How would you bring people back to theatres?

[mpompey]

There's been alot of talk about how the moviegovers are opting out of seeing films in theatres, versus waiting for them to come out to video and catching them at home.

Is this decline in movie going inevitable, or can the theatres reverse the trend? Do you think this is a side effect of people becoming more unsociable in our fast paced lifestyle?

What in your opinions would theatres need to do to bring folks back?

[ruadmaa]

There's been alot of talk about how the moviegovers are opting out of seeing films in theatres, versus waiting for them to come out to video and catching them at home.

Is this decline in movie going inevitable, or can the theatres reverse the trend? Do you think this is a side effect of people becoming more unsociable in our fast paced lifestyle?

What in your opinions would theatres need to do to bring folks back?

STOP SHOWING TV COMMERCIALS. Quite frankly, I refuse to pay more than $8.00/ticket to go see tv commercials in a theatre. Also, start the movie when it is supposed to be started, not after 30 minutes of tv commercials.

[CaliHwyPatrol]

It's too expensive... $9.75 gets you in around here. I rent the movie for $1.49 at Hollywood for one night and watch it in my theater, which is better than any theater around here anyway. It's just not worth it!

~Chuck

[SilverMK3]

Make presentation as important as it used to be.

I worked as a projectionist at my local theater while I was going to college and was trained by one of the old-school (well-paid, union) theater techs. We used to have strict policies about keeping the booth spotless and maintaining the equipment; we'd change a $700 bulb if there was even the slightest flicker on the screen. (incidentally, those things blew up great in the dumpster :D)

Nowadays every minimum wage, popcorn shovelling monkey gets their turn in the projection booth. When you sit down to watch a movie it is expected that you'll see the picture jump out of frame a couple of times, that the projector will be out of focus, and that the print will be scratched and dirty as hell. Its not even worth getting up to complain anymore when you watch an entire 5-minute trailer in reverse and upside-down.

Five years ago we worked our assess off to make sure we had the best presentation in town. We had no problems getting 5 of our 8 screens THX certified on our first try. Now that the corporate head offices place no value on presentation, the THX techs would probably laugh their assess off before failing every screen unconditionally - that is, if the head office would even spend the money to get the screens looked at.

[hifiman]

It's too expensive! My family of 3 can go to a matinee to get the cheapest seats and still pay more than buying the DVD the first week it comes out. For the price of the DVD we get to avoid parking, waiting in line, sitting in broken and dirty seats, crappy sound and/or picture, people talking through the movie, and cell phones (why can't these idiots turn off the damn phones when they walk up to the ticket booth?). At home I have better picture and sound, comfy seats, cheap popcorn and drinks, and (drumroll.........)I don't have to sit through 8 commercials for upcoming movies, commercials for the snackbar, and last, but not least, the reminder to turn off your cell phone, which no one pays attention to anyway.

[gellor]

1. Fix the speakers. (I'll actually call ahead to find out which theater a movie's playing in before deciding whether or not to go out to the theater)
2. Switch to digital projectors...something better than my picture at home.
3. Better food. I'm not talking hot dogs or that sort of thing. I'm talking GOOD chicken wings, pizzas, sandwiches, etc. Make it so I can go out for dinner AND a movie if I so choose.
4. Advertise what time the movie starts. That way if I choose to show up 20 minutes early to get a good seat, I get to see previews/etc.
5. Frequent patron cards. (see 10 movies, get the 11th free)
6. Make going to the movies something special, not something frustrating. Something more akin to going to a pops concert...and less like to daycare.
7. When something breaks (projector, speakers, seats, etc.) FIX IT!


With the ready availability of high-quality home theater components, theaters need to move more towards a total experiance than just an oversized TV. Unlike other replies here, I would actually willingly pay a little bit more for an evening out at the movies...IF they could make it a bit more like going out to the theater.

[j_garcia]

Ban all cell phones...or something. The funny ads don't get the point across; people need to be asked to leave the theater if they get a call (which they should do anyway out of common courtesy).

Better food or at least drop the cost of the existing food. One local place did hot dog + drink for $1.50 for early showings on Sunday, that was a good deal. The sound systems in a few theaters around here are quite good, so those are the ones I tend to go to.

[W_Harding]

How would you bring people back to theatres? My wife and I started going to movies in the theatre again after several years watching DVD we would rent from the local DVD rental store. We have found that the theatre picture and sound are much improved over what we typically saw five years ago. The theatre we go to sells a discount card that allows one to see 10 movies for $50. At that price we feel that the "big screen" experience is worth it.

[nova]

What would get me back into the theaters??? How about a good movie! I mean something with substance not just that it looks pretty and sounds good.

My biggest pet peeve? Yanno the guy/gal who wrote a book and it was on the best seller list for months???? What makes these screen writers and producers think they can do a better job? If you are going to adapt a book into a film then do it! If you're going to bastardize it, write your own damn book and adapt that!!!

but, thats just me ;)

[The Dukester]

Ohh, a lot of good points here already. Many of the theatres in my area are lacking in the sound and video presentation. We have a lot of multiplexes so many of the individual theatres have small screens which some view as more intiment but I find cramped and lacking the big screen experience.

The food is too high. Well, it's a know fact that this is where the theatres make their money. Many of the blockbuster films cost so much they actually lose money on them, but make it up in the 4-500% markup at the goodie counter.

Too me, the commercials are OK, as long as there are only two or three and they are adv upcoming films. I like to see the trailers as many times it's the only way I know of upcoming attractions. I don't get mags or surf the net to find out what's coming out.

The big things in addition to the above to get folks back is to cut out the cell phone use...there ought to be an employee at each showing to escort folks that get a call out, improve the quality of the equipment and maintain it to ensure an experience worth coming to and last but not least, make movies that are worth watching. Too many crappy films out there.

[Tom Andry]

My last two movie experiences (Episode III and Serenity) were horrible. Bad sound, bad picture, annoying kids/adults, cell phones going off, uncomfortable seats...the works. You couldn't drag me out of my home theatre for a movie any more. I don't care what it is. Well...on second thought...if you show the Rocky Horror Picture Show, I'd go to that. But that is less about the movie and sound than the experience. But that is about it.

[Gerald]

A pause button so people can go pee.:rolleyes:

[jaxvon]

Does anyone else notice that while we are the people that invest far too much money into our own HT system so we can enjoy movies how we like, we're also the ones that when we do go out to the movies, are the people polite enough to turn off our cell phones and not talk. Interesting....

[Sheep]

I don't have this problem.

The Theaters I go to are THX certified and have amazing sound and picture, and its for the right price too, FREE! :D

Regularly its $10, but my home theater will never be this good. Ever. These places maintain 110dB's or so for the whole movie, and nothing breaks or screws up.

SheepStar

[WmAx]

IThese places maintain 110dB's or so for the whole movie, and nothing breaks or screws up.

SheepStar

Surely you can literally mean that the SPL is constant 110dB, or anywhere approaching that. If this is true, you are undergoing hearing damage.

-Chris

[ca_newbee]

STOP SHOWING TV COMMERCIALS. Quite frankly, I refuse to pay more than $8.00/ticket to go see tv commercials in a theatre. Also, start the movie when it is supposed to be started, not after 30 minutes of tv commercials.
I agree!... I enjoy going to the movies but the ads drive my wife insane so she won't go. As more and more of us take the HT route they need to come up with an improved product otherwise it becomes the domain of teenagers.... biggest concern is that is the studios see the box office as driving what movies they make so whoever goes to the movies decides what type of movies get made.

[Sheep]

Surely you can literally mean that the SPL is constant 110dB, or anywhere approaching that. If this is true, you are undergoing hearing damage.

-Chris

well, I used to play in a band and we practiced at 125dB's (Checked with SPL meter).

In king kong there was parts where I remembered that loudness. The movie itself isn't that loud, but the dynamic peaks are.

SheepStar

[ducker]

the prices are crazy.... I don't like going to a "standard" theater anymore due to the poor quality of sound,picture,screen that I might be subject to. it's a much safer bet to take my chances with seeing a movie at an IMAX theater then any other.

