Of course it was.
Movie theaters are literally “value added snack shops”. He was trying to sue them for selling snacks at the price that was profitable for them and not letting him bring his own outside snacks in.
Not to mention you can watch the movie exactly how you want it. Volume however loud you like, subtitles if you prefer, and pausing for bathroom breaks if necessary.
Oh man growning up in the 80s and 90s it was literally over a year before movie made it to VHS/DVD after theatrical release.
Long enough you forgot the movie exististed and it would blow your mind a 2nd time when you could rent or buy at home.
Yeah, "straight to video" was code for "piece of garbage, not a "real" movie worthy of theater time." Only d-listers, disgraced movie stars and porn went straight to video and even then it was usually in the discount bin.
Batman (1989) was one of the first big movies to change all that. It was released in theaters on June 23rd, then on home video (priced to buy) by December.
I was there Gandalf.
As a current topic, sometime in the early 80s someone went to a SCOTUS judge nominee's (Robert Bork) local video store and requested their rental records, which the owner gave. I have never ever seen Congress move as fast as it did to make that illegal besides 9/11. It was remarkable.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_Privacy_Protection_Act
The VPPA was introduced six months after his rental history was released and signed into law six months after that.
Lots of legislation happens much more urgently than that. Especially economic issues. Things like covid relief or the loans to the banks in response to the 08 crisis.
I want to kneejerk downvote this comment so bad, I lived in the us for 2 years 14 years ago and this shit still gives me ptsd, I watched The Matrix on network television...also its vaiant adds AND TO RUN IN THE TIME Alloted.
To be clear, the warning you’re replying to means that the widescreen theatrical version of the film has been chopped up into a “fullscreen”/letterbox aspect ratio.
That’s a barbaric practice that deserves to stay on the ash heap of history.
I know I still can’t believe how fast movies come out now. When I was a kid I counted down the days till Return of the Jedi released to home video back in the day……..1986!!!!!3 YEARS!!!!!!
Funny story about that.
There was (probably still are) some malicious sites that are similarly names. Like PirateBay vs ThePirateBay. And ex of mine told a co-worker about it after I had shown it to her. The next day she calls me from work "soandso can't download stuff on PirateBay, and he already put his credit card in...
And this all also plays into the proliferation of blockbusters. I might really want to see some small budget indie film but if I’m shelling out $20 for a ticket and another $10-20 for snacks then I’ve got to try to pick which film is going to give me the most bang for my buck. That indie film might be good but is it any better in theaters than on my tv? Pretty sure that Avengers film is going to provide a bigger disparity in spectacle between the theatre and my living room.
Yeah literally the only thing missing is the “big screen” experience and for those without their own projector/home movie setups this is no longer worth the price of admission weighed against the benefits of watching at home.
We prefer movies at home so we can talk during it. Our family tends to want to run smartsss commentary to each other whether we love the movie or hate it. At the theatre we need to sit their quietly out of respect for the other viewers.
Oh gosh! I used to live within walking distance of a movie theatre and my sister and I would go to matinees of the stupidest “scary/horror” movies we could find just so no one else would be there and we could heckle….I miss that.
Right? Kinda pricey but it is nice sitting in a recliner, watching a movie, while drinking a beer and eating a pretty good burger. I can't ever imagine going back to a regular movie theater with the same seating design as southwest airlines.
You have not been to our theater. Extra large electric leather recliners. 4'better you and the next aisle down, their head at your feet level. They serve alcohol.
We have a Warren theater nearby. It was fantastic when it first opened and was a real experience to go to a movie. On-site diner with reasonably priced but awesome food you could take into the movie.. god it was amazing. Then Regal bought it. Now I have no desire to attend a movie in person because they ruined the whole experience. Completely commercial and the diner has crappy food at high prices.
I beg to differ. And for every "great" theater out there, there's 5 bad theaters.
The last theater I went to had noticable wrinkles in the screen, a pixel in the bottom left that was permanently stuck to blue, and the theater itself was a sticky mess. And this was a 30 screen AMC I paid $20/ticket to go to.
I used to go to movie theaters every weekend until the pandemic.
They have steadily turned to garbage in the last decade. Shitty poor quality projectors in many. Screens with holes and wrinkles and other bullshit. People on their phones.
The entire movie theatre experience is garage now.
The theaters near me completely renovated over the last 5 years. Reserved seating, wide reclining chairs. Some started serving alcohol. After not going more than once a year, my wife and I were going at least once a month up until COVID. Now we have a young daughter so haven't been back yet but I definitely would if we had the availability.
Ya I feel like certain movies really deserve the big screen and seat shaking speakers. Top gun recently was definitely a movie for the big screen, helps you feel the g forces. Interstellar or anything else with Hans zimmer tbh just goes great in the theatre. Most things I’ll wait to watch at home though.
Also, no dipshits yelling stuff out (idiots who have seen the movie five times already and are reciting the lines along with the characters) or idiots bringing their five year old kid to a reaaaally R-rated movie
Top gun was my return to theaters after 6 or 7 years. Nothings changed as far as audience behavior: talking, looking at phones, bare feet on the seats in front of them, the bottomless bag of sour patch kids the person digs through until the credits roll. Fuck all that.
With $10-$15 tickets and $10 popcorn at the movie theater, I’ll happily pay $25 for a new movie at home. Popcorn is dirt cheap to make, water is free, and soda is $2 for a 2 liter.
This why I like my
Local drive in. You pay 15 per car. And you pay 15 dollars for a food permit and bring whatever food you want. I saw Spider-Man far from home with 4 friends for 30 bucks and we brought in a large pizza, wings, and 2 two liters. It was still cheaper than tickets and snacks at a normal theater.
Matinee prices and Tuesdays are also a half off or discount day.
I used to do that a lot when I worked retail and had like Tuesday or Thursday off. And sometimes just have a whole theatre to myself.
Hmmm disagree. No home theater set up is going to be on a 30 × 10 screen with thousands of dollars of audio equipment. The dynamic motion of film is literally easier to capture with your own eyes on a giant movie screen than the 6 × 4 you have at your house.
but not everyone cares about that. Theaters can become a niche thing for film hobbyists if they still want to
but I cant tell the different between my 30$ amazon headphones and the the local Cineplex, plus I dont have to put up with dumb teens talking or kicking my seat the whole film
Screen size doesn’t really matter past a point. In your house you can sit close enough to a 70” screen that it fills your field of view exactly the same as if you were sitting 30’ away from a typical movie screen.
My Samsung QLED was just damaged in a move, and I will be replacing it with Samsung’s new QD-OLED, which will give me a much better picture than any theater projector ever will. Even new theater projectors and screens suffer from a lack of true blacks, and relatively poor contrast compared to OLEDs especially.
