How Many of You Don't go to Commercial Theaters Anymore? (1 Viewer)

[Edwin-S]

To each his own but no matter how big the home theatre screen is, I believe that certain types of movies lose some of their impact if they are not seen in a movie theatre. LOTR is an example of just that type of movie. There is a swooping camera move off the tower at Isengard that almost induces vertigo when you watch it at the theatre. There is no way that the same effect is going to be recreated on a home theatre screen.....not even a 100 inch one. Regardless of noisy crowds and theatre management that don't give two hoots in hell about their equipment or presentation, I still like to watch certain movies at the theatre first.

 

[Luis A]

The last 3 movies I saw in a theater were Star Wars EPI, X-MEN, and Monsters Inc. X-MEN would have been the last movie I'd see in a theater, but my kids really wanted to see this since all there friends had. I do have to admit Monsters Inc. was one of the better experiences that I've had, but I do prefer movies in my home theater. I have no desire to sit in a room with a bunch of idiots who have no respect for the people watching the movie by talking on their cell phone, kicking the seats, talking loud through the movie, etc. I really want to see SW:AOTC, and I'm a huge Star Wars fan, but I hate watching movies in a commercial theater, and will wait for the DVD. No commercial theaters ever again, EVER!
L

 

[Carl Johnson]

It's quite rare for me to go to the movies primarily because I'm cheap. Why should I pay their outrageous ticket and concessions prices when I have a modest collection of DVDs and an HT that is already paid for? If I'm trying to make a good impression or something then I'll consider springing for dinner and a movie but most of the time I just stay home.

 

[Paul D G]

I prefer to see movies in the cinema. For me it's the "experience" - I prefer to see movies in a huge cavernous room in a big comfy seat with big booming sound and a screen four storeys tall. Bear in mind tho that I have an added luxury of being able to go to movies during the day and midweek so the place is usually quite empty. It's rare that I have a talker nearby or a cell phone go off. However this has also dropped my tolerance of such distrubances way low so when it does happen I get myself more worked up than what is necessary. I realize this is a personal problem and try to deal with it.

During the summer, however, I rarely go to the movies on a Friday afternoon (one of my available days) due to the bored-high schooler factor, and never go to highly anticipated films the first week of release.

Also, my local megaplex has top notch quality all around, stadium seating, and cheapo soda deals so the movie and popcorn/soda only costs $9 and change.

If I had a fancy home theatre like some folks here have I might change my tune but I don't. As the "theatre" set up is in the living room I'm limited as to when I can watch my movies as my wife doesn't like nearly anything that doesn't involve romance and just doesn't "get" proper adult films like The Man Who Wasn't There, etc. And since I must watch movies during the day when she's at work it's not as dark as I would like (try watching Jeepers Creepers or Joyride in a sunny room). Plus I find there are more distractions when watching movies at home - dog wanting out/playtime, phone ringing, etc.

My theatre days are numbered tho as my wife is pregant and due in five weeks. I'm started to weed off theatre going and will try to watch more movies at home. Unfortunately DVD rentals locally are not that great and some of the films I'd like to see wont come out on the format (what are the chances Blockbuster will carry Session 9 or The Hole?). I think a Netflix membership is on the horizon.

-paul

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I hardly ever, as a policy, go to movie
theaters anymore...with ONE exception...I try
to see every Spielberg film theatrically.
I guess I am lucky. When I see most major
motion pictures, it's a studio screening a
few weeks before the feature's release. You
will often see my reviews posted on SNEAK PEEKS.
I am often in a huge theater with about 30 people.
But once in a while I'll get talked into going
to see a movie with a full audience where I suddenly
revisit all the reasons why I hate going to the movies.
For example, I went to see Blackhawk Down
at the huge Loew's theater on 42nd street, NYC, about
two weeks ago.
Nothing like being packed in a movie theater
with someone's friggin' knees bopping into the back
of your seat, or, people talking to each other or
on their cell phones. I must admit, it was quite
toned down for a NYC moviehouse, but it was annoying
enough.
It's a shame that people just don't take the
movie experience seriously anymore and treat a
movie theater as if it was their own living room.

 

[Sebastian B.]

Well I feel concerned by this thread, I really do but when I think about it, I realize I don't really miss the theaters for all the reasons explained in this thread.

I very rarely go to movie theaters now, only for very specific occasions (such as a LOTR seance during New Year's Eve) and when I'm with friends.

