Movie theater attendance down 20% from last year

[Newsjock]

Source: Los Angeles Times

With movie theater attendance in the U.S. and Canada down a whopping 20% so far this year compared with 2010, cinema operators and some studio chiefs surprisingly agree on at least one cause: The movies haven't been very good.

... While audiences have outright rejected such recent movie offerings as "Mars Needs Moms," "Sucker Punch" and "Take Me Home Tonight," even hits like Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never," "The King's Speech" and "Battle: Los Angeles" pale in comparison with the early 2010 blockbusters "Avatar" and "Alice in Wonderland."

All of which has created an undercurrent of concern that changes in consumer behavior combined with the continued tough economic times, higher gasoline and movie ticket prices (driven in part by more premium-priced 3-D movies) could be drawing people away from theaters and toward less-expensive and readily available forms of entertainment such as Netflix streaming, video games and other digital media.

... The decline in admissions is troubling Hollywood. The number of tickets sold per person annually in the U.S. and Canada has steadily fallen for most of the last decade to 4.1 last year, the lowest since 1993. In a recent presentation, Bob Pisano, president of the Motion Picture Assn. of America, attributed the trend in part to declining attendance among baby boomers.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-cinemacon-20110330,0,1953345.story

[SoCalDem]

1. Who can afford to go to the movies these days?

Teens can't find jobs...Mom & Dad may be tightening the purse-strings.. Couples probably rent movies or use Netflix.

[originalpckelly]

4. It could also be that movies this year have been shitty.

[Johonny]

26. +1

When Scream 4 is suppose to excite me. Movies that looked good like Suckerpunch got horrible reviews. Doesn't make me want to go to the theater.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

37. +2

[ChairmanAgnostic]

12. the three D doesn't help

Deficient
Deformed
Double-vision inducing

[Skidmore]

58. I hope that technology dies in its infancy.

If we were intended to see in 3D, our brains would be wired that way or we would have 3 eyes.

[TroglodyteScholar]

68. Um...we DO see in 3D. Our brains ARE wired for that. And why would it require 3 eyes?

I truly hope you were cracking some kind of joke and I just missed it because I can't see your eyebrows.

[rurallib]

23. We used to go at least once a month

really enjoyed it.
We went once last year. Probably won't go this year at all.
When we see a dvd we really want to see, we may buy it but that is about it.

[phleshdef]

2. Yea, this years movies have been lackluster so far and home theatre is taking over.

[Marblehead]

6. Limitless was pretty good

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Do the math.

On average, $12 a ticket. That price used to get you orchestra seats on Broadway 30 years ago. Popcorn more than $5. Drinks same. And for studio productions that are questionably entertaining and questionably worth the investment.

Versus . . . waiting about 6 months for the DVD where you either spend $3-5 for anywhere between an individual and a group, or even better, borrowing from your public library for free.

Using the latter method, I have watched the equivalent of $1,200 of movies (so far).

[peace frog]

5. Golly, here's a thought:

Why don't you make movies that people are willing to pay to see? "The King's Speech" was the only recent flick worthy of my hard-earned cash. Most of it is utter crap. Make quality films and they will come.

[FormerDittoHead]

7. Here's an idea: make some movies.... FOR GROWN UPS! n/t

[frazzled]

27. Yeah, but many of us grownups have started to hate going to movies

We boomers are aging. I used to be a cinema addict. But I hate going to theaters these days. The projection isn't good; the seats are uncomfortable; people sneeze and talk. I'm too tired to go out in the evening. And then there's the price. We go so rarely these days, but it doesn't mean we see that many fewer movies: we Netflix quite a bit, where you can sip a cup of tea and get up and go to the bathroom.

I, for one, am getting old and cranky. Good god, what next: early bird dinners?

[TahitiNut]

32. I find that the afternoon matinee is a joy. Choice of seats and senior discount.

I'm usually only one of about 8-10 people in the theater. I find a seat near the center, where I can lift my feet and recline in comfort. I choose theaters with GOOD projection and sound systems. While I can (and have) easily bring my own popcorn (with REAL butter) in a ZipLoc baggie, I often just get the overpriced crap for convenience's sake.

I doubt I'll EVER go in the evening and mess with crowds (and adolescents) again.

[Laxman]

54. Maybe they will bring back "dish night"

I can't wait until they give away the gravy boats!

