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

[WilliamG]

I'm reading this thread with amusement AND concern. Many valid points have been made. First, let me say that I am new to HT. (just look at my number of posts) I mean, I know what I want to get, thanks to many of you here, but the $$$ factor is still in play.
Now to get back on topic:
I did buy a player (Panasonic RP-56, preparing for the plunge into HD), and before that I've had 3 VHS players dating back to the advent of the home video revolution - and I'm thinking of my top-loading RCA VHS now ...
I have been an avid movie-goer since my teen-age years. I just love the experience. I've been married for almost 23 years and have a 16-year-old daughter. WHY am I giving you this background? Because something has occurred that I haven't seen addressed yet...
I feel that the home video experience has, in some ways, ruined the theater-going for me. Before my first VHS player, I noticed NO talking from my wife in movies. (see where I'm headed?) NOW, if we're in the theater, and we're watching (insert your favorite movie-of-all-time), my wife and daughter have this UNcontrollable urge to talk to each other about, or otherwise comment on, said movie:frowning:
THEN, when we're home, and watching a DVD, it starts again! When I ask them, politely to stop, she says, "Now, we're at home-NOT at the theater, and I'm going to do as I please!":frowning: :frowning: And I just don't know how to stop the madness!! ..very frustrating ...
and it has become serious for me, even though they just blow it off and think I'm crazy. I just want to enjoy the show in silence. Is that too much to ask?

 

[BarryR]

Put it this way--going to the movies is a roulette wheel experience. I was lucky last year--I was eager to see THE OTHERS and at first was concerned when I saw how many teens were filing in. I knew the film was not in the slasher/graphic mode, so I was wondering if the crowd would find it too tame. The revelation was that the crowd reacted to the simplest spook effect as if it was some new CGI stunt--good acting, direction and mood created a compelling anxiety among them, and I was very pleased. Stil, I heard of other people seeing the film with less receptive audiences. At least the theater I go to tends to be reliable from a technical viewpoint, but I'm still not one to attend more than four times a year.

 

[Michael Reuben]

I think WilliamG has brought up a very important point.
Much of the bad audience behavior that people are complaining about here comes from the experience of watching so many movies at home. Why do people act like they're at home when they're in a movie theater? Because most of the time when they watch a movie, they are at home.
So one of the big reasons being cited for preferring home theater is a problem that home theater did much to create.
You gotta love the irony.
M.

 

[ChrisA]

I used to believe as you do, until I saw and heard FOTR and The Phantom Menace in a new Regal theater in my town equipped with DTS and Dolby Digital, as well as state of the art projection and sound. The bass, the impact, on the big screen and the audio, absolutely smoked some of the best home theaters I've heard. As for 4-10, you're correct on those. But not 1-3.

I disagree with you and the acoustics speaks for itself.

Further item number 2, in the item 1-3 you mentioned is tactile feedback, which is a whole topic in itself. Last I checked there aren't any commercial theaters with tactile feedback, which is a very exciting and continuing development. Commercial theaters have yet to implement tactile feedback, yet it is now easily available for the home. I hope that commercial theaters employ tactile feedback ASAP. Further, tactile transducers are in the process of being THX approved, while meaningless, it is one of theose HOLLYWOOD approval steps and is going to lead to a discrete tactile transducer channel someday soon.

IMAX on the other hand does offer some wonderful advantages.

So that leaves item number 3. Video. This is where the only real debate lies. IMO, you have 3 chip DLP projectors as the FUTURE of commercial theaters... Large 8-9 inch CRT could be considered better. HD-DVD would forever close any gap remaining between HT and Commercial theater. The way I look at it is this: I used to spend $30.00 a month watching 2 movies a month on average with a date or whatever. Now because of the convenience of HT, I spend easily $120.00 a month on purchasing movies for the last 3 years. Give me HD-DVD and I'll spend $175.00 a month. That is the bottom line as far as economics is concerned.

I think you need to see what home theater is really capable of. The focus is just on how to do it as inexpensively as possible.

