I used to go at least twice/week, especially when I was in L.A. But now I maybe go 3 times/year? Maybe...I feel as though a lot of my favorite directors (sans PTA, QT, etc.) get to make their movies for streaming now, the way they want to, so most of them come out on that platform. Additionally, it's expensive to go to the theatre, previews are almost 40 minutes at AMC theatres, and I'm not sure the quality of movies is as good as it was in the past. Am I an old man? Maybe...
We did just go and see CIVIL WAR in theatres, and that was a good experience...although, it was sad, because it was the second weekend it was out and we were two of five people in attendance, on a Saturday afternoon, and it was a Boulder theatre, which is a college town. So...I feel as though the "three movies/year" is pretty spot on, for the average viewer.
Lastly, did you watch the interview Jerry Seinfeld gave? Indiewire blew it up and took things he said out of context, in my opinion, but I understand why they would be harsh about it. He sounds cynical, but he's not wrong...his main points were that movies are not in the everyday conversation that they once were, and I agree with that. I read the trades every single morning, so I'm biased...even if I don't go to a lot of movies, I will still know what's going on. He also said there's so much content coming out from everywhere -- podcasts, standup, YouTube, streamers, etc. -- that movies are now just another niche market in entertainment, as opposed to THE main stay. I don't think it's bad, it's just different.
Okay, one for thing for fun...the Oscars are a good barometer for how much people care these days. At its height, when Titanic was up for everything in 1998, 60 million people watched the Oscars...now it hovers around 20 million, but 2020 and 2021 were both less than 12 million...which is a mega drop in ratings. I think the advent of social media, along with all of the other forms of new media, have made the "event" of movies much more compact. The Oscars are just an easy sample source to use.
Anyway, film history nerd here just talking out loud. But just like books and plays...there will always be a place for going to the movies, it's just going to be smaller and more niche.
-G
p.s. - I'm curious if the fall out of the Marvel/DC onslought of subpar content of the last 15 years has anything to do with this, as well?
Hey G! We appreciate this response! Nothing wrong with a talking out loud comment from a film history nerd. I have not watched or read the Jerry Seinfield interview, I'll have to check it out. But it does make sense, I think there is so much out there that is fighting for people's attention.
I was talking to someone the other day who was born in 1970 and they said the movie theater experience has changed over the decades. It was a central part of their family and it not anymore. I think it is a lot of what you mentioned and have said -- expensive, streaming platforms, the internet, podcasts, etc -- has definitely impacted the culture around movie theater going. I have always loved movies but it wasn't until movie pass (the glory days when it was $9.99 a month) did I start going multiple times a month, and sometimes a week. We talked last night about how watching a movie with a more a full theater makes it way more fun. Last night is not always the case on a Thursday night when we go. I watched Challengers twice in theaters, once with a few people in the crowd and once with at least a half full theater. The latter was more enjoyable. But I get it because tickets at night in Denver are anywhere from $14.99 to $21.99 which is wild to me.
And I agree agree, I don't think it's bad, it's just different. And I don't mind "over-saturation" when it comes to any kind of medium. I think it creates opportunities. It changes things for sure, but I don't always see change as bad.
The Oscar's is interesting to me. I always thought people, even people who aren't movie fanatics, still chime in. But to your point, I've realized that is not true. There does seem to be less of an interest. Movies took a huge hit in general in 2020. There hasn't been a billion movie theater ticket sold since 2019. I did find it interesting at this years Oscar's, Christopher Nolan said cinema is just over 100 years old and can only imagine what it would have been like to be 100 years into painting or plays. I am too curious to how cinema will grow and evolve over the years.
Lastly, the Marvel/DC is interesting to me. I am curious how it has impacted movies because some make over a billion at the box office and have made people go to the theaters--while also making people not want to go or care less. I watch some of them because I have the AMC stubs membership but I haven't kept up with the whole universe. I will be watching Deadpool Wolverine tho, I do enjoy those lol.
All that said, you've got my brain thinking about a whole lot of things and I appreciate you commenting here and sharing your insight!
If you think about it, this happened with television, first, before, this new change in the movie business. At its height, the Ed Sullivan Show, with The Beatles or Elvis performing on the show, has a whopping 60+million viewers tuning in, which, at the time, was 80% of the television audience. Johnny Carson saw 50 million viewers, regularly, and had 80 million people tuned in for his final Tonight Show taping in 1992. Seinfeld, Friends, and ER would get 20-35 million viewers through the early 2000s. And then, in 2005, CSI was the last show, to date, to have the most views of any show, scripted and unscripted, and since then it has been dominated by reality (Big Bang Theory had a year or two of winning at 10 million).
Anyway, point being...nowadays, if a show has 3-5 million viewers, it's a massive hit. Which is wild to think...so, to go off what Nolan said, film is young...I don't think it's going anywhere, I just think it's changing, and we're figuring out what works and what doesn't.
