by Garry Keown

Created on: August 17, 2009   Last Updated: August 18, 2009

My question here is, is the experience going downhill, or is there other factors there that affect your viewing that are not controlled by the management.

We all like to go out, and many moons ago now I used to love going to my local cinema to see the latest releases. However I now go very rarely, and started to think to myself, why is that?

Well, its a combination of bad experience, and bad releases that are to blame for me. Most things that tend to go wrong at the cinema are not controlled by the cinema themselves. You know what I mean, the guy who doesn't switch off his mobile, and it rings in the middle of the film, which coincidentally happened the last time I went to the cinema to see the Order of the Pheonix. This really annoyed me as I had looked forward to seeing this for ages, having gone to watch all the other Potter movies. I know that at the start they put on the screen to switch them off, but they did nothing to enforce it, and this was what got me most. It seems to me that once they get you through that door, they lose interest, having stung you for your hard earned cash.

Another example of this is when I took my kids to see Happy Feet when it first came out (do not reccomend by the way!), and a black line appeared all over the screen. This gradually moved lower until eventually the top two thirds of the screen were covered! I had to get up and complain to the management, before they fixed it (it took all of two seconds by the way!). Not an apology, nor even a kind look! It shows that no-one was watching to make sure everything was OK. As far as I am concerned, this is not recieving the service that you pay for. Part of the cinema experince is that you dont have to do anything, just enjoy the film.

It is also very noticeable to me that a lot less people are going to the cinema these days. It used to be a great part of the experience, especially during a comedy, or scary film. The audience reactions were great, as long as you didnt get stuck beside the person who continually narrates the film as you go (what lies beneath). Even at the latest Harry Potter film, on the opening day, I went and the cinema was not even half full!

Together with the lower standards the cinemas seem to have these days, I would have to say that the price is a factor too. Now, dont get me wrong, the ticket prices generally are quite reasonable, but it's the extortionate pricing of the snacks, and drinks that is the killer. To take my wife, and son to the cinema

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