Our local Regal theater was only opened 2 weeks before it closed again. It is the only Regal in the state. There is no indication when it will reopen. With the virus on the rise again, and most people staying away from the theaters due to the restrictions in attending and the dangers of staying indoors for so long with other people: Will theaters survive?
Do you think movie theaters will survive?
- Thread starter Aneeda72
- Start date
katlupe
SF VIP
- Location
- Norwich, NY
Not the one in my neighborhood. It is a vintage theater, right down to the inside, including the seats. We loved it! When we went to it there were not very many people at the movies. They started showing the movies at the fairgrounds like a drive in. But is getting too cold for that. Now on their marquee is a sign to the effect that Cuomo has caused financial stress and it looks closed up for good. I am sad. I really liked going there. Not sure about the big ones in the surrounding cities.
Packerjohn
Packerjohn
- Location
- Canada
I don't know but my guess is no. A few such as the vintage ones might. I have not been to a movie theater for over 2 decades. Don't like them because of the people eating & drinking there & all the loud noise. Now, some of the locals have started selling booze. All I need is to have some drunk shouting next to me. I think Corvid-19 will certainly kill many of them. Of course, with ROKU & so many home options for movies, why go to a movie theater in the first place? At home I can pause any movie when I need to visit the "gentleman's room". Try that at your local movie theater & you might miss some exciting action. Perhaps for the young crowd, it would be OK. Not for this guy as I have moved on!
Sassycakes
SF VIP
- Location
- Pennsylvania
Beside the fear of catching the virus by being too close to other people the fact that you can see any movie either on the computer or by renting one, I doubt that movie theaters will survive.
Maybe, but they will have to be reimagined. I used to be a frequent moviegoer, and it dwindled down to practically nothing, even before the virus. Reasons: Internet access; the high cost of movie theaters; the annoying "trailers" before the actual movie begins (a pet peeve of mine); the greater convenience of just watching the movie at home, with rewind, fast forward, repeat functions, closed captions, interrupting the movie for whatever reason, sometimes just continuing it the next day, and so on.
So, with all that, why go to the movies at all? Well, there is the "social function" part of it, or at least there was, pre-virus. It's fun to get out of the house and go to the theater, meet friends, etc. And for the younger set, it provides a great, inexpensive date. And for the popcorn lovers, there's that.
But in general, I'd vote on the "no" side of this question. I doubt that old-time movie theaters will return to what they were. Maybe the specialized art movie theaters will return.
So, with all that, why go to the movies at all? Well, there is the "social function" part of it, or at least there was, pre-virus. It's fun to get out of the house and go to the theater, meet friends, etc. And for the younger set, it provides a great, inexpensive date. And for the popcorn lovers, there's that.
But in general, I'd vote on the "no" side of this question. I doubt that old-time movie theaters will return to what they were. Maybe the specialized art movie theaters will return.
I can't remember the last time I went to the movies. Pretty sure it was before my grandson born, over 2 years ago. I like it for all the reasons Sunny said. Especially the popcorn. Really. Also, the huge screen and booming sound. I like the trailers, too. My one complaint: So Incredibly Expensive.
Virus or not, I don't see them surviving.
I mean, $20 for popcorn? (an exaggeration, but hey....)
And now, with most folks having huge screen TVs, what's the draw?
Movie screens are huger..........more huge?
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
IMO the virus will cause a shift in our ideas of entertainment/dates, etc...
I think that bars, restaurants, theaters, concerts, etc... will suffer for many years as people find new ways of socializing and in many cases at a significantly lower cost.
I think that bars, restaurants, theaters, concerts, etc... will suffer for many years as people find new ways of socializing and in many cases at a significantly lower cost.
tbeltrans
Senior Member
The oldest and longest running theater in my area is just two blocks from me. It is really a nice place to go to watch a movie. My wife and I would rarely go to a movie theater because they turn the volume up way too high. I don't understand why everything has to be so darn loud. When a car pulls up next to me at a stop and we both have our windows up, I can hear the "boom boom" slamming of that car's music, even over whatever may be on in my car. When we have an association meeting with all attendees in one not overly large room since we typically get maybe 20 or so people attending, people complain they can't hear and want a PA system even though we on the board speak loudly. Rock music has, especially since the days of disco, had this awful and relentless loud pounding with mics shoved up into the drums, that never lets up. Now country music has been following suit. Back in the 1960s and into the 1970s, bands had bragging rights for having the biggest wall of amplifiers, and now many of these rock stars are having to wear powerful hearing aids and suffering tinnitus. Is it REALLY worth it?
We can stream movies at home and turn the volume down to what is for us, an acceptable level. So it is likely that if movie theaters did go by the wayside, we wouldn't necessarily miss them. It seems to me that the effect of COVID-19 on movie theaters will be to hasten their demise, much as it is doing to various brick and mortar stores. For brick and mortar stores, people are finding an alternative with online shopping. With movie theaters people are finding alternatives with big screen TVs, home theater sound systems, and all manner of streaming services.
Like many, I miss going to the movies, and am not wishing for the demise of movie theaters, but because we stopped going to the overly volume, such a change would have little impact on us. Just because we choose to no longer attend movies does not mean we wish nobody else could. We know many who still enjoy going to the movies.
