Discussion Final curtain for the cinema?

[MicroNort]

With many cinemas being unable to open due to Covid-19, those that can open only allowing/attracting fewer customers, cinema chains racking up debt and studios now moving to streaming, has the cinema had its day?

When I was much younger, cinema certainly had a place - the only way you could see the latest films within a couple of years of release. Videos and DVDs dented this monopoly, those patient could wait a while and watch the films in their home.

Then along came the streamers meaning no need to leave the house, a massive on demand catalogue and in some cases, simultaneous cinema release.

Which brings us to the question, does cinema still have a place and if so, can it exist in a profitable way?

I now rarely go to the cinema, maybe once or twice per year. Apart from the convenience of streaming, cinema feels quite expensive compared to other formats. For the price of four people going to the cinema you can instead own two films on DVD/Blue Ray that you can watch as many times as you like (or possibly trade to get a little money back). Alternatively, for the price of 4 people going to the cinema you can have a couple of months paid streaming service.

 

[BigPete7978]

I hope not. Yes I enjoy watching films at home, but there are some films I wouldn’t give up the experience of being in a theater, most recently Avengers Endgame. It was an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. People laughed, cried, were shocked all in unison. It was an amazing experience.

 

[yeo]

I hope not. Yes I enjoy watching films at home, but there are some films I wouldn’t give up the experience of being in a theater, most recently Avengers Endgame. It was an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. People laughed, cried, were shocked all in unison. It was an amazing experience.

This.

There are just some movies where you need to watch them at the Cinema. I hope COVID does not kill it.

 

[MicroNort]

I don't think it is just Covid, more of the ccompetition from other media types. Given that we know every science fiction movie is total fact and that I can't think of any featuring cinemas, we must assume that the days of the cinema is ending soon.

 

[PGen98]

Cinemas have been on the decline since long before Covid hit, and while I haven't been near one since the virus hit, I certainly wasn't a frequenter of the cinema prior to it. I will say, though, it still has its' place and needs to stay around, IMO. It's an experience, going to the cinema. There's nothing like movie theatre popcorn, for instance, and that smell that hits you the second you open the door. Then going into the theatre itself and sitting down to an absolutely amazing experience with surround sound and things that just need more than one person to be present in order to really enjoy it. I may not partake frequently, but I absolutely agree that it needs to be a thing in the post-pandemic world still.

 

[Broken Shotgun]

Well, I am trying to get every horror film that ever made the top ten box office charts in North America since 1922, so should the cinemas end their run, it will destroy a legacy that has built up for what has been close to 100 years. So I know I would be pissed about that happening.