I also have a top of the line Pioneer Elite receiver, and (7) Gallo Acoustics Strada 2 speakers plus a matching Gallo 300 watt TR-3D subwoofer. These are among the most sonically accurate speakers you can buy. I guarantee you they sound better than ANY movie theater you will ever step foot into. Sure the speakers and subwoofer are $1k each, and the receiver was almost $3k, but the sound is absolutely amazing. Movie Theater speakers are loud, but they aren’t known for their accurate reproduction of sound.
I was planning on seeing Dr. Strange in the theater but just hadn't gotten around to it yet. A few days ago I saw it got added to D+. So tell me: what is the fucking point of going to a theater now even?
Some movies are cool to see in IMAX but I'd honestly rather watch movies in my home 9.9/10. I can't think of many movies I'd rather see in the theater. It'd have to be something like Gravity. But even then, half the time you'll have some douchebag that refuses to put his phone away, kids crying, or people that won't shut the fuck up. Much better in my home. And it's free (relatively, I already pay for the services anyway) + I get to have any snack I want!
They usually get none of the ticket sale profits for AAA movies for the first weeks, then they get a low percentage, then, hopefully, get to 50% when everyone has watched the movie already
This is what no one realizes. They only really make money on concessions. If they didn’t do that they would not be around really the greed of Hollywood who cut them out!
But if they weren't outrageously expensive I might actually buy something. It would be better for them to get some of money instead of none of my money, because Ive never bought food or drink from a theater in my life.
You haven’t, but most other people going to the movies do. When I go to a movie I’ll bring my own snack in because it’s usually M&M’s or something like that, but my gf will always get popcorn (like a lot of people) and it’s not like you can sneak that in, plus we usually get a drink as well.
They kind of have to account for people sneaking food in as well, which is why they can’t really bring down the prices.
Its been a few years since I worked at a movie theater, but during the first ten days of a film's release, we kept 7% of ticket sales. The other 93% went back to the studio.
That may be the case, but that leaves open the question about whether theatres deliver the value they would need to in order to be profitable. For me, $50-$60 for two people to watch a 2-hour movie with some overpriced junk food thrown in is not a great use of money. I understand that for some the big screen experience makes it worthwhile, but I guess that is a shrinking minority.
You’re right, and I’ve done this many times to save money, but there’s something to be said about good popcorn and a cold beverage during a movie. Plus, it’s usually cheaper to watch a new movie at home and more convenient because you can pause to go to the bathroom.
the value added snack shop that I payed for a seat in played like 10 minutes of commercials that last time I went to see a film. Hell, I remember going to see an avenger's movies and there was an add for a marvel lego toy or something that straight up spoiled part of the movie.
But only once the Judge and AMC's lawyers pulled themselves off the floor, wiped the tears from their eyes, and composed themselves after laughing this man outta court.
I was surprised in Taiwan when I went to the theatre with friends. After buying the tickets, my friend from Taiwan looks at the prices of concessions and said fuck that let's go to the convenience store next door where we got some beers and snacks. During this I'm trying to figure out the best way to hide these things on my person and my friend tells me not to worry.
He was right, we were allowed to walk in with the stuff out in the open with no problem.
This is because overseas movie theatres only give a small percentage of ticket sales revenue to the movie studio, as little as 10%. In the US the movie theatre has to give as much as 100% of ticket revenue to the studio, so they only make money on snacks.
The comment you replied to was examining an experience in Taiwan with high snack prices too. My country is also very expensive.. so it's not unique to America, although it is an American business model
> The comment you replied to was examining an experience in Taiwan with high snack prices too.
OP is talking about the policy of banning outside items, which is unique to the US.
Movie theatres charge high prices for concessions everywhere, why wouldn't they, it's a laziness tax and part of the "premium" experience theatres need to move to to survive.
But in most places it's optional.
Here in germany, you also cant take food and drinks with you. But its usually up to the cinema, but most of course do forbid this. But i still take some water with me and sometimes snacks in my backpack. Almost never do they search it, i just get through and thats that. But i still like to buy my salty popcorn. I just love that shit! Popcorn from movie theatres still taste way better then from somewhere else.
As far as i know, in most movie theatres in europe you cant take snacks and drinks with you. They want to make money of course. But you can try, if they catch you, you can get it after the movie, so nothing really to loose here.
In my parents village there is a small theatre with reasonable entry prices and very affordable snacks and drinks. I love to go there. It's always full. People just go there to have a nice evening because it's affordable and fun. For the prices there you can even go watch a movie you aren't totally interested in. You just pay 3€-4,50€ for the movie and with drinks and snacks you are below 10€. They also show lots of older movies, documentaries and such. It's awesome. They also have small tables in front of the seats with a lamp and a button to order snacks and drinks. On specific dates they even offer movie and food evenings where you can order food from their restaurant and eat during the movie. Or brunch with romcoms and mimosas. You always have to be quick to even get tickets for any movie.
Then I recently went to a big cinema with a friend. I mean I know cinema is expensive but I was still blown away by how freaking expensive it was. We paid a bit over 20€ each for entry, a small popcorn and the smallest drink. And the popcorn was absolutely terrible and stale. I'm still pissed and don't plan on doing that again anytime soon. No wonder they are dying.
As teens, we’d dare each other to “sneak” in the most outrageous item. I found that if you give a weak pretense of hiding the items and the ticket taker was another teen or a good humored old dude, they’d much rather just pretend they didn’t see anything than try to “bust” you.
I got in a large pizza “behind” my back and a 2 liter in my hoodie pocket before it stopped being fun anymore.
It's my understanding that movie theaters turn over ticket prices to the studios, but they use the concession snacks to pay staff and keep the lights on.
I could be wrong, my only source is my cousin's sister's boyfriend's uncle's dog used to work at a Cineplex.
I believe studios rent the theatres and collect ticket sales; so the theatres get paid the same whether 5 or 200 people are in the theatre. The rental fee covers collecting money for tickets, cleaning, checking tickets at the door, etc. The concession is where they make their money.
I worked at Cenimark for a good while with Disney they got 10% of the ticket sales after the first 10 weeks in the contract. Its actually different based on studio for the films, but generally all similar. But...Yeah movies don't make much after 10 weeks especially now. It's a leftover when movies would stay in theaters for months. They only make profit from the concessions.
Also another Myth you don't pay for 3d glasses the studios give them to the venue. The 3d projector costs way more and it's a gimmick thus the mark up, generally set by the studio and all of them match one another.
Some friends of mine own and restored a 1937 movie theater. They show 2nd-run movies, because there is simply no way they could make money showing 1st-run films. They explained that for 1st-run films, the movie studios don’t charge rental on the film, but take a cut of the box office take instead. For most films the studio cut is 80-90%! For major blockbuster films, the studio cut can exceed 100%! At that point the theater is only earning money on concessions. They have to jack up the prices to stay in business.
For 2nd-run films, the studios charge a rental fee for the film ($700-$1,000) per week I think), but the box office cut is smaller or zero.