That being said... it's insane for 2 people to go to the movies paying full price... you're looking at around $20 for the tickets and another $10ish for a drink, popcorn and maybe some candy.
All in all $30 to see a movie.... it better be a DAMN good movie, in a great theater, with great sound and picture quality... most of the time something is lacking... else you have fools sitting around you that but the hell out of you...

Not to mention, if it _is_ a good movie, chances are you won't get an ideal seat unless you show up more then 30 minutes early... (or even earlier!!!)

So... why deal with all that crap when you can watch it at home in 6months for about half the cost?

again... it simply has to be a goooood movie (or if I'm using free passes)

[j_garcia]

I generally only venture to the theater for something I REALLY want to see these days; something like The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, or something that looks like it might be fun to see on the big screen like Kong. Other than that, we seek out the independent films in the small local theaters like Grizzly Man, Thirteen, Mean Creek, etc....

[shokhead]

And alot of you might be to young to remember when you went to the movies,it was always 2 movies and a cartoon.

[Tritonman]

Eliminate the movie theaters all together. turn them into dinner and a movie with much better ambience and coziness. Make it so you can eat a nice meal while enjoying the movie at a comfortable table.

Then have the movie industry team up with cable companies to release new movies on demand. You would be able to view anything in the theater at home on demand. The price would be slighly higher than the theater since you arent paying a per person price. But it would be worth it imo to be able to instantly see what would be in the theater from my home eating my own popcorn and drinking my own soda with my pause button

[j_garcia]

And alot of you might be to young to remember when you went to the movies,it was always 2 movies and a cartoon.

I do :) It was great to actually see two movies and sometimes a cartoon for a few bucks. It was a good way for the parents to get the kids out of the house for a long time ;) They could bring back the short cartoon too, that would be cool.

[Bryce_H]

I agree with most of the points here. Cell phones, ticket prices, and ADS!!! are my biggest frustrations. Frankly we only go on rare occasions now, since I finished the dedicated HT in the basement. Last movies seen in the theater were Episode III, Charlies and the Chocolete Factory (IMAX) and Harry Potter (IMAX). Will go see Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe over the holidays. We usually wait till they come out on video, put in our queue with netflix, have a bunch of friends over for a potluck dinner, and then head to the Home Theater.

Cost of home theater - a lot
Cost of Netflix - $18.95/month
Cost of pot luck dinner - minimal
Cost of dinnner and a movie with 4-6 friends with no cell phones, ads, etc. and comfortable seats, great picture, and sound - PRICELESS!!!:p :D

[macersl]

1. Overpriced: If the movie is good, I wished I could have seen it at home on my better theater. If it's bad, I get ticked that I spent so much. The amount I pay is about the same as a month of Netflix. The money paid-to-enjoyment ratio is so far off.

2. I am 6'4" and it just not comfortable to sit in those seats for that long.

3. Going to the bathroom is frustrating. No pause.

4. Is it me or have people's manners gone to s**t?

The only time I go is if I can't wait to see a movie or my wife begs me to go. I dream of the day movies get released on video the same time as in the theaters.

[majorloser]

Movies are released to DVD so fast now days, why bother going? Unless you need an excuse to get out of house for "date night".

[hifiman]

4. Is it me or have people's manners gone to s**t?


I think that's it in a nutshell. Of all the things that I think is wrong with movies and theaters these days the one that really ticks me off centers on people and their manners. I could go on and on as to the reasons for this development, but I'll restrain myself.

[WmAx]

well, I used to play in a band and we practiced at 125dB's (Checked with SPL meter).

In king kong there was parts where I remembered that loudness. The movie itself isn't that loud, but the dynamic peaks are.

SheepStar

Okay, so you meant occasional peaks(as opposed to constant average) of 110dB . Thank you for the clarification.

-Chris

[masak_aer]

I agree with Gellor...good points. I want to share my theater-going experience when i was in Jakarta, Indonesia. The theaters i've been to are mid to upperscale in price. You may not even know that there's even a country with that name. Anyway, here how they run the the theater:
1. Nice big seats (the arm-rests are twice as big).
2. No funny smell, in fact it smells good.
3. No dirty floors
4. THX sound is standard.
5. Screen is huge....(some theaters here, in MD-VA-DC have screens only big enough to cover my windows).
6. Seats are numbered (no asking: "hey, those seats taken?", some people say "yes" only to put their purses or jacket in). I find this very convenient for me, you get your number. You pick your seats (they'll show the seating-chart to you) which means the sooner you buy tickets, the more options you have. They sometimes put the seating chart available on the ticket window so if you think you don't like the seats available, just find another theater.
7. Previews are shorter, very very few commercials.

May be theaters here can learn from there. :p

[furrycute]

2 tiers, up scale and mass market.

Charge $15/person for the up scale theaters, charge $5/person for the mass market theaters.

Isn't there some kind of shielding you can use to block out all cell phone signals?

[Clint DeBoer]

Take a cue from your local church service - add a reliable, professional childcare/babysitting service (with a subtle LED number display within view so you can be alerted if your child has a problem requiring your immediate attention).

Adding a dinner option (where they feed your kids as well) or an extended sitting service to allw you to get dinner at a "partner" restaurant would be an additional bonus, but is not required for this to work.

IMHO this would quickly revitalize the industry more than ANY other potential change.

[shokhead]

I think that's it in a nutshell. Of all the things that I think is wrong with movies and theaters these days the one that really ticks me off centers on people and their manners. I could go on and on as to the reasons for this development, but I'll restrain myself.

You mean bring a baby or small children into an R rated movie and they cry and do what board kids do bothers you? I suppose the guy behind you thats not interested in the movie and talks through it or the lady next to you thats seen it and you here her say whats going to happen through the whole movie bothers you also? Maybe you should invest in a good HT? Opps,we do. The theaters can have all those rude people because they are screwing up the movie experence. I still remember going to the show and it was DEAD SILENCE and darker to.

[hifiman]

You mean bring a baby or small children into an R rated movie and they cry and do what board kids do bothers you? I suppose the guy behind you thats not interested in the movie and talks through it or the lady next to you thats seen it and you here her say whats going to happen through the whole movie bothers you also?

My Sister-in-Law and her family recently went to a movie and found out afterwards that each person experienced each one of those examples from someone sitting behind them, including a man who snored through the movie and peridically waking up to yell at his kids to be quiet in the theater. The best part was a woman and her 4-year-old. The kid and the mother kept being a nuisance throughout the entire movie. My Sister-in-Law finally turned around to say something (which means this must have been excessive since she loves kids and gives them lots of leeway in behavior) to the mother. The mother simply said, "This is the way 4-year-olds behave." Duh! that's why you keep them out of the theater for anything but the latest Disney or Pixar release.

[Sheep]

Or, they could supply some gas so you can gas the noisey kids to sleep :)

SheepStar

[xboxweasel]

I hate opening nights. If you aren't there 2 hours in advance you get the worst seat in the house. Front left corner. It makes them look reallllllly tall.

For the cost of a ticket, and the junk food they offer, I'd rather wait until the movie comes out and buy it on DVD. Nowadays the quality of DVDs has improved a lot. Especially since a lot of people are putting some thought into their HTs.

I am spoiled with my HT. I refuse to watch movies at someone else's house. Many of my friends are verbally jealous. It's a little saddening, but I bought it because I wanted to have it. Not to show off. I gladly invite them over for pizza and a movie. It's fun.

Theater ticket prices have dropped here not that long ago (about 1 year ago now). I was rather surprised when I found out. For $20CDN I can get 2 adult tickets. It used to be more like $30CDN. But I no longer go as much as I used to. Too many headaches. Bad seating, worse parking, they turned up the volume in theaters past my comfort level, people talk to much, cell phones and pagers should be confiscated and subjected to EMP.

[hifiman]

Or, they could supply some gas so you can gas the noisey kids to sleep :)

SheepStar

I really like that idea. Maybe Costco will sell this so I can get the big economy pack.

