Way to kill an industry...

[kailara]

A while back, Poeso got me hooked on the NPR blog "MonkeySee". This morning, one of the bloggers there had this tidbit to share:

Hard as it is to believe, some movie theaters are raising some ticket prices again, already. Shrek Forever After at $20 per ticket. Twenty dollars per ticket, for a movie intended to draw families, before you pay for

Comments

[ladyofdragons]

Though I do agree, I think technology will have something to say about it come the future. Avatar was proof of that and I'm sure it's just the beginning. The movie industry needs to push the envelope of the experience continually past what is reproducible in the home. The trend seems to be drawing towards more and more immersion. 3D is allowing them to do this now, but I can see tricks like what they do in Soarin' Over California at California Adventure and even into the realm of VR. Technology progresses at such an unpredictable rate too, who knows when these things will possible and a cost effective part of the industry.

So, I'm sure they'll find ways to keep people coming to the theaters rather than watching at home, but the question does still stand: what price will they have to pay and how many will be willing to pay it?

I do think it's a bit early to start charging $20 per ticket though. That better be a fucking awesome theater if so. WTB massaging recliner seats for that amount please!

[kailara]

Ah - but I can get a 3D television if I want to already, and the consumer electronics industry is getting faster and faster at replicating the in-theater effects for the home all the time. (I also suspect that I'm not the only person who has problems with some of the new formats. I haven't watched anything in 3D yet and I admit I'm hesitant to try it based on the issues I have with IMAX. I'm not enthusiastic to shell out the money for 3D and then find out that it gives me a blinding headache.)

There will be people who continue to want to see movies in the theaters - as Trundle noted below, the experience has meaning beyond just seeing a film - but I think the ticket prices are out-pacing the experience at this point.

Massaging recliner seats would be awesome though... =) (Not that I can't get _that_ in my living room as well. =D )

[ladyofdragons]

I knew you were going to say that. And I know you can get 3D televisions, but as I have not had the experience of one--only 3D in the theater--I won't comment as to a comparison. It'll be sometime before that starts effecting the movie industry in force I think, when they become affordable to the majority

[poeso]

And did you post this up on Monkey See as well? I'm sure she would love to read it and agree with you.

[kailara]

It didn't even occur to me...I never think to comment on blogs of people I don't know. I'll have to consider that.

[trundle]

I'm willing to admit that it might simply be an anachronism, but I <3 the theater. No matter how big the screen or perfect the surround sound, the home experience just never measures up for me. I love the semi-crisp ticket stubs, the rush of popcorn smell as the doors open, and the moment the dimming lights cause a hush to fall over the crowd

[kailara]

And you'd fall into that "true aficionados" category at that point - the people who love the experience enough to feel that it's worth the occasional expense. I'm not sure there's enough people like you to support $20 or (eventually) $20+ tickets though...which is why I could see the movie experience becoming more like stage theater in how people think about it.

[vancefox]

Don't you dare knock the theatre-going experience! Where else are you going to get the talkative toddler two rows down, the guy eating his popcorn too loudly to your right, the glow of the cell phone of the teenager in front of you who has to check her text messages every five minutes, or the antsy person behind you kicking your chair?

[kailara]

Have you MET our friends? We can easily replicate that...Drama Llama and Mischief Monkey would be more than happy to chatter through the movie, kick our chairs and climb over us, Adnate's text alert goes off every 30 seconds with Twitter feeds, and I'm sure we can arrange for both popcorn and loud eating. Viola! Movie theater experience in home. =D

[ljplex]

Yes, I have indeed been known to eat loudly, voice my opinion during the 'good bits', kick chairs and forget to remember turn my cellphone off.

I also always manage to somehow sit right behind YOU.

Such is the power of the Drama Llama.