Things you miss in film...

[Warped9]

I miss cartoons and other film shorts that made you laugh before the feature. I miss not having to watch commercials of which I already see plenty of at home on television. I miss not being deafened by over-the-top audio punctuated by moments where I can barely hear what's being said. I also don't need to feel the theatre vibrating as well as sound reverberating through my head and chest to enjoy a film. I miss actors who could enunciate rather than mumble their dialogue and thus I could understand what is being said. I miss not getting a headache because some dumbass director thinks a shaky-cam is amazing. I miss delicious and genuinely hot old style movie popcorn instead of the bland and overpriced room temperature stuff they now peddle.

In counterpoint I don't miss the cramped, school room type seating we used to have in theatres. The current armchair like theatre seats with decent leg room and stadium style seating is a big improvement over the cramped affairs we used to have.

 

[Shazam!]

Damsels in distress

 

[The Laughing Vulcan]

I actually miss the old cramped fleapits, and think the armchair culture is what is killing cinema now.

When I was younger, people used to go to the cinema to watch movies. That was the whole point. It wasn't the seating, it wasn't the ambience, it wasn't even the technical brilliance of the audio and visual side. My local cinema used to charge between 3 and 5 pounds to watch a movie, popcorn was around a pound. That was it, we went to watch a film.

Our University had the use of a theatre, and the cinema society would get all the old prints from the summer showings, and screen them once a week during Semester. The ticket was a pound. Students crammed into a theatre, cheek by jowl, sod health and safety, we were sitting in the stairs, standing room only, but what a community experience! Focus was optional, we'd take bets at which point of the evening the film would snap, and throwing popcorn at the screen was compulsory. I still remember watching The Doors at that cinema, a film that I hate, but it was still far more enjoyable than any cinema experience I've had recently.

Now, it's all about the 'experience'. People go and make a night of it. You can have an armchair experience just like at home, isolated from the plebes. Pay a little extra for 3D. I'm sorry, that film isn't available in 2D. Would you like snacks, or would you prefer hot food. Beer in a glass. How civilised. Fuck off!

I just came here to watch a film. £20 for the seat, £5 for the beer, £10 for the food. Fucking popcorn costs £5 now. Chocolates cost twice as much as they do in the shop across the street, but taking in your own food is prohibited, the cinema reserves the right to eject you, prosecute you, and bar you from any cinema in its chain if you dare to break their illegal policy.

You're out of pocket by some £30 odd quid before you even see the opening credits. And what are you watching? A Michael Fucking Bay film. And then someone's mobile goes off. Some twat talks all the way through the film, some dozy Essex girl brings a wailing baby to an 18 rated film. The community feeling's gone, all that's left is a cinema full of antisocial wankers who all think that they're at home watching the thing on DVD. And Hollywood churns out the same identikit, put together by committee bullshit, year in, year out. The last time I remember watching something inspirational and original, exciting, something that felt worthwhile watching as a movie, was Pulp Fiction. And yeah, I watched it in a fleapit.

I'd much rather be at home now, having waited instead for the DVD release, which costs me half the price, and I get a better experience...

Bring back cheap cinemas I say, and you'll get the audience back.

 

[Itisnotlogical]

I miss when people realized that making an allegory about [insert done-to-death controversial issue here] did not automatically create an entertaining and interesting movie. For example, Avatar, which was pretty much Dances with Wolves with CGI so that people would be interested in paying to watch a movie that had already been written, produced and released in 1990.

 

[Warped9]

I actually miss the old cramped fleapits, and think the armchair culture is what is killing cinema now.

When I was younger, people used to go to the cinema to watch movies. That was the whole point. It wasn't the seating, it wasn't the ambience, it wasn't even the technical brilliance of the audio and visual side. My local cinema used to charge between 3 and 5 pounds to watch a movie, popcorn was around a pound. That was it, we went to watch a film.

Our University had the use of a theatre, and the cinema society would get all the old prints from the summer showings, and screen them once a week during Semester. The ticket was a pound. Students crammed into a theatre, cheek by jowl, sod health and safety, we were sitting in the stairs, standing room only, but what a community experience! Focus was optional, we'd take bets at which point of the evening the film would snap, and throwing popcorn at the screen was compulsory. I still remember watching The Doors at that cinema, a film that I hate, but it was still far more enjoyable than any cinema experience I've had recently.

Now, it's all about the 'experience'. People go and make a night of it. You can have an armchair experience just like at home, isolated from the plebes. Pay a little extra for 3D. I'm sorry, that film isn't available in 2D. Would you like snacks, or would you prefer hot food. Beer in a glass. How civilised. Fuck off!

I just came here to watch a film. £20 for the seat, £5 for the beer, £10 for the food. Fucking popcorn costs £5 now. Chocolates cost twice as much as they do in the shop across the street, but taking in your own food is prohibited, the cinema reserves the right to eject you, prosecute you, and bar you from any cinema in its chain if you dare to break their illegal policy.

