GOING TO THE MOVIES

I know for me and my wife, we hardly go anymore. Other than Batman and Star Wars, I don't think we'll be in a movie theatre until Spider-Man 3. And we used to go all the time, but why pay $35 for tickets and drinks when I can own the damn thing for $15 in 5 months. What I'm wondering is how much you have decreased in going to the movies? And what does it take to actually get you into a theatre these days?

Most of my favorite films fall into the period between 1957 to 1976. Its kind of interesting that independent films in America were just beginning to be made during that period (starting with Cassavetes' "Shadows"), but the European art films had already been established much earlier. American films do have hope for the future, but it may be a while until we have another developed movement or wave of great American films. I am hopeful that American audiences will venture out to foreign films, especially French cinema and later (which will be extremely interesting) Iraqi cinema.

I don't think American films are in a particularly exciting phase right now, in large part because the independent scene is in transition which so much of the traditionally "independent" cinema being co-opted by the studios. Can I really think of Miramax productions as independent? A counter to this, however, is the number of very impressive American documentaries made in the last several years.

I don't think it's at all outlandish to suggest that movies, or at least certain types of movies, go through cycles and that some eras are better than others. I think it's true of any art/entertainment form: I think comic books were much better in the 1962-1968 period than they were, say, from 1950-1958 and that the worst period of all was the dreadful early 80s which gave way to an exciting period in the late 80s/early 90s.

I dislike the big budget fare as much or more than most film geeks, and it is often easy to feel a sense of despair over the total dominance of Hollywood studios in the marketplace. So many people never even see a movie that didn't have a budget of $50 mill or more and opened on 3,000 plus screens.

However, to say that movies are in decline today, in my opinion, says more about the viewer than the state of cinema. If you think movies stink more today than yesterday, that's just because you're not looking in the right place. There's more to the movie world than the multiplex and, here's a shocking secret, they make movies in countries other than America too!

Look at all the great films coming out of Taiwan and Iran these days, as well as the usual strong offerings from Hong Kong and Japan. It's far too early to form any Top 10 lists for 2005 but if I had to, my list would include Kung Fu Hustle, Oldboy and Tony Takitani from Hong Kong, Korea and Japan, respectively.

Unfortunately, people who do not live near a handful of major metropolitan centers never get the opportunity to see movies like these in theaters. In that sense, I do think things are worse today than they used to be. DVDs make up for it, but not completely.

I thought 2004 was a fantastic year for movies, one of the best I can remember in some time. For me, the "golden age" will probably always be very roughly from about 1964-1975 (I call it the "Strangelove to Taxi Driver" period) but I'm just as stoked about going to the movies now as I was ten years ago, much more so now that I live near L.A. and get to see a lot of great movies.

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Granted I don't go as often as I use to, but I also don't believe the quality of movies is decreasing at all, you just have to sift through a number of mediocre films to find the gems (which happens every year).
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Thats like that saying... we only remember the good times. Never the bad ones, which is probably why previous decades seem to have been better times for movies.

I have to agree with Chris on his last post. One of my favorite films is Rebel Wthout a Cause and had seen it numerous times on TV and DVD. One of my professors in undergrad screened a print for class in one of the campus theatres and to say the least it was AMAZING. There is nothing like seeing a film in the theatre. Especially when a director makes such wonderful use of his aesthetics.

Granted I don't go as often as I use to, but I also don't believe the quality of movies is decreasing at all, you just have to sift through a number of mediocre films to find the gems (which happens every year).

Now, I'm off to see Elisha Cuthbert bounce around for two hours at the $1 theatre. ;)

I had seen 2001: ASO over 30 times on DVD but never had the chance to see it in a theater until I moved to California. I saw it on a 70 mm print at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood and it was like seeing an entirely new film. I honestly thought I was seeing new scenes I had never watched before and I rushed home to check my DVD to make sure - this for a movie I knew by heart.

There are a lot of great movies I have only seen at home. I'm glad I've seen them, but I seek every opportunity to see them on a screen, the way they need to be seen. At home, you get the content, but not all of the form.

I would recommend going to college moviehouses and/or art house theaters. Sometimes I go to the huge cineplexes like AMC or Carmike, if it is like a midnight first showing of something that I might be interested in, like I was with "Lord of the Rings" or "Batman Begins". I remember getting very lucky one time and was able to catch a double feature of "Dr. Strangelove" and "2001". Boy, was that awesome. That was enough to realize the difference between big screen and home theater. But then again, I am still in high school and haven't gotten married or had any kids.

"We are the children of Marx and Coca-Cola."
- from the Jean-Luc Godard film "Masculine-Feminine"

Just a quick lesson in monitary finance. If you have one in your town, why not wait for the movie to hit the "Dollar Theaters" (which is usually a month or so before it hits DVD) and pay $1 to see the film (in a theater) before you pay the "$15" to own it? Granted, the sticky floors, tattered seats and "old school" theater seating, aren't the most enticing of attributes in a theater. But, then again, you're only paying $1. ;)

Popcorn for thought.


- Josh

Chris is right about seeing movies the way they were meant to be seen. I go at least once a week now that I'm retired and have the time to go to bargain matinees.

However, I must admit that I can do without sound systems that are either too loud or too soft and without people who are sometimes noisy, like the old folks who were bused in from a retirement home to see "Phantom of the Opera" and chatted all the way through it!

There are advanges to both theaters and home systems that can't be beat by the other.

John

I go about once a week but that includes going to the IMAX which I do every week because of the musem pass I have. I like going to the Budgettheaters because they are two bucks nd you can't beat that these days. First run movies cost about 6.50 in Milwaukee but you should buy the senior special or the kids pak if you are getting food. It will save you alot, but its not the biggest portions of snacks. Also sneaking soda in is very easy to do.