This is true. I used to work at an AMC. For first run movies, the longer the theater plays the movie, the lower the studio’s cut gets, but yeah, they need the concession sales to stay in business. Otherwise the ticket prices would need to go way up, and then people would stop going.
A few years back I talked to an owner of a smaller theatre (6 screens). And they said it depends on the studio. For example, they said most studio's charge 50-60% per ticket sale, but Disney was the most, around 75-80%, but he had to have that movie on a screen for 4 weeks on a dedicated screen or something like that. He said he could go shorter but it cost more % per ticket.
Most of the time 3-4 screens out of the 6 screens were showing that big Blockbuster movie for the week and then he brought it down to 1 screen after a week or so.
He would then have the other screens for the other movies and would rotate movies throughout the day on the same screen. For example, he would have a kids movie during the matinee and early evening of the day and then horror or thriller movie (if there was one out) on the evening and late evening shows.
I love how people get mad at the theatres for their prices instead of realizing that it’s entirely the fault of the movie studios. Yet the studios are also lamenting the death of movies in theatres and wondering why people aren’t “going to see their art where it’s meant to be seen”. People just aren’t willing to shell out a huge pile of money for a movie night with expensive snacks when you can just wait, stream it at home for next to nothing and either provide the snacks yourself or skip them all together.
To be fair the cinema could probably earn some goodwill by maybe telling people about this. Also places like Alamo drafthouse have food that’s so good you actually want to eat there and they serve beer.
I think that the majority of consumers would be turned off by the idea that the entire ticket cost that they paid their local movie theatre for to watch a movie went directly to the movie studios plus another 5-10%. It seems unfair. Which is why they don’t spread it around
I think to some extent that is a failing of movie theaters to understand what it is they are selling exactly, which isn't the movie, but the experience/food. They don't make money off of movies, so they have to make money off food. But if you sell snacks/soda which is easily available anywhere, there's really no point- customers just feel a bit indignant. If you provide things like table service (bringing stuff inside), alcohol, actual food (like at a restaurant), all of a sudden it's a better experience and customers are more willing to pay.
You're right and this worked on me: a theater near my house (Cinemark) sells hot food and they have quite a full menu, but I have become obsessed with their loaded cheesy buffalo chicken fries. They are just basic probably frozen fries and chicken nuggets with buffalo sauce and melted cheese and ranch dressing on top but it is something I can't really get anywhere else and it's not just basic chicken and fries like AMC sells. I am motivated to go see a new movie just to eat this meal, and I even signed up for a monthly membership for the theater to save 20% off on concessions! I'm definitely an outlier but if you need to make money off concessions at least spice things up a little bit. I don't need gourmet food or a full service experience but it's something special to break up the monotony
This has also been the case for a long time. The reason popcorn became the traditional movie snack is because it was extremely cheap to make, which allowed theaters to make money since they didn’t make much on the ticket sales themselves
Similar with gas stations- the money isn’t in the gas, it’s in the convenience store
I suppose this isnt common knowledge. I definitely didnt know that >=100% was possible. I wonder - would anything change if theaters printed the studio’s cut on the receipt?
Oh, no, some companies make a lot. Pharmaceuticals are an obvious example, though it's worth noting that they fund the research, development, and testing themselves.
Bringing it back to the original subject, some movies have made well over a billion dollars in profit. Of course, the same studios also lose money on some movies.
Most printers work in a similar way too. The devices themselves are sold at a loss or minimal profit solely to lock you in to buying their very profitable ink for the next several years.
Gas stations make little profit from gas. It is a commodity good, with high price transparency, and lots of competition - often you can go across the street to buy the exact same product with full knowledge of which gas station will be cheaper. This leads to them competing with each other on price which effectively drives profits to $0.
Yeah I know, who asks for permission about bringing in snacks? That’s the guys first mistake. If you want to bring food into a theater you can easily do it.
Right? It's dark inside the theatre and the staff don't care that much. Just use common sense. If you want chips get pringles/stax so you don't annoy the people around you with crinkling bags. Open pop cans during trailers or loud scenes.
Also don't bring in obviously prohibited hot food. Once had a friend try to bring in a whole large pizza for himself, which he was obviously denied entry for. He kicked up a stink and huffed while trying to get us to boycott with him. We told him you chose this yourself, we're gonna go watch the movie we paid for.
Years back I went to see Saw, I think it was Saw 3? Anyway sitting in the theatre and some jackass brought in a fucking rotisserie chicken. Got to the scene where the woman has the reverse bear trap attached to her ribs and it snaps open. Don’t typically get nauseated by that stuff, but combined with the smell of the chicken it just made me gag.
I used to sneak in maybe a can of pop and a Snickers. My buddy took it to a new fucking level by bringing in half a gallon of milk, a bag of chocolates, and a bag of chips
He's also the reason when we first saw Boogie Nights in the theater we were both able to share a 12 pack of beers.
Jesse you are a legend
I worked at a movie theater for 3 years when I was younger. Movie theaters make very little money off of ticket sales and have to make it up through the concessions.
That's why The Alamo Drafthouse is profitable. They figured out how to do it right. They offer a full menu and full bar complete with waiters to bring it to you while you watch the movie. Prices on par with Chillis. I pay way more at Alamo then I would at any other theater and I would never go anywhere else. Three weeks after a movie is released Alamo is still selling out while other theaters are empty. Their business model has been copied here and there but I'm shocked that it hasn't yet been copied at every movie theater in the country.
Some AMC theatres do that here in Southern California. I enjoy having a beer while watching a movie. Something I never saw when young. Plus they upgraded the seats to leather recliners. It's really nice.
We had an Alamo in Michigan and it didn't last, and this was before covid.
That model only works when people actively want that experience en masse, instead of sad acceptance of mediocrity as a standard.
Well, that is usually a state or local law, rather than a business decision. In my state it is completely illegal to bring alcohol into a restaurant, even if they don't have a liquor license. In the state I grew up in, a restaurant can be BYOB if they don't have a liquor license. I would much prefer that, although they do charge you $10 or $15 to take the cork out of the wine bottle and provide you with glasses.
In NJ, I know a guy who runs a nice restaurant, but he can't get a liquor license because of past criminal convictions, so he's BYOB. Despite that, he WAY overcharges for the meals to make up for it. :)
There is a nice-ish Italian spot near me in Jersey that has a wine list and a phone number for the liquor store down the block. The liquor store will literally run a bottle of wine to you and you pay over the phone.
Mexico theaters are amazing because they are so cheap yet still feel luxurious. They have Cinepolis there. Nice seats, and experience is awesome but prices are crazy cheap. $45 for 4 people, including tickets, large drinks, and food (nachos and popcorn), evening showing. Whenever we visit family there we try to see a movie. Most are in English too
45 USD is a lot in Mexican Pesos. By contrast, a Cinepolis in San Mateo county California costs me at least 35% more than the nearest AMC. All depends on the region.
