Poll: Would you miss cinemas if they were gone?

[rob_simple]

I was at the talkies today wading through the interminable half hour of adverts that preclude the actual film I paid to see when one of the latest anti-piracy ads came up. Actually, I managed to find it on Youtube, so this should save some time...


Basically, it was the line 'an experience shared, lost' that really got me, because the one thing I hate about going to the cinema more than the exorbitant prices is the fact I have to sit in a room full of other people, including shouters and dipshits who can't put their phone on silent.

Case in point: Like I said, I was at the cinema earlier to see Lockout (average film, Guy Pearce is brilliant and the two Scottish guys make it enjoyable but otherwise meh) and about twenty minutes in some absolute dick came in and started walking all over the room shouting for his mate, Evan.

When I went to see Wanted, two stupid whores behind me spent the entire film talking about how much they wanted to have sex with Angelina Jolie while the third and stupidest whore constantly parroted 'oh my god, you's are total dykes'.

The point I'm getting at here is I've got a pretty big telly now (50", ladies,) as do most people I know, I can pick up a Blu-Ray for only a slightly greater cost than the price of a cinema ticket and I can watch it in the comfort of my own home as many times as I want.

I'd still go to the cinema to see films that really benefit from the big] screen(like the Avengers), but I honestly wouldn't care if they all shut down. The only downside I can see is that without that revenue stream DVD prices may rise and film budgets would potentially be drastically reduced?

So anyway, enough rambling, what are your thoughts?

EDIT: I wasn't implying that piracy is going to kill cinemas, (just like home-taping killed the music industry,) of course that's total bollocks. I'm just curious if you'd be sorry to see them go, for whatever reason.

 

[bobmus]

I like the cinema. It's a nice chance to get out and catch a movie on an epic scale.

 

[Aris Khandr]

I enjoy seeing Disney films on the big screen. But I couldn't tell you what the last non-Disney film I saw in a theater was. I do most of my movie watching on my computer, or streaming Netflix to my iPad. So the screen size isn't that important to me. In truth, the thing I would miss most is the popcorn. Movie popcorn has a unique flavour that I don't find anywhere else (with the notable exception of Disney World).

 

[Vault101]

yes, somtimes its nice to make an event of it...to see it on the bigscreen

no fucking way Ill watch a movie on a tiny screen

 

[Goofguy]

For me, it's not just about watching the movie, it's the whole experience.

While I'm not a fan of the commercials, I really like the previews. It's kind of fun seeing a preview for a movie that interests you but you had no idea was being made. Nowadays, it's not as much of a fun surprise as you'll invariably find said previews on YouTube before you even make it to the cinema.

For those epic movies, nothing really beats the big screen. Sure, I'd be a lot more comfortable in my sweat pants at home but the movies worth seeing in all their grandeur don't come out too often so it's not like I'm at the cinema all the time.

The cinema concession fare is disgustingly overpriced but I drink soft drinks so seldom that I enjoy the watered down Coke. And when I go to the cinema with my best buddies, SOPs dictate the necessity to sneak in a mickey to mix with said Coke... makes the movie all that more enjoyable.

 

[rob_simple]

the thing I would miss most is the popcorn. Movie popcorn has a unique flavour that I don't find anywhere else (with the notable exception of Disney World).

That is a fair point actually, I don't really buy it because I just don't feel the value for money, but I love walking past cinemas and smelling that popcorn smell. Perhaps I'm just odd.

 

[omega 616]

I remember when they were a little cheaper and used to go quite a bit 'cos it was nice to have it on a big ass screen with good sound.

2 days ago I watched what the world has now watched, the avengers ... it cost £8.10! So no, I wont miss it now.

 

[Raven's Nest]

Cinemas won't die out completely at all. No matter how much the anti-piracy adverts claim they will.

You might not have 24 screen multiplexes anymore but this only means less shit can be shown in one 24 hour period. So that's a win i guess...

 

[DoPo]

Meh, I wouldn't care. I'm used to not watching moves at the cinema. For the last five years, I've gone to the cinema maybe five times. Probably four. I wouldn't care either way,to be honest.

I grw up in a small town with two cinemas, one of which only worked in the summers, and not every summer either. At some point it just didn't open any more. The other one was closed...I guess around ten years ago. And thang god, because the movies were super slow to arrive there. Sometimes, you could go and rent the video by the time the same movie came to the cinema in town. Not to mention the movies were quite limited in number.

As I said, I'm used to not going to the cinema. I don't really care.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Avatar is a film that can only be watched on a big screen.

 

[Lucem712]

There is something special about going to the cinemas, buying a ticket to a movie that's on it's way out and having the theater to yourself (or your group)

Also, I want Drive-In Cinemas to come back, that shit is awesome.

 

[Ectoplasmicz]

I would for sure. There is something nice about the whole process of seeing a film at the cinema. The whole popcorn and choc-tops and soft drinks and sitting in your comfy seat. The previews and the dimming of the cinema at the start of the film. I love all that, watching a film at home simply doesn't compare.

I would certainly miss the cinema.

 

[Daniel Ferguson]

Yes, because they give me something to go out for every week. But I wouldn't miss the half hour of ads before the movie itself. Or the ridiculous coke and popcorn price inflation. Nor the 50,000 formulaic romantic comedies and the like.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

In truth, the thing I would miss most is the popcorn. Movie popcorn has a unique flavour that I don't find anywhere else (with the notable exception of Disney World).

