Author Topic: Are Movie Theaters Dying?  (Read 15079 times)

Street Worm

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #30 on: May 24, 2012, 09:17:35 AM »
Where was this? Is the Strand still in business?

 ???


(Beautiful) Downtown New Britain, Ct.
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Scatter

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #31 on: May 24, 2012, 09:35:05 AM »
Well, I don't want to see theaters die out. I'm one of those fortunate enough to live by a Drive In, and that's still a wonderful AND economical way to see a movie. Sadly, the generally horrendous quality of the movies these days keeps me from going more.
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Hepcat

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #32 on: May 24, 2012, 09:40:29 AM »
(Beautiful) Downtown New Britain, Ct.


Are you a fan of the Rock Cats then? Here is a photo of my New Britain Rock Cats jersey:



 8)
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Hepcat

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #33 on: May 24, 2012, 10:01:58 AM »
So after thinking some I can truly say, that although some of my fondest memories are of great movies seen in movie theaters with lots of enjoyment and entertainment I am now ready for theaters to completely fail and be wiped out.  My fond memories are in the past completely. 

It is time the theaters die out.

I am really digging those nostalgic pictures you are all finding and posting.  Great memories.  Shame that is all they might ever be is memories.

You say it would be a shame that they may soon be relegated to being memories, yet you'd still like to see theatres die out. Do you not see the contradiction in your own words?

 ???

Going to the theater now, at least for me does little but annoy me anymore.  I am just one of the first wave of folks who are fed up with those things we can't control such as the pricing, the quality of the films or of the actors, and the bad behavior of others who spoil our movie.

You realize of course that your fondest memories of theatres are from the days when you were a kid and were the one misbehaving. Face it. You've just become an old curmudgeon. How do you think your sixteen year old self would react if he met you now? Would he not laugh and call you an old fart?

 ;D

...we now own one of the largest screen TVs, about to buy an even bigger one....

Are theaters now obsolete because of that? 

I know I am not the only one who is opting for the best in home theater entertainment.

No you're not. And I wish a pox on you and the rest of the home theatre crowd. Quite simply I'm an audiophile and you're the ones responsible for dumbing down speakers to the present slender shape that compliments wide screen TVs! The sound reproduction considerations of audiophiles have ended up a distant second to the home decor considerations of the mass market, in other words women. Aren't you proud? I hope they stop turning new movies into CDs until at least 25 years have elapsed and neighbourhood theatres pop up every few miles again and people start gathering there in the evenings to watch newsreels for a couple of bucks.

 >:(
« Last Edit: May 24, 2012, 12:00:50 PM by Hepcat »
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MDG

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #34 on: May 24, 2012, 11:31:59 AM »
Hey Wolfman, pal.  For the most part, I agree with you.  There are some theater owners who are trying desperately to hang on and are raising concession prices which affects their loyal customers.  That's a tough way to run a business and it may be hurting them in the long run.  There are other theaters that haven't raised prices for admissions and concessions and are also hanging in there and getting by with some cleverness.  It's a tough call and tough times for them.  Most independent theater owners make a modest amount of profit and some even have other jobs they do to make ends meet.
Theatre owners basically make all their profit at the concession stand, whatever the model. up to 90% of opening week ticket  money goes to the distributor, and even second rum I don't know that that goes below 50%.

But it's a big reason why--in my experience--multiplexes don't really care if you hop to a second (or even third) movie on one ticket. They'd get a small portion of your second ticket, but everything from your second drink.

We have a few drive-ins around here (all at least a 45-minute drive, though), but I can't get used to seeing a "real" movie there. For me, drive-ins are for horror or exploitation triple features.

