slashfilm.com — About 68 minutes into a 103 minute 2005 Pixar lecture from the Computer History Museum (found via UpcomignPixar), writer/director Brad Bird (Ratatouille, The Incredibles) ranted passionately about how technology and convenience is ruining the theatrical experience.
Mar 3, 2008 View in Crawl 4
nicuMar 3, 2008
Paying $4 from my couch with store bought popcorn and soda is much better than $10 per ticket, $5 for a small soda and $5 for a small popcorn. I can't imagine how much it would cost if I had a kid or two. Its not about convenience its about wasting money.
quail20Mar 4, 2008
This will date me, but I do remember the experience of watching "Indiana Jones" when it first came out in the 70's. That was a magical experience. The sad truth is that cinemas in the USA can be the worst places to watch a movie. Time, extra money, aggravating audience members, poor screen presentation, awful sound, and the like make most of us want to run home to our flat screen televisions and pop in a DVD. There are still some good cinemas around but they are the minority. And it's sad really. I do prefer a movie theatre to catch the truly great movies of our time; because when the cinema is maintained properly it is such a joy.
doubtingthomasMar 4, 2008
I am just sick of dealing with the rude f**kers that feel it absolutely necessary to text their friends during the movie. Last Friday night I ended pelting some little high school jackoff with Sour Patch Kids the every time he opened his cell.
fransvadervilleMar 4, 2008
Totally. I'd rather watch a film on my home theater. But I'll go to a movieplex to see films that I don't want to wait for.
dragon76Mar 5, 2008
You really must live in the middle of nowhere. It's $10 in Miami and we don't have rush hour shows.
candeesMar 5, 2008
To answer the title question - no way! It is convenient to be able to watch things at home, but convenience isn't supreme, experience is. Going out to the theater is still an event. Maybe not to the extent that it once was, but I still get excited when I know I'm going out for dinner and a movie with my husband. It has the social element that is lacking from sitting at home.
exscindMar 5, 2008
My girlfriend and I both agree that we greatly prefer watching Blu-Ray or HD DVD movies (or even DVD's, honestly) on my 1080p TV. The privacy, convenience, and price, and general quality of experience all win out.We will still go watch high-profile movies (such as 300, The Simpsons, Transformers, Cloverfield, and soon Indiana Jones) at the theater, but only for the immediacy - not so much for the theatrical experience.