THE SHOW BIZ
Reynolds is posting an excerpt from a Zogby poll that doesn't look good for the standard movie biz. But the news that's not in the report is what is significant. Excerpt:
High ticket prices (30%) and a dislike for the movie selections (30%) are the top reasons given for falling movie attendance – 13% said they don’t like the crowds in the theater. Those age 18-24 are most likely to complain about costly tickets – nearly half (46%) said high ticket prices have kept them away from the theater. Among older adults, dissatisfaction with the film selections is the main deterrent – 46% of those age 65 or older said this.What's not covered? Pornography, which rumor (that's unsubstantiated information) says has revenues of over $1.5 billion per year and growing. Also not covered is the increasing downloading of movies that can be shown in the home on DVDs which is more than likely up about a thousand percent (up from zero). The problems of high ticket prices and shitty movies certainly play a large part in the decline but I would include the fucking 20 minutes of previews before every movie (which never fails to put me in a bad mood), the price of snack bar shit, and parking. A young guy is not likely to have the $18 price of two tickets, the $20 for pop corn and a fucking coke (a babe ain't putting out for some bum that can't spring for pop corn), and the $2 to park; I guarantee that
Will movie prices come down? All those new posh multiplexes have to pay for themselves and the movie stars have to live in $15 million dollar homes so their Ferrari's have some place to stay. Costs of production have to drop to the $20 million class (I produced movies for $20K but that was then).
I think we are seeing a sea change in what we will pay for, how much we will pay, and not be paid ourselves to put up with the side annoyances. An addendum to this piece is forthcoming due to several well informed e-mailers who have let me know just how much pornography is NOT making.
2 comments:
I stopped going to the movies years ago. It is a rip off. I won't be out the $35 or so and feel like I got raped when the movie blew. I make a pretty good living, but I don't enjoy throwing my money away on crap like any Julia Roberts film, a screenplay by Nora Ephron or some pompous art film about how bad America is, etc... If I want to see something it will be out on DVD in a few weeks anyway and cost $5 to rent, if that. If it sucks, I can take it back. I can sit on my nice couch, drink and not miss anything when I have to take a leak (and the floors aren't sticky, no people talking, stupid kids, asinine commercials to sit through, etc...). The money spent on a movie is money that can be spent in a bar drinking or trying to cheat on my girlfriend, or both. Beers are still only about $5 or $6 and this is in NYC, as long as you don't get something too exotic or drink in Buddakhan or that Hudson Bar.
Video games are better, I an actually do some killing and other socially unacceptable stuff instead of just sitting passively. Hollywood has been producing shit for the past 7 years or so (there have been occasional goods films, but not enough). Another trend I noticed is big ticket actors doing the voices for video games, like Samuel L. Jackson in Grand Theft Auto, San Andreas. I think this will grow because this is where the real money will be. PS3 may have bugs, but can you imagine the shit that will be available in 5 years? By the way, who pays for porn? Free stuff is everywhere, real filth too. I was so shocked by what is available for free that I spent hours beng outraged by it.
Howard I'm right with you on the damn previews. All the other problems are real enough, but having to pay to sit through a bunch of commercials is just one hit over the line.
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