BTW, over the past 10 years or so, all of the first-generation multiplexes (4-8 screens, usually attached to a mall) around here have closed and have been replaced by 12+ screen venues with stadium-seating. There's one family owned nabe still open in the city (second-run, split into two) as well as a few in outlying towns. There's also The Little Theatre, which opened in the 20s and mainly shows foreign/art house. They have 5 screens, but have done it by building on, leaving the original auditorium intact. They have to operate as a non-profit, though.
MDG

Haunted hearse

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #35 on: May 24, 2012, 12:03:19 PM »
I'll continue supporting Movie theaters, and if there is an historic theater where you live, please support them, especially if they are showing vintage movies.  I loved seeing Frankenstein and Dracula in the historic Pomona Theater, before I left So cal., and I've gone to a couple of shows here in Wilson, at the 1919 former vaudeville house that was saved by the community.
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Wolf Man

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #36 on: May 24, 2012, 02:51:13 PM »
Hepcat - "You say it would be a shame that they may soon be relegated to being memories, yet you'd still like to see theatres die out. Do you not see the contradiction in your own words?"

There is no contradiction.  I once enjoyed going to a theater immensely.  Even if the movies weren't great at least it was a cheap form of entertainment.  Theaters however have "chosen" to make it no longer a cheap form of entertainment.  If a family of four goes to the movies with a ticket price of 7.50 (and that is less than the 3D price)  That is 30 bucks just to get in.  Not long ago I ordered a small popcorn and small drink, the smallest size they had and the cost was 10 bucks.  Multiply that by four and now you have a total cost for a family of four to attend one movie of 70.00 dollars.  That is not cheap entertainment!  And, you would have to be blind and dumb not to see the inherent problem with the expense of what is supposed to be "cheap" entertainment for the common folks.

Hepcat -   "You realize of course that your fondest memories of theatres are from the days when you were a kid and were the one misbehaving. Face it. You've just become an old curmudgeon. How do you think your sixteen year old self would react if he met you now? Would he not laugh and call you an old fart?"

I did not misbehave when I was younger and going to theaters.  I learned at a very young age to behave myself in public.  I was even the one at home watching King Kong or The Wolf Man on TV telling everyone to be quiet because I could not hear it. 

Plus, I can't believe you did not think that comment through.  When I was in my teens I had no cell phone, could not text anyone and just because I was a loner spent most of my time in theaters by myself so there wasn't even anyone to talk to if I "had" wanted to talk.  So, no, I was not in any way misbehaving in a theater even when young. 

Also, it is not always the obvious misbehave I am referring to.  A woman's child began to cry during an adult time slot showing of Harry Potter.  It took awhile before she finally left the theater, then came back with the still crying child to stand in the corridor to see the movie.  We could all still hear the crying child.  Not the child's fault that it has stupid parents mind you but the rules clearly state no crying children.  She simply did not care and not only ruined the film for a lot of us but the stress level goes even higher knowing my Wife is severely agitated and I have a hard enough of a time getting her to go to the movies at all because of crap like that. 

Another woman brought a young child to an adult time slot of Queen of the damned and the child ran up and down the aisles playing while mom did nothing to make her sit or stop her from bothering other patrons.  Not the child's fault she has a stupid inconsiderate mother.

Another woman brought in a small child to see the showing of AVP.  Not a film for a young child by any means.  The woman's child ran off to play up and down the aisles like the other one except this child was only about 2 to 3 years of age.  In the dark theater she almost fell down some stairs leading to the lower seats and another patron had to run and catch her.  The mother "STILL" never left her seat even as the man brought the child back to her.  And, how did he know where the mother was sitting?  Because that was how disruptive the child was, everyone in the theater knew who's child she was.  Not the child's fault that she has a stupid ignorant clueless mother with no motherly instincts to protect the child.  This is the kind of mother that looses her child in a store and blames everyone else for her not watching her child.  This child might end up on a milk carton one day. 

I can go on and on endlessly.  Back when I was young and going to movies I saw people kicked out for lesser infractions.  Today, managers won't expell anyone for fear of loosing the bad behaving patron at the risk of loosing all of the good behaving patrons.  Just poor management with no intelligence. 

Even though I used to like and enjoy the movie theater experience the times have changed for the much much worse.  That is not a contradiction.  Would I still like and enjoy theaters if the cost was more inline with a bad economy, if the costs were designed more to bring in volume not gouge those few who are still going, if the managers made sure our theater experience was unhampered by ill mannered patrons, if theaters offered 3D only as an option and not be mandatory to see that particular film, then yes.  Theaters would deserve more of a chance.  However, we can't control any of those factors and they are not about to change so the end result is theaters should get what they deserve, to have to close down. 