[Broken_Hero]

8. For me,

the movies so far aren't "must see" although I do plan on going to the movies at least 4 times this year.

I'm saving my nickels/dimes for:

Thor
Captain America
Green Lantern
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows part II.

Outside of those movies, I don't plan on going to anymore...although Suckerpunch looks great.

[WolverineDG]

14. I'm holding out for Deathly Hallows Part II

but Limitless does look good, so I might go see that.

And maybe Hop.

dg

[Liberal_in_LA]

71. Stop watching the Happy Potter movie years ago...they are sooooooo long

[exboyfil]

16. You sound like me

definitely Thor and Captain America but they must be better than Iron Man II or I am out of attending Marvel superhero movies.

Green Lantern?? Not so sure about this one. After DC totally ruined the Hal Jordan character I am reluctant.

Not into Harry Potter - have only seen the first movie and parts of the other ones.

The one I am waiting for is HBO's A Game of Thrones - not sure how I am going to see it since I don't have HBO (may be worth signing up for until the season is over??)

[Dappleganger]

34. Game of Thrones...

this is probably one of just a handful of things worth paying for this year.

[Romulox]

48. Now that Chris Reeves is gone, I will *never* pay to see another spandex melodrama.

The preponderance of superhero films demonstrates something disturbing about the American psyche--namely, a feeling of helplessness.

[TroglodyteScholar]

69. +1

We are stunted and need someone else to solve all the tough problems.

[exboyfil]

9. I have not been to a movie this year

I think I went to two last year (Iron Man II and The Clash of the Titans). Neither were very good (actually Clash was awful but I took my daughter who is into mythology).

[WolverineDG]

10. Well, if the movie sucks, I'm not wasting $ on it

I used to go to the movies once or twice a week. Now? Pfft. Maybe once or twice a year.

dg

[VoteProgressive]

11. I love going to movies much more than DVDs at home. Guilty pleasure. nt

[taught_me_patience]

13. It's a combination of bad titles and

comping an unusually good year last year.

[FSogol]

15. They are not changing with the times. The need to restablish the discount matinee,

give discounts to low budget and art house movies, give group discounts, and reinvent their snack bars.

[exboyfil]

17. Actually many rural towns in Iowa

do this approach. They take movies at the tail end of their runs and charge a whole lot less. When we lived in a small town it was a fun evening. Too much of a drive to attend one now that way though.

[FSogol]

21. We still (in the VA suburbs) have a beat up old theather that shows films

that have left the main cinemas. Tickets are $3. We see a lot of films that way.

[Dappleganger]

36. Our local theater has $5 Sundays...

they've had this since the beginning of 2010 (we even used it to see Avatar, although it's more for 3D--which we hate anyway). Last time we went we also had free coupons for free popcorn and snuck in our own drinks.

[Ron Green]

18. The death of cinematography

is part of it, IMO. I don't want to sit in a theater to see a bunch of computer generated stuff with crashing sound effects, or one-second cuts like a music video. That's why "The King's Speech" was worth my trip to the big screen: it's a real movie, filmed with care and grace.

[kentauros]

40. Or perhaps this part: the Death of the Tripod!

Really, I don't want to see "shaky camera" cinematography on everything! That's why I haven't seen the other two Bourne movies. A couple of minutes of the second one turned me off so much that I haven't gone back.

I blame AT&T's commercials of the 90s. Pre-shaky-camera technique when they were seemingly attempting to mimic the tracking of the human eye without taking into consideration that a camera isn't a human eye with a human brain attached ;)

[hobbit709]

19. By the time you buy the ticket, a snack and a drink you're out at least $20

Lots of people don't have that kind of money anymore.

Me, I'd rather wait until it comes out on DVD and watch it without all the screaming yard apes and their noisy keepers.

[hatrack]

20. Let's see . . . $10 tickets, video-game movies, blaringly loud commercials, $6 popcorn, $4 cokes . .

Puzzling, isn't it?

:silly:

[SoCalDem]

57. add

kids kicking the back of your seat
babies crying
cell phone yakking
freezing cold theaters
sound so loud it causes ear-ringing

theater-going is not enjoyable at all for me..it's more fun to watch on my own tv, from my couch, at a time I choose.

[Nye Bevan]

22. Forget gasoline. The worst price-gouging in the country must be movie theater soda and popcorn.

One of those large sodas must cost about 10 cents to make and sells for about $4. Ridiculous.

