Our family went out to see “March of the Penguins” today. We payed $45CDN – $30 for the tickets (there were 3 of us), and $16 for a bag of popcorn and three drinks.
Well, the movie was swell. It’s a 1.5 hour documentary on the life of a penguin tribe in the Antarctic. Was it worth the $45? Nah – not really. Don’t get me wrong – it was a good movie. Just not the $45. (Overall Rating: 7.9/10).
But what I found interesting, is that before the movie I was treated to 5 minutes worth of television ads. I clocked it with my watch. Five. Whole. Minutes. That doesn’t even count the advertisements for up-and-coming new movies.
Here I am, we payed $45… certainly we deserve to get an ad-free experience? I mean, do they really need the extra money that these advertisements can generate?
I remember a time (few years ago) when such ads for Mazda, Coke, Pepsi did not exist. You got in, watched the trailers for new films, and got to the movies. Films were cheaper too, at $6 a person. So what has changed? Why suddenly are we paying much more than the increase due to inflation? And so insulted by feeding us ads like that?
Soon – mark my words – movies will cost $15 per person, and will be interrupted by ads throughout the movie. Like television today. Mark my words.
No wonder piracy is increasing. Spending money to watch ads – really.
Comments
One response to “Theatre Experience.”
In Los Angeles, you can find theatres for $10 or $8. If you find the $8 movie, you have to pay $5 for a small popcorn. So…… If you go to the movies by yourself, you pay $8 plus $5 for small popcorn and, if you are like me, $5 for a large drink. That is $18 for one person and all the ads and previews you can take. I can buy and own the movie, even legit, for less than that. Take someone with you like you did and you could save a little on refillable popcorn, but as you say, a total ripoff. That’s why I have only been to the movies once in three months.