[BMXTRIX]

There is nothing that will reverse the trend.

Ticket prices go up, food prices go up, the experience really remains close to the same, but more distractions are now there...

Cel phones, commercials, movies not starting at listed times, etc.

Throw in very expensive, and often very poor quality food...

The flip side is that since the 70s and 80s we find many homes with 40+ inch televisions and often mini-surround systems that are decent in quality. Nothing like a good system, but considering the cost savings to view at home, average joe consumer is perfectly happy.

Then, for a lot of people, they step up their system a bit and pretty much equal, or excede most theaters in quality.

Now, we have HD discs coming down the line. At $30.00 for a HD movie and a HD disc player you will have video quality that will rival almost all theaters and with the trend towards 1080p televisions, we may see a lot of homes with systems that are just better.

Solution?

Bring ticket prices down to 4 bucks - 2 bucks for matinees. Charge half as much for food. Ban cell phones. Increase the price of DVDs to $80.00. Wait a minimum of 12 months to release any DVD. Only release DVDs with analog stereo audio, include dust and other noise on the DVD. Force people to rewind DVDs. Get rid of all movie rental shops. Eliminate the Internet and video games and other forms of entertainment that may distract people from the latest movies.

In simple terms, there is no way to drive more teens back to the theaters, especially at current prices. There is no reason for families to go to the movies because it's way cheaper to wait a few months and watch at home, and many home systems nearly equal - or far surpass - all but the best theaters.

[goodman]

The decline has been going on for decades. Remember, the movie palaces of old? It's too late to revive the theater business. The genie is out of the bottle, the horse is gone from the stable, the train has left the station, the atom has been split. Unless some sensational new technology comes along that is unavailable at home, theaters will never return to their former glory.

[Rob Babcock]

I don't know how to "bring the masses back" to the theater. Mostly they've never left; gates have been a little down, but it's not like people aren't going at all. With the weather and high energy prices, couple with a dicey economy and other concerns, some aren't able to afford to see as many movies as they would in better times. I agree with the previous poster, rude people will get ruder, the cell phone problem will get worse, and a certain percentage of people will still use the theater as cheap daycare.

My own strategy is two-fold: for A-list, top-tier flicks I wait til they've been out for two weeks or so, then take in a late-night weekday showing at my local Century. Anything else I see at the cheap theater ($2 matinee, all others $3). The Century has good sound, great screens and stadium seating and is a great place to see a movie (provided you go when it's not busy, which I do). The local bargain place has crappy seats, sticky floors and screens with runs in them, but a couple of the theaters are decent, and even the soda is only $1.50 for a large. It's a good way to see something I wouldn't normally risk the money on.

[MacManNM]

How you ask?

1. Sell beer
2. Get better seats
3. lower popcorn and drink prices
4. Better sound systems ( the last 3 movies I went to sounded terrible, and they were in THX theaters to boot!)

[hifiman]

Personally, I don't go to the movies often. In fact the only time I will go is when there is a movie that is a must-see, social necessity. I'm talking about those movies that absolutely everyone has seen and is talking about. Movies that permeate into just about every media outlet and make us feel like we're less of a person if we don't go see them. So I'll go see the latest Harry Potter movie, the latest George Lucas Star Wars incarnation, and the occasional Sideways surprise. But overall movies just continue to suck more than ever. Case-in-point. I just rented Mr. and Mrs. Smith. What a joke of a movie that is completely representative of Hollywood's trend these past several years. I'm tired of over-the-top characters in which the only thing more macho than the men are the women. It seems just about every movie is full of characters who are full of themselves, speed, and a propensity to acheive the completely absurd. It used to be that movies had cool action scenes that at least gave the illusion they could really happen. Now action scenes are created with no ties to reality to compete with video games in an attempt to appeal to our short (and getting shorter) attention-span youth.

So overall, how many movies are made on the level I addressed at the beginning of my rant? How many movies have come out in the last year that weren't sequels and created that social requirement that demanded we see them or face riducule? In my opinion, not many. And in my opinion this number decreases every year. Hollywood has jumped on the music industry's bandwagon and insists profits are down due to pirated copies. I think profits are down due to the abundance of crap shown in dumpy theaters with rude people.

[mpompey]

Amen, HiFiMan.

TESTIFY!!! <CLAP>

[dan_j_h.]

I'm willing to bet that the people going to the theaters will continue to decline due to many reasons. Home theater equipment is getting much better and lower in price! Front projectors are really more affordable now and getting better in quality all the time.

Things I hate about going to the theater: Commercials, people talking during the movie, my seat being bumped, prices, movie not in perfect focus sometimes, movie not loud enough sometimes, worring if my truck will still be there after the movie (at some theaters).

I am building a dedicated HT in my basement that will have front projection.

One thing that would make me see more movies at the theater is if most movies were IMAX big! Quite a tall order I know.

[majorloser]

There is a chain in Florida, Muvico, that has the movie experience "DOWN". It's a shame the idea has not caught on. Here's one their best examples:

http://www.muvico.com/main/muvico_palace.htm

http://www.muvico.com/main/thepremier.htm

Note the balcony seating with love seat style chairs. In-seat food/drink service and a BAR :D

Of course this is in Boca Raton............rich bastards!

[Methost]

Most theaters really need to remove the first 10 rows of seats. I only go to the theater on very special occations. (Star Wars, LotR, etc). When I went to see Return of the King on opening night, the theater was of course packed so I had to sit in like the second row. I could live with that on opening night, and I knew that I would be back in a week or so anyway. Of course the next week the theater was just as packed and when I entered there was only the front rows open again. I walked out that time, got my money back and went to a smaller theater down the road. Its attatched to a small shopping center and only has 4 screens. I now always go to the smaller theater rather then the 20 plex that everyone else crams in to.

[WmAx]

Most theaters really need to remove the first 10 rows of seats. I only go to the theater on very special occations. (Star Wars, LotR, etc). .

Once I had the horrible experience of getting stuck in the 1st row at one of these modern theatres. I could not see the entire scene without turning my head side to side and up and down some, and it made me dizzy to be at that perspective/distance. Those front rows, I believe, are yet another bit of evidence that the theatre does not give a damn about your viewing experience, and simply wants to have as many seats as possible. I can't image anyone being able to enjoy anything in the front rows.

-Chris

[gellor]

Once I had the horrible experience of getting stuck in the 1st row at one of these modern theatres. I could not see the entire scene without turning my head side to side and up and down some, and it made me dizzy to be at that perspective/distance. Those front rows, I believe, are yet another bit of evidence that the theatre does not give a damn about your viewing experience, and simply wants to have as many seats as possible. I can't image anyone being able to enjoy anything in the front rows.

-Chris

The good thing is, as Methodist said, many theaters will refund your money if the front seats are all that's left and you don't wish to sit there.

[SilverMK3]

There's an interesting article on movie theater economics posted at Ars Technica (http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060105-5905.html):

A peek into movie theater economics

1/5/2006 12:12:40 PM, by Ken "Caesar" Fisher

Our undying devotion to simultaneous movie releases has earned us a small share of hate mail over the years, especially from folks in the movie theater business. Our complaining about the crowds, the inconvenience, and most importantly, the cost really gets on their nerves. They make all manner of excuses for what goes on in theaters. The high prices of concessions, we're told, stems from two factors. First, they say, movie theater employees earn more on average than your man at McDonald's, so you shouldn't expect the price to compare with Chez McDo. More importantly, they claim that the movie studios take all of the proceeds from ticket sales, leaving the theaters without a way to make money. The problem with all of this is that it's not true.

Edward Jay Epstein has written a brief article looking at just how the theaters make their money. As you might expect, it's not from begging, or charity. No, theaters have three major sources of revenue: the movies themselves, their concessions, and more recently, their onscreen advertisements. The concessions are a cash cow, and everyone knows it. The only other places on earth where prices are this ridiculous are airports, theme parks and four star hotels.

