In a past article I mentioned that among other things, one of the reasons that people no longer enjoy going out to see a movie is the showing of commercials before a movie starts. The movie industry has been in a slump this year, but of course instead of looking to themselves, they point the finger everywhere else. Instead of reflecting that perhaps commercials before movies, product placement, blaringly loud volume and just plain crappy movies are the problem, they blame it on things like movie pirating.
Well maybe things will finally start turning around. According to MovieWeb, it seems that someone involved in the business has actually finally gone out and seen a movie at a movie theater. 
Robert J. Dowling (publisher of the Hollywood Reporter), attended a movie last weekend and stated that he and his wife were:
“…assaulted with one inane commercial after another. Not commercials that are geared to movie fans, but ads for television shows, telephones, soft drinks, credit cards — seemingly every product on the market. And I could not stop thinking about how this onslaught of commercials was coming after we’d paid $20 for our senior tickets plus what we ordered at the snack stand. On and on the commercials went. They were loud, annoying, distracting, and, above all, they totally ruined that transcendent feeling you look forward to when you’re just about to watch a movie.”
No, really? Welcome to our world, buddy.
He said that the big selling point of movie theaters is that they give people the opportunity to see films on a big screen…
“But I caution theater owners and managers not to be so sure that even the biggest movie buffs won’t eventually prefer to pay what it takes to watch a film at home without all the incredibly loud and annoying advertising.”
Amen.
Do you think maybe he’s the first industry guy to actually go see a movie at a regular showing instead of a preview screening?
If you’re interested in this topic, here are some resources for you:
PetitionOnline.com
NoMovieAds.com
CaptiveAudience.org
Chris Hemsworth Talks ‘Thor 2′; Mads Mikkelsen Circling Villain Role [Updated] 
‘Walking Dead’ Season 3 Preview Reveals The Prison & Michonne [Updated] 
‘Iron Man 3′ Begins Production; Secures Increased Budget 
‘G.I. Joe 2′ Pushed Back to March 2013 for 3D Conversion 
Loading ...
Typical… “little people” like us bellyache to anyone who will listen, and nothing happens. But when a really important person gets irked at the exact same things, suddenly it’s a headline. That guy Dowling reacted with shock as if this is something new, but it has been going on for years. Anyone who bothered going to an actual theater would know that.
This year’s slump is primarily because most of the movies coming out are crap (which has become a very disturbing trend). The increasing costs are primarily because all these prima donna actors insist on getting paid $20 million a movie, whether it makes money or not. Why do studios even agree to that? They’re carefully planning their own demise, and they don’t even seem to realize it. Whether people watch movies at the theater or at home, the studios can still benefit, but not if they keep raising prices above what the market will bear.
Brian
You just made me think about what it used to cost to go to a sports event vs. what it costs today… I wonder if the same thing will happen to going to the movies? It certainly seems to be heading that way.
Vic
Let’s see $20 to take your girlfriend to a movie (no ice cream, no popcorn, and an overall empty feeling afterward) or, play miniature golf and ice cream, rent a movie (which i still find hard to stomach usually) and order out, walk in the park, etc… Not only do I remember when movies were cheaper, but i remember when they had student discounts. I also remember when the quality of entertainment was better. Pretty much anything before the 90s is worth watching. I think this is because of the advances in technology. You can not substitute special effects for substance. Don’t get me wrong there are some good movies made today. But they are rare. But rather than gamble and see if a movie is good for $20 and 2.5 hours of my time, I’ll wait. I’ll wait to find it in the bargain bin. You know, all these movies wind up being $7 on dvd after about a year from being in the theater. That’s just when they might be worth my time! Just as I have found other things to do with my time so will others eventually.