Today’s Movie Experience
Today’s movie-going experience is very different from that of years ago. Long gone are the majestic Art Deco movie theatres of my youth. Elegant movie palaces named the Rialto, Tivoli, and Valencia have been replaced by the multi-theatre movieplex. These immense movie houses feature comfortable and adjustable recliners. Snacks can be ordered in advance and brought to the patron’s location. When tickets are purchased online, seats are also chosen in advance. No more hunting in the dark to find two or four seats together.
There are more subtle changes as well, none to my liking. In the past, going to the movies followed a familiar routine. Patrons arrived before showtime to purchase snacks and to enjoy the coming attractions. Once Nicole Kidman gave her breathless presentation about the transformative power of cinema, the lights would dim and for the next twenty minutes or so, audiences were treated to upcoming features. Not anymore. Today, trailers no longer precede the movie start time; the movie start time is for the trailers themselves. Viewers be advised; to arrive in time for the movie, come late.
Then there are the previews. Once these teasers were carefully curated to match the featured film. If attending a sweet romantic comedy, there were more snippets of upcoming rom-coms. Attending a spy movie guaranteed looks at espionage flicks. But no longer. Today, trailers are a grab bag of assorted genres. Often, the audience is bombarded by one action film after another, replete with blood and gore. The special effects are loud and violent. These previews serve to inform me of what I will not be going to see. It makes me wonder if anyone is overseeing previews at children’s movies.
The final change is the most egregious one. Commercial advertisements routinely pop up during coming attractions. That’s right, wedged between dramatic previews for Wuthering Heights and the latest Marvel installment are ads for toilet paper, dog food, and disposable mops. Savvy moviegoers are aware as they trickle into the theatre well after the lights go down. Besides, who wants to pay to sit through advertisements?
What has prompted the intrusion of commercials? COVID shutdowns impacted movie theatre owners, and attendance has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. To fill seats, theatre chains offer discounts and special deals. My husband and I often take advantage of the senior half-priced Tuesday offers. To offset the cost of these promotions and to increase ticket sales, revenues from commercial advertisers help keep the chains running and profitable.
I have been having a hard time lately selecting a movie to attend. Action flicks, superhero sequels, and special effects films dominate the marketplace. Even my favorite actors are starring in movies with strange plot lines that devolve into blood and gorefests. Times have changed, but my preferences have not. There are a few movies I might enjoy, but they are few and far between. Every so often though, comes a character driven film with an engrossing plot without a trace of blood or fisticuffs. We recently attended Song Sung Blue, a sweet surprise of a movie about the triumphs and challenges of a Neil Diamond tribute band. I highly recommend it.
What is your experience with movie-going these days? Are you attending or just happy watching Netflix from the comfort of your couch? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Bit by bit, that’s all she wrote…