You know, all this makes me think the situation is still worse (or better?) in Europe, because most of the time it's possible to get zone 1 DVDs of movies that haven't been played in theaters here yet. So for those who want to see these movies as soon as possible, the question doesn't even have to be asked.

And did I mention the dubbing?

 

[David Lambert]

and a reluctance to risk $25-$50 (including baby-sitter) on a potentially bad experience.

I won't spend money on a babysitter to go see a movie. The film has to happen in a way that won't require a babysitter: either during weekday daytime so that daycare watches my son, or a friend or (preferably) family member volunteers to watch him so we can get away. This is one of the reasons to limit it to "event" films.
What have I seen in the theaters since my son was born almost 4 years ago? Let's see, going backwards (all of these were on or within 2 weeks of opening day, so you have an idea of the timeframes between):
* Fellowship of the Rings (daycare watched son)
* Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (grandma)
* Monsters, Inc. (I took off early from work one day and took my son to see it, he managed to watch the whole thing but was a "talking/won't-sit-still" child for the first 15 minutes until he settled down)
* Shrek (we took Stephen to see this but he got scared and was a *screaming* child for 10-15 minutes so we got a refund and left, we then took a day off work a week later and saw the whole thing for ourselves while he was in daycare)
* Toy Story 2 (we took Stephen to see this, his first cinema experience, and he cried/screamed and drove us out of the theater in under a half hour after we REALLY pissed off everyone around us!)
* Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (Stephen's great-grandma watched him overnight while we saw this opening day, since a friend stood in line for tickets and got some for us)
* Star Trek: First Contact (the last movie we saw previous to our son being born, on opening day I stood in line & got tickets for the same friend who later got SW:TPM tickets for us)

 

[Robyn Young]

I still go whenever I can. My reasons for not going as frequently as I used to are based simply on time. Working 2 jobs, basically from 7 am to 8:30 pm daily, I find I just don't have the time. The last movie I saw was Beautiful Mind, and frankly, I'm glad I did.

I usually don't care that some movies were meant to be seen on the Big screen, because it all depends on where you are, and how the theater is. I didn't see harry potter at the theater, but I really could do without the 10 billion 4-8 year olds asking questions about whatever. (I have seen the movie, so I really can wait until the dvd comes out). I did go to see LOTR, and my theater had the volume up so loud that my ears hurt for 2 weeks. I was stupid and didn't cover my ears when it got too loud, like everyone else.

I'll continue to go to movies, if for no other reason than to get out of the house. Gotta admit, it is one of the safer of the date options these days.

robyn

 

[Scott Merryfield]

My wife and I made our first visit to a movie theater in almost two years over the holidays to see LOTR. Before, during and after the film, my wife was saying "now I know why we do not go to the theater anymore." Let's see:
1. While standing in line for tickets, a very rude person cut in line in front of me, then claimed he had been there all along. I decided this was not worth starting a fight over, so let it go. Then, just before getting to the teller, he cut over into the next line, where his wife was in line.
2. For a matinee, our cost was $18 for two $6 tickets, a small drink and small popcorn. I was thinking to myself "I will probably be able to buy the DVD for this price."
3. The theater was packed, so we ended up sitting closer to the screen than normal.
4. Ten minutes of commercials before the previews were played. I felt like I was watching network TV.
5. Once the film started, there were obvious signs of film wear, and the image seemed slightly out of focus.
6. After about 2 hours, I needed a trip to the restroom. Since I hate to miss any part of a film, I sat in discomfort for the last hour+ of the movie.
I will say that the crowd was pretty quiet throughout the feature. I did hear a few whispers at times, but nothing obnoxious. Also, our 56-inch RPTV does not have the same impact as a big theater screen.
For us, the cons of a movie theater outweigh the pluses. We will probably make a trip to see the next Star Wars and James Bond films, but other than that we will continue to enjoy our home theater.
FYI, we watch on average about 3 movies a week at home together. I may watch another 2-3 alone.

 

[Paul_Medenwaldt]

I hope this reply doesnt sound like i'm ripping on people who have posted in this discussion, but some of you need to get out of your basement home theaters. I've enjoyed going to movies all my life and have enjoyed the majority of those viewes: ie: Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and I mean every Star Wars film.
What has really enhanced the movie experience for me the last 3 years are the stadium seating theaters. No more people's big heads blocking your view, your sitting way above anybody, huge screens, loud obnoxious speakers, big comfortable seats. I have at least 5 of these type of theaters within a 10 mile radius of my house and most offer not only matinee prices but more reduced pricing during a certain time of the day, usually between 3pm and 5pm. So if I go to a moive i think will stink i don't fell bad paying $3 for the movie.
So I say go out and mingle with your fellow man and if you have to sit though a few minutes of commericials before that $150 million blockbuster of a movie, just lean back close your eyes and think happy thoughts of Episode II and The Two Towers.
Paul

 

[RAF]

Quote:



There is no way that the same effect is going to be recreated on a home theatre screen.....