[Iggo]

24. They should probably raise ticket prices again.

That oughta fix it.

[JVS]

25. During the last depression, movies were an escape from economic reality.

But with modern theaters gouging the customer every step of the way, they've become a harsh reminder of our economic situations.

[AKDavy]

28. We've intentionally cut movies from our budget

We've reduced non-essential spending as a means of protesting the status quo.

In an economy based 70% on consumption, refusing to spend money is a powerful means of protest.

We've stopped buying coffee drinks and going out to dinner. I bring a lunch to work. We consolidate trips into town to reduce fuel use. The whole family limited Christmas to one gift in 2010, and we enjoyed the experience sans consumerism so much our adult children have suggested we simply skip gifts in 2011 and focus on family time. We buy electronics only when electronics fail, not when the latest and greatest come out. We shop used whenever possible. We've stopped vacations outside of Alaska.

I couldn't tell you if the quality of the movies has gone down; we play Go, Scrabble, chess, and card games.

U.S. consumers really buy a lot of unnecessary crap dictated by popular culture. Our family has decided that popular culture, in turn, is dictated by lowest common denominator values, and is generally to be avoided. It's a constant battle.

BTW: I really recommend Go for young children. The simplicity of the basic moves allows them to play at a very young age, and the complexity of the play will require them to work at it for a lifetime. My grandchildren would rather play Go with Papa than sit in front of the TV.

[Dappleganger]

38. Great recommendations...

we have four teens and we play cards and Settlers of Catan at least once a week, more often when they're out of school (such as this week). We do have Netflix and use it heavily but watch most of the shows together, usually series like Dr. Who, Torchwood, etc.

[AKDavy]

42. We also use Netflix, but on a very limited basis

We have cable television (the bundled package is actually cheaper than having just phone and Internet), so there's plenty to watch (and avoid) available that way. (The pseudo-science programming designed to appeal to the scientifically illiterate on channels like Discovery and NatGeo are a major disappointment.)

When our family buys a DVD/Blu-Ray, only one person buys it and we pass it around among households.

I also have iTunes on my computer (and my three-year-old iPod), and I have a couple of my favorite movies (e.g. "Never Cry Wolf," "Walk Well My Brother," "Green Zone") loaded on them.

We haven't forgotten the educational value of movies (the neighbor parents couldn't believe how early our children were introduced to Oliver Stone and Stanley Kubrick). I've been especially impressed with films like "The Green Zone," "Syriana," and, of course, all the Michael Moore movies.

[Dappleganger]

56. If you liked "Syriana"...

you may want to take a look at "Generation Kill", an HBO series created by the same folks who did "The Wire." We were able to find it used (but like new) and gave it to my husband for his birthday last weekend and we've been watching it together the past few evenings.

That's great you can pass movies around--unfortunately we have no family locally (and even then our tastes are quite different).

[Forkboy]

61. Syriana is a Hell of a film.

If not for Good Night and Good Luck it would be my favorite Clooney movie.

[SoCalDem]

59. About 5 years ago, we stopped gift-giving for our adult kids too

They don;t live in the same place as we do, so who knows what they need/want..

One thing I still do for birthdays is to buy a hardback book I think they will enjoy, and use their age/page as a place to stash a "bookmark".. a $100 bill..

We started this when they were little (not with a hundred dollar bill..usually a $5 or $10 when they were small), and they automatically flip to their age page:)


At Xmas, I bake stuff & send it to them, but no more gifts..

I donated to Heifer in their names one year..I think I sent Ducks & rabbits in their names.

[Pacifist Patriot]

29. Who could have predicted that?

Oh wait, just about anyone.

[xiamiam]

30. netflix is doing quite well..nt

[Bluenorthwest]

31. The films this year are just copies of other films for the most

We were just noting last night that each film advertized looks like a film from 2 years back, with slight tweaks. 'You go back in time to prevent a bomb on a boat, no this time a train' just so redundant.
I think the new objective of the film biz is to use up and discard Russell Brand as quickly as possible. That might be a worthy objective, but it is far too limited.