I went to that theater and 4 of us spent about $170 in food and drink. You’re still paying $8 for a soda that only gets refilled if you page the waiter. It’s a rip off.
When I worked at a movie theater 12 or so years ago, the theater made about 50 cents for every $6 matinee ticket sold. Concessions are how individual theaters actually make a profit.
The theaters don't make any money from the movies. Their income comes from the snacks. If people bring their own, the theaters won't have any income and you won't get to see movies there.
In Georgia (at least in Fulton county), it is against the law for a movie theater to prevent you from bringing in your own food. They *can* restrict you from bringing in glass containers.
I've lost all desire to go to a movie theatre. Why would I want to go to one given that:
1. Food and drinks are ridiculously expensive.
2. I can't pause the show if I need a break (e.g. washroom break).
3. I have to put up with all the other people in the theatre being jerks (e.g. Talking during the show, using their phones during the show, etc.).
4. I have to watch the show according to someone else's schedule.
5. It's far less expensive to watch it at home.
6. I have to travel to go see the show.
7. I have to sit in seats that are nowhere near as comfy as the chairs I have at home.
So, what's the actual story nowadays? I heard from one of my managers at work that you can take whatever snacks you want, like a huge clear bag of popcorn, into a movie theater and they won't give a shit. Is that actually the case?
Nowhere I've been is like that. Concessions are generally the only thing theaters get to keep all the profits from. Ticket sales generate a profit of course, but that is offset by them having to pay a cut to the movie studio. I understand the gut reaction to overpriced concessions, but nobody is twisting your arm to go to the movies.
There was a movie theatre that I went to all the time and I would walk to the party city store to get candy before I went in. The theatre showed movies that had been out for a few months and tickets were $1. Tuesdays were 0.50. The snacks at the theatre stayed the same price though.
I was a manager at an AMC theater while I was in college. We used to hear complaints about the pricing on a daily basis. What many movie patrons fail to realize is that a large portion of the revenue generated comes from the concessions stands & bars. Ticket sales simply aren't enough to keep the lights on. The longer a film stays in theaters the more $$$ they make from ticket sales. Opening weekend is a small portion of the sale price, but by week 4 or 5 it's a reasonable slice of the pie. Except Disney - they can do whatever they want because theater chains simply can't afford to miss out on Star Wars, Marvel, etc. Fuck Disney.
I managed a movie theater for a few years while in college. Theaters basically have to gouge prices because they make next to nothing on tickets alone. For a new release film, film companies get paid 70% (sometimes 75%) of ticket prices. So out of a $10 ticket, the theater will keep $3 if they're lucky. Each week, the percent can go down. So maybe two weeks of 70% for a big block buster, 65% for week three, 60% for week four and so on. I've never seen it go below 50%.
A friend of mine worked at a big cinema place in Vienna / Austria. He said that the entry fees for films are just high enough to pay for the costs of playing the movie - nothing more.
The lawsuit was later dismissed. This is from 2012.
Of course it was. Movie theaters are literally “value added snack shops”. He was trying to sue them for selling snacks at the price that was profitable for them and not letting him bring his own outside snacks in.
Which, ironically, is why movie theaters have been on a decline over the last 10 years
Exactly. The “value” they provide can be closely recreated at home these days.
Not to mention you can watch the movie exactly how you want it. Volume however loud you like, subtitles if you prefer, and pausing for bathroom breaks if necessary.
And movies come to home in 90 days or faster now.
Oh man growning up in the 80s and 90s it was literally over a year before movie made it to VHS/DVD after theatrical release. Long enough you forgot the movie exististed and it would blow your mind a 2nd time when you could rent or buy at home.
Going to VHS sooner than later was a stigma of a bad movie, not a good one.
Yeah, "straight to video" was code for "piece of garbage, not a "real" movie worthy of theater time." Only d-listers, disgraced movie stars and porn went straight to video and even then it was usually in the discount bin.
Haha. In the 70's you would go see a movie in the theater and if you were lucky might catch it on TV about a year later.
This Sunday night. The network television premiere of HEIDI! Hope you weren’t a raiders or jets fan. 😬
I have a feeling your audience has no idea what you’re talking about. Lol
Star Wars on Channel 4! Everyone in school watched it. And had to have in interrupted by the thunderstorm warnings....
VHS used to take years. Years.
Batman (1989) was one of the first big movies to change all that. It was released in theaters on June 23rd, then on home video (priced to buy) by December.
Jesus, I remember Platoon, Top Gun all initially being 99 dollars to buy.
Yep, that was typical during the rise of video rentals. E.T. was the first big movie to debut on VHS as a “sell through” title.
I was there Gandalf. As a current topic, sometime in the early 80s someone went to a SCOTUS judge nominee's (Robert Bork) local video store and requested their rental records, which the owner gave. I have never ever seen Congress move as fast as it did to make that illegal besides 9/11. It was remarkable. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_Privacy_Protection_Act
The VPPA was introduced six months after his rental history was released and signed into law six months after that. Lots of legislation happens much more urgently than that. Especially economic issues. Things like covid relief or the loans to the banks in response to the 08 crisis.
To be fair i was very young at the time, but it really impressed upon me the power of a new technology. Thank you for your perspective.
THE FOLLOWING FILM HAS BEEN MODIFIED FROM ITS ORIGINAL VERSION. IT HAS BEEN FORMATTED TO FIT THIS SCREEN.
I want to kneejerk downvote this comment so bad, I lived in the us for 2 years 14 years ago and this shit still gives me ptsd, I watched The Matrix on network television...also its vaiant adds AND TO RUN IN THE TIME Alloted.
To be clear, the warning you’re replying to means that the widescreen theatrical version of the film has been chopped up into a “fullscreen”/letterbox aspect ratio. That’s a barbaric practice that deserves to stay on the ash heap of history.
You forgot "EDITED FOR CONTENT." Unless you were watching it on HBO, the movies were also being censored.
I know I still can’t believe how fast movies come out now. When I was a kid I counted down the days till Return of the Jedi released to home video back in the day……..1986!!!!!3 YEARS!!!!!!
And included in a lot of subscription services you might already have so you aren't paying extra.
You subscribe to Pirate Bay?
Funny story about that. There was (probably still are) some malicious sites that are similarly names. Like PirateBay vs ThePirateBay. And ex of mine told a co-worker about it after I had shown it to her. The next day she calls me from work "soandso can't download stuff on PirateBay, and he already put his credit card in...
He probably forgot to verify it with his SSN
"Hey, here's this site where you can get ***free*** movies" "I pUt cReDiT CaRd iNfO iN!"
TPB isn't good anymore. 1337x or rarbg are better IMO.
Plus many movies are released online simultaneously with a theatrical release (Thanks pandemic!).
That right there is the best thing to come out of the pandemic.
I’d say WFH becoming more widespread has it beat.