Popcorn reportedly makes 90 cents on the dollar, which means that the "large" popcorn they charge US$4 for cost them, at most, 40 cents. Soda products are the Original Ripoff™, but everyone has already been regaled with stories about how a $3 dollar Coca Cola costs 10 cents, or some such (the actual numbers are secret because companies like Coke negotiate private deals). Wash, rinse, and repeat for everything else they sell that you can stuff in your mouth. Bottom line: they make a killing off of concessions.

The one-two punch comes with what happens after you purchase your concessions. This is where the advertisements come in. While so many people are sitting there waiting for the movie to start (and hopefully eating their concessions), they get the pleasure of watching advertisements on the big screen. Captive, bored audience + seats all facing a big screen = advertising heaven. But this is where a conflict of interest arises, and Epstein explains.

And some advertisers are paying more than $50,000 per screen annually, especially to theaters willing to pump up the volume to near ear-shattering level so that seated customers will pay attention. Since there are virtually no costs involved in showing ads, the proceeds go directly to the theater chains' bottom lines. But to fit paid advertising into the gap between showings, multiplexes have to cut down on the length of the studios' coming attractions (which are free advertising), a decision that hardly pleases studios. (Often, getting the coming attractions shown involves the studios "leveraging our goodwill," as one studio executive explained. The studios will threaten to hold back a popcorn movie, such as the new Harry Potter or Star Wars sequels, unless the chain agrees to play a full reel of trailers.)

The advertising problem is getting so out of control that some communities are turning to the law in order to do something about it. Many people object to published movie "start times" being mere tricks to get people in seats for 10 to 15 minutes of advertising. Many are calling on theaters to publish true start times.

Finally, we arrive at the old standby, the movie ticket. In general, the theaters are splitting the total right down the middle, taking $6 of a $12 ticket (for instance). In many businesses a 50 percent mark-up on a product would be healthy, but Epstein claims that the theaters lose much of this profit to the costs of maintaining the theater. Or, of course, you could spin it the other way and say that they keep all of this profit, but then lose part of their outrageous concessions profits to maintaining the theater.

At the end of the day, most theaters are squeaking out a profit, even though ticket sales are declining. However, they also have to push the limits of their customers with outrageously priced snacks and barrels of on screen advertising to earn that profit. It's not hard to see why everything from on demand, to online movie services, to Netflix has the theaters in their sights, and plenty of people are rooting for them.

[johnu]

Most theaters really need to remove the first 10 rows of seats. I only go to the theater on very special occations. (Star Wars, LotR, etc). When I went to see Return of the King on opening night, the theater was of course packed so I had to sit in like the second row. I could live with that on opening night, and I knew that I would be back in a week or so anyway. Of course the next week the theater was just as packed and when I entered there was only the front rows open again. I walked out that time, got my money back and went to a smaller theater down the road. Its attatched to a small shopping center and only has 4 screens. I now always go to the smaller theater rather then the 20 plex that everyone else crams in to.

Couldn't agree more. They also need to remove that last 10 rows because they are too far away, the 10 rows on the far right because the angle is bad, and the 10 rows on the far left because the angle is bad. In fact, they should remove all but 3 or 4 seats directly in the middle of the theater at a perfect distance for viewing.

For one blockbuster opening, I went to the trouble of getting to the theater early and got perfect seats, but it was inconvenient for me so I don't do that anymore.

[Mr. Lamb Fries]

Last night I went and saw Legend of Narnia. I thought it would be a good movie to see on the big screen. The movie was good but I had to make an exausting effort to block out all the "extras" that came with movie theaters.

$24 for a matinee (tickets, popcorn, drinks)

We sat in the back of the theater (sacraficing the sound but gaining an unobstructed view of the screen). About five minutes into the movie, three of the BIGGEST heads set directly in from of us. Not just heads but GIANT heads with the biggest hair I have ever seen. If I had a tape measurer, their hair would probably measured an eighteen inch wing span. They could have sat two seats to the right, or two seats to the left, but no...sat directly in front of us. After multiple adjusts in the uncomfortable seats, we decided to move. I realize people can sit in fron of us but when seats are available elsewhere...what about common courtesy? Not the end of the world but a little annoying.

We moved near a group of people that appeared to be eating popcorn like the athorities were comming to confiscate their troffs. Not just nibbling but shoving handfulls at a time with the efficiency of the crew at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island during the Fourth of July. When they got to the bottom of the troffs...they left NO curnell un eaten. Scraping around the bottom of the bag making sure there was no straglers. If you would close your eyes, you would think it was Christmas morning and a hundred presents were be torn apart by kids in a frenzy looking for the ONE gift they really wanted.

Next I noticed the sound... UNEXCUSABLE!!! We sat near a blown speaker:mad: :mad: :mad: You know...that unmistakable harsh, scratchy, popping, hissing, crackeling noise that sounds like two cheese graders sliding across each other in opposite directions. Every note in the music...every action sequence...every word...PURE "nails on the chalkboard" to most of us...

ALL THAT CAN BE OVERLOOKED WHEN...CELLPHONES:mad: about a dozen or so times. (I dont know what to say...)One kids went off 5 times. Each time, he ran down the isle, with all his friends laughing, all the way to the back of the theater. Once there, he had a normal conversation...like he was in his livingroom. Yeah...thanks for the effort. (I dont know what to say...) This behavior is inexcusable!!! Leave at home...turn it off...leave in the car...put on vibrate...HOW HARD IS IT??? we all got along fine with out them. They are convenient and I use mine regularily...but not at the expence of rudeness. There should be a jail sentance for having your cell phone ring in a theater. Maybe capital punishment.

All I could think was...where is that post in Audioholics!!!
It will be a LONG time before I go back to the theater

[Tomorrow]

I have a bit of a different take on this. (What's new, lol). Please know that I'm old enough to remember when Saturday matinees were a dime and you got 2 movies, a great cartoon, AND a newsreel.("This is John Cameron Swazee coming to you from Korea.") ;)

Many of the posts herein rebel against the cost, inconveniences, ads/commercials, disruptions, and quality of commercial theaters (theatres for Buckle-miser). Well lemme tell ya:

COST...I would venture that all of you who regularly post on this forum have spent MUCH more money on your HT's than you have going to all the movies you've seen, and will see, in your lifetime...food included, even if you hadn't purchased an HT.

INCONVENIENCE...This may be your only valid complaint. I find I am more prone to burp, fart, wear something other than pajamas, etc. when I'm home watching, as opposed to being around other people at a theater. On the other hand, it's kinda nice to get together with friends for an outing of a movie and dinner, once in a while (farting NOT allowed).

ADS...I can't remember the last time I bought a DVD that didn't have commercials and government warnings on it (which you're NOT allowed to skip).

DISRUPTIONS...C'mon people. You have all kinds of interruptions of your movies at home...phone calls, bathroom breaks (while others wait), door visitors, little Johnny's broken toe, etc. Granted you can hit the Pause button...but it's still an interruption.

QUALITY...Well, this is a bit ticklish. I doubt most of you have audio equipment and screen size that can come near matching that available in most theaters. (I know...Gene does. :p ) And being as old as dirt, I can tell you that the presentation of movies in commercial theaters has never been better. No more flapping fill rolls. No more scratchy vids and audio tracks. Broken speakers? In 60 years of movie-going, I've never heard one.

Granted, I live in a small, rural community, but the "problems" should be the same here as where you live. We almost always pick times to go to the movies that coincide with kids being in school! (You gotta outwit them, sometimes. :) ) That's usually during the daytime, too, so we get cheap matinee prices. And one last thought....I cannot ever ever ever make slimy, buttery popcorn any better than I get in most theaters. Anyone out there with a foolproof recipe, please let me know.

Much good cheer and happy New Year to all.

[Tomorrow]

I just did a quick check on the "How much is your HT worth" thread. Roughly 30% of the respondants said their systems were worth more than $9,000.

Now let's see how many movies that pays for. Hmmmm. 9,000 divided by 25 bucks for two tickets, some popcorn, and large drink...why that comes to 360 trips for two to the theater. If you were to go once per week, that would come to...hmmm...almost seven years of movies for two, once a week.

