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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Author
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Topic: Article about why theatre attendance is down:
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Evans A Criswell
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1579
From: Huntsville, AL, USA
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 04-17-2003 01:39 PM
Today's Huntsville Times had an article about why movie theatre attendance is down. I'm sure many other newspapers carried it, since it was written by Barry Koltnow of the Orange COunty Register.
He traces the problem to three factors:
1. The movies stink. All of the better movies tend to be released during two different "hot" time periods during the year, so the rest of the year, movies aren't that great. I admit that I haven't seen as many movies this year as I normally have.
2. The prices stink. The author mentions the ArcLight theatre complex in Hollywood that charges $14 at night and $11 at matinees. I often feel that the $7 to $7.50 range is a little high. Fortunately, I can get student discounts at the Huntsville theatres, but not the Decatur ones. As we've discussed before, this is studios' fault for demanding too high a percentage of the ticket sales.
3. The commercials stink. The author mentions 15 minutes of pre-movie material. I've seen 20 minutes worth before! I don't mind previews of coming movies (since that's hwo I typically choose what I'm going to see in the future), but commercials should not be played in theatres. Every trailer that doesn't run due to the time being needed for a commercial is one less opportunity to persuade me to return in the future to see a later release!
I'm surprised that the author did not mention the improvements and increased affordability of home theatre equipment (DVD and large 16:9 TVs with good line doublers and/or upscalers).
Personally, I enjoy going to theatres, and will always do so unless the quality of projection degrades to the point of being ridiculous. There is only one theatre that consistently does a poor job in my area. The other four do an acceptable job. If I didn't see movies in the theatre, I probably would buy almost any DVDs, since I tend to buy what I liked in the theatre. I see the biggest problem with theatres being the quality of the movies, rather than the price or the showing of commercials. If the prices went up and more commercials were shown before the movies, I'd probably still go, provided there were movies I wanted to see during their theatrical run.
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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man
Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 04-17-2003 02:24 PM
Evans said:
quote:
Personally, I enjoy going to theatres, and will always do so unless the quality of projection degrades to the point of being ridiculous.
I think this should be considered equally or more important than the other three points. If you look close enough, you will see people walk out of the theatre if the equipment constantly malfunctions or the operator is doing a lousey job in the booth. I am addressing out-of-frame splices that run unattended for several minutes, upside down reels, out-of-place reels, out-of-focus problems, etc.
I walked out of 2001 - A Space Oddesy because the shutter was out of time and the travel ghost was obnoxious.
The crappy presentation problems are what drives repeat customers away, and they may not come back to your movie house.
Excessive screen ads suck. Very true. But the customer knows they are there, and just arrive late so they don't have to watch them. But they will come back.
Movies that suck - they will not come to watch that movie. If your movie house has a good track record on presentation quality, the customers will come back and watch a movie that does not suck.
Let's not forget to put emphasis on good presentations.
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Mike Blakesley
Film God
Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 04-17-2003 04:17 PM
This is just a writer with space to fill, and tired of writing about the war or whatever.
The same thing happens every spring. EVERY YEAR there is a downturn at this time, at least it's happened every year since 1976, when I first started working at my theatre.
Also, it mystifies me why people continue to bitch about the prices. My wife and I have gone to 3 concerts in the past 6 months...the tickets have ranged from $59.50 to $79.50, and that's to sit in cramped, crappy seats with (on one occasion) ridiculously bad sound.
Movies are the lowest priced form of out-of-home entertainment, but they are presented in the BEST out-of-home environment. (In most cases, anyway.)
People should quit harping about the commercials, too. Hell, commercials are absolutely EVERYWHERE else, so why should the movies be the exception? That would be nice, but I can see why it isn't that way in these economic times.
As for the movies stinking, well, OK, he has a point there. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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Scott Norwood
Film God
Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 04-18-2003 08:35 AM
Cinema attendance is down? Since when?
Last I heard, Jack Valenti was crowing about how theatre attendance is the highest in 45 years:
http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/030304/leisure_movies_2.html doesn't seem to be available, but it's in Google's cache
(meanwhile, Uncle Jack has been complaining about how movie piracy is "killling the industry" just like the VCR was supposed to have done in the '80s)
I do agree with the comments about in-theatre advertising (slides, film ads, etc.)...unless it has something to do with movies (e.g. popcorn, candy, Coke/Pepsi, etc.), then it doesn't belong in the theatre. Actually, I can tolerate slides, but film ads are completely unacceptable.
Movies aren't cheap, but, as others have noted, neither are other forms of out-of-home entertainment. I think that $8 or so is entirely reasonable for a quality film that is presented properly. It is way too much to pay if either is substandard.
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