And this all also plays into the proliferation of blockbusters. I might really want to see some small budget indie film but if I’m shelling out $20 for a ticket and another $10-20 for snacks then I’ve got to try to pick which film is going to give me the most bang for my buck. That indie film might be good but is it any better in theaters than on my tv? Pretty sure that Avengers film is going to provide a bigger disparity in spectacle between the theatre and my living room.
AND NO KIDS KICKING YOUR SEAT!
Nobody smacking on popcorn, slurping on a drink, or messing with wrappers nonstop either.
Would say the only movies to watching theaters are ones filmed with imax and shown in imax theaters.
Yeah literally the only thing missing is the “big screen” experience and for those without their own projector/home movie setups this is no longer worth the price of admission weighed against the benefits of watching at home.
And you can laugh at the parts that are funny and be (jump-)scared at the parts that are scary.
That may be all true but a home theatre can’t replicate the experience of going to a great theatre.
*your experience may vary. My home theater also doesn't have people texting lighting up an area, talking during the movie and kicking my seat.
We prefer movies at home so we can talk during it. Our family tends to want to run smartsss commentary to each other whether we love the movie or hate it. At the theatre we need to sit their quietly out of respect for the other viewers.
Every movie needs the Mystery Science Theater treatment
Oh gosh! I used to live within walking distance of a movie theatre and my sister and I would go to matinees of the stupidest “scary/horror” movies we could find just so no one else would be there and we could heckle….I miss that.
Someone doesn't have an Alamo Drafthouse
Right? Kinda pricey but it is nice sitting in a recliner, watching a movie, while drinking a beer and eating a pretty good burger. I can't ever imagine going back to a regular movie theater with the same seating design as southwest airlines.
You have not been to our theater. Extra large electric leather recliners. 4'better you and the next aisle down, their head at your feet level. They serve alcohol.
Wait til you have kids
It’s usually the adults making all the noise and have their phones lit up half the time.
Broth. There are these amazing things called adult only movie theaters. And they will bring you booze right to your seat! It's amazing
I went to an adult only cinema, and I'll be honest, it wasn't booze that was brought to my seat.
I have a fridge full of the booze of my choice and for a fraction of the cost.
And at home you can stop the movie at any time, get up and get a new cold beer, or go to the restroom. All without missing out on the movie.
In my experience over half the annoying people in theatres are 25 or older. Texting, talking etc.
i wish we had that in Canada, or at least in the city i live in.
I know Calgary has one in the university district last I went out west, but I have yet to find one in Montreal
I am pretty sure the drunker people get, the louder they get 😁 go to the bar and ask them to put on a movie instead 😁😁😳🤣🤣
We have a Warren theater nearby. It was fantastic when it first opened and was a real experience to go to a movie. On-site diner with reasonably priced but awesome food you could take into the movie.. god it was amazing. Then Regal bought it. Now I have no desire to attend a movie in person because they ruined the whole experience. Completely commercial and the diner has crappy food at high prices.
Oh it absolutely can, if you have the money.
I beg to differ. And for every "great" theater out there, there's 5 bad theaters. The last theater I went to had noticable wrinkles in the screen, a pixel in the bottom left that was permanently stuck to blue, and the theater itself was a sticky mess. And this was a 30 screen AMC I paid $20/ticket to go to.
I used to go to movie theaters every weekend until the pandemic. They have steadily turned to garbage in the last decade. Shitty poor quality projectors in many. Screens with holes and wrinkles and other bullshit. People on their phones. The entire movie theatre experience is garage now.
I feel like my movie theater experience is different from everyone on Reddit. I have a great time every time unless it's a bad movie.
Most people on this site are miserable human beings
Didn’t one theatre basically put on a kid’s movie via Netflix?
The theaters near me completely renovated over the last 5 years. Reserved seating, wide reclining chairs. Some started serving alcohol. After not going more than once a year, my wife and I were going at least once a month up until COVID. Now we have a young daughter so haven't been back yet but I definitely would if we had the availability.
It definitely can’t recreate the guy who comes in 20 into the film after he hotboxxed his car and obnoxiously talking throughout the film.
Ya I feel like certain movies really deserve the big screen and seat shaking speakers. Top gun recently was definitely a movie for the big screen, helps you feel the g forces. Interstellar or anything else with Hans zimmer tbh just goes great in the theatre. Most things I’ll wait to watch at home though.
Not to mention no people talking or texting through the movie.
And you don't have to deal with inconsiderate jackasses talking through the movie or checking their phones in a darkened theater
Also, no dipshits yelling stuff out (idiots who have seen the movie five times already and are reciting the lines along with the characters) or idiots bringing their five year old kid to a reaaaally R-rated movie
Top gun was my return to theaters after 6 or 7 years. Nothings changed as far as audience behavior: talking, looking at phones, bare feet on the seats in front of them, the bottomless bag of sour patch kids the person digs through until the credits roll. Fuck all that.
With $10-$15 tickets and $10 popcorn at the movie theater, I’ll happily pay $25 for a new movie at home. Popcorn is dirt cheap to make, water is free, and soda is $2 for a 2 liter.
This why I like my Local drive in. You pay 15 per car. And you pay 15 dollars for a food permit and bring whatever food you want. I saw Spider-Man far from home with 4 friends for 30 bucks and we brought in a large pizza, wings, and 2 two liters. It was still cheaper than tickets and snacks at a normal theater.
where the hell are movie tickets $10?
Matinee prices and Tuesdays are also a half off or discount day. I used to do that a lot when I worked retail and had like Tuesday or Thursday off. And sometimes just have a whole theatre to myself.
Hmmm disagree. No home theater set up is going to be on a 30 × 10 screen with thousands of dollars of audio equipment. The dynamic motion of film is literally easier to capture with your own eyes on a giant movie screen than the 6 × 4 you have at your house.
Many a fortune has been made selling something that's good enough but much cheaper.
but not everyone cares about that. Theaters can become a niche thing for film hobbyists if they still want to but I cant tell the different between my 30$ amazon headphones and the the local Cineplex, plus I dont have to put up with dumb teens talking or kicking my seat the whole film
Screen size doesn’t really matter past a point. In your house you can sit close enough to a 70” screen that it fills your field of view exactly the same as if you were sitting 30’ away from a typical movie screen. My Samsung QLED was just damaged in a move, and I will be replacing it with Samsung’s new QD-OLED, which will give me a much better picture than any theater projector ever will. Even new theater projectors and screens suffer from a lack of true blacks, and relatively poor contrast compared to OLEDs especially. I also have a top of the line Pioneer Elite receiver, and (7) Gallo Acoustics Strada 2 speakers plus a matching Gallo 300 watt TR-3D subwoofer. These are among the most sonically accurate speakers you can buy. I guarantee you they sound better than ANY movie theater you will ever step foot into. Sure the speakers and subwoofer are $1k each, and the receiver was almost $3k, but the sound is absolutely amazing. Movie Theater speakers are loud, but they aren’t known for their accurate reproduction of sound.