If you're really interested, it's an artificial butter flavoring and oil popped popping corn, both of which you can buy cheaply. I've never actually bothered with the flavoring (real butter is better, and home made kettle corn is even better than that), but I swear by popping corn; it's not only better than the microwave variety, but it's cheaper and better for you, too.

For me, it's not just about watching the movie, it's the whole experience.

While I'm not a fan of the commercials, I really like the previews. It's kind of fun seeing a preview for a movie that interests you but you had no idea was being made. Nowadays, it's not as much of a fun surprise as you'll invariably find said previews on YouTube before you even make it to the cinema.

For those epic movies, nothing really beats the big screen. Sure, I'd be a lot more comfortable in my sweat pants at home but the movies worth seeing in all their grandeur don't come out too often so it's not like I'm at the cinema all the time.

The cinema concession fare is disgustingly overpriced but I drink soft drinks so seldom that I enjoy the watered down Coke. And when I go to the cinema with my best buddies, SOPs dictate the necessity to sneak in a mickey to mix with said Coke... makes the movie all that more enjoyable.

This. So much this. A big event movie in a decent theater is an experience that you can't recreate in the home. You may be able to wind up with a good picture and good sound -- maybe even better sound than the theater -- but the experience won't be the same. You won't get the primal shared emotions that come with watching a movie with a good crowd, and unless you're a billionaire, you won't get the 50 foot screen, either. 50 inches does not in anyway compare. Heck, 100 inches doesn't, and who has a TV that big?

 

[Aris Khandr]

In truth, the thing I would miss most is the popcorn. Movie popcorn has a unique flavour that I don't find anywhere else (with the notable exception of Disney World).

If you're really interested, it's an artificial butter flavoring and oil popped popping corn, both of which you can buy cheaply. I've never actually bothered with the flavoring (real butter is better, and home made kettle corn is even better than that), but I swear by popping corn; it's not only better than the microwave variety, but it's cheaper and better for you, too.

Could be the oil. I have an air popper at home. Love that thing, but the flavour isn't quite the same. I avoid the butter at the theaters, though.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

In truth, the thing I would miss most is the popcorn. Movie popcorn has a unique flavour that I don't find anywhere else (with the notable exception of Disney World).

If you're really interested, it's an artificial butter flavoring and oil popped popping corn, both of which you can buy cheaply. I've never actually bothered with the flavoring (real butter is better, and home made kettle corn is even better than that), but I swear by popping corn; it's not only better than the microwave variety, but it's cheaper and better for you, too.

Could be the oil. I have an air popper at home. Love that thing, but the flavour isn't quite the same. I avoid the butter at the theaters, though.

Yeah, I have an air popper as well, but the texture is different when you pop it with oil; it's crunchier, for one thing. Of course I mainly pop it with oil because then you can make kettle corn; even if the air popper got hot enough to melt the sugar, it'd just gum up and destroy the machine, so you can't really make it with one of those. They may also use some kind of flavored oil in the theaters. I've never tried it, but you can buy special butter flavored oil for making popcorn with. I've never had movie theater popcorn that /didn't/ taste of butter, even without the additional squirt of flavoring they usually throw in, so who knows? I've never worked in a theater, so I don't know what goes into it beyond some sort of artificial butter flavoring and some sort of oil for the popcorn machines, which are definitely not air poppers.

I'm sure, however, the information is available online if you want it; there's all sorts of forums dedicated to serious home theater, and I remember reading a few discussions in them about making popcorn with movie theater style artificial flavorings.

Edit: http://www.painlessfrugality.com/2009/08/movie-theater-popcorn-on-the-cheap/

Looks like it's a combination of the type of oil, the method in which it's popped, and the flavor powder they mix in with the oil, assuming the recipe in this article gets the results it claims.

 

[Nicolairigel]

I'm pretty much with everyone else, while they aren't really as efficient as the rest of the modern world I do love the experience of going to a theater with friends.

also I actually enjoy previews. Maybe because some them are actually interesting, but most likely because they are incredibly fun to mock.

 

[NoNameMcgee]

Meh, I wouldn't care. I'm used to not watching moves at the cinema. For the last five years, I've gone to the cinema maybe five times. Probably four. I wouldn't care either way,to be honest.

pretty much the same here.

maybe I'm just not much of a movie buff, but unless I can get a bunch of friends together who all want to watch the same movie (and my friends are a varied bunch, so this doesn't happen so often) I'm not really bothered about the cinema, I find it more comfy to watch at home, then I can pause when I want and don't have to worry about background noise.

wouldn't really care if cinemas completely disappeared.

 

[Neverhoodian]

I wouldn't really miss it. It's always a crapshoot whether or not the audience is going to behave themselves.
Sometimes I wish I had Strong Bad's bazooka.

I find most previews to be pretty obnoxious as well. And that's not even counting the previews they show before the previews (previewception?).

There are occasions (typically once or twice a year) that I go and watch a movie in theaters if it's one that I've really been looking forward to. I don't exactly have a state-of-the-art home theater system, so sometimes I want to see a film on the big screen at least once (hell, I still use a CRT television set).