I'll tell you why movie revenue is dropping... • Hacker News Board

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

#151

Post by tptacek » Thu, Dec 29, 2011, 9:02 PM UTC

pbreit wrote: post #147

ericd wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I generally enjoy going to the movies, but in the past couple of years, a setup that puts most theater experiences to shame has become pretty affordable. A fairly good high def DLP projector is in the ballpark of $1k. Add a $100 Roku or Apple TV and a $300 set of 550W Logitech speakers (including amp), and you've got a great general purpose theater for less than $2k, and without the hassles. (If you don't have…

That's 200 movie tickets for a decidedly worse experience. Could be a factor but I suspect small.

Or, in other words, for a family of four who would have ordinarily gone to the movies every other weekend, the cost of 2 years worth of movie tickets before concessions.

In return:

* They have a massively improved home viewing experience, which is something they were doing already with television.

* They have a massive improvement in convenience (they don't have to leave the house to see it).

* They have a "good enough" (still "very good" overall) AV quality experience.

This is how displacement by substitutes works. It's hard to see it coming, because it's hard to know where to draw the line for "good enough". But we've probably crossed it for movies.

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

#152

Post by WalterBright » Thu, Dec 29, 2011, 9:03 PM UTC

Now with HD and home digital projectors, I've lost all interest in going to the theater.

Watching a 2 hour movie at home takes, 2 hours. Watching one in a theater is 4 hours (getting ready to go, going there, waiting in line, waiting for it to start, sitting through the ads, going home), and going there with a group cost $$$$.

Besides, having "movie night" with friends at home is so much more fun. You can drink beer and make loud, snarky remarks about the movie, pause if someone needs a potty break, replay the naughty bits, fast forward to see if the piece of crap movie gets any better, adjust the volume so if you aren't already deaf the movie won't make you deaf, etc.

The movie theater is going the way of the drive-in.

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

#153

Post by jonhohle » Thu, Dec 29, 2011, 9:05 PM UTC

ChrisLTD wrote: post #16

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…

I actually find it very difficult to watch Jurassic Park these days. The CG has not aged well at all. With Ghostbusters, the effects look terrible in a few scenes (the claymation dogs spring to mind), but it's not so jarring in the context of a comedy.

> The CG has not aged well at all.

Really? I look to Jurassic Park as what CG should look like in movies. The opening reveal of the brontosauruses is still amazing, especially when you think of when the movie was made. What hasn't aged well?

Other movies from the mid-to-late 90s, on the other hand, have not aged well. Many of these used CG for the sake of having CG and did not take any care of ensuring it integrated into the rest of the shot.

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

#154

Post by FreeKill » Thu, Dec 29, 2011, 9:08 PM UTC

endtime wrote: post #134

Zev wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I want to go to the theater near me (Metreon in SF, local mall's theater in NY), the price you cite is a little over half of what I would have to pay for a single ticket. Its usually closer to $11-$12. And thats without imax or 3d.

Costs me $13 in NYC, $15 if I order tickets online. Rarely worth it.

wow, they charge you a fee for buying the tickets online? Ridiculous...

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

#155

Post by forcefsck » Thu, Dec 29, 2011, 9:08 PM UTC

brador wrote: post #86

forcefsck wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Here's the thing, everyone I speaks to agrees that modern movies are mostly crap. But...why, with their big focus group budgets and such, are the movie studios not listening to this? Or is their output really the best they are being pitched?

The movie industry is being ran by idiots, that's why. They are ready to kill the internet and free speech because they think this will save them a buck.

Anyway, french movies seem more interesting lately. And you can always vote for (with your money) alternative forms of art.

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

#156

Post by superchink » Thu, Dec 29, 2011, 9:09 PM UTC

drzaiusapelord wrote: post #133

rhplus wrote: post #116

2. Ticket prices are too high. People have always made that complaint, but historically the movies have been cheap compared to concerts, major league sports and restaurants. I had to check this claim, because inflation and purchasing power can fog people's memories. Using average U.S. ticket prices[1] adjusted to 2010 dollars[2], I get the following: Year | Price | 2010 price adj. w/CPI ------------------------------…

7.89 for movies? What? Where? I'm guessing this data is skewed by the low prices of rural and suburban centers that are underpopulated. Here in the urban world where most of the population lives, movies start at 11 or 12 dollars and then there's a 3D surcharge of a couple bucks. When my gf and go to the movies here in Chicago its about 30 dollars before any snacks. Toss in a few bucks parking too. Oh, want to order o…

The prices he lists are “…adjusted to 2010 dollars…” based on the linked calculator.

EDIT: Please ignore this comment. See reply below. Sorry for missing the point here.

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

#157

Post by nhangen » Thu, Dec 29, 2011, 9:10 PM UTC

Two reasons I don't hit the theaters as much:

1. Quality

Very rarely do they release a movie I feel is a must see. MI:4 was probably the most recent, but it's still not Batman or Avatar.

2. People

As others have said, the amount of texting, talking, and overall noise/distraction is unreal. People kicking my chair, non-stop talking, laughing, etc.

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

#158

Post by rjd » Thu, Dec 29, 2011, 9:13 PM UTC

steauengeglase wrote: post #139

zecho wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Kids these days? Or is it that the kids couldn't get through the movie because it was actually boring to them? Isn't it possible that movie-makers are just out of touch with the demo? Honest question here. I've left boring movies before, too, and it's been awhile since anyone called me a kid.

Better question. Can you remember the plot of the last 5 movies you went to see?

Yep, I believe the majority of films I have ever watched has this plot:

The protagonist is put into a situation where he is drawn from a position of security and is force to embark on a journey to resolve the situation.

The journey exposes the protagonist to a foreign environment and they must learn how to deal with the new situation. Often given tools to master their destiny.

After some time the new situation goes bad to due to the protagonist failing to understand the exact nature of the new environment, mistakes are made and the protagonist is put at some level of emotional or physical danger.

Some miraculous event occurs which breaks the protagonist out spiralling chaos.

Turns out people don't like stories that which fail to follow that pattern :)

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

#159

Post by SourPatch » Thu, Dec 29, 2011, 9:15 PM UTC

waterlesscloud wrote: post #44

MikeCapone wrote: post #30

I was sure he was going to say that it was partly because every movie now seems to be a sequel or based on a comic book. It's so rare to find a mainstream 100% original movie anymore it seems...

Top ten movies for 2011- 1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 2. Transformers: Dark of the Moon 3. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 4. The Hangover Part II 5. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides 6. Fast Five 7. Cars 2 8. Thor 9. Rise of the Planet of the Apes 10. Captain America: The First Avenger Yes, every single one is a comic book or a sequel. That's why they get made, they're what people…

I complain about this all the time and I've seen zero of those movies. Some of them I haven't even heard of.

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

#160

Post by te_chris » Thu, Dec 29, 2011, 9:15 PM UTC

I live in Auckland, NZ and am from Wellington, NZ. Auckland has a few decent theatres but Peter Jackson has just opened up the most beautiful theatre in one. Of Wellington's suburbs http://www.roxycinema.co.nz/ the best part is, it's cheaper, AND more civilized. This is what going to the movies needs to be these days as my ps3 and 40" Bravia do a damn fine job day to day.