The numbers are in and it has been said that 2011 was the worst year for the box office in sixteen years. The movie industry has sold approximately 1.28 billion tickets in North America this year totaling at about $10.2 billion in box office receipts. Is that good? I'll let you be the judge. It certainly sounds good, but truth be told, this was 3.5% down from 2010's box office performance and since around 2002 box office numbers have been gradually decreasing. Numerous factors could play a roll in this. After much thought, analysis, and overall contemplating, I've came to the conclusion that there are five major aspects that prevent people from seeking out the local theater.
I've always been a movie lover since my entrance to the world in 1996. I wasn't raised in a cinema nor was I taught to worship it. I taught myself to like it. I've said before when I was young I used to cut little pictures of movie advertisements out of the newspaper and tape them to a notebook, creating my own personal scrapbook. I also started extensively collecting DVDs in 2003 and still do to this day. My point is that I visit the theater, with my mother, rarely my father, sometimes my uncle, more than the average person. I'd say about three times a month. Looking over 2011, I can say that I have seen thirty-three movies in the theater over the course of the year. I'd say the average family of three seeks out about, maybe, three a year. That's just my personal assumption. This year was exceptionally unique for me because of the fact that I saw a ton of independent films I wouldn't have normally sought after. Films like The Art of Getting By, The Artist, and The Way surprised me by their availability and I immediately put them as my top priority to see in theaters. Going to the movies isn't necessarily a treat or a form of escapism, to me, as it is more of a requirement and a choice. The job I want in the future, a film critic, requires me to see the latest films and form an opinion on them. I see it as a priority of mine to stay updated on the current films and make an effort to see them. More often than not, I see the 3D ones in 3D so I can say I saw the film in the filmmaker's intentions.
But enough of me trying to reiterate my ambitions. Let's dive into the top five reasons why box office numbers have hit a slump in recent years.
1. Prices: Without a doubt, prices are the number one reason why people chose to wait for the DVD on certain films. This point will go hand-in-hand with a lot of other points bound for an appearance on this list. Prices at movie theaters are outlandish, and an extreme turnoff for people looking for a fun evening. I go to the movies before noon. Always. I believe once this year I went after noon, which was about 12:10pm, give or take. Before noon, it's $6 (+ $3, per glasses, for the obligatory 3D, when necessary). When my mom and I go to the theater together, there's $12 before we even enter the main stage. Now it's time for the real kicker; the concession stands.
My local theater's prices are about this from what I can research:
Small popcorn: $4.75
Medium popcorn: $5.75
Large popcorn: $6.75
Small drink: $3.75
Medium drink: $4.25
Large drink: $4.75
My mom and I split a medium soda and a medium bag of popcorn. So we've already drop $12 at the ticket window and another $10 on the concessions. That's a grand total of $22, about the price of a new DVD or Blu-Ray, give or take. It has become not only an outing at the movies, but a personal money commitment with the theater. Before you sit down in your seat, you've already given enough money to purchase the movie you are seeing on DVD or Blu-Ray. It's absurd. A close friend of mine in California says that if you attend the Disney Theater you easily drop $50 before sitting in your seat. Pure and utter nonsense. If the box office wants to see any form of increase, theaters need to lower concession prices.
2. Social Networking/Piracy: I think it's safe to say that illegally downloading movie numbers have increased over the years. Sites like ThePirateBay and other torrent sharing sites are at the height of their game now since prices at theaters have increased. Though I'm not for piracy, I can totally see why people do it. Face it. You can look up any movie you want on Google with the word "torrent" next to it and, boom, you have over a million results. Some people have asked me; why do you waste so much money on DVDs and theater trips since you have an internet connection that gives you access to thousands of movies? The real reason is because I don't want any trouble. I mainly don't want to give my computer a virus. To me, risking a computer virus is not worth it just for a free movie. Also, I've always been big on the idea of owning a film. If you pirate something online, you successfully have the film on your computer but do you own it? If you have something on a hard drive, to me, that doesn't feel like ownership.
But thanks to people who sit and pirate away on their computers, we now have two very deadly bills in Congress now called the Protect IP Act and SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act). These bills are trying to stop piracy, but in the current state they are in, they are too broadly worded and open for possibly compromising interpretation. I agree with the intentions of both bills since they are trying to rid the internet of stolen property, but I'm not going to extend this post to give you the overview on these bills. A quick search will let you in on everything you need to know. Or, to sign a petition fighting against these bills you can go to http://keepthewebopen.com
The other variable here is social networking, which takes some of the blame for Robert Zemeckis's monumental flop Mars Needs Moms. Because of the large amount of people on sites such as Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter, we now not only get opinions from film critics, but regular, everyday people who have opinions of films just like everyone else. Now you can just go on the internet and learn which movie is getting good reception or poor reception, which influences peoples' choices.
3. Theatrical to DVD Window: I feel this is a reason that gets shoved to the side and not brought to light nearly as much. Ever stop and think how quickly a movie is on DVD after it was out in theaters? Growing up, I remember if I missed a movie in theaters that I desperately wanted to see, it would be a travesty because not only would it take forever to come to DVD, I usually wouldn't even know the DVD release date until like a week before it was on the shelf. Now, I rely on sites like TheDigitalBits, DVD Active, and VideoETA to send emails when titles I'm interested in become available.
Take 30 Minutes or Less for example. It came out on August 13, 2011 to "theaters everywhere," and was on DVD November 29, 2011. This reason will contribute to my fifth crucial reason why the box office is failing. People think to themselves "is it worth our time to venture out to see this film when it will be on DVD in less than five months?" I can tell you right now that mentality came around with me when it was time to see Happy Feet Two, Moneyball, and The Rum Diary in theaters.
4. Netflix: This is a contribution to both the low DVD sales and the low box office revenue. Netflix is revolutionizing movie renting, and I am a proud customer even after the price hike. I only get DVDs and no longer get streaming because it wasn't very vital to me. It was good for TV shows, but not wholly necessary for me. Netflix has officially made it easier and less time consuming to rent DVDs. It's a simple process, no extra cost for postage. Simple name, simple concept. Now that it has been easier than ever to obtain a DVD copy of a film, why go to the theater anymore?
5. "Is it Worth it?" That is the question many people ask when going to the theater. Is it worth getting up, getting dressed, driving, parking, buying tickets, buying snacks, sitting down, and driving home? All of those merged together make the outing sound like a chore. Movie-going is a fun and unique experience, if a little pricy, but I can see why all those things appear to be a turnoff. This is a broad reason because numerous other points I've made in this blog factor in with this choice. Is it worth going out to the theater when the prices are high and the movie will be out on DVD in a matter of months? That is the question.
I am a firm believer theaters will be around for many, many more years. I am a believer that it is still fun and unique entertainment for all ages. Of course, some films I have seen this year like 50/50, Sanctum, and Take Me Home Tonight didn't require a theatrical viewing, but I still went. I still like to experience the atmosphere in its full capabilities. Movie-going, to me, will always be the number one form of public entertainment.
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