[Question] Cinemas Showing Old Blockbuster Movies

[Driena]

I probably watch 60% of the films that get released at Nu Metro / Ster Kinekor and I'm just wondering wouldn't it be good for the cinemas to bring back blockbuster movies from the past.

I'd love to see movies like Lord of the Rings, Thor on big screen again or old films like The Lion King, Pearl Harbor, Jurassic Park.

Have you known cinemas to do this in the past.

[Blurock]

You can always go to Putsonderwater or some small town which still has a bio-scope. They used to show films that were like 3 - 5 years old, or even older!

I have fond memories of small town bios which only showed films on a Saturday night. They used to show trailers, a comic a serial and then the main movie. The film would often break and then there was some whistling and shouting at the operator to fix it. Some times the film did not arrive in time and we had to watch a re-run.

During interval, sweets were sold from a cart and if the queue was too long, you would run down to the cafe and come back breathless, just in time for the main feature.

[adrianh]

Download them and watch them on your PC. There ain't no way I'm spending R60 on a ticket to watch a new move, let alone an old movie.

[Blurock]

Don't be so stingy. Nothing beats the BIG screen. You can never get into the action even on a TV screen.

As a Discovery member I pay R18 for a ticket. Make it a night out and take the missus for a pizza or even a proper dinner afterwards.

[adrianh]

I can't remember when last I went to see a movie. There are 2 things that I hate about going to moies, people making a noise a the volume being too high. Those things annoy me so much that I rather avoid having to deal with it. It's far better to watch a movie in comfort, besides, we see the movies 3-6 months before they go on the local circuit.

[Blurock]

Piracy?

[adrianh]

R60 a ticket...Extortion?

[AndyD]

Piracy?

Not sure I'd call it piracy but the price of movie theatres is definately a rip off.

[adrianh]

I asked my wife what it costs this morning:

4 tickets @ R42 each = R 168
Cooldrinks & Popcorn = R 160

R328 to take the family to see one movie...then we haven't even eaten supper yet...

I will consider putting up with irritating partons and loud sound provided they make it affordable otherwise they are welcome to keep it.

[Blurock]

Well, I'll consider myself fortunate then. I get 50% discount on movie tickets. I used to love the Imax movies and was fortunate to see the 2007 World Cup final there. Unfortunately they went under and all the Imax cinemas are now closed.

We are very selective as to which movies we go to see and may skip 2-3 months at a time. I have never been hassled as the movies are normally empty with only a few patrons spread throughout the theatre. Maybe that is why they charge extortionist prices for sweets and popcorn. How do they survive with empty movie halls? Will you go to the movies if they lower the prices?

[wynn]

Will you go to the movies if they lower the prices?

When they show a decent movie, seems to be a lot of crap at the moment?

I found this article interesting

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mike-friends-blog/i-built-movie-theater-and-film-festival-and-id-you-come-it

[adrianh]

Will you go to the movies if they lower the prices?

Provided they lower the prices of the snacks too.

I would go for sure.

It is not that I mind paying for a service, the cost must just be reasonable.

[Blurock]

Provided they lower the prices of the snacks too.

I would go for sure.

It is not that I mind paying for a service, the cost must just be reasonable.

Agreed Adrian. The snacks is a rip off. I take my own.

[wynn]

Provided they lower the prices of the snacks too.

I would go for sure.

It is not that I mind paying for a service, the cost must just be reasonable.

"where you could get drinks and popcorn for just $2.00."

see above and below from Michael Moore

"So I had this epiphany. What would a movie theater look like if it were designed, built and run by the people who actually make the movies? Why are we, the filmmakers, never consulted about what the movie-going experience should be like? After all, that's our art, our creative work, up there on those screens. In no other art form does the artist NOT have a say in how their art is presented to the public."

[Blurock]

"where you could get drinks and popcorn for just $2.00."

see above and below from Michael Moore

"So I had this epiphany. What would a movie theater look like if it were designed, built and run by the people who actually make the movies? Why are we, the filmmakers, never consulted about what the movie-going experience should be like? After all, that's our art, our creative work, up there on those screens. In no other art form does the artist NOT have a say in how their art is presented to the public."

Artists have all the right to charge for their services. However, they will soon realise that basic business principles still apply. If your public does not see the value in your art, they will not buy.

Cinemas are unfortunately not run by artists, but by business people who seem to be totally out of sync with their target market.