 

[Derrick_Ellis]

That's a very good point Michael. I thought of that when I posted my reply. As a sidebar, I also think behavior in the theaters has a lot to do society as a whole as well. I see the level of rudeness and the 'its all about me' factor in society today to be alarming. But that is another subject for a completely different forum. Like everyone else, I love going to the movies to see certain movies because of the crowd reactions and I will never completely abandon the big theater for my home theater.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

er...no. HT did'nt create the obnoxious behavior. People are Rude ! Bottom Line. I don't care if you're Home, I don't allow talking in my HT Either. I watch a movie to watch the movie. Not hold a conversation.

 

[Jason Seaver]

You've got to think that the explosion of home video has contributed to the decline in behavior at theaters, though. It may not be the driving force, but it has somewhat devalued the moviegoing experience for a lot of people.

 

[Chuck Anstey]

So one of the big reasons being cited for preferring home theater is a problem that home theater did much to create.

I will have to politely disagree with this statement. You are putting the cart before the horse. 99.999% of the public do not have home theaters. They "watch videos" on their TVs. I will agree that home video has had a large impact on the behavior of the audiences in the theater.

Chuck Anstey

 

[RAF]

So one of the big reasons being cited for preferring home theater is a problem that home theater did much to create.

Michael,
Interesting perspective (leave it to a fellow NYer to stir up a hornet's nest!)

Seriously, while I see your point and, in some respects even can buy into the hypothesis, I have to agree with those who state that society has changed. Blame it on the latch-key children, the one parent homes, the no parent homes, etc. etc.
It just isn't your father's movie theater anymore.
The younger generation (and, in my case that even includes people in their 40's!) doesn't understand the concept of being aware of, and respecting those around them in a communal situation. The fact that they take their "home" manners with them into the theater is a sign of their upbringing. Don't blame the home theater for this. Blame the home.
Take care.

 

[Jason Seaver]

You are putting the cart before the horse. 99.999% of the public do not have home theaters. They "watch videos" on their TVs. I will agree that home video has had a large impact on the behavior of the audiences in the theater.

Kind of splitting hairs, isn't that?

 

[Chuck Anstey]

Kind of splitting hairs, isn't that?

It most certainly is not splitting hairs. I'll refer you to the number "I have friend over.." and the "OAR vs Blockbuster" and the "J6P and blackbars" threads as evidence. I am not talking about the people on this forum, which represent the 0.001% of the market. Most people see movies for the first time at home and most of them do not care about OAR, director's intent, etc. Seeing movies in the theater is a natural extension of viewing them in their living room with friends, only on a bigger screen and so act the same way. The number of people who act this way may be small but it only takes 4 or 5 people to screw it up for 500.

I used to "watch videos" (simple entertainment for 2 hours, P&S, maybe/maybe not seriously watching). I now "watch movies". I will probably never "watch film" since I do not have that strong a desire to really get into the details of filmmaking. I prefer to discuss mostly storyline and characters afterwards.

Chuck Anstey

 

[Michael Reuben]

The fact that they take their "home" manners with them into the theater is a sign of their upbringing. Don't blame the home theater for this. Blame the home.

RAF --
I don't disagree, and while I don't have quite as long a view as you do, I am one of the few people on HTF old enough to fall outside of your definition of "younger generation".
But you can't underestimate the impact of technology on behavior. Look at cellphones. Just a few short years ago, it would have been unimaginable to have so many people blurting out the intimate details of their lives in front of strangers. Now it's an everyday occurrence. Why? Because cellphones allow people to take an essentially private activity (talking on the phone) into locations where that behavior is inappropriate. The fact that people don't recognize the inappropriateness may be a comment on their upbringing, but technology created the problem.
You and I are old enough to remember (though many here are not) a time when the performing arts were still largely a communal experience. Television changed all that, and it did so very quickly. Today, people receive the vast majority of their performing entertainment on video screens in the privacy of their own homes. I don't care whether you're talking about 19" portable TV or a $200,000 home theater; it's still a private home, and people make themselves "at home" (which can mean different things to different people). Put those same people in a public place, and they'll still behave like they're at home -- without even thinking about it.
I'm not trying to excuse people who behave rudely in theaters. I just think it's interesting to hear people complaining about moviegoers acting like they're at home as an excuse for . . . staying home. How convenient that the same technology that created the problem is providing a solution (at least for some people)!
M.