I used to go at least twice/week, especially when I was in L.A. But now I maybe go 3 times/year? Maybe...I feel as though a lot of my favorite directors (sans PTA, QT, etc.) get to make their movies for streaming now, the way they want to, so most of them come out on that platform. Additionally, it's expensive to go to the theatre, previews are almost 40 minutes at AMC theatres, and I'm not sure the quality of movies is as good as it was in the past. Am I an old man? Maybe...
We did just go and see CIVIL WAR in theatres, and that was a good experience...although, it was sad, because it was the second weekend it was out and we were two of five people in attendance, on a Saturday afternoon, and it was a Boulder theatre, which is a college town. So...I feel as though the "three movies/year" is pretty spot on, for the average viewer.
Lastly, did you watch the interview Jerry Seinfeld gave? Indiewire blew it up and took things he said out of context, in my opinion, but I understand why they would be harsh about it. He sounds cynical, but he's not wrong...his main points were that movies are not in the everyday conversation that they once were, and I agree with that. I read the trades every single morning, so I'm biased...even if I don't go to a lot of movies, I will still know what's going on. He also said there's so much content coming out from everywhere -- podcasts, standup, YouTube, streamers, etc. -- that movies are now just another niche market in entertainment, as opposed to THE main stay. I don't think it's bad, it's just different.
Okay, one for thing for fun...the Oscars are a good barometer for how much people care these days. At its height, when Titanic was up for everything in 1998, 60 million people watched the Oscars...now it hovers around 20 million, but 2020 and 2021 were both less than 12 million...which is a mega drop in ratings. I think the advent of social media, along with all of the other forms of new media, have made the "event" of movies much more compact. The Oscars are just an easy sample source to use.
Anyway, film history nerd here just talking out loud. But just like books and plays...there will always be a place for going to the movies, it's just going to be smaller and more niche.
-G
p.s. - I'm curious if the fall out of the Marvel/DC onslought of subpar content of the last 15 years has anything to do with this, as well?
Hey G! We appreciate this response! Nothing wrong with a talking out loud comment from a film history nerd. I have not watched or read the Jerry Seinfield interview, I'll have to check it out. But it does make sense, I think there is so much out there that is fighting for people's attention.
I was talking to someone the other day who was born in 1970 and they said the movie theater experience has changed over the decades. It was a central part of their family and it not anymore. I think it is a lot of what you mentioned and have said -- expensive, streaming platforms, the internet, podcasts, etc -- has definitely impacted the culture around movie theater going. I have always loved movies but it wasn't until movie pass (the glory days when it was $9.99 a month) did I start going multiple times a month, and sometimes a week. We talked last night about how watching a movie with a more a full theater makes it way more fun. Last night is not always the case on a Thursday night when we go. I watched Challengers twice in theaters, once with a few people in the crowd and once with at least a half full theater. The latter was more enjoyable. But I get it because tickets at night in Denver are anywhere from $14.99 to $21.99 which is wild to me.
And I agree agree, I don't think it's bad, it's just different. And I don't mind "over-saturation" when it comes to any kind of medium. I think it creates opportunities. It changes things for sure, but I don't always see change as bad.
The Oscar's is interesting to me. I always thought people, even people who aren't movie fanatics, still chime in. But to your point, I've realized that is not true. There does seem to be less of an interest. Movies took a huge hit in general in 2020. There hasn't been a billion movie theater ticket sold since 2019. I did find it interesting at this years Oscar's, Christopher Nolan said cinema is just over 100 years old and can only imagine what it would have been like to be 100 years into painting or plays. I am too curious to how cinema will grow and evolve over the years.
Lastly, the Marvel/DC is interesting to me. I am curious how it has impacted movies because some make over a billion at the box office and have made people go to the theaters--while also making people not want to go or care less. I watch some of them because I have the AMC stubs membership but I haven't kept up with the whole universe. I will be watching Deadpool Wolverine tho, I do enjoy those lol.
All that said, you've got my brain thinking about a whole lot of things and I appreciate you commenting here and sharing your insight!
Love it!
If you think about it, this happened with television, first, before, this new change in the movie business. At its height, the Ed Sullivan Show, with The Beatles or Elvis performing on the show, has a whopping 60+million viewers tuning in, which, at the time, was 80% of the television audience. Johnny Carson saw 50 million viewers, regularly, and had 80 million people tuned in for his final Tonight Show taping in 1992. Seinfeld, Friends, and ER would get 20-35 million viewers through the early 2000s. And then, in 2005, CSI was the last show, to date, to have the most views of any show, scripted and unscripted, and since then it has been dominated by reality (Big Bang Theory had a year or two of winning at 10 million).
Anyway, point being...nowadays, if a show has 3-5 million viewers, it's a massive hit. Which is wild to think...so, to go off what Nolan said, film is young...I don't think it's going anywhere, I just think it's changing, and we're figuring out what works and what doesn't.