Will the Theatrical Experience Be Embraced by New Generations - Movie Theater
Image by Frank Reppold from Pixabay

Going to the movies has been a part of people’s lives for generations. From old movie houses to Cineplex shoe box-size theaters to drive-ins to the new state-of-the-art theaters, they have housed memories for many over the years. However, a decline in attendance at theaters for many reasons (COVID, streaming, writers’ strike, higher prices) has companies struggling to adapt and change, reshaping their theatrical model to meet the demands of a new, more selective audience. That audience comprises a new generation of movie fans, and they are turning out to be a problem for both the theaters and other audience members, making one wonder what the future holds. 

Change is at the heart of all things. While theaters have been running in my lifetime, I’ve seen all different shapes, sizes, venues, and marketing ideas. Some have worked, others have struggled. Today, the future of cinema and theaters generally find themselves at a weird and confusing crossroads. With more and more families staying home and streaming films on their personal home theater systems, sometimes watching a film the same day it has a big screen release, theaters find themselves competing with people who don’t want to travel, spend money at concession stands or buy movie tickets at ever-increasing rates. 

That is just part of the problem. First, COVID came along, shutting down the world for a few years, and when the world then opened back up again, people were very slow to return to the theaters. First, it was out of nervousness or fear, then just apathy and realizing that staying home was not a bad thing, even after the pandemic. Most recently, we also had the writers’ strike, shutting down productions and turning a new section of people off the industry altogether. In short, it’s been a bumpy ride for years that, unfortunately, has pushed the theaters to close, reduce staff, or even cut down how long a film stays in the theater due to slow ticket sales.

If this wasn’t bad enough, it has also created a new kind of ‘fan’ showing up to theaters, making the once fun experience sometimes difficult to enjoy.

I recently saw Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes at the theater three weeks after its release. There were only about twelve people in the theater for our showing. Of these people, one was on and off their phone the whole time, even taking pictures. Some arrived late, while two moviegoers kept leaving and coming back. And, of course, we had the non-stop talkers. Now, back in the day, my friends and I could be a bit rowdy, usually at late-night screenings, but these types of things were the exception to the rule, nothing close to being the norm. 

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Somewhere along the way, we have forgotten about proper movie-going etiquette. A less polite way of looking at it is that we are just too self-absorbed as a society these days. I’m not sure how this happened. It’s easy to point fingers at technology, whether it’s phones, social media, or maybe even the lingering after-effects of COVID, where we were forced to be on our own and then did our own thing. However, theaters used to be an escape from all of this, a way to immerse yourself for a couple of hours in a world of make-believe and forget technology, stress, and the responsibilities of life. Now, it seems normal to drag everyday life into the theater, with little to no regard for others and their lack of interest in hearing about it as they are here to forget just those things, at least for a little while. 

In the meantime, theaters have become a strange mix of arcades, birthday party rooms, and VIP theaters in an attempt to cater to everyone. However, attendance is still low, and some paying public treat the theater like they are at home. I’ve been to many advanced screenings; some require you to turn over your phone before entering to eliminate the risk of leaked content. Are we to the point that handing over our phones should be done for every showing of every movie? 

I still love the theatrical experience, especially with family or friends, and some movies are just not the same unless you see them on the big screen. I still visit my old neighborhood movie house when I can, a call back to days of monster movies, fish and chips, and the comic store. Great memories. Theaters are in trouble; there is no question about it, but they are attempting to change and morph into something that stays relevant in the eyes of the younger generation. The question remains: will they embrace it and make a true theatrical experience with the rest of the crowd, or continue to see it as just another distraction in their day?

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