In 7 years, most of us are already due for another expenditure for an upgraded HT, yes?! Or alternatively, those movie visits translate into just 360 DVDs. Not a king's ransom in movies.

Naw, I think the issue of cost of theater-going is not a valid reason for not returning. I think it's still a bargain.

[hifiman]

I have a bit of a different take on this. (What's new, lol). Please know that I'm old enough to remember when Saturday matinees were a dime and you got 2 movies, a great cartoon, AND a newsreel.("This is John Cameron Swazee coming to you from Korea.") ;)

Many of the posts herein rebel against the cost, inconveniences, ads/commercials, disruptions, and quality of commercial theaters (theatres for Buckle-miser). Well lemme tell ya:

COST...I would venture that all of you who regularly post on this forum have spent MUCH more money on your HT's than you have going to all the movies you've seen, and will see, in your lifetime...food included, even if you hadn't purchased an HT.

INCONVENIENCE...This may be your only valid complaint. I find I am more prone to burp, fart, wear something other than pajamas, etc. when I'm home watching, as opposed to being around other people at a theater. On the other hand, it's kinda nice to get together with friends for an outing of a movie and dinner, once in a while (farting NOT allowed).

ADS...I can't remember the last time I bought a DVD that didn't have commercials and government warnings on it (which you're NOT allowed to skip).

DISRUPTIONS...C'mon people. You have all kinds of interruptions of your movies at home...phone calls, bathroom breaks (while others wait), door visitors, little Johnny's broken toe, etc. Granted you can hit the Pause button...but it's still an interruption.

QUALITY...Well, this is a bit ticklish. I doubt most of you have audio equipment and screen size that can come near matching that available in most theaters. (I know...Gene does. :p ) And being as old as dirt, I can tell you that the presentation of movies in commercial theaters has never been better. No more flapping fill rolls. No more scratchy vids and audio tracks. Broken speakers? In 60 years of movie-going, I've never heard one.

Granted, I live in a small, rural community, but the "problems" should be the same here as where you live. We almost always pick times to go to the movies that coincide with kids being in school! (You gotta outwit them, sometimes. :) ) That's usually during the daytime, too, so we get cheap matinee prices. And one last thought....I cannot ever ever ever make slimy, buttery popcorn any better than I get in most theaters. Anyone out there with a foolproof recipe, please let me know.

Much good cheer and happy New Year to all.

Well I'm really miffed. I spent a lot of time responding to this post and now I don't see it. Am I getting too old to remember to hit the submit button? Anyway, let me see if I can recreate my rant (now that I think about it, was my rant posted, but then removed? I hope not, it wasn't an attack). It started something like this. I respectfully disagree with some of your arguments.

As far as costs are concerned, I have spent more money on my system than the grand total of every movie I've ever seen and likely ever will see in the future, but there's is big difference. With the money I've invested I get to use it whenever I want. I can listen to music, watch TV, or play a game. So the cost is spread out over a variety of uses. The theaters charge a premium to experience a movie for a couple of hours give-or-take, and that's all I get to do with there system - watch a movie.

DVDs do have ads. I skip through the ones I can. If I can't skip, then I fast-forward through the ads. If I can't even do that, then I take the opportunity to turn off lights, get a drink, etc. When I return to my seat I can then select "play" on the title screen. At the theater I am part of a captive audience. I can get up and go to the lobby during the ads, but it's a hassle that the theater owners know I'm not going to do.

As for disruptions at home, yes I've got 'em. The phone rings, someone's at the door, etc., but I've got the pause button on my side. I can resume where I've left off without missing anything. It's bit iffy at best to get most projectionist to stop the movie at the theater while the person behind me takes that ultra important call on their cell phone to catch us all up on old times.

And of course I'm more than a bit biased when it comes to matching the quality of my system to that of the theaters, but I really don't think it takes a huge investment to blow them out of the water. The theaters do have those really huge screens that allow me to notice all of the grain in the film, but given the difference in scale, my big-ish TV in my small living room gives a pretty decent viewing experience. As for sound - it's no contest, my modest system can run rings around the best theater I've ever been in. Again, scale is on my side when competing. And as for broken speakers - I'm just hoping to someday see a movie in a theater that doesn't have at least one driver hurting.

[Tomorrow]

Well I'm really miffed. I spent a lot of time responding to this post and now I don't see it. Am I getting too old to remember to hit the submit button? Anyway, let me see if I can recreate my rant (now that I think about it, was my rant posted, but then removed? I hope not, it wasn't an attack). It started something like this. I respectfully disagree with some of your arguments.

As far as costs are concerned, I have spent more money on my system than the grand total of every movie I've ever seen and likely ever will see in the future, but there's is big difference. With the money I've invested I get to use it whenever I want. I can listen to music, watch TV, or play a game. So the cost is spread out over a variety of uses. The theaters charge a premium to experience a movie for a couple of hours give-or-take, and that's all I get to do with there system - watch a movie.

DVDs do have ads. I skip through the ones I can. If I can't skip, then I fast-forward through the ads. If I can't even do that, then I take the opportunity to turn off lights, get a drink, etc. When I return to my seat I can then select "play" on the title screen. At the theater I am part of a captive audience. I can get up and go to the lobby during the ads, but it's a hassle that the theater owners know I'm not going to do.

As for disruptions at home, yes I've got 'em. The phone rings, someone's at the door, etc., but I've got the pause button on my side. I can resume where I've left off without missing anything. It's bit iffy at best to get most projectionist to stop the movie at the theater while the person behind me takes that ultra important call on their cell phone to catch us all up on old times.

And of course I'm more than a bit biased when it comes to matching the quality of my system to that of the theaters, but I really don't think it takes a huge investment to blow them out of the water. The theaters do have those really huge screens that allow me to notice all of the grain in the film, but given the difference in scale, my big-ish TV in my small living room gives a pretty decent viewing experience. As for sound - it's no contest, my modest system can run rings around the best theater I've ever been in. Again, scale is on my side when competing. And as for broken speakers - I'm just hoping to someday see a movie in a theater that doesn't have at least one driver hurting.

No problem Hifiman. No offense is taken and your respect seems fully intact. (Tho' I didn't see your first post, lol. But our patrons are out of town and we've been left...Home Alone. I don't think anyone is guarding the ship right now, lol. So I doubt it was squelched.) As a matter of fact, it doesn't sound like you're disagreeing with me at all. You have granted all my points. But my post is as much in jest as it is serious. I realize that one can legitimately complain about theaters. It's just that as stated, those complaints don't stand alone as causes for the evaporating theater attendance. Correct, you don't have someone else's phone (;) ) to deal with and you have that pause button at home. In fact, I also agree with most of what you say. (But those 22 huge surround JBL's, and hidden center channels and subs in my local theater blow MY system away...maybe not yours.)

The point I was trying to make is that perhaps the complaints were a bit strident and not well thought out. Each of those points had been stated as complaints, and I merely pointed out that they could be said about one's HT experience, as well. I think that there is deeper meaning as to why people are staying away from theaters. I'm sorry I didn't spell that out. I surely should have.

You want my opinion? For what it's worth, I don't think people will ever come back to theaters in droves. That era is gone. Even though the industry is working... well... industriously on the problem (there was a report on the NBC tv national news about their efforts just last week), it's too late. Times and conditions have changed. People have changed. Our society has changed. 9/11 has pushed along some of those changes. Our selfishness has, as well. Certainly the affordability of the HT technology has become a torpedo in the side of the multiplex ship.

And that's my story and I'm stickin' to it. :)

Good cheer.

[hifiman]

You want my opinion? For what it's worth, I don't think people will ever come back to theaters in droves. That era is gone. Even though the industry is working... well... industriously on the problem (there was a report on the NBC tv national news about their efforts just last week), it's too late. Times and conditions have changed. People have changed. Our society has changed. 9/11 has pushed along some of those changes. Our selfishness has, as well. Certainly the affordability of the HT technology has become a torpedo in the side of the multiplex ship.

