Number of movie tickets hit two decade low

Quote: zippyboy

Why does Hollywood do this? After all these decades? Does no one else notice?

I have heard it discussed, the general thought is the lower-priced movies would be seen as "lesser." But I agree, other than the 3D surcharge it is weird nobody has thought to load-price more.

Quote: zippyboy

Why does Hollywood do this? After all these decades? Does no one else notice?

It is my understanding that it has been discussed for decades. But the problem is that almost everyone will agree that the car that costs $50K is better than the car that costs $15K. The quality of materials, workmanship, features, are clearly different. There may be some personal feelings about the desire to pay top dollar for those things.

But with movies, there is often little or no correlation between budget and the quality of the output. The production studios feel like variable pricing based on quality of the movie would open up endless fighting.
Exodus:Gods and Kings - Production Budget: $140 million
Guardians of the Galaxy - Production Budget: $170 million

But one company does own two theaters in town. One is very luxurious and about 10 years old, one is 30 years old and considerably more run down.
They do have a price difference between the theaters, but it is often only 25 cents.
Child:$7.75 | $7.25
Adult:$10.25 | (Fri-Sat):$10.00 ; (Mon-Thu):$9.75
Senior (60-older):$7.75 | $5.75
College Student (w/ ID):$9.25 (old theater only)

But the older theaters does run super-bargain matinees between 4-5:30 in the afternoon for $5.75

Quote: zippyboy

Why does Hollywood do this? After all these decades? Does no one else notice?

Well, they sure ain't gonna return to studio controlled blind bidding for both A and B movies. That was tried. The AG nixed it. The reason film quality improved so much in the film noir era was it was a cheap, one camera, sparse lighting, Night for Night shooting and ANY increase in quality in those B movies meant increase in profits for the theaters that had bid for three A movies and 200 B movies. Neither Hollywood nor the theaters want pricing to be based on quality of the film.

Most of those Umpteen Screens were built as semi-anchor tenants in shopping centers so they got umpteen zillion dollars in discounts on the space they took. One high paid union projectionist but sixteen screens. All automated. Lots of customers shopping at the mall and then going to the movies or else going to the movies and then shopping. Efficiency? Why? The only thing the theater company has to do efficiently is run that popcorn machine well.

Quote: Fleastiff

Most of those Umpteen Screens were built as semi-anchor tenants in shopping centers so they got umpteen zillion dollars in discounts on the space they took.

I think the big 5 circuits control about half the screens. After that it quickly decays into thousands of little companies. Cinemark is big in Canada, Cineplex is also big in Latin America and Texas. Carmike is mostly small towns. Regal and AMC rule the suburbs of America.

July 2013, by number of screens
7,318 Regal Entertainment Group
4,988 AMC Entertainment Inc.
4,434 Cinemark USA, Inc.
2,476 Carmike Cinemas, Inc.
1,672 Cineplex Entertainment LP

I remember seeing this story about 4 years ago: AMC and Regal forming new venture to acquire and release movies FEBRUARY 10, 2011

But I never knew what became of it.

I rarely, if ever, go to a movie theatre due to the decaying nature of manners in society. I wanted to see the new version of The Gambler to compare it to the original and went this past Saturday to an afternoon show—here is what transpired:



The crowd was older for this movie - I would say everyone in the theatre was at least 30 years old. Guy and his "old lady" a few seats over and a row ahead were beyond immature. I cannot say it was the "old lady's" fault at all as her biker dude "old man" basically talked the entire movie when he wasn't groping her or trying to remove her tonsils with his tongue. He was overheard saying:

"I'm gonna make you wet for 6 years" (now, I am not sure if that is biologically possible but Danny Zuko he was not…hell, he wasn't even Kenicki!)
He then decided to announce basic strategy out loud for the approximately 8 hands of blackjack shown on screen (I did not listen closely enough to determine if he was actually shouting out the correct strategy)

If there is an Illuminati and they wish to reduce Earth's population, they can start with that idiot (and they every well might be as, it has been pouring rain here all day and he wondered aloud, while pouring whatever was in his flask into his XL soda, whether the rain will let up enough to get home on his "hog")*




*nothing above is a commentary on Harley enthusiasts, love a nice Harley—but this idiot was too much

Quote: aceofspades

I rarely, if ever, go to a movie theatre due to the decaying nature of manners in society. ]

I thank god every day for Netflix. For some
reason movies have become audience
participation events. No thanks.

Quote: Pacomartin

I think the big 5 circuits control about half the screens. After that it quickly decays into thousands of little companies. Cinemark is big in Canada, Cineplex is also big in Latin America and Texas. Carmike is mostly small towns. Regal and AMC rule the suburbs of America.

July 2013, by number of screens
7,318 Regal Entertainment Group
4,988 AMC Entertainment Inc.
4,434 Cinemark USA, Inc.
2,476 Carmike Cinemas, Inc.
1,672 Cineplex Entertainment LP

I remember seeing this story about 4 years ago: AMC and Regal forming new venture to acquire and release movies FEBRUARY 10, 2011

But I never knew what became of it.

AMC was purchased by a Chinese conglomerate in 2012 that is controlled by China's wealthiest individual. I suspect that had something to do with the silence regarding the proposed merger with Regal.

Quote: aceofspades

I wanted to see the new version of The Gambler....

The crowd was older for this movie - I would say everyone in the theatre was at least 30 years old.

lol...when I saw Wild a couple weeks ago, most the crowd was in their 60s and above. At 51, I was def in the bottom 5% age-wise.

Looks like Exodus is going to suck it.
Been out almost a month and has
made 200mil and had a 140mil budget.
Oh well, FOX still had the best year
ever in the theaters, beating everybody
in BO sales.

Quote: Evenbob

Looks like Exodus is going to suck it.
Been out almost a month and has
made 200mil and had a 140mil budget.
Oh well, FOX still had the best year
ever in the theaters, beating everybody
in BO sales.

International sales should ensure a healthy profit. It doesn't seem that long ago when 100 million dollar budgets were crazy money. Now it seems routine.