# Explain To Me What You Get Out Of Seeing A Movie In A Theatre **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 1, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345 "2010-01-01T23:41:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/21 "2010-01-02T21:31:56Z")
\*\*\*Avatar \*\*\*is an overwhelming, immersive experience on the screen; one of the highlights of my moviegoing experience. It will come close to sucking on the small screen. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/22 "2010-01-02T21:37:48Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Minor reasons include the high prices at the concession stands, This is why you sneak in candy! šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/23 "2010-01-02T21:46:10Z")
I donā€™t sneak candy into theaters because of the high prices of said candy, although the prices of the candy, soda, popcorn and other snacks are obscene. No, if I sneak in candy, itā€™s because theater candy is invariably stale and nasty, and they usually donā€™t have any that I particularly like. If Iā€™m going to raise my blood sugar by eating candy, Iā€™m going to eat GOOD candy, fresh candy, candy that I like. Usually, though, I think that thereā€™s quite enough popcorn in even the smallest size to keep me occupied throughout the film. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/24 "2010-01-02T21:47:51Z")
Ah. I do it for price, and selection. They never have what I want, so I buy a kit kat or a milky way or pack of cookies and smuggle! ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/25 "2010-01-02T22:02:23Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > One, the ā€œbig screen, big soundā€ experience. I realize the difference is going away as home theater technology increases. On the other hand, the film industry has historically been pretty good about staying ahead of the curve (Vistavision, 3D, etc.). > > Two: no distractions! I have trouble really getting into a movie at home. Phone, house-mates, email, etc., conspire to divert my attention. At the theater, there is nothing to distract you except \*other \*peoplesā€™ screaming babies, which I find easier to ignore than my own stuff. I have to say the distractions are worse in a theater, plus you canā€™t pause the movie! I hate it when people use their cell phones in a theatre, and itā€™s commonplace now. Not to talk, but to check the time, text, read email, etc etc. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/26 "2010-01-02T22:26:17Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Been quite a while since you saw a movie in a theater, Iā€™d guessā€¦ We see an average of 15 movies a month in the theater, and donā€™t have any of the problems people always bitch about when theyā€™re bitching about theaters. Itā€™s always so weird to read these threads. ---
**Author:** ![Proudest\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/proudest_monkey/32/13257_2.png) [@Proudest\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Proudest_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/27 "2010-01-03T00:11:52Z")
I think itā€™s the darkness. I donā€™t go to a lot of movies, maybe 3 or 4 per year (in contrast with the 3 or 4 per month I watch at home via On Demand rental). The movies I go to are either BIG EVENT movies ( **Harry Potter** , **Twilight** , e.g.), or some personal whim that I just have to satisfy ( **Up** , **Dreamgirls** , e.g.). In the first case, I go with other people and enjoy the ā€œbeing thereā€ experience. In the latter case, I go by myself and sink into a seat, let the darkness envelop me, and laugh or cry to my heartā€™s content. A movie at home can take me to faraway places and move my soul to emotions from ragged to sublime, but there is nothing like that dark theater immersion. So, yeah, the darkness. And the popcorn. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/28 "2010-01-03T00:31:11Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Also in the theatre, there are the other very accommodating theatre-goers who so helpfully and loudly explain the plot points to each other in case there is something you need clearing up, too. At home I have to actually ask for help. Strange, my parentsā€™ place is the opposite. Dad likes to reiterate things heā€™s heard about films, Mum likes to reiterate obvious plot points loudly. Never had that done in the cinema, except for the guy who reminded us during Iron Man that the movie was ā€œfucking classā€ šŸ™‚ > [@mobo85](#): > > A bigger screen and the experience of experiencing the film with others. Watching something is always fun alone, but itā€™s even better in a group. Some movies are better shared, comedies and action movies for me. Iā€™ve never been in a movie where the audience has behaved like Iā€™ve read some American audiences do. But its nice to have someone else laughing at the same time or jumping at the same time. That and the sound and vision experience of course. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/29 "2010-01-03T00:45:10Z")
I just wish I culd go see a movie in the theaterā€¦ I feels like a newsboy in '30. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/30 "2010-01-03T02:02:08Z")