[FirstLight]

33. sticky floors, old seats, overpriced junkfood...

ya, let me pay $12.50 for that!

not to mention i hate the LOUDness of the theater ...i don;t get off by being vibrated by the sound of a car driving on screen, not fun.

there's been lots of movies i have wanted to see, but i can be patient and rent them and see them in the comfort of my own home...where I control the volume and the bathroom breaks... not to mention I can drink a beer or have a toke while watching ;)

[WildEyedLiberal]

35. It has a hell of a lot less to do with $10 tickets than it does with shitty-ass movies

Movies cost $10 last year, too. But people wanted to see them. There has been NOTHING out in 2011 yet that I've given a damn about seeing.

[thelordofhell]

39. Boy, if only an Avatar could come out every year

What a bunch of greedy bastards, lamenting that the biggest moneymaking movie of all-time can't be topped the very next year.

[JackRiddler]

43. It would flop in three out of four.

There are several "Avatars" every year.

[JackRiddler]

41. Golly, do you think $17 to watch CGI Bozoman fight CGI Badman in 3D is too much?

Just as the Netflix challenge took hold, with cable TV providing (some of) the highest quality programming in TV history, and with the means of media production and distribution becoming cheaper than car ownership, Hollywood chose to seed the multiplexes with a monoculture of derivative blockbusters.

One hundred percent formula, zero chance of surprise, ninety-five decibels of explosions and schlock music, twenty-million-dollar stars posing in front of green screens for processing by battalions of contract animators working on multi-teraflop computers. Made for a two hundred million dollar budget in three dee, available for seventeen dollars a ticket on six out of nine screens at the local cinema, at a time when real unemployment is at nineteen percent and food and fuel are doubling in price.

Do these numbers tell a story of hubris and stupidity? Can no one think of better ways to invest Hollywood's capital and bring a wealth of great movies to the theaters at an affordable price? If not, can anyone out there think of better uses for the money, period?

That being said: Who are these monkeys who come up with "Mars Needs Moms" and "Battle: Los Angeles" and fail to see the suck on sight?

Truth is, we're in a new golden age of motion pictures. It's just not happening on Hollywood's model.

[The2ndWheel]

44. It's a mass production business

It's a job. It's the actors job to act, the writers job to write, director to direct, etc. If they only came out with 10 movies a year total, they all might be really good. It might also be a job killer.

[Twinguard]

45. I go to matinees once or twice a month.

I'm a stay at home dad to twin boys, and sometimes I need a chance to be by myself without the kids. I like movies (even some of the "bad" ones), so on weekends I often find myself at the local cinema (especially if the weather is crappy and I can't ride my bike or take a sandwich to the park). I've found that if I bring a baggie of peanuts and raisins and a bottle of water or diet coke, my little escape isn't cost-prohibitive. Plus, my wife understands my need for the occasional escape and sometimes supplies (bribes) me with cinema gift cards. It works out well.

I have to agree with the "The movies haven't been very good" statement. While I tend to not be as critical of movies as most, I can't deny that the past few months have left something to be desired. Of course, the summer movie season always brings some enjoyable "popcorn movies". Generally, every few weeks something opens up that looks interesting and I try to see those while ignoring the rest.

I have definitely noticed that the audiences have been getting smaller, even for matinees. I have no doubt that ticket prices are a big factor, especially with the increase of 3D movies. Unless it looks like 3D is "necessary" (like Avatar), I see it in 2D or skip it until I can rent it on DVD. I learned my lesson with Clash of the Titans... ignoring the fact that the movie itself disappointed, the 3D was just difficult to watch and made my eyes and head hurt. If it isn't shot in 3D, I won't see it in 3D.

[Zephie]

46. Ever the hopeless Pirate and Johnny Depp Fan Girl, I'll be shelling out for the next POTC

(Pirates of the Caribbean for those not familiar with fandom speak!) I'm actually relatively sure it'll be not so good (to put it kindly), but I'd pay just about anything to watch Johnny stagger around drunkenly while wearing pirate garb. Other than that though, there has been very little to excite me this year, and I am a hardcore movie buff.

[in_cog_ni_to]

62. I LOVE Johnny Depp!

:loveya:

[Iggo]

67. The previews were quite funny.

And that's coming from a guy who got tired of this franchise halfway through the first movie.

[Romulox]

47. I hate all the superhero movies and the remakes. That doesn't leave much.

Comedy doesn't "play" to international audiences, so Hollywood won't produce any (except if they star Seth Rogan.) No thanks!

[Carolina]

49. it's not simply the movies themselves

but the absurd prices!