Edwin,
With all due respect, that is not true in every case. I'm not trying to brag here, but I would stack my HT up with any theatrical experience in terms of "effect."

Case in point: My wife suffers a bit from Vertigo and she literally had to leave the room during the early scenes in Cliffhanger.

Case #2: One of my granddaugthers, shortly after turning 3 a couple of years ago, went on a pre-school class trip to the IMAX theater on Liberty Island in NY/NJ. She came over to my house all excited about the experience (some sort of presentation involving Dams and Beavers, etc.). Her enthusiastic quote, "It was just like your theater, Grandpa!" Out of the mouths of babes.

There are many variations of what we call "Home Theater" but those of us with large screens and quality projection devices know for a fact, based on personal experience, that it is not only possible, but is a reality that we have the visual and aural experience at home.

A few other related comments regarding this thread.

• I find it interesting that some people choose to get technical regarding the quality of film versus HT projection, whatever the form (short of real film, of course.) I would be the first to agree that HT visuals have not yet reached the resolution of true film. However, I feel that the gap has closed sufficiently to make the "experience" comparable on an experiential level, if not a theoretical level. Also interesting is the fact that I can use the "film" argument to help support my use of an LCD projector. The one recurring knock on LCD's and similar is the supposed lack of "black level." Yes, CRTs provide better "blacks" but if one looks closely at film in a theater one quickly realizes that film does not achieve 100% "blackness" either. So, in that regard, the LCD, etc. is closer to the "theatrical experience" than my CRT (my RPM Pioneer Elite), or any CRT for that matter. My point is, this is a non-issue for the purposes of this thread.
  
• There is no question that there are still a couple of reasons to suffer the slings and arrows of the "true" theatrical experience. (Lots of good points were made on both sides of the aisle here so I won't re-hash them). My primary reason to enter a commercial theater are to see something that won't be out on DVD for a while. There is another reason which hasn't been mentioned yet unless I misread some of the postings. To me the one thing that I cannot reproduce on a moment's notice in my HT is the interaction that comes when watching a movie with a group of people. There is a dynamic there (the good interactions, of course) that you can't experience by yourself; the common crowd reactions, etc. Yes, when I have a group over to watch something this becomes possible to some extent, but it's not the same as in a large group, and, as stated, can't be summoned 24/7. My wife and I actually belong to a Film Club at a local theater where once a month we get to see films before they get released to the general public (films such as Gosford Park and The Man Who Wasn't There were part of the package last season) and then participate in post-film discussions, often with some of the actors or directors, etc. This gives us our "theatrical fix" for all the good reasons.

That's my 2002 cents on the matter. Luckily, I have some backup on this from the owners of this forum. Ron Epstein, who responded to this thread and has been in my HT, so he can offer a non-biased viewpoint. And Parker Clack, I believe, was quoted as saying (I'm paraphrasing here) that if he owned an HT like mine he would never have to go to a theater again. A bit of an overstatement? Perhaps (for the reasons above) but at least some support from others who have seen what HT is capable of at present.

So please give people with large screen (FP) HT's some slack. They are not being arrogant, but are just stating their opinions based on their experiences. A properly constructed HT can, without a doubt, provide one with the commercial theatrical environment. Of course not everyone has the luxury of being able to dedicate a complete, ambient light-controlled room to this "hobby" and, in those cases, HT is only an approximation of the "real" thing.

HT owners are not, for the most part, reclusives. They have just taken their personal entertainment choices to the next plateau.

 

[LarryH]

Two experiences:

Went to theater to see Star Wars I - in a so-called THX theater the image flickered so badly in bright areas I thought I would get a headache.

Watched Star Wars I on DVD - found the edge-enhancement distracting to the point that I have not watched it again.

Went to theater to see Moulin Rouge - there was a stain or damaged area on the screen that was distracing throughout the movie.

Watched Moulin Rouge on DVD - the DTS soundtrack went badly out of sync a number of times.

Still seeking the holy grail of a decent movie experience.