Tony
We can stream movies at home and turn the volume down to what is for us, an acceptable level. So it is likely that if movie theaters did go by the wayside, we wouldn't necessarily miss them. It seems to me that the effect of COVID-19 on movie theaters will be to hasten their demise, much as it is doing to various brick and mortar stores. For brick and mortar stores, people are finding an alternative with online shopping. With movie theaters people are finding alternatives with big screen TVs, home theater sound systems, and all manner of streaming services.
Like many, I miss going to the movies, and am not wishing for the demise of movie theaters, but because we stopped going to the overly volume, such a change would have little impact on us. Just because we choose to no longer attend movies does not mean we wish nobody else could. We know many who still enjoy going to the movies.
Tony
Sitting in the front row (when I wasn't wandering around) at the Fillmore East for over a year has the same effect. Was it worth it? HELL YES!
tbeltrans
Senior Member
I am glad then that you were able to attend. Just because I don't care for loud music doesn't mean that others should feel the same way. As I often bring up here, we are all different. From my perspective, if I don't care for loud volume levels, I simply don't attend those venues. I would never wish for those venues to disappear as long as there are folks who do like that entertainment.
Tony
@tbeltrans
That was then and this is now and I currently prefer peace & quiet!
That was then and this is now and I currently prefer peace & quiet!
ClassicRockr
Well-known Member
Well, our local (downtown) movie theater is still closed, due to how small it is. The Mega Theater (one building/multiple theaters), at the other end of the city, are open, with limited seating and on and on.
We haven't gone to the Mega one since before the virus hit, but definitely miss going. Not much for movies being made right now, so not much to miss. But, absolutely loved the large buttered popcorn and large Coke (we shared). We each have a pair of foam ear plugs that we can put in if the sound gets too loud. We always pay the Senior price for admission. Yes, the popcorn and Coke aren't cheap, but going to a Fair and eating isn't cheap either.
We haven't gone to the Mega one since before the virus hit, but definitely miss going. Not much for movies being made right now, so not much to miss. But, absolutely loved the large buttered popcorn and large Coke (we shared). We each have a pair of foam ear plugs that we can put in if the sound gets too loud. We always pay the Senior price for admission. Yes, the popcorn and Coke aren't cheap, but going to a Fair and eating isn't cheap either.
tbeltrans
Senior Member
ClassicRockr
Well-known Member
I guess "peace and quiet" just goes along with some Seniors. We love "peace and quiet" when we sleep, but other than that..........bring on Deep Purple, Van Halen, Boston and so on. We have a Surround Sound System for our tv/Blu-Ray DVD Player and use it quite often. Not really loud, due to our neighbors next door, but definitely not quiet.
tbeltrans
Senior Member
Yes, it is expensive going out these days (well, before COVID-19 going out, anyway). However, for my wife and I, since we would do it less often due to the expense, we then enjoy each outing all the more. When we were both working, we went out to eat several times a week because of the convenience since we went when few people were out, and we could much better afford to do so. It became routine so we really didn't appreciate it nearly as much as we do now that we only will go out occasionally.
By the way, my wife loves popcorn. She can't have the butter, as much as she misses it, but she makes her popcorn at home. She has some sort of contraption that goes in the microwave and it only takes a few minutes.
Tony
tbeltrans
Senior Member
For myself, I have long preferred peace and quite, though many folks tend to prefer it more as they get older. I remember when some groups, such as the Doobie Brothers (Busted Down O'Connelly Corners or Slack Key Soquel Rag) or Jefferson Airplane (Embryonic Journey) would include a track of solo fingerstyle guitar as sudden quiet amidst the loud tracks. It was those quiet tracks that I liked and learned by ear when everybody else was learning the material on the loud tracks.
Most people I knew found these boring and would completely overlook them. I found it interesting that in more recent times, as fingerstyle guitar became more popular among hobby acoustic players in general, this kind of music has been making a comeback, though not in the main pop culture.
I feel very fortunate to live in a quiet condo building.
Tony
Giantsfan1954
Senior Member
Between 2 larger cities in NYS, Binghamton and Utica, both the Regal and I don’t know the name of the other, are both closed.
Personally, wouldn’t chance it, like OP said, with so many streaming services as well as Redbox.
Personally, wouldn’t chance it, like OP said, with so many streaming services as well as Redbox.
Yes and without the popcorn and coke you might as well stay home, IMO.
On Tuesday the large refillable popcorn was 5 dollars
. But the virus changed that along with food service etc. without the whole package-yup, why bother.
asp3
Senior Member
- Location
- Silicon Valley, CA
I'd guess about 30% of the screens in the US will close permanently or for an extended period of time (for multi-screen theaters that will stop using some of their screens.)
Don M.
SF VIP
- Location
- central Missouri
I suspect there will be several "drive in" movie theaters reopening in the future, as more and more traditional theaters shut down.
Speaking of "peace and quiet," I was reminded of my favorite musical, Ragtime. The main characters, a White, upper middle class family, are introduced one by one at the beginning. Grandpa steps forward and says in a grouchy voice, "He was annoyed about everything."
At the end of the show, the characters again speak one at a time, bringing the audience up to what has changed for them. Grandpa now resides in the cemetery. He steps forward again and says, "At last! Peace and quiet!"
At the end of the show, the characters again speak one at a time, bringing the audience up to what has changed for them. Grandpa now resides in the cemetery. He steps forward again and says, "At last! Peace and quiet!"