Today there are lots of articles about movie theaters dying and I'm ok with that

Technologies die and people move on. The virus has just been the nail on the coffin on an industry that like music must adapt and move on.

The past few years the only reason I have gone to movies is because my husband wants someone to go with him. The experience is just like home except I have to watch tons of commercials before what we came to see.

There are strangers all around me. We went to the movies a few weeks ago when I got tickets for a show and no one else had bought seats. Guess what some people did, and it made me uncomfortable. The people in front of us had masks hanging on their chins. The people behind us took their masks totally off during the movie. Now normally I don't care in public when people don't wear masks or have them on their chins or below their nose, but I had to spend hours stuck between people without masks and I could not move because we had specific ticketed seats. It is not just COVID though. At the movies these days despite the ads saying not to, people talk out loud, play on their phones and if they are next to me, sometimes uncomfortably invade my space.

The sound is set very high, too high in most cases. Loud booms in theaters next to ours actually come through the walls sounding like thunder or storm rumbles.

In the past before TV's and when TV's were grainy with poor quality the only way to really experience a good movie was in the theater where the quality was far superior to the TV. Also in the "old days" movies were cut and commercials inserted to fit TV standards, making watching a movie at home a totally different and less quality experience.

Now with streaming services and large quality home screens one can get the same quality of experience at home. I don't have to worry about who is around me or if they will annoy me or invade my space. I don't have to pay for overpriced junk food or smell the nasty fake cheese on nachos. I don't have to endure a massive number of commercials.

As for a night out, live theater is an experience that one can not get at home. Dinner out, which I haven't done for coming close to a year means food I can't prepare at home and I get served and don't have to clean up. I miss fairs and fetes and festivals where I can get experiences I can't get at home.

However, as for movies, I can get the same experience at home cheaper. We often invite family members and friends over for "movie" nights at our home and so get the experience of being with people while watching a movie. AND we can pause for bathroom breaks and to "reload" food.

For me binging series is a far more entertaining experience than the movies.

I know many many of you will disagree and that is perfectly okay!

This is about how I perceive the movies these days, and I would not miss the demise of the movie theater at all. To me it is like the vinyl record albums of old, and cassettes/CD's where it has served a purpose but technology has made it a dinosaur.

I don't want to see Hollywood propped up by Congress or with taxpayer funds. It is not like airlines which are crucial infrastructure transportation that must survive the pandemic. Hollywood movies are not crucial, nor do they need to survive the pandemic, as streaming services can provide a nearly identical and more comfortable and cheaper option at home. apnews.com...

Movie theaters are dying and I am sad... covid will be the nail in the coffin.

Yes, I can enjoy a movie at home on my gazillion inch 4k TV bought for $99 bucks... However, it still isn't quite the same theater experience imho. I took my son to his first movie last summer and it was a great experience for him.

a reply to: Edumakated

Not to mention the huge number of people who'll end up on the dole due to their industry of employment collapsing.

But if you turn up the volume loud enough on your home system you can drown out their wails and moans of suffering. I also suggest not wasting your money on a stand, just place the 120" 4K TV on the broken backs of the newly unemployed.

a reply to: The2Billies

Movie theaters are cool, but I don’t see the industry lasting, especially when I can pirate most movies for free right at home.

Movie theaters are a unique experience but with covid and their elevated price, I don’t see them lasting

a reply to: Edumakated

I'm with you.
Watching the avengers on a huge screen with the audience reaction is an amazing experience.

When captain America finally says "avengers assemble" the theatre popped...
You can't get that on your couch.

The last movie experience I had was a week ago and was one of the worst!

I had purchased what I thought were IMAX tickets at $25 each! Only to then be put in with a screen I do not think was IMAX as that theater is in another building but whatever...

So then I go and buy pretzels that are advertised as being $4 and spent another $30 for 4...wait what??? Yeah I am then told oh we don't have the $4 pretzels so you were given the $7 without even asking! Finally I started to get a bit angry at this and turned all Karen (is it really though?) and said hey that is not right or fair. The manager agreed and said hang on and got me 3 guest passes...there were 4 of us...

Don't get me started on having to pick seats and masks cause that is a whole other ordeal!

Anyway the Movie was good as I knew it would be and I missed the big screen experience, but $25 a ticket for 4K?

Meh and the rest of the experience was not a great time, no wonder they are going out of business!

originally posted by: The2Billies
I don't want to see Hollywood propped up by Congress or with taxpayer funds. It is not like airlines which are crucial infrastructure transportation that must survive the pandemic.

Translation: MmmmmmMmmmmmm, I love me some socialism if it's for the things I like. Bring on da free stuff, y'all.

a reply to: The2Billies

Please not!

I am not a avid cinema visitor since years and there were not any great movies lately, that moved me to watch them in a cinema.

I do not want to miss out on the big screen and the sound effects, the over-prized popcorn and nachos though. I should go more often. The owner of the cinema in my town is the same one since I was a kid. There are four newer cinematic rooms in the upper floor of the original building. That exact same owner will stand there evening for evening, ripping off the cinema tickets edges. It's his passion. He will smile and wish a nice evening.

