I am confused, are you talking about live action theatre vs. cinema, cause I don't remember THAT version of Driving Miss Daisy.
Hmmm...
Spielberg Predicts 'Implosion' of Film Industry
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I am confused, are you talking about live action theatre vs. cinema, cause I don't remember THAT version of Driving Miss Daisy.
Hmmm...
^Yes, Driving Miss Daisy was a play before it was a movie. James Earl Jones has been playing Hoke since the 2010 Broadway revival, though there he was paired with Vanessa Redgrave.
I figured... just wasn't sure what interjecting live theatre had to do with discussing movie matinees... boggles my mind.
On the subject of mantinees, I usually work evenings or nights, so being able to see a movie in the middle of the day is awesome. They lower the price to try and drag more people in, but overall I agree it is a weird philosophy.
That said my local 1st run charges $5 for a matinee and $7 for a regular ticket, so I can't complain. The big OMIPLEX downtown is like $13 a movie.
The lower price is an incentive to draw more customers in during a weak time of the day for sales. What's so weird about that?
I wonder what the break-even threshold is for a screening — the number of butts in seats vs. the cost of paying an employee to run the film, employee(s) to clean the theater after a screening, electricity, etc. I just bring that up because most matinees I go to — even the ones during opening weekend — seem pretty sparsely attended, and that's at a reduced ticket price.
Some of us don't like going out at night, this, coupled with the cheaper admission fee, makes the matinee a better experience all around.
Simple, and not weird at all.
I don't know how common they were elsewhere, or if any are still around, but 20-30 years ago, a town I lived in had a couple of "cinema and brew"-type theaters, where the seating was more like a bar and you could order short order food (like chicken strips and french fries) and drinks (including alcoholic ones) from your table. I liked it.
It didn't necessarily come with improved patron behavior, though. I distinctly remember an occasion when I saw STVI in one of these establishments....During the mind-meld interrogation of Valeris, a customer shouted out, "F**K HER, SPOCK!"
I don't understand why you don't understand different prices for different times.
The cinemas around here has $6 all day Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Why? Because no one goes and watches then. It's supply and demand. Less demand during the day, cheaper prices. It's basic economics.
I already can't afford to take my kids to the movies. Admission and snacks for 4 of us already runs $100. We go to maybe 2 a year. A summer blockbuster and a christmas one. I think the way to get more money into the theatres is to drop the price and not raise it.
making actual good movies might work too.
making actual good movies might work too.
Au contraire, the cheaper prices for films during the daytime IS capitalism in action. During the day, less people go to the cinema than during the primetime evening hours of Friday night and Saturday night, therefore the lower price is an incentive to fill the empty seats. Some of the movie theaters around here advertise a "tight-wad Tuesday" incentive, where the films are $5 all day, or the dollar theater will sell tickets to second run films for 50 cents instead of a dollar on Tuesdays. (Tuesdays are typically the slowest day of the week for the theater).
Pretty standard concept.
DID YOU KNOW?
Amusement parks typically charge less for admittance late in the evening than if you showed up at 10am when the park opens?
And that some bars with live bands typically stop charging cover towards the end of the night (I've been to a few that don't, and that's bullshit! I didn't get to hear any of the live band play)! Some bars will even let you in early to eat dinner, and NOT charge you cover to hear the live band?
Grocery stores will discount food items with expiration dates of today or tomorrow? Bakeries will sell day-old bread at reduced rates?
It costs the same to run a movie no matter how many people watch it. At a time when few people come to begin with, lowering the price makes it more likely for more to come. The prices of concessions aren't lowered during matinées. If people save money on the admission, they are more likely to spring for concessions.
I agree with what's been said above. During normal working hours, most people are at work. So that's why cinema ticket prives are cheaper supply exceed demand. I'd much rather goto a daytime screening, when the cinema is quiet(er) and I can enjoy my film in relative peace.
Why are you being so pedantic?
It's cheaper so to encourage people to come, you know, on a Wednesday afternoon. You know, to make it more attractive.
It seems to work, I know one of the reasons I choose a matinee is because it's cheaper.
I don't know this is so hard to understand. Just because it's different?
^ What he said.
I'd imagine there is a great market for theatres showing Oscar-bait movies with slightly expensive a la carte dinner, for posh ignorant people. Of course the space would have to be designed very well for it to work.
On the other hand, pre-release screenings for any movie with an established cult following, including blockbusters, could sell for pretty high prices too, as long as they give exclusive merchandise (must!). I don't know what I could be capable of paying, for the next Lars von Trier, David Lynch or Nicholas Winding Refn movie.
The anime industry is an extreme example of a very small number of insane people paying 60$ for every 2-episode volume on Blu-Ray, that they already saw on tv for free, and then buying as much merchandise as they can afford. I don't know what kind of movies could work on a similar principle though. It'd have to be people who live and breathe the genre. Some goth thing maybe?
On the other hand, pre-release screenings for any movie with an established cult following, including blockbusters, could sell for pretty high prices too, as long as they give exclusive merchandise (must!). I don't know what I could be capable of paying, for the next Lars von Trier, David Lynch or Nicholas Winding Refn movie.
The anime industry is an extreme example of a very small number of insane people paying 60$ for every 2-episode volume on Blu-Ray, that they already saw on tv for free, and then buying as much merchandise as they can afford. I don't know what kind of movies could work on a similar principle though. It'd have to be people who live and breathe the genre. Some goth thing maybe?
Because only "posh ignorant people" might like other kinds of movies besides Wizards, Superheroes and car crashes?
^The term "Oscar-bait" should explain my point perfectly well.
I'm looking forward to that poignant movie about car crashes in America by Lars von Trier now.
I'm looking forward to that poignant movie about car crashes in America by Lars von Trier now.
No. It really doesn't. What do you mean by "Oscar-bait?" Because great movies like The King's Speech wouldn't appeal to teenagers, great movie for a dinner and a movie theater, might be considered "Oscar Bait" by people who only want kewl explosions in their movies.
Now, I agree there are movies that are made to get a star an Oscar... But not all movies for adults are "Oscar bait."
Just trying to get a hold of what you mean by "posh ignorant people"
Let's not forget that in the past there were premium "roadshow" film presentations and then standard moviehouse shows, so two-tiered pricing goes back to the 50s at least.
If theaters could charge less per ticket for less popular films they might well put more butts in seats, sell more concessions, and actually make more money, but the way the distribution deals are done this isn't typically possible.
If theaters could charge less per ticket for less popular films they might well put more butts in seats, sell more concessions, and actually make more money, but the way the distribution deals are done this isn't typically possible.
^^I made a dig at people who would mainly watch that kind of movies because of perceived 'fine'-ness. In reality, most customers would probably be perfectly aware the movie isn't as good as it could be, as the explosion fans are, as long as the movie's portion of the price isn't high. I'm alarmed by the thought of someone actually paying 25$ for a random movie, dinner paid seperately