Even matinee prices with senior, military or student discounts are still high. And entertainers are way overpayed (Charlie Sheen!)

[LynneSin]

50. Why would I want to go to the Movie Theaters when the movie will be on DVD in 4-5 months?

Plus my house does not have overpriced, oversalted popcorn. The water is free and the snacks are cheap. I usually can get my movie for $1 from my local red box. And most importantly there are no assholes that keep talking during the movie.

Sure I lose a bit because I don't have the full movie experience with the big widescreen and superstereo sound but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make in order to create a movie watching experience that won't leave me annoyed and broke in the end.

Oh and if I need a bathroom break I can pause the movie. Plus snuggling cats are always a +1 to the movie experience!

[Forkboy]

51. High prices, crap movies, sticky floors and obnoxious movie goers.

I've seen three movies in the theater in the last decade (and will see a couple in 2012 for sure), but it's just not as nice an experience as watching it at home is. And most mainstream movies are so bad that's it's scary. I've seen more great Korean movies in the last year than Hollywood movies.

In fact, Korean cinema is the best going right now, imo. I can provide examples. :)

[ChoppinBroccoli]

52. Uh Oh! Movie Industry Profits Are Down! Must Be Time For The MPAA To Sue Somebody

It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that when my wife and I went to see "The King's Speech" a few months ago, it cost us $30.00 just to get in the door, and another $20.00 for a SMALL bag of popcorn and two drinks, would it?

The movie industry has been gouging us for so long, who could blame ANYONE for seeking out other forms of entertainment?

But rather than recognize its own weaknesses, the MPAA will quite predictably jump to the ONLY conclusion it's capable of reaching: TIME TO SUE!!! You won't give us your money voluntarily? Well, we'll just break into your homes and TAKE it from you! Give us the dough!!! We deserve it!!! We provide you with sub-standard entertainment for usuriously exorbitant fees!!! If you don't give up the cash, how will we EVER be able to churn out the next vomit-inducing biopic about the latest pop music fad musician who can't really sing but gets 12-year-old girls' panties all moist for the first time (which is more important than talent these days, after all)? First they buy the shit-shingles to torture the ears of anyone who actually appreciates MUSIC, then they come to the movie theater and drop all their money on what amounts to porn for tweens. You can't deny that we really deliver the entertainment for your dollar, can you??? NOW SHUT UP, GET ON THE FLOOR, AND EMPTY OUT YOUR PURSES INTO THIS BAG!!!

[OhioChick]

53. With 13% of US homes vacant, this is no surprise n/t

[distantearlywarning]

55. Some reasons why:

1) Movies suck. Who wants to pay $12 plus concessions to go see the same old tired, silly, offensive script as last year's "blockbuster"?

2) Other people suck. Who wants to pay $12 plus concessions only to not be able to pay attention to one of the few movies that's actually good because of someone else's screaming baby, cell phone conversation, teenage drama, or whatever (apparently STFU is no longer the social norm in movie theaters these days). And if you dare complain, you might get stabbed to death with a turkey baster by some self-entitled special fucking snowflake who thinks that death should be the penalty for anyone who dares suggest that the world doesn't actually revolve around them or their children.

3) Nobody has a job and their mortgage is underwater. Who's going to shell out money for movies in that situation?

[in_cog_ni_to]

60. Netflix and Amazon movies on demand on my Roku.

We rarely go to the movies anymore. Once in a while one will come out that we'd like to see immediately, but not very often.

[Thunderstruck]

63. Well duh.

Who didn't see that coming.

[Stevenmarc]

64. It's the bedbugs

[MikeW]

65. I stil go .. much prefer movies on the big screen

way better than DVD or netflicks on TV.

[Iggo]

66. Me, too.

Costs me 20 bucks beofre I even get to my seat, though. Not thrilled about that.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

70. I'm not paying $40 a couple to listen to teenagers suck each others face

or worse, I have witnessed that in a move theater too,

Theaters are usually filthy and freezing from excessive air conditioning, screens the lenses are so dirty themselves I feel like I am watching a movie through a subway window. I will probably haul my ass to the theater to see the next Bourne movie but otherwise I am quite content to do without.

[WCGreen]

72. There hasn't been a movie out that I would pay 10 bucks to see

in the recent past.

The last two movies I saw were the last Harry Potter movie and True Grit.

Cartoon and "event" movies crowd out any movie I might want to see.