Home Theater vs. Movie Theater

when will movie theatre chains wake up and realize that the experience of going to a movie theatre is as important as the movie itself? High ticket prices, ridiculous concession prices, out-of-control teenagers, and shitty seats all add up to a strong motivator to watch the DVD at home. Combine that with the growth of home theatre systems, better sound systems at affordable prices, and the coming boom in wireless connected components and it spells doom for trouble for movie theatres.

UPDATE: Matt at g51 sent me this link to a super cool theatre chain in Texas called Alamo Drafthouse. I'd pay good money for an experience like this:

Imagine a traditional movie theater where rows of seats alternate with bench-style tables. Once seated, customers order from a menu that offers hamburgers, fresh salads and pizza, as well as beer and wine. A friendly wait staff takes their orders and brings the food to their seats. Customers   can continue to order during the movie by writing their request on paper and attaching it to clips on their table. The waiters quietly collect and deliver these orders without distracting from the movie.

UPDATE2: John Gibson on his program today made the same point today on this show, it's just not fun going to a movie theater.

But what's fun about a movie theater? People's cell phones go off, they talk like they were at home and the last time I stood in line for tickets, two woman in front of me got in a fist fight.

Link: Home Theater vs. Movie Theater.

CNN has a great story about the decline of the movie theater, Most Prefer to Watch Movies at Home. While 73 percent said they preferred staying home to watch movies on DVD, videotape or pay-per-view, 22 percent said they would rather see them at a movie …

Comments

[Sramana Mitra]

John, what do your readers think about Wireless TV's? You mention wireless components in the article ... if you could have a location-free TV, would you take it out and watch it in the garden?