And that's my story and I'm stickin' to it. :)

Good cheer.

I agree with you. People aren't coming back to the theaters in droves anytime soon. One of the older theaters in our city was converted into a laser tag facility. Maybe conversions like that are what is needed to get them back in the theaters.

[trfcrugby]

I think everyone has already said it before, but poor environment coupled with crappy movies makes the theater experience suck. I believe if we ever see simultaneous releases, then that will signal the end of the theater as we know it.

[Tomorrow]

I think everyone has already said it before, but poor environment coupled with crappy movies makes the theater experience suck. I believe if we ever see simultaneous releases, then that will signal the end of the theater as we know it.

This is an uber-accurate point. 3/4 of all the movies coming out are REMAKES!! It doesn't seem Hollywood has any original ideas, anymore. All we get is less story, more fx, and poorer acting.

[Buckle-meister]

I agree with you.

Well I dont! (stamps foot petulantly)

Times and conditions have changed. People have changed. Our society has changed. 9/11 has pushed along some of those changes. Our selfishness has, as well. Certainly the affordability of the HT technology has become a torpedo in the side of the multiplex ship.

I have to disagree (fancy that :rolleyes: ). With all due respect, 9/11 cannot be used as a reason, because the criticism levelled at theatres (s p e l t...t h e...w a y...y o u...s a y...i t) doesn't just occur in America.

I'm siding with Hifiman; everyone that I know agrees that the worse thing about going to the cinema today is the clowning around of youths and/or noise from talking and/or phones going off. Immersion in big sound and an even bigger picture form most if not all of the movie going experiance and are the principal reasons we frequent such venues, and in breaking that suspension; that fabulous experiance is utterly lost.

[Tom Andry]

I think everyone has already said it before, but poor environment coupled with crappy movies makes the theater experience suck. I believe if we ever see simultaneous releases, then that will signal the end of the theater as we know it.

Check this (http://www.audioholics.com/ces/CEStechnology/ScientificAtlantaDVRDVDR.php) out!

[Tomorrow]

Check this (http://www.audioholics.com/ces/CEStechnology/ScientificAtlantaDVRDVDR.php) out!

Yeah, "opens a wealth of options" my A$$....a wealth of wealth to the industry is more like it. And thankfully, the coding will be broken within 5 minutes of this technology hitting the street. Thanks for getting me fully awake this morning, Tom. Grrrrrr.

;)

[Tomorrow]

I'm siding with Hifiman; everyone that I know agrees that the worse thing about going to the cinema today is the clowning around of youths and/or noise from talking and/or phones going off. Immersion in big sound and an even bigger picture form most if not all of the movie going experiance and are the principal reasons we frequent such venues, and in breaking that suspension; that fabulous experiance is utterly lost.

You disagree with whom? Hifiman and I agree. You can't disagree with me. 'Taint allowed, even if it made sense. ho ho hooooo

Biggest problem at my house when watching a flick? People clowning around and phones going off. :D Just ask AverageJoe. See?! Same problem, but it's not keeping me away from watching movies in my home. 'Twas my point, you disagreer, you. :p 'Tis something else that lies at the bottom of this boycott.

[GlocksRock]

Getting people back to the theater is gonna be like trying to bring people back to the arcade. It's just not gonna happen with all the moderately priced equimpent readily available to consumer. Why go to the arcade when I can stay at home and play xbox, ps2, computer or whatever... on my nice big tv, with 7.1 surround sound. I'll just watch my movies at home with little to no disctractions for a fraction of the cost.

[DDigitalguy06]

Same here i haven't been to the movies since high school. got way to exspensive and i have to agree yes they do show to many tv commercials and ads what a wast of time. and i hate it when people talk in theaters baby's crying cell phones going off. this is why theater may soon go bye bye.

I get better quality at home were it's nice n quiet. no kids crying no cell phones going off better video and sound .

for me i just wait untill it comes out on to dvd .

theres my 50 cents of words.:mad:

[Tomorrow]

Same here i haven't been to the movies since high school. got way to exspensive and i have to agree yes they do show to many tv commercials and ads what a wast of time. and i hate it when people talk in theaters baby's crying cell phones going off. this is why theater may soon go bye bye.

I get better quality at home were it's nice n quiet. no kids crying no cell phones going off better video and sound .

for me i just wait untill it comes out on to dvd .

theres my 50 cents of words.:mad:

Come on, now. You don't have commercials and phones going off at home when you're watching tv or dvds? In fact, I'll bet you have more interruptions at home when trying to watch a movie. And "way too expensive"? The price of a dvd is equal to that of two tickets to the theater, including popcorn and a drink. And I'll repeat, unless your system includes a huge screen and THX sound delivering double digit number of speakers, I have my doubts it's better than most theaters.

I reiterate. The reason people are staying away is not what you state. It's much more cultural and subtle. We need to dig deeper. It's laziness. It's isolationist. It's fear. I don't know. It's a lot of things. But you can't say it's too expensive. How much have you put toward your HT system? You can't say it's the interruptions, because most people get them constantly at their homes.

[GlocksRock]

with blockbuster online, I get lots of movies for $20 per month plus two free instore rentals, and I don't have a wife or kids, so my distractions are very few, and pretty much none if I turn off/don't answer my cell phone. So it is much cheaper for me to stay at home than go to the movies.

[Buckle-meister]

...unless your system includes a huge screen and THX sound delivering double digit number of speakers, I have my doubts it's better than most theaters.

Again I must disagree. Kind of. :rolleyes:

Whilst I agree that I don't get the extreme spaciousness of sound one finds in a theatre, I absolutely achieve far greater clarity, bite and punch (no apologies for the subjective words) at home compared to any theatre I've ever been to. Though I freely admit that the increase in clarity may well be down to the room size differential.

[Tomorrow]

with blockbuster online, I get lots of movies for $20 per month plus two free instore rentals, and I don't have a wife or kids, so my distractions are very few, and pretty much none if I turn off/don't answer my cell phone. So it is much cheaper for me to stay at home than go to the movies.

That sounds like the way to go. But how much do you have invested in your home theater?

[Tomorrow]

Again I must disagree. Kind of. :rolleyes:

Whilst I agree that I don't get the extreme spaciousness of sound one finds in a theatre, I absolutely achieve far greater clarity, bite and punch (no apologies for the subjective words) at home compared to any theatre I've ever been to. Though I freely admit that the increase in clarity may well be down to the room size differential.

What I see with myself, and with others posting on this thread is a preference for staying home and watching our lovingly built and paid for home theater systems. I believe that the reasons stated for staying away from theaters (okay, thea-tres) are excuses, not baseline reasons. I use them too, especially when trying to talk my wife out of going somewhere I don't want to go. :) The reason I know they're excuses is because for the most part, people have the same issues at home with their HTs. That's all I've been stating. The issue of performance, HT vs. Theatre, is subjective at best. But it just isn't true that it's cheaper to stay home, as I pointed out in an earlier post. It isn't for a lack of interruptions at home, either (for most of us, anyway).

Soooo, I'm trying to get at the real socio-psychological reasons for those preferences...not excuses for our preferences. It may say much about us and our time.

But then, I think I'm boring everyone here, so I'll shut up (for now, lol ;) )

Good cheer.

[Matt34]

I don't like being around big groups of people.....there I said it.:p

Honestly, last movie I went to see at the theater was Star Wars III, the movie before that LOTR III, before that.....can't remember.

SW3, I believe there were approximately 7 people I would like to have disposed of due to cell phones, talking and swinging there light-em up lightsabers during the movie.

Good thing I wasn't carrying that night.:mad:

LOTR was seen at a Matinee on a weekday and was an enjoyable experience.

[Tomorrow]

I don't like being around big groups of people.....there I said it.:p

Good thing I wasn't carrying that night.:mad:

LOTR was seen at a Matinee on a weekday and was an enjoyable experience.

That's what I'm talking about! Me too. Crowds creep me out.