I know some people are sympathetic to small town independent theater owners who are just trying to survive and I can appreciate that however there are very few of those kinds of theaters anymore.  Most have been replaced by large corporate chains.  Even those are starting to close down. 

I live in a large metropolitan area and we are down to only three movie theaters in our city.  All related to either malls or strip malls.  Two of those are not doing well.  Only one, an AMC is still thriving.  I have seen two theaters open and close in the same mall.  I have seen other drop to second run movies and still close.  Other have converted to cinema cafe's and those are not doing well either. 

Whether I wish it our not theaters are closing and my only point is they deserve it. 

I can buy popcorn and drinks for less than two dollars most anywhere.  I expect to pay higher at a theater.  Maybe five dollars which is more than double.  But ten dollars for the smallest size of both, that is pure ridiculous.  If other comparable industries charged quadruple the going rate for anything no one would buy it and they would go out of business in the blink of an eye.  I can even go to Bush Gardens and eat a decent meal for that kind of cost and that is a huge amusement park which always over charges for food. 

Would I like for theaters to stay open, have "reasonable" costs and make the experience enjoyable by control unruly patrons, yes.  Are any of those things going to happen, no.  End result, they deserve to go out of business.  They are the ones who have created the home theater market but making it so unappealing to go to theaters anymore.   The fun has left the building.  Disagree if you wish but it would just be an opinion not supported by the facts. 

 


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Flower

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #37 on: May 24, 2012, 03:43:59 PM »
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Hepcat

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #38 on: May 24, 2012, 09:18:36 PM »
Those theatres are rad cool! I wish there were more like that in my neck of the woods.

This was my neighbourhood theatre in London where I used to take in Saturday matinee double features with a cartoon for $0.20:



Here it is these days:



 8)
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Hepcat

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #39 on: May 24, 2012, 09:39:13 PM »
I once enjoyed going to a theater immensely.  Even if the movies weren't great at least it was a cheap form of entertainment.  Theaters however have "chosen" to make it no longer a cheap form of entertainment.  If a family of four goes to the movies with a ticket price of 7.50 (and that is less than the 3D price)  That is 30 bucks just to get in.


Yeah, I agree. The prices these days are egregious. The cost of a regular feature at my neighbourhood (well two miles away} Beach Cinema is ordinarily $10.99 and $13.99 for a 3-D movie. We therefore only go on Tuesday evenings when the price drops to $6.50 for a regular flick. We walk down so transportation costs us nothing. Moreover, rather than hitting the ridiculously overpriced concession stand for popcorn and drinks, we go to the Harveys across the street for hamburgers, hot dogs and poutine or the Swiss Chalet for rotisserie chicken either before or after the movie. Best of all is when we have discount coupons from the paper for the grub at these joints!

A repertory theatre a little over a mile away from us that we also like to patronize is the Fox:









It screens second run and classic flicks at cheaper prices. Ticket prices are $10 for non-members and $7 for members with membership costing $10 per year. The 3-D surcharge is $2. We've seen Dr. Strangelove, Barbarella, From Russia with Love, the Graduate, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and It's a Wonderful Life in recent memory.

 8)
« Last Edit: May 25, 2012, 01:44:16 PM by Hepcat »
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Wolf Man

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #40 on: May 24, 2012, 10:44:58 PM »
We have a theater one city over called the Naro that not only plays classic films, film festivals but also student film projects.  I was a technical advisor on a film that played there and the theater is still open and has been for many years.  Not sure how far back it goes but it has been there at least as old as I am, 49 years. 

I would not want to see that close down but really, they are a completely different venue and have been successful in that venue for a long time.  The city it is in, Norfolk Virginia is an artsy city anyway and supports opera, Broadway shows, musicals and of course this theater Naro. 

Although I love those old theaters, and love the nastalgia of them those are not usually the places you expect to find a first run film just released.  There was a wonderful old theater in Richmond Virginia where I saw two Harryhausen films and got to meet Ray Harryhausen himself.  The architecture of that theater is amazing and much like the Naro it is an artsy place now and does not show first run movies at all.  Many of those theaters we have our fond memories of, if they still exist are just that, historical relics that many are trying to keep preserved. 

