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Do you believe theaters will soon come to near extinction like videoclubs?
- Thread starter HighFive
- Start date
Movie theatres are fine because it's a viewing experience that cannot be replicated at home. Also there is the social aspect to it. And most importantly for film buffs who love watching in the cinema.
I love Frances Ha and as wondrous as my Criterion Collection Bluray is, it pales in comparison to when I saw it in the theatres (three times!)
I love Frances Ha and as wondrous as my Criterion Collection Bluray is, it pales in comparison to when I saw it in the theatres (three times!)
I've wondered, but I think that theatres will be around for some time still. They may be seeing a decline in attendance and revenue, but there's still a lot of appeal to seeing a movie on the big screen like that. Home theatres can't compete, and movies are made to make money through theatres. People can't wait, want to see something with their friends, experience the surround and big screen or IMAX, etc.
I really believe theaters will be around probably forever or for at least as long as I'm alive but I think the "only in theaters" exclusivity that they now hold will be abolished within the next 3 years and future movies will release on digital platforms at the same time as theaters albiet at a higher cost than renting. So theaters will just become a more niche market but still exist for the experience factor.
Well, they are already closing cinemas, so yeah, I do.
We have a more convenient, flexible, and easier to access delivery system now in the form of streaming. Why would anyone hang on physical ownership or having no control over playback and pauses in a physical screening?
The arthouse will survive, but the local theater in smaller towns will definitely disappear.
We have a more convenient, flexible, and easier to access delivery system now in the form of streaming. Why would anyone hang on physical ownership or having no control over playback and pauses in a physical screening?
The arthouse will survive, but the local theater in smaller towns will definitely disappear.
It's definitely a possibility but I don't think it will be anytime soon. I also hope it doesn't happen, I quite enjoy going to the theater to watch movies. The experience of seeing a movie with a group full of people who are geeking out with you is something that can't be experience at home.
I am enjoying going to the cinema/theatre a lot less these days. I used to go all the time but this year I've only been 3 times this year. Also I was surprised with how many seats were not filled when I went to see Thor last Tuesday despite it only being opened the Friday before I believe. So I definitely think it's becoming a lot less popular where I live...
Funny you bring up Blade Runner 2049, that's the only movie I've seen at the theater from this year. The next one will be Star Wars VIII.
I can think of all the movies I've seen in the last decade (besides the ones I've already brought up), which include:
Star Wars VII
Rogue One
Gravity
Inception
Star Trek
Watchmen
... And that was it. 7 movies in the past decade. If it wasn't for this newfound interest in making it an event to go to the theaters after A New Hope had released, it would have been less just the last 4 I mentioned, with Blade Runner 2049 being a definite Blu Ray watch. People still have an interest in going to the theaters, filling up seats for the latest blockbuster, but between watching it at home with my decent sized TV, being able to pause when we want for a bathroom break, tune out whenever I want when a movie we choose ends up being meh-y, and not having to pay premium for snacks? I Personally would rather not bother with the extra immersion, which only improves my movie watching experience by a tiny fraction of a point.
When we went to watch 2049, fantastic movie, very engaging. But guess what? I ended up needing to take a bathroom break a couple of times, and it sucks when you know you'll miss out on a couple of minutes when you go. Especially when the screening is far from the restrooms. And with Rogue One, I hated that movie more than any other movie, ever. And I hated it so much because I had to sit through that and couldn't do something else, unless I wanted to leave everyone and wait outside.
So as long as the films sell some way or another, I'm fine. If the theaters themselves start vanishing from my vicinity.... Well, good thing we have several TVs, including one that's big enough in our living room with a decent sound bar.
I can think of all the movies I've seen in the last decade (besides the ones I've already brought up), which include:
Star Wars VII
Rogue One
Gravity
Inception
Star Trek
Watchmen
... And that was it. 7 movies in the past decade. If it wasn't for this newfound interest in making it an event to go to the theaters after A New Hope had released, it would have been less just the last 4 I mentioned, with Blade Runner 2049 being a definite Blu Ray watch. People still have an interest in going to the theaters, filling up seats for the latest blockbuster, but between watching it at home with my decent sized TV, being able to pause when we want for a bathroom break, tune out whenever I want when a movie we choose ends up being meh-y, and not having to pay premium for snacks? I Personally would rather not bother with the extra immersion, which only improves my movie watching experience by a tiny fraction of a point.
When we went to watch 2049, fantastic movie, very engaging. But guess what? I ended up needing to take a bathroom break a couple of times, and it sucks when you know you'll miss out on a couple of minutes when you go. Especially when the screening is far from the restrooms. And with Rogue One, I hated that movie more than any other movie, ever. And I hated it so much because I had to sit through that and couldn't do something else, unless I wanted to leave everyone and wait outside.
So as long as the films sell some way or another, I'm fine. If the theaters themselves start vanishing from my vicinity.... Well, good thing we have several TVs, including one that's big enough in our living room with a decent sound bar.