I saw, as usual, more than 150 films in the theater last year - so I think I have reason to believe I have a valid opinion about the theater-going experience. > [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Eh, Iā€™ve had bad movie experiences at all times. Sometimes itā€™s the other viewers, but also sometimes itā€™s problems with the theater itself. The sound effects and background music are too loud, yet the speaking bits are not loud enough, or not clearly spoken enough. I donā€™t WANT to be blasted out of my seat by the sound, and I especially donā€™t want my ears ringing afterwards. I already have some hearing damage, and I donā€™t want any more, thankyouverymuch. Those are the major reasons why I donā€™t go to theaters any more. Theaters arenā€™t promoting their THX certifications anymore, and itā€™s a shame. Itā€™s a set of standards and measurements for the construction, equipment and settings for theater sound and projection. And one is playing test tones and measuring the level to ensure that all the sound channels are set at the correct levels and that all drivers in the speakers are working. I suspect that itā€™s the usual reason - that the chain owners cut back on the expense of bringing in trained THX experts to ensure their auditoriums are still up to standards. That said, most of the theaters I go to still meet THX standards, or better (in the case of the AMC Mainstreet with itā€™s 11.2 with bass shakers in each seat system). Have you tried different theaters, or failing that, a different chain with better standards? > [@](#): > > Minor reasons include the high prices at the concession stands, and the fact that theaters donā€™t use coconut or palm oil to pop the popcorn in any more, they use heart-healthy oil. Which is all fine and dandy for those who go to the movies every day and get the Bucket of Popcorn for 12, but I want the oil that tastes the best, not the oil thatā€™s the healthiest. I donā€™t go to the movies often, but theater popcorn is supposed to taste a certain way, and it just doesnā€™t taste right any more. Iā€™d also appreciate the option of buying a smaller container of popcorn, because I WILL eat all of a container without noticing. My wife and I are both on a low carb diet (her for diabetes, me for weight loss) so everything except the diet sodas are off limits for us. Luckily AMC policy explicitly allows u to bring in our own food and drinks. I have a backpack with a small cooler in it that holds a bottle or two of soda and some cheese and celery sticks. Hersheyā€™s no-sugar chocolates (made with Splenda) are actually **better** than their regular chocolate! > [@](#): > > If I had a more pleasant experience at the theater, Iā€™d probably go at least two or three times a week, assuming that there was something actually worth watching. And thatā€™s another subjectā€¦ I could supply you with a list of a dozen films, still in the theater, that are worth watching. But having made such a sweeping denunciation in advance, youā€™d be forced to damn all my selections, so Iā€™m not going to bother. > [@Skylark](#): > > If I see a movie on Friday or Saturday itā€™s almost always going to be a 10PM showing or thereabouts. The kids usually have a curfew coming up so itā€™s much quieter. Similar to **gaffa**. > > Iā€™ll catch a midnight showing. People who made an effort to be there, what few teens are there are there because they want to be, so behaviorā€™s usually good. And you get that nice theater community feeling. Exactly. Even if Iā€™m not as big a fan as the rest of the people there (for instance, I didnā€™t read _Watchman_ before seeing the movie) the experience of seeing a film with an excited crowd is worth it all by itā€™s self. One of my finest movie-going experiences was _Trilogy Tuesday_, where we spent a day in the theater watching all three _Lord of the Rings_ movies in a row - the extended versions of the first two, followed by the premiere of _the Return of the King_ ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/31 "2010-01-03T02:11:08Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Explain To Me What You Get Out Of Seeing A Movie In A Theatre H1N1 ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/32 "2010-01-03T02:13:47Z")
All of this chatter about popcorn,candy, and cell phone use in theaters disguises the sad fact of this topic. That there are people out there who are actually happy to sit in their rooms, staring into a computer screen, watching a movie. How very sad. Not only that, but they canā€™t understand why anyone would leave the house and go to a theater. Itā€™s mind-boggling, but then Iā€™m a simple-minded sort who demands we do that kind of thing out on a ā€œdateā€. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/33 "2010-01-03T02:21:58Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > All of this chatter about popcorn,candy, and cell phone use in theaters disguises the sad fact of this topic. That there are people out there who are actually happy to sit in their rooms, staring into a computer screen, watching a movie. How very sad. Not only that, but they canā€™t understand why anyone would leave the house and go to a theater. Itā€™s mind-boggling, but then Iā€™m a simple-minded sort who demands we do that kind of thing out on a ā€œdateā€. Huh, apparently you need to be condescending to people who arenā€™t like you. How very sad. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/34 "2010-01-03T02:26:14Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Huh, apparently you need to be condescending to people who arenā€™t like you. How very sad. Not condescending, it really IS sad. But thanks for your two cents! ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/35 "2010-01-03T02:29:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Theaters arenā€™t promoting their THX certifications anymore, and itā€™s a shame. Itā€™s a set of standards and measurements for the construction, equipment and settings for theater sound and projection. And one is playing test tones and measuring the level to ensure that all the sound channels are set at the correct levels and that all drivers in the speakers are working. > > I suspect that itā€™s the usual reason - that the chain owners cut back on the expense of bringing in trained THX experts to ensure their auditoriums are still up to standards. That said, most of the theaters I go to still meet THX standards, or better (in the case of the AMC Mainstreet with itā€™s 11.2 with bass shakers in each seat system). > > Have you tried different theaters, or failing that, a different chain with better standards? I was hired to work in the box office of a newly constructed theater in 1988. The theater was promoted as having state of the art (for the time) sound and projection equipment. I