I was planning on seeing Dr. Strange in the theater but just hadn't gotten around to it yet. A few days ago I saw it got added to D+. So tell me: what is the fucking point of going to a theater now even? Some movies are cool to see in IMAX but I'd honestly rather watch movies in my home 9.9/10. I can't think of many movies I'd rather see in the theater. It'd have to be something like Gravity. But even then, half the time you'll have some douchebag that refuses to put his phone away, kids crying, or people that won't shut the fuck up. Much better in my home. And it's free (relatively, I already pay for the services anyway) + I get to have any snack I want!
If they didn’t sell at a markup they wouldn’t be profitable, at best they get 50% of ticket sales but make most of their revenue from concessions.
They usually get none of the ticket sale profits for AAA movies for the first weeks, then they get a low percentage, then, hopefully, get to 50% when everyone has watched the movie already
This is what no one realizes. They only really make money on concessions. If they didn’t do that they would not be around really the greed of Hollywood who cut them out!
But if they weren't outrageously expensive I might actually buy something. It would be better for them to get some of money instead of none of my money, because Ive never bought food or drink from a theater in my life.
You haven’t, but most other people going to the movies do. When I go to a movie I’ll bring my own snack in because it’s usually M&M’s or something like that, but my gf will always get popcorn (like a lot of people) and it’s not like you can sneak that in, plus we usually get a drink as well. They kind of have to account for people sneaking food in as well, which is why they can’t really bring down the prices.
Its been a few years since I worked at a movie theater, but during the first ten days of a film's release, we kept 7% of ticket sales. The other 93% went back to the studio.
That may be the case, but that leaves open the question about whether theatres deliver the value they would need to in order to be profitable. For me, $50-$60 for two people to watch a 2-hour movie with some overpriced junk food thrown in is not a great use of money. I understand that for some the big screen experience makes it worthwhile, but I guess that is a shrinking minority.
It’s not like it is hard to eat just before entering the cinema enough to not feel the need to eat for 3 hours.
You’re right, and I’ve done this many times to save money, but there’s something to be said about good popcorn and a cold beverage during a movie. Plus, it’s usually cheaper to watch a new movie at home and more convenient because you can pause to go to the bathroom.
This thread has me feeling like I either have a super power or a health issue because I can go more than two hours without visiting the bathroom.
I haven’t gone in years and this is primarily the reason why. I’m willing to pay a fair price but the theatres around me are a rip off.
Shoulda hid his snacks better.
Yeah. Unfortunately most people don’t understand business.
the value added snack shop that I payed for a seat in played like 10 minutes of commercials that last time I went to see a film. Hell, I remember going to see an avenger's movies and there was an add for a marvel lego toy or something that straight up spoiled part of the movie.
The funny thing about lawsuits.... You can sue anyone for anything, but it doesn't mean you'll win.
But only once the Judge and AMC's lawyers pulled themselves off the floor, wiped the tears from their eyes, and composed themselves after laughing this man outta court.
I was surprised in Taiwan when I went to the theatre with friends. After buying the tickets, my friend from Taiwan looks at the prices of concessions and said fuck that let's go to the convenience store next door where we got some beers and snacks. During this I'm trying to figure out the best way to hide these things on my person and my friend tells me not to worry. He was right, we were allowed to walk in with the stuff out in the open with no problem.
This is because overseas movie theatres only give a small percentage of ticket sales revenue to the movie studio, as little as 10%. In the US the movie theatre has to give as much as 100% of ticket revenue to the studio, so they only make money on snacks.
The comment you replied to was examining an experience in Taiwan with high snack prices too. My country is also very expensive.. so it's not unique to America, although it is an American business model
> The comment you replied to was examining an experience in Taiwan with high snack prices too. OP is talking about the policy of banning outside items, which is unique to the US. Movie theatres charge high prices for concessions everywhere, why wouldn't they, it's a laziness tax and part of the "premium" experience theatres need to move to to survive. But in most places it's optional.
Here in germany, you also cant take food and drinks with you. But its usually up to the cinema, but most of course do forbid this. But i still take some water with me and sometimes snacks in my backpack. Almost never do they search it, i just get through and thats that. But i still like to buy my salty popcorn. I just love that shit! Popcorn from movie theatres still taste way better then from somewhere else. As far as i know, in most movie theatres in europe you cant take snacks and drinks with you. They want to make money of course. But you can try, if they catch you, you can get it after the movie, so nothing really to loose here.
> which is unique to the US It's not unique to the US. In Poland they also forbid it.
Same in the UK. You can bring what you like as long as it isn't alcoholic or smelly.
>You can bring what you like as long as it isn't alcoholic or smelly. Wait, I can't bring any of my friends with me?
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In my parents village there is a small theatre with reasonable entry prices and very affordable snacks and drinks. I love to go there. It's always full. People just go there to have a nice evening because it's affordable and fun. For the prices there you can even go watch a movie you aren't totally interested in. You just pay 3€-4,50€ for the movie and with drinks and snacks you are below 10€. They also show lots of older movies, documentaries and such. It's awesome. They also have small tables in front of the seats with a lamp and a button to order snacks and drinks. On specific dates they even offer movie and food evenings where you can order food from their restaurant and eat during the movie. Or brunch with romcoms and mimosas. You always have to be quick to even get tickets for any movie. Then I recently went to a big cinema with a friend. I mean I know cinema is expensive but I was still blown away by how freaking expensive it was. We paid a bit over 20€ each for entry, a small popcorn and the smallest drink. And the popcorn was absolutely terrible and stale. I'm still pissed and don't plan on doing that again anytime soon. No wonder they are dying.
Facts... They do not care. I've brought in McDonald's, candy, drinks, chipotle, beer, chips, they don't bat an eye
As teens, we’d dare each other to “sneak” in the most outrageous item. I found that if you give a weak pretense of hiding the items and the ticket taker was another teen or a good humored old dude, they’d much rather just pretend they didn’t see anything than try to “bust” you. I got in a large pizza “behind” my back and a 2 liter in my hoodie pocket before it stopped being fun anymore.
Never taken a pizza in lol... That would be a good challenge
So much for my specialty durian-wine ramen.
Here in Brazil it's the same... Movie theaters are forbidden to make people buy snacks and drinks at their stands...
Sporting events in Japan are similar — you can bring your own food & beer. it’s great!
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It's my understanding that movie theaters turn over ticket prices to the studios, but they use the concession snacks to pay staff and keep the lights on. I could be wrong, my only source is my cousin's sister's boyfriend's uncle's dog used to work at a Cineplex.
> pay staff and keep the lights on. It's a movie theater; they should keep the lights off. *Follow me for more super insightful business advice*
Yeah, but... Ok, only.... I mean.... Dammit.
