Great Movies
From: Ed Stoudenmire, Tampa Bay, FL
I am a dedicated movie fan who has not set foot inside a theater in more than two years. The movie-going experience has become that bothersome for me, for many of the reasons you've listed. While I agree with your suggestions about how to combat some of these problems, I have to comment on what Mr Johnson of Olathe, KS wrote. I disagree, for reasons I find very sad.
I am approaching 50, which puts me (roughly) in the same generation as the pre-60-somethings. Roughly, I remind you. A generation in which we were -- at least, I was -- raised to SHUT UP in a theater. Had I talked during a movie, during my formative years, my parents would have shushed me, and probably refused to take to a theater for six months as punishment.
A couple of years ago -- and this is largely the reason I haven't been back since -- I attended a matinee, probably 11:30 am in the middle of the week. An older couple, whom I judged to be in their mid-50s (or approximately my age range) were blabbing it up behind me. I took all I was going to take, and turned around to ask them to be quiet.
Well. You'd have thought I insulted the Queen.
I was told, "I paid to see this movie, sir, and I intend to talk if I want to." Um, remove the "sir" and insert F-bombs where you feel appropriate. You probably got it right. I reported it to a management proxy, but by then the couple had moved, and I had missed movie minutes. I lost all the way around.
If I can't depend on people roughly my age having the manners to allow other moviegoers to watch the movie in peace, I have no intent of attending a theater when under-40s are there, and no way will I go if kids are present.
Instead, I developed Ed's Theory of Movies:
I haven't seen [movie name] in 50 years (my approximate age) -- what's another 6 months, till it comes out on DVD? Then, I can not only own the movie and watch it whenever I want; I don't have to put up with traffic, parking, surly crowds, exorbitant concessions, and lotsa commercials.
Sure, “Sin City” was probably better on a huge screen; but it looked fine on my 29-inch JVC. HD is on the way to my home, in a large screen format, and my wife and I can enjoy movies on the regular TV until that day.
The movie industry may eventually extinct itself. Ah, well. Won't be the first time for such an event.
Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.