If the industry continues to find ways to subsidize costs, theaters will remain. I know that at least for a while there was some kind of ticket pricing regulation so small indie films wouldn't demand a higher entry fee than a big budget movie, or vice versa. Stuff like Movie Pass will likely proliferate in the future if it works how I'm assuming it does. I don't really know much about it; I think the last movie I saw in a theater was Prometheus.
I miss when my town had a theater that would show films after their normal run for $1.50 a ticket. Just isn't feasible here anymore I guess. :/
I miss when my town had a theater that would show films after their normal run for $1.50 a ticket. Just isn't feasible here anymore I guess. :/
I seriously hope not.
I'd argue that the big screen in a movie theatre is a part of the art form. The medium is important - a movie played on the big screen and a movie played on a cell phone are literally two different experiences. They might be similar in many ways, but they aren't the same, in just the same way that seeing a band play live is a different form of art than listening to the same song out of laptop speakers, or how a Jackson Pollock painting in person is totally different than looking at the same image on a piece of paper in your hand.
I'm not even necessarily arguing that those are inferior ways of engaging with these works - in some cases, maybe, but some might be perfectly well-suited or enriched by those home experiences. But if the theatre dies, I think it's an incredible loss - in part because some films are best-suited for the big screen (For example: 2001: A Space Odyssey is an incredible, deeply immersive experience in 70mm in the theatre, but for many people can be a one-way ticket to dreamland watching on a small screen at home), but also because it'd just be one less way we can experience works of art...the world would be just a bit less varied and interesting.
I'd argue that the big screen in a movie theatre is a part of the art form. The medium is important - a movie played on the big screen and a movie played on a cell phone are literally two different experiences. They might be similar in many ways, but they aren't the same, in just the same way that seeing a band play live is a different form of art than listening to the same song out of laptop speakers, or how a Jackson Pollock painting in person is totally different than looking at the same image on a piece of paper in your hand.
I'm not even necessarily arguing that those are inferior ways of engaging with these works - in some cases, maybe, but some might be perfectly well-suited or enriched by those home experiences. But if the theatre dies, I think it's an incredible loss - in part because some films are best-suited for the big screen (For example: 2001: A Space Odyssey is an incredible, deeply immersive experience in 70mm in the theatre, but for many people can be a one-way ticket to dreamland watching on a small screen at home), but also because it'd just be one less way we can experience works of art...the world would be just a bit less varied and interesting.
No.
Historically the cinema has gone through tough times repeatedly and has managed to endure.
Watching a film as a shared crowd experience with excellent visual and audio quality will always appeal to some folks.
It's also an increasingly rare experience to be able to give a film in the home environment one's full attention:
. It's far less likely that anyone's going to be talking
. You're generally not going to be staring a your phone intermittently
. You dont spend 2 hours arguing about the selection of films on Netflix
. You can't pause the film and mess about with something else
. You're less inclined to bail on the film and immediately watch something else
Historically the cinema has gone through tough times repeatedly and has managed to endure.
Watching a film as a shared crowd experience with excellent visual and audio quality will always appeal to some folks.
It's also an increasingly rare experience to be able to give a film in the home environment one's full attention:
. It's far less likely that anyone's going to be talking
. You're generally not going to be staring a your phone intermittently
. You dont spend 2 hours arguing about the selection of films on Netflix
. You can't pause the film and mess about with something else
. You're less inclined to bail on the film and immediately watch something else
OP
OP
See, as much as this is convenient, all these little extra you now have increase the price. So then, we can get pickier when choosing a movie. And on my side, having to pick my freakin seats on the screen always piss me off!
Ok, i loled at your reference !
Its where im thinking it might go. Might be less movies because of risk, less movie mean higher price for remaining movies, more things are added to make your experience better. Lots of people enjoy paying extra for 3D, IMax, jumping seats, etc, but is it really good? It just make price spike, sometime you are forced to have an unwanted feature. And because of that, people can get selective.
Im someone who still enjoy going to the theaters. Im seeing at least a dozen movie per year, and dont care if price is higher. But one day there might be a limit and i might become even more selective. And the price jack, sometime make me believe its because of that some movies flop. We paid extra dollar to see Blade Runner, Imax, reserve seats , etc. Maybe if price was lower , more people would be willing to see it. But then, again, producer might one day simply decline theatrial release, evaluate that the cost of marketing is a risk to make it fail, and look elsewhere to release it. My jaw drop last saturday when at 7pm at the theater im going, which is constantly crowded, have to buy tickets online etc, it was freakin empty. Jigsaw was the new release.
Multiplexes have the luxury of having multiple screens but digital has been a double edged sword.
In my area, niche theatres in cities are thriving because they can offer programs that cater to specific crowds, often in venues that can accomodate more than just movies. The idea of a cookie cutter suburban multiplex that you have to drive to and get the generic movie experience is inefficient and unmemorable in comparison.
In my area, niche theatres in cities are thriving because they can offer programs that cater to specific crowds, often in venues that can accomodate more than just movies. The idea of a cookie cutter suburban multiplex that you have to drive to and get the generic movie experience is inefficient and unmemorable in comparison.