Death of Movie Theaters (1 Viewer)

Isn't HBO's simultaneous release more of a marketing strategy for their streaming service rather than replacing cinema all together? Think they said that it is for 2021 only, not sure what the long term plan is.

I personally feel that the movie experience cannot be replicated at home and I'm looking forward to the release of WW84 soon! (Maybe because I just have a shitty TV at home LOL)
 
I actually took a class specifically on film distribution and the theater industry in college and I wrote my term paper proposing that theaters license rights to sporting and concert events. Seems like a great opportunity to use the space. I would love to watch a football game on the big screen.

Probably wouldn't work in Bills Mafia country. Jumping onto a flaming table indoors would probably drive the fire marshalls nuts.
 
Probably wouldn't work in Bills Mafia country. Jumping onto a flaming table indoors would probably drive the fire marshalls nuts.
I will gleefully go through the flaming table at the tailgate party in the parking lot (for those of you not familiar with Buffalo Bills tailgating, the game is Sunday, so the party starts Wednesday afternoon)
 
I personally feel that the movie experience cannot be replicated at home and I'm looking forward to the release of WW84 soon! (Maybe because I just have a shitty TV at home LOL)

Well, maybe not replicated exactly, but even budget home theatre can impress. It usually comes down to practicality: do you have the space? can you control the light? how much soundproofing do you need?

Nowadays, even $3000-$4000 can get you what you need to have a movie theatre experience right in your own home.

Popcorn-maker pr0n, anyone?
 
Came across the AMC SEC filing this morning.

For those not inclined to read Securities and Exchange Commission paperwork, the part relevant to this thread is...
In the absence of additional liquidity, the Company anticipates that existing cash resources will be depleted during January 2021. To remain viable through 2021, the Company currently estimates that it will require at least approximately $750 million of additional liquidity to fund its cash requirements, although this estimate is subject to a number of assumptions and may vary materially. Given the uncertainty regarding our ability to raise material amounts of additional liquidity and the uncertainty as to the time at which attendance levels might normalize, substantial doubt exists about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a reasonable period of time.

In short, AMC is out of money.

Management has a series of plans to keep the chain afloat, including another stock sale (I predict that won't go well), and renegotiating rent deals with landlords among others. The rent deals may be the most likely to stem losses for a while, but that will be dependent on locations and the landlord's ability to find another (more lucrative) use for the land. If AMC gets liquified the landlords are looking at getting only about 50¢-60¢ on their dollar, so there is some room to negotiate, but the theatres have already deferred 2020 rent into 2021. The bills are stacking up.
 
Yeah... they won’t be booming in January. And we have yet to see the full follow-on impacts of Thanksgiving...
 
I have never been a big movie person, but I stopped going after incels started turning them into shooting galleries.

Don't miss the experience. I personally feel that multi-part series are much better story conduits anyway compared to 2 hour movies. Theaters will either adapt or die. Tis’ the way of the world. I'd elaborate more but that would start to become political and this isn't that forum.
 
I stopped going after incels started turning them into shooting galleries.
Ummm...

giphy-downsized-large-1.gif


Nope... Nope... Nevermind.
 
I have never been a big movie person, but I stopped going after incels started turning them into shooting galleries.

Don't miss the experience. I personally feel that multi-part series are much better story conduits anyway compared to 2 hour movies. Theaters will either adapt or die. Tis’ the way of the world. I'd elaborate more but that would start to become political and this isn't that forum.
I gave a little thought to this last week. From the 1910s-1940s, a key feature of the cinematic experience were the serials. If a theatre were to combine serials with a feature picture once again, you might get regular movie visits once again. Plus, if one were to combine a 1-hour serial with 2-hour feature and an intermission between the two, you have an increased need for snacks/food sales. Tag another 30-minute serial in there, so one serials can have finite ending, but people are already "hooked" on the next one, and who's gonna quit? Can you imagine the cinema numbers if Game of Thrones was a theatre release, with one new episode each month?

