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I'll tell you why movie revenue is dropping...

rogerebert.com

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Re: I'll tell you why movie revenue is dropping...

#31

Post by bane »

jsaxton86 wrote: post #9

In addition to ridiculous ticket prices, the actual movie doesn't start until 15 minutes after the scheduled showtime. While you're waiting, you're expected to watch advertisements. I don't have any concrete data to back this up, but I feel it wasn't always this bad.

Growing up, I lived about an hour from the nearest theater. I remember we used to use 10 minutes as the rule of thumb for the movie to actually start after the posted showtime...no commercials exactly, but 3 or 4 previews in those days.

If we were more than 10 minutes late, we'd just go to the mall or arcade or something instead.

Re: I'll tell you why movie revenue is dropping...

#32

Post by ubercore »

One thing that's become an issue for me, at least at my local theater (and I admit I may be in the minority here), is volume.

Now, before you pull out "too old" or "don't be a wuss", I'll say that I'm only 29, and I play in a _loud_ rock band, and go to many loud concerts. I am no stranger to loud things, and have permanent tinnitus to prove it. I still enjoy concerts as much as I ever did, but I've found myself bringing earplugs to movies. They can be downright painful at times.

Re: I'll tell you why movie revenue is dropping...

#34

Post by msluyter »

I think Alamo Drafthouse in Austin is doing it right:

1. Food & beer/wine served with movie -- convenient and much preferable to overpriced popcorn.

2. Cellphones must be turned off.

3. They take talking seriously, and preface each film with a strongly (and amusingly) worded statement to that effect.

4. No babies allowed except on specified baby nights.

5. Creative and fun special events, such as quote-alongs, sing-alongs, live comedy (Master Pancake, which is sort of like live MST3K), movie/food pairings, etc...

I pretty much refuse to go to any other theater, and judging by their crowds, they seem to be doing quite well with this formula.

Re: I'll tell you why movie revenue is dropping...

#35

Post by archangel_one »

tsunamifury wrote: post #8

I like that some independent films are beginning to branch out in their strategy. For example, one of the best films of the year -- Margin Call -- was released on a variety of streaming services the same day it was available in theaters. Sometimes I like watching a movie at home, other times I'm looking for a chance to go out. Dates will probably always involve movie theaters for my girlfriend and myself -- even if I…

Totally agree on the TV. The Christmas episode of Downton a few days ago was encroaching on the length of a movie and much more interesting than nearly all of them. Let alone the fact that it's free to watch and we could record it etc.

Re: I'll tell you why movie revenue is dropping...

#36

Post by forcefsck »

brador wrote: post #13

I'd add two more: 1. Kids get bored quicker, This year, I've left the cinema four times before the movie finished because the kids were bored. This makes me less likely to go back, they prefer to stay home on the xbox/lappy or go out for pizza/bowling instead. 2. Mass appeal movies are shit. There's just no quality or focus anymore, every movie is trying to be everything to everyone and ends up crap. Don't get me sta…

The number one reason is your second point (without the CG). The problem is that it's total crap. There's lack of content, bullshit scenarios, nothing entertaining. It's not the overuse of CG, but that it's the only thing they're selling anymore.

Re: I'll tell you why movie revenue is dropping...

#37

Post by webwanderings »

We've been hearing that economy is bad, but this indicator of movie business is a proof that economy is really bad. So that's one reason why revenues are down. Logically, with the outpouring of 3D movies and additional cost, the revenue should be up, but obviously the 3D has not helped. I think people are also realizing that 3D is only a gimmick. Besides few forced scenes, typically a 3D is hardly a 3D. Hugo this year obviously made a difference but I wonder if others are going to follow?

Re: I'll tell you why movie revenue is dropping...

#38

Post by dantheman »

ChrisLTD wrote: post #2

Hard to argue with anything Ebert says in that article. As a kid I loved going to the theater. I tried to see a movie every time I had a free weekend. However, these days going to the movie theater gives me an immense amount of anxiety. Despite the cost going up, my moviegoing peers seem to care less and less about actually watching the movie they paid to see. If it's not blinding cell phone screens, it's people talk…

Agreed, I find that the independent movie theaters cater to a crowd that actually cares about film. They also show a mix of old and new films so you can catch the classics on the big screen. The Harvard Film Archive just had a great retrospective on Clouzot and the experience of the theater is really impressive.

Re: I'll tell you why movie revenue is dropping...

#39

Post by deathwarmedover »

msluyter wrote: post #34

I think Alamo Drafthouse in Austin is doing it right: 1. Food & beer/wine served with movie -- convenient and much preferable to overpriced popcorn. 2. Cellphones must be turned off. 3. They take talking seriously, and preface each film with a strongly (and amusingly) worded statement to that effect. 4. No babies allowed except on specified baby nights. 5. Creative and fun special events, such as quote-alongs, sing-a…

The Prince Charles Cinema in London, UK [1] is also doing this kind of thing and is about the only place I can be bothered to go see a film these days.

[1] http://www.princecharlescinema.com/

Re: I'll tell you why movie revenue is dropping...

#40

Post by 9999 »

jsaxton86 wrote: post #9

In addition to ridiculous ticket prices, the actual movie doesn't start until 15 minutes after the scheduled showtime. While you're waiting, you're expected to watch advertisements. I don't have any concrete data to back this up, but I feel it wasn't always this bad.

I timed it recently, and it was almost 16 minutes of straight ads (not trailers for unreleased films mind you, ads for movies coming out on bluray, newspapers, an anti-piracy PSA, etc.). This is in addition to having to sit through countless still ads for dentists, car washes, advertisements to advertise at the theater, etc. etc, before the scheduled start time.

The movies should be an escape from every day life. The theatrical experience should be a sort of sacrament, otherwise there's far less incentive to leave the house and pay 10 times as much to watch a film a few months earlier. Luckily there are still a lot of theaters in my town that are not so aggressively trying to capitalize on their captive audiences. Mark Cuban gets this, but I'm sure whoever he sells Landmark to won't. I'm done with going to see movies at the megaplexes though.

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