And you should always be carrying. What's the matter with you?! :p

And yep...weekday matinees are THE way to go.

[hifiman]

Again I must disagree. Kind of. :rolleyes:

Whilst I agree that I don't get the extreme spaciousness of sound one finds in a theatre, I absolutely achieve far greater clarity, bite and punch (no apologies for the subjective words) at home compared to any theatre I've ever been to. Though I freely admit that the increase in clarity may well be down to the room size differential.

I don't want to disagree with Buckle. I don't want to endure another foot stomp :)

[GlocksRock]

That sounds like the way to go. But how much do you have invested in your home theater?
I got my Samsung HL-R5067W 50" DLP for $1774 shipped
Yamaha RX-V1600 for $860 shipped
Panasonic DVD-S35 for $100 + tax
Velodyne DLS-3750R for $250 shipped
Polk Audio CS2 center for ~$200 shipped
Polk Audio R30's for $125 shipped
2 pair of Polk Audio R15's one pair was $50 + shipping, the other pair was basically free from gift cards.
Misc. wires and cables and other accessories probably total ~$75

I got really good deals on all my gear so it cost a lot less than it should have. Even still, I prefer to watch movies at home, sure the theater experience is nice, but there is less chance of someone breaking into my car at home than at the theater, I don't have to use my gas to drive to the theater, concessions are 1000% less at home, and I can drink beer at home, but not at the movies, plus many other reasons not to go out.

So if I get say 20 movies per month from blockbuster that averages out to be about $1 per movie if I pay $20 per month for the subscription after taxes. If I see 20 movies per month at the theater plus the cost of gas, concessions, and the time it takes to get to and from the theater, you can clearly see that it's cheaper to watch movies at home. Spread the cost of my gear out over several years, then take the cost of seeing all those movies at the theater over the same amount of years and it's still cheaper to watch movies at home. Plus, I get to use my HT gear for TV, my modded XBOX, and I have my tv setup as a dual monitor for my pc.

[Sheep]

Again I must disagree. Kind of. :rolleyes:

Whilst I agree that I don't get the extreme spaciousness of sound one finds in a theatre, I absolutely achieve far greater clarity, bite and punch (no apologies for the subjective words) at home compared to any theatre I've ever been to. Though I freely admit that the increase in clarity may well be down to the room size differential.

I don't think your HT is better then my local THX theater. I know what you use, and they sure are pretty, but they just can't compete.

Surrounds(back and side): http://www.jblpro.com/pages/cinema/surround.htm

Subwoofers(THX ones only): http://www.jblpro.com/pages/cinema/subwoofers.htm

Mains: http://www.jblpro.com/pages/cinema/5000.htm

I doubt your speakers can outperform these.

SheepStar

[Buckle-meister]

I don't think your HT is better then my local THX theater. I know what you use...but they just can't compete.

Wanna bet? :D

1. Mains: 50Hz to 12.5kHz +/-3dB. My mains: 48Hz to 30kHz +/-3dB. Um, looks to me like my towers go both lower and higher than those listed.

2. Surrounds (back and side): 40Hz to 20kHz (+?/-10dB). My surrounds: 80Hz to 30kHz +/-3dB. Now granted, my surrounds don't go as low, but who cares when they're crossed at 80Hz anyway? Obviously mine go higher. Lots higher. :D

3. Subwoofers (THX ones only): 30Hz to5kHz (+?/-10dB). My sub: 36Hz to 150Hz +/-3dB Granted, my sub doesn't go up to 5kHz, but who cares when my towers go up to 30kHz? Any yes, my sub may be shy of 30Hz by 6Hz, but my spec is +/-3dB. When the THX speakers are brought into this range, I'll bet my own equal or go deeper than the THX's (and my own don't go nearly as low as some of those listed on this site).

Ha! Take that you white fluffy animal! :eek:

[majorloser]

The only theaters that I've been to that I feel beats my home setup is an IMAX theater. But who can compete with that at home? I've been to quite a few THX theaters, too. Not any better.

To be honest I feel more comfortable at home in MY theater. I have a large a$$ (yes, I admit it). I like my comfy power recliners. If I want to pause a movie to get something to drink or take a leak, no problem. There's no phone in my theater and you can't hear the ones in the rest of the house. If I'm watch the satelite broadcasts I have on-screen caller ID. If I feel like answering I can otherwise BUZZ OFF. Like it says below, I'm the child of the household. No children to bother me.

And lets face it, what's better than watch the movie while sitting in a recliner in your underwear where I can scratch "Lil' Major and the Twins" :D

Can't do that in public theaters (without jail time involved).

[Sheep]

Wanna bet? :D

1. Mains: 50Hz to 12.5kHz +/-3dB. My mains: 48Hz to 30kHz +/-3dB. Um, looks to me like my towers go both lower and higher than those listed.

2. Surrounds (back and side): 40Hz to 20kHz (+?/-10dB). My surrounds: 80Hz to 30kHz +/-3dB. Now granted, my surrounds don't go as low, but who cares when they're crossed at 80Hz anyway? Obviously mine go higher. Lots higher. :D

3. Subwoofers (THX ones only): 30Hz to5kHz (+?/-10dB). My sub: 36Hz to 150Hz +/-3dB Granted, my sub doesn't go up to 5kHz, but who cares when my towers go up to 30kHz? Any yes, my sub may be shy of 30Hz by 6Hz, but my spec is +/-3dB. When the THX speakers are brought into this range, I'll bet my own equal or go deeper than the THX's (and my own don't go nearly as low as some of those listed on this site).

Ha! Take that you white fluffy animal! :eek:

The THX subwoofers go to 25Hz and 22Hz. Far outbeating your subwoofer. The main speakers have to serve well off axis as well as on. The screen at this theater is the size of one wall. So the speakers, considering what they have to do a damn good job. Besides, these are speakers filling giant room. The subwoofer they have that goes to 30Hz would hit 10Hz in my room.

SheepStar(my subwoofer goes lower then yours! [25Hz -3dB]):D

[Tomorrow]

2. Surrounds (back and side): 40Hz to 20kHz (+?/-10dB). My surrounds: 80Hz to 30kHz +/-3dB. Now granted, my surrounds don't go as low, but who cares when they're crossed at 80Hz anyway? Obviously mine go higher. Lots higher. :D
:

Yeah, but do you have 22 of them? :eek:

[Tomorrow]

I got my Samsung HL-R5067W 50" DLP for $1774 shipped
Yamaha RX-V1600 for $860 shipped
Panasonic DVD-S35 for $100 + tax
Velodyne DLS-3750R for $250 shipped
Polk Audio CS2 center for ~$200 shipped
Polk Audio R30's for $125 shipped
2 pair of Polk Audio R15's one pair was $50 + shipping, the other pair was basically free from gift cards.
Misc. wires and cables and other accessories probably total ~$75

I got really good deals on all my gear so it cost a lot less than it should have. Even still, I prefer to watch movies at home, sure the theater experience is nice, but there is less chance of someone breaking into my car at home than at the theater, I don't have to use my gas to drive to the theater, concessions are 1000% less at home, and I can drink beer at home, but not at the movies, plus many other reasons not to go out.

So if I get say 20 movies per month from blockbuster that averages out to be about $1 per movie if I pay $20 per month for the subscription after taxes. If I see 20 movies per month at the theater plus the cost of gas, concessions, and the time it takes to get to and from the theater, you can clearly see that it's cheaper to watch movies at home. Spread the cost of my gear out over several years, then take the cost of seeing all those movies at the theater over the same amount of years and it's still cheaper to watch movies at home. Plus, I get to use my HT gear for TV, my modded XBOX, and I have my tv setup as a dual monitor for my pc.

You did a great job on budgeting a nice set, GR. But do you get 20 movies a month? Probably not. I think you'll agree that HT is an expensive hobby, yes? Sure, walk-in theaters are too. But my point is that it is something else that keeps you home...not just the expense of the theater. (I sound like a broken record. Both are expensive, but you don't avoid your HT.) Also, you still have your modded XBox and pc at home for apres theatre, if you wish.

