Those who have eyes have likely noticed that the movie industry is hurting. Box office sales have been plummeting. That is a way of saying that they are losing money.
As I have said many times before, I am not the expert, but some things are casual to the most obvious observer. It is interesting to note that theaters continued to draw crowds during the worst of the depression, which seems to reduce the concept that it is economic.
Certainly TV has had a lot to do with it. At first, it could be totally ignored. The screens of televisions were small and strictly black and white. Also, only the theaters had the latest and best shows. Finally, the movie theater had a certain thing, a magic to them.
For this reason, people were willing to pay the 10 or 15 cents of the day. However, as time passed, the TVs grew larger, and then came color. Even so, the movie industry grew. However, they were looking for newer, different plots. They started pushing the envelope as to what they would show and say. Innuendos became less implied and more, outright plain.
Eventually, of course they reached the point where they said anything and showed everything. It was the advantage they still had over TV, which was still regulated by the FCC.
Then came cable and suddenly, anything that was on the big screen could be seen on the small screen. Now, if not before, for sure now, the movie industry had some real competition.
Still, in spite of it all, they were managing, though I suspect even then, it had begun its failure. While there was a day, a family could afford the occasional night at the theater, not so much anymore. The 50 cent tickets of my youth had risen to ten and fifteen dollars. When you’re taking a family of 6, many times the decision is made to wait a few months for the movie to go to cable or even broadcast TV.
This all brings me to the final two blows that just almost hit at the same time. First there is the loss of substance. I think I have counted 3 versions of the OK Corral; maybe 4 or 5 of the the Alamo. How many times has the Titanic been sunk. I know the Poseiden has gone down at least twice.
The other problem originated in a lab in China and litterally destroyed people, businesses and who knows knows what all. It very well might have sounded the death knell to the, so called, siver screen.
So it is that after nearly a century of shining the big spot lights on themselves, the industry, as it is, will likely go under.
Is it salvageable? I don’t know. I used to frequent the theater. I went to see Sound of Music 4 times at the Fox Wilshire. It was reported that there was one woman who saw the movie once a day for the 4 years of the exclusive run at the Fox Wilshire. She had the entire script commited to memory.
Nonetheless, the movie had tremendous success. People were willing to pay the price to see it, sometimes multiple times because it was a good movie, which was done very well. And, by the way, it had no profanity or nudity. Was it the best movie of all time. I don’t know. However, it certainly was one of the most successful.
It is solid proof that profanity and nudity is not nearly as successful as good quality and material.
It has been years now since I’ve gone to the theater. I have been waiting for a good movie. It would seem that Hollywood has been so busy taking bows after the horrid recently made stuff, that they seem to have forgotten that attractive leading acters is but one small part of a success.
The one thing I do find interesting is that for just about a century, they have made huge advances in equipment and special effects while the plots and dialog have been taking a nosedive.
Bottom line. People will not return to the theater until the theaters start providing something worth paying for. Recently, I have not seen anything worth the 5 dollars of yesteryear, let alone the current prices.