You're out of pocket by some £30 odd quid before you even see the opening credits. And what are you watching? A Michael Fucking Bay film. And then someone's mobile goes off. Some twat talks all the way through the film, some dozy Essex girl brings a wailing baby to an 18 rated film. The community feeling's gone, all that's left is a cinema full of antisocial wankers who all think that they're at home watching the thing on DVD. And Hollywood churns out the same identikit, put together by committee bullshit, year in, year out. The last time I remember watching something inspirational and original, exciting, something that felt worthwhile watching as a movie, was Pulp Fiction. And yeah, I watched it in a fleapit.

I'd much rather be at home now, having waited instead for the DVD release, which costs me half the price, and I get a better experience...

Bring back cheap cinemas I say, and you'll get the audience back.

Awesome rant! And I mean that as a compliment.

Seriously last weekend when I went to see Captain America (a film I quite enjoyed) I was shocked that the cost of a small drink and popcorn was more than the ticket to get into the theatre. In the fall and winter I make a point of bringing in a can of pop in my coat and sometimes a can of Pringles. It's a lot cheaper.

It's true that today you can have just as enjoyable an experience (if not more so) seeing a film on your big screen at home. The cinema experience ain't what it used to be. These days I reserve my theatre going for visual spectacles. The King's Speech was a good film, but not the kind that needs to be seen on the big screen. I'm glad I saw Captain America on the big screen. Same with The Wolf Man last year.

 

[RandyS]

Damsels in distress

Agreed.

 

[auntiehill]

I miss people actually going to the theater to, you know, WATCH A MOVIE. Instead, the audience is texting, talking, running up and down the stairs to get refills on the pig-trough sized popcorn, etc.

I miss the theaters actually giving a damn if the print is damaged or the sound out of synch. In fact, I'd be happy if some theaters would just check that the movie was indeed RUNNING.

I miss being excited by the prospect of a new film. I miss the sense of joy I felt as a kid, when we sat outside for hours to see the latest Indiana Jones or Star Wars film. The people in line were happy, relatively nice to one another, and thought it was a special event.

I miss the excitement people felt when going to the movies, instead of viewing it as a brief, insignificant distraction from playing with their God damn cell phones.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go shake my fist in the air and tell the neighborhood kids to get off my lawn.

 

[Harvey]

I miss 35mm. Digital projection just isn't the same, and digital IMAX is no substitute for the celluloid alternative.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Plot.

 

[Christopher]

I miss opening credits -- being told who the actors and key production staff are before the film starts rather than having to wait until the end.

I miss the classic style of film music, melodic and motif-driven rather than sonic wallpaper, although there are some composers today who still deliver that (notably Michael Giacchino).

 

[RandyS]

I miss people actually going to the theater to, you know, WATCH A MOVIE. Instead, the audience is texting, talking, running up and down the stairs to get refills on the pig-trough sized popcorn, etc.

I miss the theaters actually giving a damn if the print is damaged or the sound out of synch. In fact, I'd be happy if some theaters would just check that the movie was indeed RUNNING.

I miss being excited by the prospect of a new film. I miss the sense of joy I felt as a kid, when we sat outside for hours to see the latest Indiana Jones or Star Wars film. The people in line were happy, relatively nice to one another, and thought it was a special event.

I miss the excitement people felt when going to the movies, instead of viewing it as a brief, insignificant distraction from playing with their God damn cell phones.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go shake my fist in the air and tell the neighborhood kids to get off my lawn.

Cuss the little fuckers out for me, will you?

And I agree with everything you said.

 

[Avalon]

I miss being able to tell what's going on during a fight scene. Most are made up of such quick, choppy cuts that I wonder why they even bothered to choreograph the damned thing.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I miss people actually going to the theater to, you know, WATCH A MOVIE. Instead, the audience is texting, talking, running up and down the stairs to get refills on the pig-trough sized popcorn, etc.

I miss the theaters actually giving a damn if the print is damaged or the sound out of synch. In fact, I'd be happy if some theaters would just check that the movie was indeed RUNNING.

I miss being excited by the prospect of a new film. I miss the sense of joy I felt as a kid, when we sat outside for hours to see the latest Indiana Jones or Star Wars film. The people in line were happy, relatively nice to one another, and thought it was a special event.

I miss the excitement people felt when going to the movies, instead of viewing it as a brief, insignificant distraction from playing with their God damn cell phones.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go shake my fist in the air and tell the neighborhood kids to get off my lawn.

I solve the Jackass Problem by only going to movies on weekdays, during the day, long after the movie has opened and sloughed off the early crowds. (Obviously, this limits my theater-based movie viewing to maybe three a year.)

As for the Event Movie problem, well, Star Trek movies are event movies for me...

 

[gh4chiefs]

I miss not being deafened by over-the-top audio punctuated by moments where I can barely hear what's being said.

Boy isn't that the truth. I just don't understand what goes through the sound engineer's head when they setup the audio tracks.

On and in the spirit of this thread, I miss John Wayne.

 

[Warped9]

I miss people actually going to the theater to, you know, WATCH A MOVIE. Instead, the audience is texting, talking, running up and down the stairs to get refills on the pig-trough sized popcorn, etc.

I miss the theaters actually giving a damn if the print is damaged or the sound out of synch. In fact, I'd be happy if some theaters would just check that the movie was indeed RUNNING.