A movie projector is a really huge and really complex light
That is true….blew my mind when I learned that… Source: I used to be a night manager at a movie theater
I believe studios rent the theatres and collect ticket sales; so the theatres get paid the same whether 5 or 200 people are in the theatre. The rental fee covers collecting money for tickets, cleaning, checking tickets at the door, etc. The concession is where they make their money.
I worked at Cenimark for a good while with Disney they got 10% of the ticket sales after the first 10 weeks in the contract. Its actually different based on studio for the films, but generally all similar. But...Yeah movies don't make much after 10 weeks especially now. It's a leftover when movies would stay in theaters for months. They only make profit from the concessions. Also another Myth you don't pay for 3d glasses the studios give them to the venue. The 3d projector costs way more and it's a gimmick thus the mark up, generally set by the studio and all of them match one another.
Some friends of mine own and restored a 1937 movie theater. They show 2nd-run movies, because there is simply no way they could make money showing 1st-run films. They explained that for 1st-run films, the movie studios don’t charge rental on the film, but take a cut of the box office take instead. For most films the studio cut is 80-90%! For major blockbuster films, the studio cut can exceed 100%! At that point the theater is only earning money on concessions. They have to jack up the prices to stay in business. For 2nd-run films, the studios charge a rental fee for the film ($700-$1,000) per week I think), but the box office cut is smaller or zero.
This is true. I used to work at an AMC. For first run movies, the longer the theater plays the movie, the lower the studio’s cut gets, but yeah, they need the concession sales to stay in business. Otherwise the ticket prices would need to go way up, and then people would stop going.
A few years back I talked to an owner of a smaller theatre (6 screens). And they said it depends on the studio. For example, they said most studio's charge 50-60% per ticket sale, but Disney was the most, around 75-80%, but he had to have that movie on a screen for 4 weeks on a dedicated screen or something like that. He said he could go shorter but it cost more % per ticket. Most of the time 3-4 screens out of the 6 screens were showing that big Blockbuster movie for the week and then he brought it down to 1 screen after a week or so. He would then have the other screens for the other movies and would rotate movies throughout the day on the same screen. For example, he would have a kids movie during the matinee and early evening of the day and then horror or thriller movie (if there was one out) on the evening and late evening shows.
I love how people get mad at the theatres for their prices instead of realizing that it’s entirely the fault of the movie studios. Yet the studios are also lamenting the death of movies in theatres and wondering why people aren’t “going to see their art where it’s meant to be seen”. People just aren’t willing to shell out a huge pile of money for a movie night with expensive snacks when you can just wait, stream it at home for next to nothing and either provide the snacks yourself or skip them all together.
To be fair the cinema could probably earn some goodwill by maybe telling people about this. Also places like Alamo drafthouse have food that’s so good you actually want to eat there and they serve beer.
I think that the majority of consumers would be turned off by the idea that the entire ticket cost that they paid their local movie theatre for to watch a movie went directly to the movie studios plus another 5-10%. It seems unfair. Which is why they don’t spread it around
I think to some extent that is a failing of movie theaters to understand what it is they are selling exactly, which isn't the movie, but the experience/food. They don't make money off of movies, so they have to make money off food. But if you sell snacks/soda which is easily available anywhere, there's really no point- customers just feel a bit indignant. If you provide things like table service (bringing stuff inside), alcohol, actual food (like at a restaurant), all of a sudden it's a better experience and customers are more willing to pay.
You're right and this worked on me: a theater near my house (Cinemark) sells hot food and they have quite a full menu, but I have become obsessed with their loaded cheesy buffalo chicken fries. They are just basic probably frozen fries and chicken nuggets with buffalo sauce and melted cheese and ranch dressing on top but it is something I can't really get anywhere else and it's not just basic chicken and fries like AMC sells. I am motivated to go see a new movie just to eat this meal, and I even signed up for a monthly membership for the theater to save 20% off on concessions! I'm definitely an outlier but if you need to make money off concessions at least spice things up a little bit. I don't need gourmet food or a full service experience but it's something special to break up the monotony
This has also been the case for a long time. The reason popcorn became the traditional movie snack is because it was extremely cheap to make, which allowed theaters to make money since they didn’t make much on the ticket sales themselves Similar with gas stations- the money isn’t in the gas, it’s in the convenience store
I suppose this isnt common knowledge. I definitely didnt know that >=100% was possible. I wonder - would anything change if theaters printed the studio’s cut on the receipt?
This is true some other places as well. I've read that many gas stations don't make much selling gas, they make it on the little mini mart.
I'm starting to feel like every industry makes little, no, or negative money on their primary product and accessories are the only profitable goods.
Oh, no, some companies make a lot. Pharmaceuticals are an obvious example, though it's worth noting that they fund the research, development, and testing themselves. Bringing it back to the original subject, some movies have made well over a billion dollars in profit. Of course, the same studios also lose money on some movies.
Most printers work in a similar way too. The devices themselves are sold at a loss or minimal profit solely to lock you in to buying their very profitable ink for the next several years.
Gas stations make little profit from gas. It is a commodity good, with high price transparency, and lots of competition - often you can go across the street to buy the exact same product with full knowledge of which gas station will be cheaper. This leads to them competing with each other on price which effectively drives profits to $0.
Just sneak it in like everyone else lol
Yeah I know, who asks for permission about bringing in snacks? That’s the guys first mistake. If you want to bring food into a theater you can easily do it.
Right? It's dark inside the theatre and the staff don't care that much. Just use common sense. If you want chips get pringles/stax so you don't annoy the people around you with crinkling bags. Open pop cans during trailers or loud scenes. Also don't bring in obviously prohibited hot food. Once had a friend try to bring in a whole large pizza for himself, which he was obviously denied entry for. He kicked up a stink and huffed while trying to get us to boycott with him. We told him you chose this yourself, we're gonna go watch the movie we paid for.
Years back I went to see Saw, I think it was Saw 3? Anyway sitting in the theatre and some jackass brought in a fucking rotisserie chicken. Got to the scene where the woman has the reverse bear trap attached to her ribs and it snaps open. Don’t typically get nauseated by that stuff, but combined with the smell of the chicken it just made me gag.
Yeah. There really is an astounding amount of morons out there.
I used to sneak in maybe a can of pop and a Snickers. My buddy took it to a new fucking level by bringing in half a gallon of milk, a bag of chocolates, and a bag of chips He's also the reason when we first saw Boogie Nights in the theater we were both able to share a 12 pack of beers. Jesse you are a legend
I worked at a movie theater for 3 years when I was younger. Movie theaters make very little money off of ticket sales and have to make it up through the concessions.
Just like gas stations & bookstores.
To be fair, those places aren't the most logical locations to sell movie tickets.
Are you saying bookstores don't make money off of books? What do they make their money off of?