I too have the ability and "have" filled my pockets with snacks from home not to save money but as my civil disobedience and my silent protest to the gouging.  Since being diagnosed diabetic, "IF" I attend a film I now take a large container of ice water to drink rather than the bucket of soda they offer. 

But I still protest and put up a fight against these theaters because although I can afford to go or buy whatever I want there are many who struggle daily with finances and the economy and I see no reason to gouge them just because they  want a little out of the house entertainment.  Theaters should be more sympathetic and remember their roots as cheap entertainmant for the common folk.  I feel that way about actors salaries too.  Demanding such high figures only adds to the dilema when really, how many millions do you need to survive.  Many actors also don't realize that by demanding those high salaries, we demand perfection from them.  If they would simply agree to lower pay then we would just enjoy them less critically even if they weren't perfect.  I am a fan of Johnny Depp as a rule but look at what happened in The Tourist.  His portrayal and that of Angelina Jolie plus the whole film got slammed.  Why? Was it that bad?  Or are we just expecting perfection because of the high cost of the film largely due to their demand for high pay. 

Although I find it hard to blame most actors, any of us, if truth be told would want the highest pay possible regardless if we really earn it.  They are no different.  But, that said, if I were in the industry myself I would be a vocal advocate for lowering pay demands so more films could be made without breaking the bank every time to do it.  They have all got to wake up and see the bad road their industry is going down and do something about it now before it becomes too late to turn back.

Sad part is, that i have loved going to the theater since I was a kid and would still go if not for some of the things mentioned even though I have an awesome home theater system.  Plus, I talked a friend into using some wasted space in his house to build a real movie theater.  He has a 102 inch screen, with special acoustical drywall in there plus Blu-ray and state of the art surround sound.  So any time there is a special film I want to see with more bells and whistles than even my home system I simply go to his house.  I have seen The Wolfman, the new Star Trek, The Dark Knight, and a number of others with him in his very swank and cushy home theater.  I would say that has been enormously fun except he does not like us to eat popcorn in there because he is afraid we will touch the leather seats with greasy fingers.  So back to my place where we can have not only popcorn but nachos, hot wings, pizza or anything else that tickles our fancy.  I can always buy new chairs but I am not going to let anything stand in our way of the most enjoyable movie experience I can muster up. 

What set me on this path by the way is attending the last few films I did sitting there with no snack, no drink at a mattinee thinking to myself how bad it sucked.  After seeing The Woman in Black I have not been back to the theater.  I would love to see Prometheus on the big screen but just won't do it, I refuse.  I also discovered after just receiving my DVD of Underworld Awakening that I enjoy it now "more" just sitting in a comfortable recliner, eating what I want to snack on and drink and although I do not have my big screen with me on this deployment I did buy a decent sized 39 inch for my room.   So I have had a blast watching everything from the Jetsons, to the Tarzan TV series, Star Trek Enterprise and some very good classic films both horror and science fiction without any of those annoyances that just irk me too much to enjoy a movie in a theater any more.

Will theaters eventually die, I think so.  I did not realize until today how many in my home city that already have.  I started thinking about how many were left and how many went out of business already and the number is staggering out of business.  At one time there were so many to choose from, now we are down to three and really only two, the third one is for a region way on the other side of town so they get the locals there and we are close to the other two theaters.  That is all that is left.  Two Regal Cinemas and one AMC.  Oh, and dig this.  The Regal closest to me renovated to add the curved screen and new seats but the geniouses did not realize by adding the curved screen (sorry, I forget what that is called and what it was for) they forgot to change the projector so now all the films are blurry around the endges.  Real smart huh?  The last film I saw there, and this tells you how long ago was Revenge of the Sith.  I thought Lucas just rushed it out and it was a terrible example of CGI.  I was wrong.  We saw it at Regal because we did a live display for the film of props and such and got to see the film for free.  I thought it was dreadful but then, on a whim decided to catch it at AMC.  Their screen and projectors are perfect and the film was technically great.  So it turned out to be the theaters big flub.  I have not been back since and did not even use my free passes.  I am stuck going only to AMC or nothing which these days it is nothing.
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Street Worm

