYLOR]

My favoritesummer movie years 1977, 1979,1980,81 and 82. After that they,the movies with some exceptions started to get less and less appealing.

 

[Dave]

My favoritesummer movie years 1977, 1979,1980,81 and 82. After that they,the movies with some exceptions started to get less and less appealing.

Surely, that is only a function of age - I'm assuming that you were younger then

However, there may be something in what you say. I think I've said before on Chronicles that when I was younger I would go to the cinema almost once a week and we would usually just pick something to watch when we got there. That happened to be about the same time period you mention and rarely was there nothing to choose from or that was really bad.

I think one difference is that more serious films were aimed at teenagers then, and many films now are made for women of a certain age. Many films aimed at teenagers now are trash, and many are for very niche audiences with a much less wide appeal.

 

[HanaBi]

My favoritesummer movie years 1977, 1979,1980,81 and 82. After that they,the movies with some exceptions started to get less and less appealing.

My years started in 1975 to about 85, beginning with all those "disaster" films such as Towering Inferno, Earthquake, The Hindenburg, Airport 75/77/79; and of course the likes of Star Wars, Alien, Jaws and Close Encounters to close the 70s and Star Wars, Back to the Future and Blade Runner into the early 80s

I was in my mid to late teens in that period - the cinema was cheap, as were the drinks and food; quite often there was a decent supporting film; and everyone knew cinema etiquette.

I don't doubt there are some very good films out there today, but it's just the uncivil patrons and the money-grabbing principles of the big chains I can no longer put up with.

 

[BAYLOR]

Surely, that is only a function of age - I'm assuming that you were younger then

However, there may be something in what you say. I think I've said before on Chronicles that when I was younger I would go to the cinema almost once a week and we would usually just pick something to watch when we got there. That happened to be about the same time period you mention and rarely was there nothing to choose from or that was really bad.

I think one difference is that more serious films were aimed at teenagers then, and many films now are made for women of a certain age. Many films aimed at teenagers now are trash, and many are for very niche audiences with a much less wide appeal.

Teenage to 20's after that time 1982 , The studios started making or more and more films that didn't care about and didn't like.

 

[Cathbad]

The Big Screen's days are numbered - a suicide by the film industry.

That day, if I live to see it, will be the third saddest day of my life.

When was this cinema etiquette everyone talks about? I sure don't remember it! Loud patrons, smokers, drunks - these have always been staples of the cinematic experience.

Perhaps it's our patience threshold that has actually changed?

No, the biggest three reasons cinemas will fail are (in order of relativity, in my opinion):

1) Expense. Movie tickets cost proportionately more than ever before. It isn't just inflation: By my calculations, inflation would have the price around $10 - $12, not $15 - $20. The snackbar is so overpriced as to be utterly ridiculous. In my youth and early adulthood, you had to arrive at the theater early, because you had to have time to wait in the long lines to get your drinks and snacks! Now, I bet most places feel lucky if they have six snackbar customers before a movie starts!

Also in this category is the diminishing costs of big-screen televisions and rented/purchased and free movies to watch. $20 per person per film, or $10 a month for the whole family - thousands of titles to choose from. Snacks of your choice, purchased at a quarter of the cost from the local Walmart.

2) Film CEOs. These are the people who decide which movies get made. For two decades now, the movies they decide on have mostly been repeats of the same stories, told over and over. Often literally, but also stylistically. My gads, how many times an they remake The Punisher's beginning?? CGI has replaced story-telling, and extreme visuals, FX and musical scores have tricked the public into not noticing that movie-makers no longer go by those time minimums, as the movies get shorter and shorter. (A 84 minute movie will often actually end at the 77 minute mark, showing four minutes of credits, followed by three minutes of black screen). If the decisions aren't taken out of the hands of CEO's, the end will come quicker.

3) Apathy. Seems like it's become the popular thing to dis movie-going. Complaining is the thing to do. "Too loud!" (always has been) "Too expensive!" (It is, but only complaining does little) "I hate the seating" (seating hasn't changed in 50 years, from what I've seen). etc. If you (yeah, YOU!) don't go to the movies, the friends you influence won't either. If you only go to movies of one genre, it won't be enough to sustain the industry.

If you don't support the Cinema, there won't be a Cinema.

And there is little more sad than that thought. When I consider the multitudes who'll never experience the true big-screen experience, it makes me want to cry.

 

[BAYLOR]

I

The Big Screen's days are numbered - a suicide by the film industry.

That day, if I live to see it, will be the third saddest day of my life.

When was this cinema etiquette everyone talks about? I sure don't remember it! Loud patrons, smokers, drunks - these have always been staples of the cinematic experience.

Perhaps it's our patience threshold that has actually changed?

No, the biggest three reasons cinemas will fail are (in order of relativity, in my opinion):

1) Expense. Movie tickets cost proportionately more than ever before. It isn't just inflation: By my calculations, inflation would have the price around $10 - $12, not $15 - $20. The snackbar is so overpriced as to be utterly ridiculous. In my youth and early adulthood, you had to arrive at the theater early, because you had to have time to wait in the long lines to get your drinks and snacks! Now, I bet most places feel lucky if they have six snackbar customers before a movie starts!

Also in this category is the diminishing costs of big-screen televisions and rented/purchased and free movies to watch. $20 per person per film, or $10 a month for the whole family - thousands of titles to choose from. Snacks of your choice, purchased at a quarter of the cost from the local Walmart.

