According to The Wall St Journal, this weekend marks a significant milestone for moviegoers. A New York movie theater will break the symbolically significant threshold of $20 per adult ticket for “Shrek Forever After.”
Granted, this is NY where prices are always high, and “Shrek” is being shown in IMAX and 3-D, but $40 for a couple of movie tickets seems outrageous to me. Add in a couple of Cokes and some popcorn, and you’re probably talking $100 for a movie - dinner not included.
I used to think the new TVs were ridiculously priced. Now it looks like the home theater is going to pay for itself in fewer than 30 movies.
Movies shown at IMAX theaters have always cost more per ticket. Same with 3D movies versus non3D versions. So if I’m going to see a 3D movie at an IMAX theater, I do suspect it’s going to cost a bit.
That said, $20 for a normal theater, non3D movie, no I’d never pay that much.
No, not for a regular theater - but if it was one of those with the really upgraded extra large comfy seats, and smaller audience, and food/beverage service I probably would.
Though I agree, I much prefer to watch movies at home. I am comfortable, can pause it to hit the kitchen, and no screaming kids kicking the back of my seat and spilling popcorn down my neck.
But I don’t really like going to the movies anyway. They’re always so loud and they tend to push me into near-panic-attacks, which sucks. I prefer movies at home, where I can control the volume, press pause if I need to pee, and sit in a comfy room with unsticky floors.
But then I see 160+ films in the theater every year and never pay full ticket price. At AMC theaters, where I see most films, I’ll go see films as part of their “AM Cinema” program ($5 locally, $7 maximum), or “Weekday Escape” program (same $5-$7 Monday-Thursday). If I have to see one on a weekend, I’ll buy passes at CostCo which gets the ticket price even at Chicago’s most expensive theaters to $8. And that’s just for first run. Lots of cheaper alternatives on second-run, like the Brew&View at the Vic theater, which gets me a second run triple feature. Or $6 Tuesdays at Chicago’s City North 14. Or their “Five Buck Club” for movies on their 3rd week.
I rarely see IMAX and CAN’T see 3D, so it’s a non-issue.
Have you ever had the Costco discount tickets refused? Sometimes when I go to a new movie I see signs that say, “No passes, coupons, discounts.” I wondered how that applied.
When I saw **Avatar **in December at the Lincoln Square IMAX, it was $15. Other than that, I only spend $6 per ticket (AMC’s before noon price), unless it’s something I really want to see that’s not playing at an AMC. (And really, I never only see *one *movie at a time anyway.)
Not at AMC. They have two levels of passes, Silver and Gold. The Silver ones are not good on the “no passes” time. But the Gold ones are good any time. An they are $15.99 for a pair.
Still a bargain compared to live theatre which may or may not be just as entertaining. People pay $40-$100 to see Broadway shows, plays, concerts, sporting events, comedians, etc.
$20 for the Dark Knight or $50 to see a regular season Cubs game?
$20 for Return of the King or $70 for Wicked?
$20 for Inglorious Basterds or $60 for a Carrie Underwood concert?
I like sporting events, concerts, plays, AND movies. I see a lot of movies because they are a bargain even even if they were $20 for my entertainment dollar. Other events I rarely participate in because of their inflated prices.
The reason why those things can cost so much is because you get something you can’t get at home. People can watch movies at home, and even get a superior experience. And get to actually keep the movie and watch it again.
The cost of a movie has to be less than the cost to buy it at home. The only reason this is working at all is that reliable home 3D technology has not taken off yet.
Audience that behaves.
4a. If anybody’s cellphone rings during the movie the projectionist pauses the film so that everybody else can dismember that person and trade his limbs in for a free tub of popcorn, with real butter not that faux orange “fluid”.
So in all likelihood, no I can’t see myself paying $20 for a movie ticket these days unless it was some kind of benefit show. Like so many other folks, I’ve got a big TV, a blu-ray player, a nice surround sound system and a big comfy couch. Bathroom breaks when I want 'em, no annoying audience except for my friends which is fine, higher quality food, no parking problems, no commercials and it’s $4 to rent a movie that I know I actually want to see, as opposed to taking a gamble that a new theatrical release will actually be worth watching.
Not that I’ve got an opinion or anything I probably see a couple of movies a year in the theatre, it’s generally an overpriced, crappy experience.
Damn, I thought we had the most expensive ticket prices in L.A. but Shrek 3D tickets only cost $19.50 at the Arclight. That doesn’t appear to be IMAX… I thought they’ve been charging more than $20/ticket for IMAX for a while now but I could be mistaken.
I remember going to see dollar movies as a kid. Wow inflation makes you feel old lol. I think I’m now paying about $10 for regular evening movies where I am and up to $16 or so dollars for 3D + IMAX + online fee or directors hall whatever. Another $4 for NYC inflation is not terribly surprising. So yeah, I’d pay $20, for a non matinee, new release, 3D + IMAX in NYC with an online fee or directors hall seats. But not, like, on a regular basis. Unless of course I was getting the NYC professional salary bonus.
OTOH I’m 99% sure that one day inflation will mean that I do pay $20 for a regular film, perhaps even a matinee, sometime in my future.
I can download BluRay 720p quality movies for free (I do what I want cause a pirate is free) and watch them on my 42" flatscreen with 5.1 sound. Me and the teens can watch it and eat dinner and I can have a beer. The movie starts right away. OR, I can pay $60 for three people if I want to take the kids to the movies. I also get to watch “the 20” which is what they call their stream of commercials. THEN watch 4 previews. Yea no thanks.
Of course, the MPAA says I’m what’s ruining the movie industry by refusing to pay buttrape prices to get essentially the same experience at home. I saw the movie industry going down the shitter when I saw them trying to disguise commercials at the beginning of movies.
Given the buttloads of crap Hollywood puts out, and the ease of getting reviews and summaries online, it had better be something special for me to even get out of my chair and into a theater, and it had better be an experience that can’t be duplicated at home.
For example, I paid $14 to see Avatar (actually, $60 for two people with popcorn/drinks.) I think the ticket price was worth it, as I might not be able to get true 3D at home for at least a few more years. However, I rented zombieland, and I can see no scene that could possibly have been “can’t miss” on the big screen.
I probably see a couple of movies a year in the theatre, it’s generally an overpriced, crappy experience.