To think cinemas will soon become obsolete?

[Keyansier]

Reasons why:

1. Home media systems are getting bigger and better as each year passes.
2. Society is getting more inconsiderate as each year passes and people think nothing of yakking all the way through a film or playing on their phone/kids playing on their ipads.
3. Films are available through home streaming 1 or 2 months after a cinema release these days, not like before when it would take over a year until a video/DVD release.
4. The cost, which isn't worth points 2 and 3.
5. The after effects of covid and lockdown and films being released on home media only - people realising they don't actually miss the cinema at all.

My mum calls it the pictures. She’s 58 and Irish. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone else call it that though.

I only go to the cinema for the Marvel and Fantastic Beasts movies, but I think my days of watching Marvel are nearly over as I haven’t been liking their new stuff. I do hope cinema sticks around though. I still enjoy going even if the movie isn’t very good.

I’ve just got back from the cinema. Love it, go at least 2 or 3 times a month. Films are much better on the big screen

I hope not! I love the cinema and go about twice per month.

I also wonder would they not make money with reasonable priced snacks? I’ve literally never seen anyone purchase from the expensive pick n mix stand at our cinema

There’s an old saying : Cinemas aren’t in the movie business. They are in the popcorn business.

Almost all of the ticket price goes to the film studio & distribution company. Cinemas make their money on selling overpriced drinks & snacks. A bucket of popcorn which sells for a fiver costs a few pence to make.

I hope you're wrong. I experience films very differently when I see them in a cinema, and remember them much more clearly.

I love going to the cinema but I've been massively out off by my recent experiences.

People talking all the way through. Using their phone. Getting up multiple times to get more snacks. Arriving so late the trailers etc are done and the movie is 20 minutes through.

It's almost as though people have forgotten how to behave. My local cinema charges £5 a ticket but honestly, even if it was free I think I'd still prefer to watch something at home where I don't have to deal with other people.

I really used to enjoy going to the cinema but our local cinema was charging £12 a ticket when I last checked last year. For the price of myself and 2 kids I could probably pay for a full day out. I'd much rather that than pay those prices for something I could watch for free in a month anyway. I'm surprised they're still open. It's still the same grubby carpets and manky seats that were there when I first moved to this town 21 years ago. The only thing that's changed is they took the bar and all the seats in the foyer away.

The far nicer cinema in the nearest city with nice spacious recliners is £5 a ticket, but I don't drive so when you take train fare into account it would cost the same. I'm just glad my kids aren't that bothered about going to the cinema. They love having a picnic style dinner, plenty of treats and watching something on Disney+ instead.

Me too 🥺

I hope not. I love the cinema and go fairly often as i cant seem to follow a film or sit through it without getting distracted at home. Theres no comparison for me

I went to see “Mrs Harris goes to Paris” today. Showing at 2.30pm. I think there were 8 of us in the, admittedly, small screen cinema. £8.50. Snacks and drinks available from vending machines. It was lovely.
I didn’t realise the pictures or “filums” were so expensive in the uk.

YANBU, I have a arthouse cinema within half a mile of my home, for the cost of viewing one film I have an Apple TV and Now TV subscription - one film or streaming on tap for a month.

Same. I’m a member of an otherwise fantastic art cinema in my nearest city. Every time I’m tempted to see something I think about the annoyances I’ve encountered on recent visits and can’t face it. Don’t think I’ll be renewing next year. Shame because seeing something on the big screen is completely different to tv at home, but I’m sick of disruptions and - this is the main one - people kicking the seats. In case I sound like a fuddy duddy, the last seat kicker was a woman at least two decades older than me!

I love going to the cinema & we are lucky to have a small independent in our town that is fabulous & an antidote to the sterile chains where the seats may be cheaper but the mark up on food & drinks is shocking. To me, there is still something magical about the big screen!

It'll end up being like the theatre became after radio/cinema/TV became the dominant forms of entertainment. Cinemas will still exist and some films will still come out at the cinema before they do for home viewing, but most people will rarely go to the cinema.

@IntentionalError I do understand that, of course I get there’s a huge mark up. There will always be people willing to pay it because it’s part of the experience but I just think they’d sell more if it was cheaper therefore make more anyway. If the popcorn was half the price I’d buy it.

It'll end up being like the theatre

I agree, every town used to have a theatre/music hall etc. Not any more. It used to be cheap entertainment, but it's neither cheap or entertaining now with most films seeming to be based on kids comics.

I'm sure a niche market will continue, but it's long passed being a weekly treat for most people.

We'd go more regularly if they banned food, phones, constant getting up and down and made more space so people don't keep knocking the back of your chair.

No wonder there is an obesity crisis when people can't go 2 hours without eating constantly.

There will always be people willing to pay it because it’s part of the experience but I just think they’d sell more if it was cheaper therefore make more anyway. If the popcorn was half the price I’d buy it.

I'm sure the entire industry has considered that and found that it doesn't work for them, or at least the majority of them, hence the high prices.

No point me going as without subtitles I can’t hear well enough. Last time I went with the kids it cost a bomb and was a bit grim.

We'd go more regularly if they banned food,

If they banned food there probably wouldn't be a cinema to go to and I doubt that people eating while watching a movie, not the newest of traditions, is the cause of the obesity crisis.

@AllPlayedOut yes you’re right of course!

Much too expensive at our local Odeon.

I’ve stopped going because the price has gone up hugely (£7 to £12) but the experience has declined. Everyone talks and eats loudly through the the films or plays on their phone.
I can pay £5 on Amazon and watch anything that I want soon after it’s released at the cinema.

AllPlayedOut yes you’re right of course!

I can sympathise with your desire for cheaper popcorn/snacks though. It would be lovely, especially when you're buying for a whole family. It certainly adds up.

Now I really want cinema popcorn.(With Galaxy counters mixed in)

I love popcorn and chocolate in the same mouthful! I’m actually eating a bag of butterkist as we speak.