Obviously I can't speak for Germany but here in America I think it is different. From what I understand cinemas are in trouble at least to some extent. Yes, this is anecdotal, but I can say that there are probably 2/3 less theaters where I live then when I was a kid. They've all closed down over the years. Anecdotal too of course is the fact that I haven't gone to a movie theater in years and neither have most of my friends. The only ones who seem to go that I know are parents with kids who always go to matinees or teens who are hanging out there anyways because that is what teens do. And the parents that go to the matinees wouldn't be caught dead paying $15 or even $20 bucks a person after ticket and goodies. It is too expensive. Add on to that that the IMAX and 3D fad seems to be wearing off and movie theaters are in a real pinch. They'll have to lower prices because nobody in his or her right mind is going to pay 15 or bucks to see a regular movie when it can be streamed for 5 bucks at home. Theaters in the long term are screwed.
I know very few people who gave up going to the movies (and none of them downloads movies, they are all just not that fanatic) and as I said, weekends the big cineplexes are packed with people, primarily between 16 and 40, dressing up, going as couples or in big groups of friends. It's the thing to do on weekends, I suppose. That goes for 3D films too, by the way. Even the small theaters that show the somewhat more artsy and obscure films do survive. I can't think of more than one movie theater in an area of 100 km that closed down in the last 20 years.
The question is, whether the trend you and DomA describe for the US is really entirely to blame on piracy. But yeah, I do get the impression the huge majority of college kids watch the films on their comp.
i ask because we pretty much only get hollywood here in the states unless you are lucky enough to have a theater that shows indie films in your city. but even then, those theaters have a very devoted following and are usually packed on weekends from my own personal experience. i know that europe has the british, french and german film industries, and i'm sure other countries have their own as well but those three are the ones that seem the most likely to compete with hollywood for big budget cinema.
The multiplexes pretty much stick to the Hollywood blockbusters, unless they have enough rooms to add something obscure here or there. Then there are the smaller theaters with a mix of both, or films that may be a couple of weeks old. And the arthouses with only stuff for the 50 year old academic couple Somehow all of them seem to survive currently.
I'd say we have around 5 German films each year doing reasonably well at the box office, and maybe one or two from other European countries, the rest is all Hollywood or the bigger British productions.
*MySmiley*
You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.
You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.
You will never kill piracy, and piracy will never kill you
05/02/2012 06:56:57 PM
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The article both raises good points and is full of shit
05/02/2012 11:36:25 PM
- 595 Views
Re: The article both raises good points and is full of shit
06/02/2012 02:11:38 AM
- 521 Views
Then it really seems to differ between our countries
06/02/2012 10:52:39 AM
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What are your ticket prices? *NM*
06/02/2012 12:53:04 PM
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Between 5 (students or special offers) and 10 - 11 Euro for 3D films. *NM*
06/02/2012 01:12:08 PM
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With the exchange rate, that sounds fairly comparable to my local area.
06/02/2012 04:20:18 PM
- 375 Views
are those theaters all hollywood movies or from european studios?
06/02/2012 03:01:37 PM
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Both, basically
06/02/2012 04:55:36 PM
- 520 Views
I just want to comment on a couple things. I feel like you're a little bit behind the times.
06/02/2012 05:23:40 AM
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Well, call me old-fashioned but I think that'll be my preference for a while now.
06/02/2012 10:36:41 AM
- 456 Views
It's not just a matter of taste when one technology is demonstrably superior.
06/02/2012 04:04:27 PM
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Re: It's not just a matter of taste when one technology is demonstrably superior.
06/02/2012 04:27:09 PM
- 355 Views
My age is gonna show even more in the next reply, but here we go
06/02/2012 06:25:09 PM
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Re: My age is gonna show even more in the next reply, but here we go
06/02/2012 08:13:48 PM
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Re: My age is gonna show even more in the next reply, but here we go
06/02/2012 11:04:21 PM
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I did not ask for alternative LAWS, Obama did; I merely quoted him, and this article mentions no law
07/02/2012 04:50:14 AM
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you're confusing the issue
07/02/2012 06:22:30 AM
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No, I am clarifying the issue.
07/02/2012 06:54:40 AM
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again, you are taking the wrong approach
07/02/2012 03:57:03 PM
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I disagree, and there are factual errors in your statements.
07/02/2012 07:36:16 PM
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actually, there are not
08/02/2012 04:15:09 AM
- 377 Views
Yeah, actually there are.
09/02/2012 01:53:02 AM
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Re: Yeah, actually there are.
10/02/2012 04:11:10 AM
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Technically, the first point is true, but I disagree the distinction is important in terms of piracy
12/02/2012 01:09:01 AM
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Without realizing Joel, you're getting closer and closer to some of our views...
12/02/2012 09:24:22 AM
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To a large extent my issue is with means rather than ends.
13/02/2012 09:45:39 AM
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Re: No, I am clarifying the issue.
07/02/2012 07:52:42 PM
- 440 Views
It is not the same as taping an album for a friend.
09/02/2012 01:18:42 AM
- 486 Views