 

[Michael Reuben]

, etc.

Including, of course, directors who intend that their movies be seen in theaters.
M.

 

[ChrisA]

Including, of course, directors who intend that their movies be seen in theaters.

So... what exactly is that supposed to mean? Maybe I misunderstood, but that includes home 'theater'.

 

[Michael Reuben]

It's basically the same point made by Jason Seaver in posts 60 and 64.

Maybe I misunderstood, but that includes home 'theater'.

It should be obvious in context that the reference is to auditoriums where film is projected for viewing by a communal audience. But if it wasn't obvious, I've just said it.

M.

 

[Duane Robinson]

So going off that logic we should all just stop complaining about pan and scan because if we're not watching movies in a large auditorium then we're already violating the director's intent right?

 

[Tom Ryan]

I think that films were meant to be seen in theaters, and for first viewing experiences that's how I like to see them. I saw tons of movies in theaters this year, some of which I wanted to see, some of which I saw because I had marginal interest and my friends wanted to go. Really, for a lot of people going to the movies is just something to do. And when your friends want to go see Tomb Raider, do you just say no and stay home by yourself? That isn't too fun. Incidentally, both me and the two friends I saw Tomb Raider with hated it.

But I do try to get to theaters for every film I really do want to see (e.g. gets good reviews, good internet buzz, seems like something I'd enjoy). I never get the kind of hassles with other moviegoers that people on this forum describe. People generally are respectful and don't ruin my movie experience where I live.

-Tom

 

[Kevin Coleman]

RAF,

The younger generation (and, in my case that even includes people in their 40's!) doesn't understand the concept of being aware of, and respecting those around them in a communal situation. The fact that they take their "home" manners with them into the theater is a sign of their upbringing. Don't blame the home theater for this. Blame the home.

Maybe you should re-phrase that to say SOME of the younger generation.
On another note I have had a large FPTV system for almost three years now and IMO it is no substitute for a huge screen. There simply isn't the same impact. Especially when you are talking LCD VS 35MM.
Kevin C.

 

[Jason_Els]

OK........ Have seen Lord of the Rings eight times since it opened. This has been my experience so far at the best theater in the county:

1) Opening day matinee. Older crowd not bad, no talking. Sobbing and gasping when appropriate. Print, however is scratched in the upper left hand corner; particularly bad in the shire scenes and worse in Farmer Maggot's field. This is the print I will see seven times.

2) Opening day evening. Lots of hardcore fans with swords and wizard staffs. Talkers would be turned into orcs posthaste.

3) Next day evening. Kids galore. Loads of talking, people getting up, laughing and making rude noises.

4) Third day evening. Not bad. Snowed so very few patrons. Mostly older people with SUVs. Surprisingly the man right in front of me (figures) has a beeper go off twice.

5) Fourth day evening. Many, many kids as it's Saturday night. Loads of talking, seat kicking, cell phones and general mayhem. Really nasty.

6) Sunday night. Not much better. Kids have off tomorrow for holiday.

7) One week later. 2 kids in back talking and making lots of noise. Light in the projector room left on. To my complete amazement a woman sitting in the back with young baby proceeds to change her child's diaper in the aisle.

8) Went to googleplex in mall instead. Theater claims it's Dolby Digital. Movie was shown in correct matte but bulb was going dark. Seats uncomfortable and sagging. Not stadium like the other theater. Worst offense is the movie ISN'T in surround! It's in stereo with no sub! I go to talk to the manager and she said she'll send someone in. Nothing changes. I despair.

Theaters here are ill-managed dungeons of mass-quantity entertainment with no regard for the quality of the cinematic experience. I will go see LOTR again in the theater but that's it. Until the Two Towers I expect to see Star Wars but that's it. I'm sick of the shoddiness of it all. I hope they close down. They deserve it. I will shed no tears.

Jason Ashley

Warwick, NY

 

[RAF]

Quote:

And Michael R, we are on the same wavelength here. Good points!
(I'm enjoying this thread. Lots of divergent opinions and good arguments on all sides.)