What you ended your post with is what I'm talking about...the 'real' reasons...convenience. You're near your pc and game machine...multiform entertainment. Now there is something the "industry" can look at as a problem. Convenience is a biggy, it seems. We have Majorloser over there toying with the Li'l Major (Private?) and his buddies.

These two examples indicate a need for privacy and having home conveniences. This says to me we're becoming more stay-at-home-avoid-the-crowds, much less social culture.

[Buckle-meister]

The THX subwoofers go to 25Hz and 22Hz. Far outbeating your subwoofer.

Oops. My mistake. I only saw the top speakers in each link (i.e. didn't scroll down). :o

The main speakers have to serve well off axis as well as on.

This is of no concern to me whatsoever as I have not yet mastered the technique of sitting in two places simultaneously. :D

The screen at this theater is the size of one wall.

And as a fellow member has stated before, given the proximity you sit to your current home theatre, the screen is 'just as big' as that in a cinema.

Besides, these are speakers filling giant room.

Again, this is of no consequence. Big speakers filling a big room = Small speakers filling a small room.

Yeah, but do you have 22 of them? :eek:

Ooooo. No challenge at all ;). Do you seriously think I rate my speakers against a monster set of THX speakers?

[Sheep]

Oops. My mistake. I only saw the top speakers in each link (i.e. didn't scroll down). :o
This is of no concern to me whatsoever as I have not yet mastered the technique of sitting in two places simultaneously. :D
And as a fellow member has stated before, given the proximity you sit to your current home theatre, the screen is 'just as big' as that in a cinema.
Again, this is of no consequence. Big speakers filling a big room = Small speakers filling a small room.
Ooooo. No challenge at all ;). Do you seriously think I rate my speakers against a monster set of THX speakers?

Well, when I entertain guess with my HT, I like the Off axis sound to my good too.

The screen is only the same size if you sit 1.5 times the diagonal away(widscreen).

I would love to have these speaker inside my room and see what damage they could do. :D

SheepStar

[GlocksRock]

You did a great job on budgeting a nice set, GR. But do you get 20 movies a month? Probably not

Yes, I absolutely do get 20 (or more) movies per month.

And no, convenience isn't the main reason I stay at home, I would say that cost of going to a movie, and the abundance of distractions are what keep me away from the theaters.

[Tomorrow]

Yes, I absolutely do get 20 (or more) movies per month.

And no, convenience isn't the main reason I stay at home, I would say that cost of going to a movie, and the abundance of distractions are what keep me away from the theaters.

Okay. LOL. I give up. Uncle. I guess I'm not getting through.

Just sometime during this day...please consider why it is that you have great costs associated with an HT and lots of distractions while watching at home (just like your walk-in theater objections)...yet it doesn't keep you away from the expense of HT acquisition or the watching. (THE real reason you don't go to the theater will be revealed.) You just told me that you've spent at least $3500 on an HT (shipping included?), plus ongoing rentals, plus repairs and future upgrades you know you're gonna want. Doesn't THAT cause you to say..."Hey, that's expensive!"? Yet you bought anyway.

Now I'll shut up and give over this thread.

[GlocksRock]

Okay. LOL. I give up. Uncle. I guess I'm not getting through.

Just sometime during this day...please consider why it is that you have great costs associated with an HT and lots of distractions while watching at home (just like your walk-in theater objections)...yet it doesn't keep you away from the expense of HT acquisition or the watching. (THE real reason you don't go to the theater will be revealed.) You just told me that you've spent at least $3500 on an HT (shipping included?), plus ongoing rentals, plus repairs and future upgrades you know you're gonna want. Doesn't THAT cause you to say..."Hey, that's expensive!"? Yet you bought anyway.

Now I'll shut up and give over this thread.
I already stated I have little to no distractions at home. I've never had to repair any of my HT gear, and upgrades are few and far inbetween. Yes, I spent a good bit on my setup, but like I already stated, I can use if for more than just movies. So divide the cost of all the equipment by the number of things I use it for, and you will see that the movie part of it isn't that expensive. Plus I get to watch these movies over and over again as often as I want, and I can't do that at the theater without breaking my bank, plus I can only watch them at the theater for a limited amount of time. So I guess in a sense you are somewhat right, but still to me at least, cost is the biggest reason I don't go to the movies. Maybe I'm just cheap.

[markw]

...so things are a little different, movie wise. WE'll do maybe a movie a month but we have a few ground rules we follow. so far it's worked out quite well.

We'll only go to movies where a big screen will add to to experience. This means action or Sci Fi type stuff. No chick flicks or stoopid comedies. That's why movie rentals were invented.

We won't go the first week a movie is released. I'm patient. I'll wait for the drush to die down in order to asure a virtually empty movide theater.

We won't go on the weekends. We'll only go on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursdays. Weekends are when the rowdies invade the theatres and in our local Lowes megaplex, riots tend to break out when certain types of movies are shown.

Food is too expensive. For the two of us to get a large soda each and one mega popcorn you've bought two more movie tickets. But, we usually cave in and split one of the 55 gallon sodas and a garbage pail of dry popcorn.

Fortunately, since when we go the thratres are practically empty. On occasion one putz out of the 20 or so people i nthe teater will have the cell phone ring (or sing, rap or whatever) but in this area that's a pretty good ratio.

If we like the movie we saw, I'll buy it the first week it hits the stores or when Blockbuster lets loose with pre-viewed movies @ 2 or 3 for $25.

Now, if they really wanted us to feel at home they would let us watch in our underwear. Until that day arrives, HT will have an undeniable benefit.

[majorloser]

Now, if they really wanted us to feel at home they would let us watch in our underwear. Until that day arrives, HT will have an undeniable benefit.

See, I'm not the only one! :D

[Tomorrow]

See, I'm not the only one! :D

LOL. 'Tis a good point, this semi-nekkid convenience. Does Loserwife consider you scratching the Li'l Major and his two Privates a distraction? Hmmm? :D

[ltheis]

I have not read the whole thread but fell compeled to chime in so here it goes and sorry for being long. I have a theater at home, i built it by myself and find it most rewarding to enjoy with my closest friends,wife and family. The people i have listed do not bring their cellphones or cying babies/rude kids, nor do i need to deal with some 15yr old punk that feels the need to feel-up his girlfriend in the back row. The other upside to my HT is i don't have to pay for gas to get there,$15.00 for a bag of popcorn,$10.00 for a coke and $10.00 for crappy audio and a poor picture. With all of this said why would i go out to the theater? But to answer the question the only way i will go is for a must see it right, now can't wait for dvd.

[DNelms]

One of the reasons people are not going to the movies any more is that there is nothing that is really original and special about the movie going experience anymore.

Years ago going to the movies was an event. There were ushers who cared about your comfort. They cared about they presentaion. And the theaters themselves were a place to see.

The industry seems to have focused on easy box office sucess. Why else would we be seeing constant sequels and remakes of older films. And lets not forget the current trend of making every TV show into a major motion picture. I know I am looking forward to the big screen debut of 'The Flying Nun' and 'Mr Ed'. I think those are the only two that have not already come out.

If we look at the history of motion pictures we can see that they continued to inovate and change to bring people back into the theaters. When TV was a threat, some maverics developed a process known a Cinerama and it blew people away. Soon every studio began to invest in widescreen motion pictures. Should Hollywood attempt to find the next step in the evolution of motion pictures?

Why they try to do that I will still go and see films in the theater but I would much rather go to a theater that caters to adults who are there to enjoy the film rather than kids who do not know when to stop talking on the phone or playing grab a** with their friends in the next row. Remember when an usher would come over and ask them to quiet down or leave?

There are still some theaters who do care about presentation. In Hollywood, the Arclight cinemas have reseved seating, adult only screening where alcohol is served, ushers are in attendance through the entire showing, and someone is there to monitor picture and sound quality of the film. They used to limit adds and previews but when I went to see King Kong two weeks ago there were plenty of adds and trailers.

ANYWAY, have I been spouting off too much?