abcnews.go.com — This the third straight year of decline in Hollywood ticket sales ? the first such stretch of bad news in 40 years. Because of the continued falloff ? sales are down 12.6 percent from 2002 ? a growing number of analysts are wondering whether America's movie habits are changing permanently.
Dec 30, 2005 View in Crawl 4
xsecretfilesDec 30, 2005
Whats with thge tinyurl link?Its really disruptinganyways, you guys can do what I did this year. I only saw two worth watching movies Mr and Mrs Smith and Fantastic four. all the rest and every single movie releases this year I saw it at the $1 theater.What I'm saying is that $1 thaters rule, and plus there is no security going around so I can just go to the next movie once one is over.I would say I've spend about $20 bucks this year by watching everysingle movie it came out this year, and I guess It was worth it IMO whether the movies were crappy or not..I didnt care
starvinzDec 30, 2005
Two words. Cell phones.Ban them from theaters and I will think about visiting a theater again. Quality and experience has gone down while the prices rise. They wonder why people pirate the product. The entertainment industry needs to rethink how to entertain instead of worrying about the bottom line first. If it's entertaining people are going to pay what they think its worth. If it isn't they aren't going to watch it in the first place. Seems simple enough to me.
felchdonkeyDec 30, 2005
I wonder how many YEARS it will take the movie industry to pay attention. Look at the comments here - the only debate seems to be what sucks worse: the quality of the movies or the quality of the theaters.An entrepeneur with the right backing could make a killing competing with the theater chains, assuming they could get past the trust (as in anti-trust laws) the industry works under. 1) Start a chain of theaters that plays only the best "blockbusters," mixed with some of the great independent and foreign titles that come out.2) Hire ushers, assign seats. First-come, first-serve, or maybe a reservation system. Or try an alternate pricing scheme...3) Stadium seating is ok, it's the one thing the megaplexes get right, or try a nice spread out incline like the Vista in Los Angeles.4) Spend money on maintenance. Don't let dirty or ripped screens stay that way. Check the sound system on a regular basis, and actually monitor volume levels for each showing. Consistency counts.5) Have designated "family shows" when it's ok to bring kids, and other showings where no one under 18 is allowed, no matter what the rating. You could even charge a premium for these "no brats" shows.6) You talk, you walk. Stick to a strict "shut the hell up" policy. An usher would remove a patron who talked all through an opera or a play, same deal here. While we're at it, ban any candy that comes in a crinkly plastic wrapper.7) Stop being stingy with the screens. No one wants to go out to the movies and get a screen barely bigger than your uncle Louie's home theater in his basement. Dazzle us.Put all these things together, and I'd happily pay twice the ticket price to go. I wouldn't even care if there were a couple commercials beforehand.
delayDec 31, 2005
The reason movie theater sales are down isn't because movies are bad. Its because many people have projection/plasma screens/movie theaters in their homes. Whats the point of going to a theater when I can get a better movie going experience in my media room. Everyone that sees a projection screen wants one. I have had five of my friends and family setup systems after seeing the one I had. My brother set one up recently and has spent about $400-$500 on it so they aren't expensive anymore. Now you can watch what you want from Netflix when you want. You don't have to contend with high ticket and drink prices and loud people, etc. etc. You can sit in your home and enjoy the movie.If you want to make more money from me, Sell me a box that can legally download the latest blockbusters the day they are released to the theaters in high-def. I wouldn't mind paying the $16 dollars it normally costs if I could watch it in my house. Otherwise I will just wait the three months for the DVD.Hint to hollywood. Why do you advertise movies 6 months in advance, yet when the movie is finally released you quit running commercials?Also as many others have mentioned stop suing your customers. The times are changing role with it.
shin3rDec 31, 2005
I watch alot of movies at the theater. I like the big screen, but that is my only justification and a personal preference. If I weren't a movie geek I would be in the same boat as the rest of you. That being said, I agree with all of the comments posted here. The experience could be way better and handled differently.
mezolithicoDec 31, 2005
Soon enough, theater will be allowed to block cell phone trasmissions. There is a group of theaters(don't know which ones) that is lobbing for the right to block cell phone transmissions. I'm all for it. Personally I think they should just make up a lame excuse like the airlines uses now, like say that cellphones interfere with the projector or something. Piracy is not the sole reason for low ticket sales, as its been said, crappy movies are to blame. I'd download movies that people in my group call "downloaders" movies that suck and arent worth 9 dollars to see. There are some movies out there, a decent amount that really arent even worth my time to download. I still go to the theater quite a bit, I just go to movies that are actually good.
ixliamDec 31, 2005
I think its just the large amount of crap movies and the fact I can wait for it to hit Netflix/Blockbuster and grab it there. Most people are more selective in their choices simply because they can wait for it to hit DVD. Only good movies I've seen this year was Serinity & Chronicles of Narnia. The rest I've caught on DVD because I can, and I'm not paying $20 to see something that will probably suck.
nos235Jan 2, 2006
Dear Hollywood, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASELet me make The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant into a film - well, a double trilogy to be exact.Liam Neeson can play the title role