I miss being excited by the prospect of a new film. I miss the sense of joy I felt as a kid, when we sat outside for hours to see the latest Indiana Jones or Star Wars film. The people in line were happy, relatively nice to one another, and thought it was a special event.

I miss the excitement people felt when going to the movies, instead of viewing it as a brief, insignificant distraction from playing with their God damn cell phones.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go shake my fist in the air and tell the neighborhood kids to get off my lawn.

Yes.

I miss opening credits -- being told who the actors and key production staff are before the film starts rather than having to wait until the end.

I miss the classic style of film music, melodic and motif-driven rather than sonic wallpaper, although there are some composers today who still deliver that (notably Michael Giacchino).

Yes.

I miss being able to tell what's going on during a fight scene. Most are made up of such quick, choppy cuts that I wonder why they even bothered to choreograph the damned thing.

Yes.

 

[Mr Silver]

Since I'm part of the younger generation (I'm in my early 20's), i've not been witness to some of the experiences you guys are discussing here. Although I can understand, when I was younger we could go watch a movie in 35mm (no digital, which added to the experience) for a few quid AND smuggle in contraband (considerably cheaper food and drink). Films were actually still pretty good back then, even NEM was actually resonably enjoyable on the big screen!

Everything is really messy at the moment. I just cannot grasp the concept of this 3D crap. Fair enough, I've not actually bothered to watch these newer movies in 3D, but thats because its not going to make any difference to me. I like movies in 2D, I'm quite happy with them and these films that they tell you to see in 3D are usually ones lacking severly in plot. I've always had an ecletic movie taste, but I really dislike most modern "popcorn" movies. They bore me and contain a redundant supply of cliches. One of the last movies I went to see at a cinema was District 9 and despite it being a pretty decent film, it was too SFX driven and lacked those certain touches that similar, earlier efforts had provided.

Acting has become stale as of recently. There really doesn't seem to be any of those great actors/actresses starring in the popular movies. Back in the day you had your Brandos, Pacinos, De Niros, Nicholsons, Hepburns, Taylors and Fondas. Those actors really worked their craft and it still shows decades later. Back in their day they got all the big movies because film was about art and acclaim. Movies made money for the right reasons and not because of aggressive marketing campaigns (Avatar) or multiple sequels living off the attention generated by the first in the series (Saw).

It seems to me that most movies at the moment are trying to outdo each other in production, action scenes and profit and because of this they lose sight of the important things such as creating a good story or a movie that lives up to its expectations.

The Academy Awards often go to movies that are named "Oscar Bait" because they are essentially made with the intention (even if its not the primary goal, its definitely on the list) of being nominated for (and winning) Academy Awards. Some movies are even referred to as "sure fire oscar material" and "insert actor puts on a winning performance" as part of the marketing campaign! Gone are the days when stuff like this could go any way, now it seems some movies are tipped before the Academy even sits down and nominates them!

 

[Christopher]

I miss being able to tell what's going on during a fight scene. Most are made up of such quick, choppy cuts that I wonder why they even bothered to choreograph the damned thing.

That's what's so cool about Serenity. Lots of long, uncut master takes of Summer Glau's fight sequences, really showing off her athletic skill. Whedon understands the value of a master take (there's a fantastic one running throughout the opening credits of the film), which is a good sign for The Avengers.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Smooth editing.

Master shots of action scenes.

Shots that last longer than two frames.

Rich deep colours, un(de)graded.

 

[Gepard]

I miss being able to tell what's going on during a fight scene. Most are made up of such quick, choppy cuts that I wonder why they even bothered to choreograph the damned thing.

I absolutely despised "Battle: LA" for that exact reason. And the framing was so tight in every shot there was no context for the giant eyes, noses and pieces of random rubble flashing across the screen. I literally couldn't tell what the fuck was supposed to be happening at any point during the titular battles.

I also miss kitbashed model work, of the old-school 1970s and 1980s ILM mode. CG is making strides in that direction, but even the best 3D models just don't pack as much detail into every nook and cranny as the thousands of tank, plane and truck kit parts on the old Star Wars and BSG models. This just makes my mouth water.

 

[23skidoo]

I miss BIG theatres. Not these glorified home theatre set ups that pass as multiplexes. I remember seeing movies on screens designed for Cinerama - it was incredible.

I miss not having to worry about whether I'll be unable to see a film because it's only available in 3-D. And when I do see the 2-D version, having to put up with a dingy, dark picture because the bastards were too cheap to swap out the 3-D projector lens for a proper 2-D one. (Happened when I went to see Deathly Hallows this past weekend.)

I miss $2 Tuesdays. A decade-15 years ago, movie theatres often had discount nights and I'd catch up on a lot of movies that way. You still find discount theatres, but you get what you pay for in terms of picture and sound quality. Not to mention quality of audience member. For some reason it was better before.

I miss ushers who gave a s*it and actually did something if someone cranked up their cellphone or brought a 2 year old in to see a horror movie and the kid freaks.

I miss when they actually made commercials especially for movie theatres. They didn't just play ones you saw on TV, but you'd actually get the occasional ad with big-name stars that you would never see on TV.

Alex