(OK - DD Moulin Rouge may be an out here)

 

[ChrisA]

I certainly didn't meant to come off as a snob or elitest. The reason I DON'T go to the COMMERCIAL theater is because I get a BIGGER IMPACT, MORE VERTIGO, MORE OF A YOU ARE THERE SENSATION AT HOME! So for those who keep saying that the BIG SCREEN is the only way to see "Lords of the Ring", "Saving Private Ryan", "Harry Potter", well yes it is, but it is at home. If you came over to my place and watched EPISODE ONE POD RACE, You would feel not only VERTIGO, YOU WOULD FEEL AS THOUGH YOU WERE IN THE POD RACER! The price of Front projection continues to fall, and in the home, we can easily create reference level bass and a much more DISCRETE SURROUND because we are not relying on MULTIPLE side speakers getting feed the same info. You can have a much more discrete and ENVELOPING surround in the HOME. It is easier to recreat REFERENCE levels of bass without the need to use rolloffs (as in commercial theaters). Again, tactile feedback is a huge difference in that "YOU ARE THERE" feeling (albiet we need discrete tactile channel-- another story which I will be writing a 'neurophysiological' review article for "The Guitammer Company" makers of the Buttkicker (such a crude name for an articulate device (if installed properly)).
Also, who needs stadium seeting when you can use chaise longes or whatever you want?
I like to be SOCIAL, but for me, I no longer Do the MOVIE thing, the MOVIE thing *is* better at home, the experience is more powerful and MOVING at HOME. For me, social is just enjoying all the good restaurants Philadelphia has to offer, or being dragged to various concerts, or the latests artsy fartsy performance in Philadelphia. While I do enjoy watching things in a crowd, I now enjoy watching things with 4-6 people in the home, on Chaise lounges that are reclined and SO COMFORTABLE, which are on a platform which produces tactile feedback. Is this elitism? I don't think so. The more you do yourself, the more economical it becomes. Digital projectors are becoming better and better and more affordbable. Eventually, what is a commercial theater really going to OFFER in terms of SIGNIFICANT performance difference over Home theater? After all, Commercial theaters are switching to 3 CHIP DLP, which is soon withing grasp of Home theater users... How long it is before everyone can get that type of performance? 7 years of trickle down? Well heck, many would argue that a good used 9 inch CRT projector would already outperform those NEW digital Cinema's, so I ask again, How is a COMMERCIAL THEATER going to outperform the AVERAGE home theater? In my opinion, I enjoy what I use far more than anything short of IMAX, and they still don't have the same level of comfort, bass capability, and tactile feedback.
There are many ways to socialise and to me, movie theaters just don't offer anything to me, and I most defintely, in my case, have a much more involving experience at home. In fact I went to see Gladiator in that brand new theater just next to the brand new IMAX theater in King of Prussia, Philadelphia... The expereience is lacking compared to the home theater experience. With DIY subwoofers and DIY tactile platforms, HT doesn't have to be expensive to obtain incredible performance...
Now, my proposal is to just start filming Movies like The MATRIX 2, Harry Potter, The Twin Towers, Spiderman, etc... ALL IN IMAX/OMNIMAX !!! Now that would be worth $20.00 a ticket. Commercial theaters as they stand just don't offer anything special IMO. Let's go IMAX!

 

[Qui-Gon John]

I too have trimmed down my going to the theater. Mainly only for the real 'big' ones I don't want to wait for DVD release. LOTR, Harry Potter recently. I'll be there for Ep. II in May and Nemesis in November. But, I started going to the first showing, usually starts between 10 am and noon. These are some of the least crowded showings. I saw LOTR on 12/23, 11:30 am show in Albany, NY. Besides the people I was with, there were maybe 15 - 20 others in the entire theater.

I much prefer at home. I can pause for bathroom breaks or to get snacks, even to take a phone call, if so inclined, like if I'm expecting someone to call. If I didn't get something the first time I can review that scene, before I go on. The reclining sofa is even more comfortable than the stadium seating. The food is better and cheaper and I can drink anything I want.