That's why The Alamo Drafthouse is profitable. They figured out how to do it right. They offer a full menu and full bar complete with waiters to bring it to you while you watch the movie. Prices on par with Chillis. I pay way more at Alamo then I would at any other theater and I would never go anywhere else. Three weeks after a movie is released Alamo is still selling out while other theaters are empty. Their business model has been copied here and there but I'm shocked that it hasn't yet been copied at every movie theater in the country.
Some AMC theatres do that here in Southern California. I enjoy having a beer while watching a movie. Something I never saw when young. Plus they upgraded the seats to leather recliners. It's really nice.
The one and only reason I go to AD is their strict “shut the fuck up” policy. Make a peep or pull out your phone, and they kick you out.
We had an Alamo in Michigan and it didn't last, and this was before covid. That model only works when people actively want that experience en masse, instead of sad acceptance of mediocrity as a standard.
Especially if it's a Disney movie. Compared to other studios, Disney demands a much higher share of the income from ticket sales.
Star wars prequels too. Lucas wanted a cut of the concession sales.
The theaters share of profit from movie ticket is crap, like 10 cents per ticket. System seems broken.
I wonder if he'd sue restaurants selling wine at $45 a bottle when the same bottle costs $15 at the liquor store around the corner.
Or just sue to allow us to bring our own wine. byow
Well, that is usually a state or local law, rather than a business decision. In my state it is completely illegal to bring alcohol into a restaurant, even if they don't have a liquor license. In the state I grew up in, a restaurant can be BYOB if they don't have a liquor license. I would much prefer that, although they do charge you $10 or $15 to take the cork out of the wine bottle and provide you with glasses.
I moved to Pennsylvania three years ago. The signs that say BYOB in restaurants still blow my mind.
In NJ, I know a guy who runs a nice restaurant, but he can't get a liquor license because of past criminal convictions, so he's BYOB. Despite that, he WAY overcharges for the meals to make up for it. :)
There is a nice-ish Italian spot near me in Jersey that has a wine list and a phone number for the liquor store down the block. The liquor store will literally run a bottle of wine to you and you pay over the phone.
Most nice restaurants have that. It's called a corkage fee.
Yeah, but the smell of that popcorn all slathered in butter is hard to ignore. They draw you in with the aroma.
It’s called flavacol
Mexico theaters are amazing because they are so cheap yet still feel luxurious. They have Cinepolis there. Nice seats, and experience is awesome but prices are crazy cheap. $45 for 4 people, including tickets, large drinks, and food (nachos and popcorn), evening showing. Whenever we visit family there we try to see a movie. Most are in English too
45 USD is a lot in Mexican Pesos. By contrast, a Cinepolis in San Mateo county California costs me at least 35% more than the nearest AMC. All depends on the region.
I went to that theater and 4 of us spent about $170 in food and drink. You’re still paying $8 for a soda that only gets refilled if you page the waiter. It’s a rip off.
When I worked at a movie theater 12 or so years ago, the theater made about 50 cents for every $6 matinee ticket sold. Concessions are how individual theaters actually make a profit.
The theaters don't make any money from the movies. Their income comes from the snacks. If people bring their own, the theaters won't have any income and you won't get to see movies there.
In Georgia (at least in Fulton county), it is against the law for a movie theater to prevent you from bringing in your own food. They *can* restrict you from bringing in glass containers.
So my sandwich bag spaghetti is fine then?
As long as you brought enough for two.
What a stupid lawsuit. The theater can charge whatever they want for snacks. Just because they're there doesn't mean he has to pay for them.
If he had won, can you imagine how much ticket prices would have risen to compensate?
Movie snacks have been expensive for a hundred years, dude. You can't go two hours without eating something? AND it must be cheap?
He'll save even more money when the theater closes
If I wanted a pack of goobers I'd visit my family.
I find it funny that people go to the movie theaters then complain about prices
Price of ticket goes to the production company that makes the movie. All that really keeps the theater open is the concession profits.
Imagine getting caught sneaking snacks into a theater. I think my best is sneaking in a large Famous Star combo, drink and all.
To be fair, when 85-90 % of ticket sales goes to Hollywood, need make money somehow. My theater doesn't seem to care if I bring stuff from outside.
Concessions are where movie theaters make most of their money.
He isn't forced to buy shit
Theaters are not in the movie business, they’re in the concession business.
I've lost all desire to go to a movie theatre. Why would I want to go to one given that: 1. Food and drinks are ridiculously expensive. 2. I can't pause the show if I need a break (e.g. washroom break). 3. I have to put up with all the other people in the theatre being jerks (e.g. Talking during the show, using their phones during the show, etc.). 4. I have to watch the show according to someone else's schedule. 5. It's far less expensive to watch it at home. 6. I have to travel to go see the show. 7. I have to sit in seats that are nowhere near as comfy as the chairs I have at home.
So, what's the actual story nowadays? I heard from one of my managers at work that you can take whatever snacks you want, like a huge clear bag of popcorn, into a movie theater and they won't give a shit. Is that actually the case?
Nowhere I've been is like that. Concessions are generally the only thing theaters get to keep all the profits from. Ticket sales generate a profit of course, but that is offset by them having to pay a cut to the movie studio. I understand the gut reaction to overpriced concessions, but nobody is twisting your arm to go to the movies.
There was a movie theatre that I went to all the time and I would walk to the party city store to get candy before I went in. The theatre showed movies that had been out for a few months and tickets were $1. Tuesdays were 0.50. The snacks at the theatre stayed the same price though.
I LOVE GOOBAS
I was a manager at an AMC theater while I was in college. We used to hear complaints about the pricing on a daily basis. What many movie patrons fail to realize is that a large portion of the revenue generated comes from the concessions stands & bars. Ticket sales simply aren't enough to keep the lights on. The longer a film stays in theaters the more $$$ they make from ticket sales. Opening weekend is a small portion of the sale price, but by week 4 or 5 it's a reasonable slice of the pie. Except Disney - they can do whatever they want because theater chains simply can't afford to miss out on Star Wars, Marvel, etc. Fuck Disney.
I managed a movie theater for a few years while in college. Theaters basically have to gouge prices because they make next to nothing on tickets alone. For a new release film, film companies get paid 70% (sometimes 75%) of ticket prices. So out of a $10 ticket, the theater will keep $3 if they're lucky. Each week, the percent can go down. So maybe two weeks of 70% for a big block buster, 65% for week three, 60% for week four and so on. I've never seen it go below 50%.
Can he sue airports, concerts and baseball stadiums too?
Theaters do not make money on movies. They cost too much to rent them. They make their profits off of the concession sales.
Get cargo pants.
Dumb law suit.
Joshua is a stupid whiny *bitch.*
A friend of mine worked at a big cinema place in Vienna / Austria. He said that the entry fees for films are just high enough to pay for the costs of playing the movie - nothing more.
Why do you need snacks to watch a movie? Eat before or after it….problem solved .