protectionist
Diamond Member
- Oct 20, 2013
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Yes, I would say movie theaters ARE dying out, if they haven't done so already. Simple fact is practically no one is going to movie theaters any more. I just saw the stunning results of a poll on CBS News which said a whopping 84% of Americans now watch more movies at home, as opposed to only 4% who see more of them in movie theaters.
The reasons for this are numerous. Besides the remote chance that you might get shot by a terrorist nutjob, or just an angry moviegoer, ticket prices are quite high nowadays. Another example of businesses not watching their price curves carefully enough. Movie watchers can order unlimited movies and TV shows on Netflix for less than $10/month. With today's technology, we can watch these in HD, with surround sound, and on very large screens.
We can also buy DVDs of movies and TV shows. I just saw the entire 8 seasons of the GREAT TV show 24, all on a DVD set, bought in a pawn shop at a very low price.
Then there's the convenience factor. Who really wants to stand on a line to get into a movie theater ? Certainly not people in northern states in the winter, or folks in Florida in the summer. And once inside, you know the drill. Sticky floors, where people spilled sugary sodas. Noisy people, sometimes even a crying baby. Kids kicking the back of your seat. Refreshments that are too expensive, and they do all they can to keep you from bringing your own.
And how about the sound ? I'll never forget when I saw Superman II (a great movie by the way), but the sound was deafening. I actually went to the projection room to ask the manager to lower the sound. The projectionist had it on the wrong setting. At home, you're in control of the sound, refreshments, and I don't have to tell you how much better your bathroom is than theirs.
CBS News poll Americans and the movies - CBS News
The reasons for this are numerous. Besides the remote chance that you might get shot by a terrorist nutjob, or just an angry moviegoer, ticket prices are quite high nowadays. Another example of businesses not watching their price curves carefully enough. Movie watchers can order unlimited movies and TV shows on Netflix for less than $10/month. With today's technology, we can watch these in HD, with surround sound, and on very large screens.
We can also buy DVDs of movies and TV shows. I just saw the entire 8 seasons of the GREAT TV show 24, all on a DVD set, bought in a pawn shop at a very low price.
Then there's the convenience factor. Who really wants to stand on a line to get into a movie theater ? Certainly not people in northern states in the winter, or folks in Florida in the summer. And once inside, you know the drill. Sticky floors, where people spilled sugary sodas. Noisy people, sometimes even a crying baby. Kids kicking the back of your seat. Refreshments that are too expensive, and they do all they can to keep you from bringing your own.
And how about the sound ? I'll never forget when I saw Superman II (a great movie by the way), but the sound was deafening. I actually went to the projection room to ask the manager to lower the sound. The projectionist had it on the wrong setting. At home, you're in control of the sound, refreshments, and I don't have to tell you how much better your bathroom is than theirs.
CBS News poll Americans and the movies - CBS News