 

[ChrisA]

I will see Episode 2, just because I already know about it, and I can't supress my desire to see it, so I will be going to King of Prussia to see that movie. I enjoy NOT knowing qwhat else is coming out, as I do not watch 'TV' very often. Even so I would change the channel if I saw a preview. I detest previews and it makes me angry that advertisers need to give away some of the best parts of the film just to get people to go see it. I'm not sure I have a better solution for marketing a movie, but my enjoyment of movies has increased tremendously now that I removed myself from any prior knowledge. Moviews are often ruined by forehand knowledge. The less known the better. I am glad to wait on reading *general reviews* to gauge whether the movie has any chance of being enjoyable. I certainly never saw or purchased the DVD of "Battle Field Earth" because of the unanimous variety of horrendous reviews. You can use the variety of on-line sources of reviews that don't give away any specifics of the movie to see which movies may be worthwhile purchasing and which have no chance whatsoever. By purchasing the movies, I don't have to rent them and I don't have to pay some theater for an inferior experience that is also inconvenient. I hope things stay the way they are as far as quick turnaround time from theater release to DVD release. I can honestly say that if anything were to change, I WOULD be spending a LOT less money on HOLLYWOOD. You can't force people to do anything, as was seen via the DIVX fiasco. The reason that DVD is so popular is because it is successful the way it is now. Currently both renters and purchasers are happy and overall sales are tremendous. Over all sales would be hurt if anything were to change. I just hope Hollywood is smart enough to realise that. I am spending way more money now and purchasing tons of movies that I would not rent or see in any theater. An if HD-DVD were to come out, I'd purchase even more. You get what you pay for, as well as what effort you put into it. Hollywood needs to figure out a way to release HD-DVD ASAP.

 

[Ron-P]

Movies are made for seeing in commercial theaters, not home theaters. The experience of seeing a film at commerical theaters is much better than seeing it on a home theater, I don't care how big the television is.

I respect your opinion Tom, but I disagree. Movies are made for enjoying, how one gets the most enjoyment out of them is what counts.
Peace Out~

 

[Jack Briggs]

I hhardly ever go to commercial cinemas any longer. If 2001 hadn't been screening in 70mm at The Egyptian, it would have been more than a year and a half since I last walked into a commercial cinema. Release prints are often subpar, and the projectors usually don't have strong-enough lighting, even in some of L.A.'s "best" cinemas. Add to that all the distractions that have been mentioned here, along with the $10 ticket prices, then who needs it?

 

[Jerome Grate]

I still go, still have LOTR, HARRY POTTER, to see as well as Spiderman.

 

[Chuck Anstey]

I find it ironic that a major reason being used in this thread for going to the theater is the "communal experience" while we have a 3+ page thread about people talking in theaters. You can't have it both ways. The communal experience requires that people talk and interact with the movie and each other. If everyone just sat and watched the movie in silence then its like no one else is really there. There are no quieter crowds than the ones in my home theater. In fact, it's like they are not even there.
Chuck Anstey

 

[Jason Seaver]

I can pause for bathroom breaks or to get snacks, even to take a phone call, if so inclined, like if I'm expecting someone to call. If I didn't get something the first time I can review that scene, before I go on.

Let it be noted - in any future "widescreen vs. pan & scan" debates, John Co (like all others using this argument) is hereby barred from uttering the phrase "director's intent".
Truth be told, I can't imagine giving up on movie theaters. Aside from how I don't necessarily have the patience or attention span to wait for something to come out on video - at which point it might be drowned in the sea of available titles, causing me to miss it anyway.
The last time we had this debate, I think everyone conceded that film, under optimal conditions, will trounce HT, under optimal conditions, any day of the week; the difference in picture quality between a brand-new, properly projected piece of film and the best DVD is just about inarguable. The hitch, of course, is that the audience can guarantee optimal conditions better in their HT. But is that worth giving up commercial theaters for?
I'd say no, but I'm lucky; I live in a large city with plentiful state-of-the-art theaters which show a wide variety of film. I'm either fortunate or tolerant in that the crowds I see a film with generally aren't too obnoxious (and I alleviate that by sitting close to the front and center, so that distractions are out-of-sight and people seldom have to walk past me).
And even when conditions are not perfect, that's not entirely a negative. There's a certain heightened emotional sensitivity that comes from being in a crowded room that you don't necessarily get from your own comfy HT. The "collectively held breath" can be even more powerful when shared with strangers than with friends, as can laughter. Even a certain small amount of chatter works; in moderation, it can make the experience less sterile, and more personally involving.
And, finally, going out to see a movie takes you out of the process entirely. You're not fiddling with the sound, or contrast, or color; you're not jerked out by the phone, the doorbell, or something else going on in the house. The temptation to tinker, or fast-forward, or pause, is gone. It's just you and the movie, and I find that appealing.