It would be a long-shot, I admit. Afterall, the serial died because the 1950's brought us television. But the cinema industry is now on 3rd down and 25. They can't keep trying to run the ball. They have to try something new.

Everything old is new again.
 
There never were that many movies coming out that would interest me in the first place. Plus, I prefer to take a piss whenever I feel like without inevitably missing a part of the movie that I paid to see. And if it's not a strict adults only movie or late at night, there's always some annoying kids throwing popcorn or pulling some other crap. Or people talking. Or some fatso who bought the seat next to yours. Or some basketball player who bought the seat in front of yours. Don't forget to add the wasted time for all the preroll ads that they show. And for this allround terrible experience, you want how much money from me, especially if I don't want to die of thirst or starve?!

Yeah, no thanks. Home theater all the way.

My computer screens may not be that big (27"), but the short viewing distance makes up for it. I even have a popcorn machine, although making the sweet variant is a PITA to clean afterwards.

I won't be sad if movie theaters die here.
 
I gotta admit, you can't beat home-made popcorn. Our current go-to is coconut oil and Ghee, cooked in a wok. However, if we have bacon with breakfast, a little bacon grease makes for awesome bacon-popcorn.

You don't get that at any theatre.
 
Can you imagine the cinema numbers if Game of Thrones was a theatre release, with one new episode each month?

Canadian theatres did this for the season 5 finale. They even put the episode previous to that on so it was a 2 hour experience.

It was amazing and I'm utterly baffled why they didn't continue it on in the seasons to follow. Was HBO wanting too much money for the rights? Were the theatres not wanting to devote the screen and seats for a viewing? It's anyone's guess.
 
yet I only saw it (Undiscovered Country) 1 time in a theater and it was a dull experience (people talking, third rate sound sytem, etc...) but have since watched it over 10+ times (all at home) and enjoyed it so much more..... :sneaky:
 
There is a financial calculation that may be influencing the demise of the movie theater.

Say a movie ticket costs $10 so for a family of 4, that's $40 in sales. Of that ticket price, say something like 50% goes to the cinema and 50% to the distributor, so $20. The distributor then takes a cut, say 20%, and the remainder goes to the movie maker so $16 per family of 4.

Now if that same movie can be bought for $20 from Apple or Amazon, who may also take a 20% cut, then the movie maker is making the same money but without passing through several hands.

My calculations are probably completely wrong but I can see a scenario where delivering movies direct to customers may be the same or even more profitable than having a large cinematic release of a film. Personally, I only go to the cinema to watch a film because I can't get it immediately at home. My son and I have a habit of picking the 10am Sunday morning showings which are typically empty and $5/ticket. I'd happily pay $20 at release and watch at home - I have a projector and 5.1 surround sound system so the experience is not going to be that bad.
 
There is a financial calculation that may be influencing the demise of the movie theater.

Say a movie ticket costs $10 so for a family of 4, that's $40 in sales. Of that ticket price, say something like 50% goes to the cinema and 50% to the distributor, so $20. The distributor then takes a cut, say 20%, and the remainder goes to the movie maker so $16 per family of 4.

Now if that same movie can be bought for $20 from Apple or Amazon, who may also take a 20% cut, then the movie maker is making the same money but without passing through several hands.

My calculations are probably completely wrong but I can see a scenario where delivering movies direct to customers may be the same or even more profitable than having a large cinematic release of a film. Personally, I only go to the cinema to watch a film because I can't get it immediately at home. My son and I have a habit of picking the 10am Sunday morning showings which are typically empty and $5/ticket. I'd happily pay $20 at release and watch at home - I have a projector and 5.1 surround sound system so the experience is not going to be that bad.
People won't admit this but that is why Vince McMahon made the WWE Network. Between the tv service provider (cable company), the PPV service provider, and all the hands your PPV money went through, he was only getting about $5 on the average PPV himself. The network at $10 a month got him more in his pocket.
 

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