Home > Entertainment > Movies > Movies (Other)
Is seeing a movie at the theater worth the expense?
Results so far:
| Yes | 60% | 226 votes | Total: 378 votes | |
| No | 40% | 152 votes |
Yes
by Gayle Daskal
Created on: November 22, 2010
Is seeing a movie at the theater worth the expense? Well, in my humble opinion I think it depends. The best idea is to weigh the pros and the cons of seeing a movie in the theatre. Let us start with the pros first:
*Pros of seeing a movie in the theatre:
-The movie is available for one's viewing pleasure much sooner than if one were to wait for the movie to come out on DVD. On one hand, this might not matter if one does not care about when they see the movie, but if one is really looking forward to seeing a certain movie than the theater is worth it!
-The social experience: getting out of the house with friends to see a movie is a fun activity for many people. Sure you can get the movie from netflix, but it is always a good idea for one's mental health to get out of the house for a change of environment.
-The audience: When going to the theatre, even if you are going by yourself, you are still seeing the movie with other people. Very rarely is a theater completely empty. During funny scenes the audience will laugh, this will make YOU more inclined to laugh too. Sure you can watch movies at home with friends and/or family, but being exposed to a crowded theater is a fun way of getting a feel for the general public's reaction to the movie. Also, if you are a friendly person you can make new friends with the people who were in the theater with you.
-The big screen: How likely is it that your television screen is as large as a movie theater's screen? Not very likely. A larger screen makes the viewing experience more enjoyable.
-When in fear of boredom, going to the theater makes for a fun day's activity. Sure you can just rent a movie and watch it at home, but for some people it's fun to go out to the theater.
-The popcorn: Yes you can make popcorn at home, but is it not more fun to just pay for the popcorn and have someone make it for you? To some people the answer to that would be no, it is more fun to not waste money and to make popcorn at home. To others, the answer is yes. Eating popcorn at the theater is way more cool!
*The cons of seeing a movie in the theatre:
-Let's be realistic. The economy is not in such great shape. The average adult movie ticket at the theatre is $8. You can rent a movie for $1 and that is how much it will cost for you and everyone else who sees the movie with you. If you go to the theatre, everyone you go with (minus children and senior citizens) will have to pay $8 to see the movie. Let's say you go to the theater with five other adults. The six of you all together would have paid $48. Had you just waited till the movie came out on DVD, you all could have just rented the movie for $1, and $47 could have been saved. Is $47 really worth it?
-When you can just relax at home and watch a movie what is the point in going out of the house? You're wasting gas money to get to the theater, and you're wasting more money on your ticket. Again, the theater may be fun but is THAT much money really worth it when the economy is so bad?
-Let's face it. Most movies nowadays are not so fabulous that one will die if they do not see the movie right away. Of course that is my opinion, but aren't there more important things in life than seeing a movie as soon as it comes out in theaters?
*The conclusion
This question cannot truly be answered. Whether seeing a movie in the theater is worth the expense really depends on who you ask. It also depends on how much money you consider an expense. Is it worth seeing a movie in a theater when one is typically paying $8 for a ticket? Some people would say that you would only be saving $7, since you can rent a movie for a $1 nowadays, and other people would say but you are saving $7! That is a lot of money you can be saving! Again, it really depends on who you ask and what movie we are talking about. It is my view that sometimes it is worth the expense depending on the movie. If the movie isn't worth the money, than seeing it in the theater isn't either.
Learn more about this author, Gayle Daskal.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
No
by Michael Cronin
Created on: September 29, 2010
The attendance at movie theaters has been declining sharply over the past few years. The reasons for this are wide and varied. While the movie industry likes to blame the economy and the pirates that illegally distribute the films in various other formats, it might also be that there is a serious lack of movie theater worthy productions to hit the big screen lately. Just as with concerts, there are acts that demand higher ticket prices and they almost always get what they ask for. However, seeing the garage band down the street or paying top dollar to see the 50th version of SAW may not have the same type of draw as, let’s say, AVATAR.
However, if you are young and on a date, the reality is that there are just not a lot of other options as far as generally safe affordable entertainment. Even with the decline in attendance, the industry is still maintaining their revenue stream by raising their ticket prices whenever viewership declines. This might not seem like a big deal if it is just two people on a date, but what about that family of four that can spend as much as $100 if you add in the popcorn and drinks? There was an article in the Wall Street Journal on May 24, 2010, about an AMC movie theater in New York that was charging $20 per ticket for the new Shrek movie.
If lower quality films that are accompanied by higher ticket prices are not enough to keep movie goers away; how about the several hundred other people that are all acting like they are at home in their family room talking and putting their feet on the chair in front of them? While this also depends on where you live, many people will say that going to a matinee or strategically selecting a non-prime movie time can cut down somewhat on the riffraff. Technology has come a long way for home theaters and surround sound systems in just the last decade. As the cost of home theater systems drop, more and more people will be able to have high quality viewing without the added expense of all the inconveniences mentioned above. While the buzz around the opening of certain titles like Twilight and Harry Potter will always draw a crowd, the cost of the average movie theater experience is not worth the price of admission.
Learn more about this author, Michael Cronin.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
Write and get published
Share with other writers
Polish your freelancing skills
Quality articles from proven freelancers
Exclusive rights, fast turnaround
Brand engagement, business blogging -- our writers do it all
INFORMATION
Copyright © 2002-2012 Helium, Inc. All rights reserved.
Helium.com: A Service of RR Donnelley