It isn't necessary and you literally turn around from the paying area and go upstairs. It's more a tick or nostalgic feature for him but it's kind of steady and oldschool.

So I hope our cinema survives because they do not only play Hollywood stuff. We had a movie made in our town by local amateurs and parts of my former home are visible there (old pre 1900 building, for authentic background) and they showed it in the cinema. I went there to watch it, it was kind of funny to see regular people I know in complete different roles.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: Edumakated

Not to mention the huge number of people who'll end up on the dole due to their industry of employment collapsing.

But if you turn up the volume loud enough on your home system you can drown out their wails and moans of suffering. I also suggest not wasting your money on a stand, just place the 120" 4K TV on the broken backs of the newly unemployed.

LOL got news for you brother...there are plenty of unemployed types in all kinds of industries. There are plenty of industries going through serious cutbacks or outright closure. Any industry based on people getting to together in groups is in serious jeopardy. If we don't plow through it we are gonna lose a lot of them.

Thi doesn't include people now working in different jobs after being in another industry for 30 plus years like some of my family is doing, at greatly reduced wages.

Personally theaters I can take or leave them for the same reasons mentioned in the OP. I'd think potentially drive in theaters could see a resurgence.

originally posted by: putnam6
LOL got news for you brother...there are plenty of unemployed types in all kinds of industries. There are plenty of industries going through serious cutbacks or outright closure. Any industry based on people getting to together in groups is in serious jeopardy. If we don't plow through it we are gonna lose a lot of them.

Thi doesn't include people now working in different jobs after being in another industry for 30 plus years like some of my family is doing, at greatly reduced wages.

I'm aware of this but prior to that the industry was very healthy and making large capital investments. Now, not so much and people will be out of work because of the shutdowns. I'd rather have strong healthy industries over dying ones.

a reply to: The2Billies

Funny the way things go. First there was the Drive-in's, then the movie theaters killed them, now home theaters so people don't have to go out. Sad thing is the summer before the "virus" the local theater near me just finished a major renovation. New sound systems in all 14 theaters, new projectors, heated and fully recline able seats (Could never understand the heated part though). You pick your seat when you buy your tickets, larger concession stand,ect. Thanks to cuomo it's been setting empty since January, he wont let any theaters open.

The industry is killing itself, and movie theatres are an unfortunate casualty of that.

a reply to: putnam6

Gotta agree, this just might revive drive-in's, I'd love to see it. Not sure where they'd put them in my area, Where drive-in's used to be are long gone.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: The2Billies
I don't want to see Hollywood propped up by Congress or with taxpayer funds. It is not like airlines which are crucial infrastructure transportation that must survive the pandemic.

Translation: MmmmmmMmmmmmm, I love me some socialism if it's for the things I like. Bring on da free stuff, y'all.

Sort of like you bemoaning dying theaters and it's industry, and not acknowledging a plethora of industries big and small are getting impacted, many that employed huge numbers if not more in than the "entertainment" industry.

Most times an industry goes under because it's become obsolete and it's fairly isolated now we are getting slammed with numerous industries feeling the crunch.

a reply to: Chance321

Drive-ins in my area have been doing good business all summer, but they aren't running first-run movies. They're running classics like The Empire Strikes Back. They're also charging a good deal less per ticket too.

a reply to: putnam6

And in this case, it isn't because they are obsolete but because they were deemed non-essential by their betters in government. And as time has gone on, the knock-on effect is that those who were forcibly put out of work are enough to hit others.

Were the trade-offs worth it?

a reply to: The2Billies

I prefer drive ins to movie theatres actually. the local one you drive in, pay for your ticket bring in your pizza and drinks, or you can buy there if you want. have an adult beverage if you want to keep it in your car, arrive an hour early and all the kids play out in the grass, some frisby or football, whatever. It definately makes for a good experience in my opinion.

Movie theatres are over rated as realistically I am half blind, and I don't need the high resolution. Additionally I don't need to feel my teeth shake at a blast. They are also very pricey.

Camain

originally posted by: putnam6
Sort of like you bemoaning dying theaters and it's industry...

It wasn't dying until the shutdowns. In my previous role my team sold to Regal, Cinemark, AMC and Harkins, all were expanding and making capital investments. But don't let the facts get in the way.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: putnam6
LOL got news for you brother...there are plenty of unemployed types in all kinds of industries. There are plenty of industries going through serious cutbacks or outright closure. Any industry based on people getting to together in groups is in serious jeopardy. If we don't plow through it we are gonna lose a lot of them.

Thi doesn't include people now working in different jobs after being in another industry for 30 plus years like some of my family is doing, at greatly reduced wages.

I'm aware of this but prior to that the industry was very healthy and making large capital investments. Now, not so much and people will be out of work because of the shutdowns. I'd rather have strong healthy industries over dying ones.

Theaters were in trouble before COVID with the streaming services and such. I know Magic Johnson invested loads in movie theaters and lost it all pre COVID. Not to mention closing the theaters gets tons of play in the media, as they are essentially partners. Not saying it's good just saying they ain't alone.

a reply to: The2Billies

You sound like a boomer.
I know, because I am one.