2) Film CEOs. These are the people who decide which movies get made. For two decades now, the movies they decide on have mostly been repeats of the same stories, told over and over. Often literally, but also stylistically. My gads, how many times an they remake The Punisher's beginning?? CGI has replaced story-telling, and extreme visuals, FX and musical scores have tricked the public into not noticing that movie-makers no longer go by those time minimums, as the movies get shorter and shorter. (A 84 minute movie will often actually end at the 77 minute mark, showing four minutes of credits, followed by three minutes of black screen). If the decisions aren't taken out of the hands of CEO's, the end will come quicker.

3) Apathy. Seems like it's become the popular thing to dis movie-going. Complaining is the thing to do. "Too loud!" (always has been) "Too expensive!" (It is, but only complaining does little) "I hate the seating" (seating hasn't changed in 50 years, from what I've seen). etc. If you (yeah, YOU!) don't go to the movies, the friends you influence won't either. If you only go to movies of one genre, it won't be enough to sustain the industry.

If you don't support the Cinema, there won't be a Cinema.

And there is little more sad than that thought. When I consider the multitudes who'll never experience the true big-screen experience, it makes me want to cry.

As much as I might complain about The quality of the films offered and other issues,I to would hate to see the Cinema go away, something important. Would be lost. Back in the 1950's the studios outcompeted television by offering bigger wider sumptuous movie spectacles (Many of which are now classics like Ben Hur, Sparticus,The Ten Commandments,Suth Pacific,The King andI ) Which television (though it had better writing simply by couldn't match Hollywood movie revenue. Telvsion at that time couldn't attract big time A list stars unless they were Hollywood has beens. For along time, that worked and the movie companies prospered, that is untill the age modern cable tv and the internet and streaming began making inroads and now they can match Hollywood on the revenue side and aliters from Hollywood are doing telvsiion because they can far more in telvsion then they can on the big screen. The only ones that can solve some of these problems are the movie companies and the movie theaters. THeycanstar by offering better films at cheaper prices. ONe thing thestudies might consider doing is to ring back the movie serials. In this day and age they can do them a lot better. It's just a thought.

 

[Cathbad]

Won't happen, @BAYLOR . Studio execs are too scared to try things. Two decades at the most - then no more theaters.

 

[Overread]

I don't see them going away; box-office hits still make massive fortunes. I think the number and nature of films will change, especially as TV series are starting to get to a stage where a good TV series can carry itself with film production (or close enough). Used to be your average TV series just couldn't come close in any way to matching a film in scope and presentation; however some of the bigger companies are now able to do just that Game of Thrones as a TV series with CGI good quality dragons and all would once have been possible only a film.

As for studios don't forget not all studios are doing so badly with repeats - Pixar are doing fantastically well and even though many of their films carry similar themes/structure they are quite original and work for both adults and children. I think we are indeed in a slump where there's no big directors really pushing at new things and where there's a lot of needles revamping. I think we will come out of this; its just waiting for the comic-book-hero films to die off a bit and let something new take over.

One time it was all westerns - now its all comic-book heroes. I think we have to look to the USA and try to work out what the next big thing could be.

 

[Cathbad]

as TV series are starting to get to a stage where a good TV series can carry itself with film production

To me, this seems like another reason for the extinction of the cinema.

 

[BAYLOR]

Won't happen, @BAYLOR . Studio execs are too scared to try things. Two decades at the most - then no more theaters.

Then the end result is that they will put themselves out of business.

 

[Cathbad]

Then the end result is that they will put themselves out of business.

No, like good businessmen, they'll change. Streaming is already becoming predominant. New movies will resort to this, in "Online Theaters", whether using already existing services, or creating their own.

 

[AlexH]

To me, this seems like another reason for the extinction of the cinema.

I've no idea if the same happens in the US, but some TV series finales (such as Doctor Who and Sherlock) air simultaneously at cinemas, with cinema-only extras. National cinemas also broadcast live theatre and opera from London and elsewhere in Europe, as well as occasional sporting events.

I'm quite lucky where I live - 3 multi-screen cinemas (plus a smaller film theatre) competing for a relatively small population means the cheapest tickets are £3.99 and the most expensive £6.99 (about $5.40-$9.50). The most expensive cinema (which also happens to be the cheapest on Mondays) is completely kitted out with big reclining seats - none of the separate 'VIP seating' that's usually the case. All 3 offer 'unlimited passes' which are good value if you watch 3, 4 or more films a month at the cinema. Food and drink is still a rip-off, but I can go a couple of hours without eating.

I don't think cinemas will die out completely, but there are less than there were 20-30 years ago (possibly excluding my own locality, definitely if you count screens). There will probably be less in another 20ish years. There are quite a few smaller cinemas in the UK too - one of my favourite experiences was a 20-seat cinema on the west coast of Scotland.

 

[Amelia Faulkner]

I have fond memories (protip: they are not fond) of seeing Equilibrium on the big screen. Now, notwithstanding whether or not you think it's a good film, there is a reasonably early scene wherein Preston has the lights blown out just as he leaps through a door and into a suddenly-pitch-dark room. There are several seconds of movie silence punctuated only by the heavy breathing of the men Preston's about to kill...

...and the loud rustling of popcorn bags, the nervous giggles from an audience who cannot sit in silence for ten whole seconds, and a voice somewhere behind me stage-whispering, "Is the film broken?"

From then on I did my damndest to make sure I went to see midnight showings... But our cinema then realised midnight showings were pretty empty (curse them!) and stopped doing them. Now, with the joy of self-employment, I just go on a Tuesday morning. If I must go at the weekend, I go on a Saturday morning. People seem to not stream into the pictures until after lunch.