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #41 on: May 25, 2012, 06:06:39 AM »
Are you a fan of the Rock Cats then? Here is a photo of my New Britain Rock Cats jersey:



 8)


Had to look them up...lol-
I moved out of New Britain in '69 or '70, so they're a bit past my time there.
I'm pretty sure the big stadium where they play is where we used to watch
Fourth of July fireworks in the '60s, though-

Just a few wood bleachers there, then~  ;)

Hepcat

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #42 on: May 25, 2012, 09:43:15 AM »
...a friend ... has a 102 inch screen, with special acoustical drywall in there plus Blu-ray and state of the art surround sound.

I'm betting that he does not have state of the art surround sound. That would require five identical full range speakers which is the way to get the best sound. If he has derivative center channel and rear speakers instead of identical co-equal speakers, his audio is not state of the art.

 ???   
« Last Edit: May 25, 2012, 11:41:52 AM by Hepcat »
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Hepcat

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #43 on: May 25, 2012, 09:51:25 AM »
Theatre owners basically make all their profit at the concession stand, whatever the model. up to 90% of opening week ticket money goes to the distributor, and even second rum I don't know that that goes below 50%.

Now that's interesting. Does the percentage of the admission price going to the theatre increase after the first week then? If not, when does it increase? I'd much rather support the theatre than the Hollywood studios and the grotesquely overpaid movie stars.

And I really don't give a damn who the actors are playing in a flick. The only big name movie stars that might attract me to flicks are Godzilla, Rodan, Gorgo and Reptilicus.

 ???
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Opera Ghost

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Re: Are Movie Theaters Dying?
« Reply #44 on: May 25, 2012, 10:49:38 AM »
Now that's interesting. Does the percentage of the admission price going to the theatre increase after the first week then? If not, when does it increase? I'd much rather support the theatre than the Hollywood studios and the grotesquely overpaid movie stars.

And I really don't give a damn who the actors are playing in a flick. The only big name movie stars that might attract me to flicks are Godzilla, Rodan, Gorgo and Reptilicus.

 ???

In short yes, but studios make individual deals per Theatre chain, and film packages (they often commit to a film package which has an A status along with a lesser film). It is true that Theatre concessions is there primary, and there is a shift from opening weekend to subsequent weekends in the percentage of the take.

While this exists, as a part of the industry which is my livelihood, as a consumer and parent, we make more decisive choices surrounding our movie going compared to that of the the teens who are buying the majority of the tickets today. We have actually theatre locations due to the noisy and rude demographic at one location, to a more respectful crowd at another. As we have a 4 year old which we take to see some films, we take him to the first film of the day on weekends, where there are likely other kids his age, so his talking, albeit minimal if at all, is more accepted.

Cell phones/texting and rude teens/adults are never acceptable

The price of concessions is exorbitant in relation to the mark-up. We are lucky in that given that we do not attend movies more than once a month typically, I will splurge because it is a part of the movie experience. My personal philosophy in attending is if it will be a better experience in a Theatre vs my home theatre. I like to be immersed and taken out of my world for two hours. This is not possible typically at home.

Movie theatres in some cases are dying because the smaller owner/operators cannot keep up with the expense of the conversion from film to digital and 3D, however the larger chains are able to shoulder the expense with the finance deals in some cases worked out with banks and studios. Its is a shame too, that the littler venues suffer as they are often the most beautiful, not to mention historic. In LA, many (but not all) are lucky as the LA Preservation Society has jumped in and had many of these declared Historic, and in the case of "El Capitan", Disney funded the refurbishment to accomodate a venue for their premieres.

We have a few Drive-ins around the LA basin, and they survive by having other financial resources during the day such as swapmeet/fleamarkets.

Mostly, I would say that Theatres are evolving to that which they once were...Amusements...as 3D as we know it, is only a step in the continue evolution of the movie theatre.

OG
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