still had problems with the sound levels. Probably part of the problem is MEā€¦sometimes I have difficulty understanding words. But part of the problem was that the background and music levels in the films were too high. I think that film makers think that louder background music and sound means that the movie will seem more dramatic. Iā€™ve gone to different theaters, and each theater is part of a different chain, but the problems are the same. > [@](#): > > I could supply you with a list of a dozen films, still in the theater, that are worth watching. But having made such a sweeping denunciation in advance, youā€™d be forced to damn all my selections, so Iā€™m not going to bother. Actually, Iā€™d be interested in such a list. I might not watch them in theaters, but Iā€™d probably put them on my mental list to check out sometime. I do enjoy watching some of my old favorites again and again. I particularly like musicals that were adapted from stage plays (Little Shop of Horrors, the version with Rick Moranis, Into the Woods, Rocky Horror Picture Show, etc.), science fiction/fantasy, if it meets my standards for the genre (Iā€™m on my third copy of Labyrinth, Iā€™ve worn out two VHS copies and the new one is on DVD), and a lot of kidsā€™ movies, particularly those made by Pixar. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is another one of my all time favorites. Itā€™s actually science fiction/fantasy, when you think about it. Itā€™s set in an alternate universe, one where there are different physical laws, at least for toons, and there are intelligent non-human species living on Earth, interacting with normal humans. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/36 "2010-01-03T02:30:54Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Not condescending, it really IS sad. But thanks for your two cents! Why is it sad? Itā€™s expensive and often annoying, especially if you donā€™t live near a theatre, to go out. If itā€™s cheaper and more convenient to see a movie at home on a computer or on TV, why is that so sad? For some people, itā€™s really not worth it. I enjoy going out to the theater for playsā€“I could just as easily say that itā€™s pedestrian and bourgeois that you prefer the cinema to seeing a live performance, but that would be condescending, donā€™t you think? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/37 "2010-01-03T02:39:40Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > I have to say the distractions are worse in a theater, plus you canā€™t pause the movie. Exactly. Youā€™re not SPOSED to pause a movie. I have a friend who loves talking about movies, but itā€™s frustrating because he only watches movies on his laptop. And, your first statement being incorrectā€“there are infinitely more distractions when youā€™re watching a movie on a laptop than in a theaterā€“he tends to take about a week to watch a movie, in ten-minute scraps. How can that not disrupt oneā€™s appreciation of almost any movie? ---
**Author:** ![Commander\_McBragg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@Commander\_McBragg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Commander_McBragg)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/38 "2010-01-03T02:46:16Z")
Markxxx,ā€¦how quickly youā€™ve forgotten your youth. In my day my buddies and I would go to the midnight movies. Weā€™d smuggle bottles of booze into the theatre.(this in itself was a rush) Then weā€™d sit down and watch The Song Remains the Same or The Wall,something cool like that. How much fun would it be to get away with something at your momā€™s house? Movies are all about the social element. If you ever go to a movie again,let me suggest this,go with your friends,ā€¦smuggle in some booze,and get ripped watching the movie. Youā€™ll have a great time I guarantee it!! People like theatres for the same reason they like to go to restaurants. It gets boring sitting at home doing the same repetitive shit night after night. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/39 "2010-01-03T02:52:50Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Why is it sad? Itā€™s expensive and often annoying, especially if you donā€™t live near a theatre, to go out. If itā€™s cheaper and more convenient to see a movie at home on a computer or on TV, why is that so sad? For some people, itā€™s really not worth it. > > I enjoy going out to the theater for playsā€“I could just as easily say that itā€™s pedestrian and bourgeois that you prefer the cinema to seeing a live performance, but that would be condescending, donā€™t you think? Itā€™s sad because youā€™re out the full experience. Itā€™s NOT sad, on the other hand, because not really knowing that youā€™re not actually missing it. Still, itā€™s sad. Itā€™s kind of like giving someone a gift of a $50 bottle of great champagne, and they go, " Whatā€™s the big deal? The grape koolaid coolers I made with it tasted just like all the other grape koolaid coolers Iā€™ve had." See? Sad. You may like grape koolaid coolers, and have no inkling how good a good champagne can be, but some people would be said you missed out on the great champagne for just another ā€œregularā€ drink. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345/40 "2010-01-03T02:56:13Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > OK I am not at all a movie person. I will wait for it to come on video and usually till it shows up on DVD at my local library and watch it on my TV or computer. > > I just never got anything out of going to a theatre. Even in the 70s and 80s I was like ā€œOh Iā€™ll wait till it comes on TV.ā€ I saw the first Star Wars when it came out on a full size screen (not the wimpy little ones today). It was a spectacular experience. If Avatar wasnā€™t such a dork-ass movie it would be the same experience today. And the 3D effects couldnā€™t be reproduced at home. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-to-me-what-you-get-out-of-seeing-a-movie-in-a-theatre/523345.md?page=3)