Do you recall that wonderful scene in Annie where she goes to the movies and gets to see the Rockettes and a movie for about a quarter? Boy, those were the days, weren't they?
Now I get that movies have more effects, cost more to make, are more realistic and that costs more money. I do not begrudge the cost of a ticket these days. I understand that between $6-8 for a ticket is probably not all that much to ask when I am willing to pay $4 to rent it. Or $5 to download it.
However, there is a small nit I would like to pick. When I rent, when I download I have control over how many previews or commercials I have to be subjected to. Now, I like previews, mostly because I like knowing what movies are coming out so that I can look forward to seeing something different.
Then, there is the movie theater. I just came back from seeing Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince. These are movies that I pretty much go and see the day they are released. So typically, I need to be there early enough to get seats. Which means I am sitting for around 30 minutes before the movie.
Nowadays they actually run little conversation starter, little trivia tidbits.....and I find that interesting. I like this stuff, it beats the hell out of the dead screen we had to watch for years when I was growing up. But then it starts, first it is a commercial for Coke, then there is commercial for cars, Disney and several other commercials.
Commercials.
I figure for the $8 I am paying to sit in a cramped theater next to a chatty teenager and two more snogging in front of me I should, at the very least, be afforded the right to be commercial free for the duration.
This does not include the commercials for the upcoming movies. Now these different from the previews shown before the movie. They actually show commercials for movies that they show previews for before the movie.
Because, maybe the 15 second commercial isn't enough, and now you need the 1 minute preview to really entice you into going to see the movie.
If you cannot convince me to go in 15 seconds, newsflash...chances are, you aint gonna grab me in 1 minute....in fact, you may just convince me to NEVER watch your movie. So seeing your commercial 3 times and then your preview is a very good way to ensure you will never see my money.
I hasten to be one of those people who bemoans the good ol' days....however, I recall going to the movies and watching four, maybe five previews and then watching the movie. I was really happy with that. I looked forward to previews. I looked forward to movies...now, unless it is something I am dying to see, I dread the theater.
Not far from here there is a drive in theater. The kids and I have started going to drive ins about ten years ago. I had recalled with nostalgia the fun of packing up the car and watching the movie from your car...and falling asleep during the double feature. So every once in a while when the drive in is showing a movie that we all want to see, we pop the popcorn, grab the cold sodas, load up on some candy, chips and other things. Throw sleeping bags in the back of the van and a couple of lawn chairs and off we go to sit in the muggy summer air, sipping on ice cold pop, slapping at skeeters and watching a movie.
Sans commercials, of course.
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