The way we watch movies is always evolving and changing. In older days only one movie at a time would show in a theater. People would sit there for hours watching tremendously long films (Gone with the Wind, anyone?). These films would be compete with intermissions and everything! As time went on theaters accummulated multiple screens, allowing the public to choose between a variety of films to watch. In 1977, VHS was made available to the public so that they could view films in their own homes. DVD's came out in 1997, followed by the most recent Blu-Ray which debuted in 2006. Video rental stores like Blockbuster and Hollywood Video were quite popular during the 1990's and 2000's. Their popularity has since died out and been claimed by new mediums. Now people can order movies on demand straight to their television, subscribe to NetFlix, and download films straight to their iPods - with no need to ever leave the house!
It seems as if video stores are a dying breed. Are the theaters next? To me there is something nostalgic about going to the movie theater and watching films on the big screen with an audience surrounding you. I would hate to lose that! With the convenience of streaming a movie onto one's TV, I wouldn't be suprised if the entire way we consume movies changed within the next few years.
First question: Which format do you use the most when you watch movies? Do you spend every weekend at the movie theater or do you prefer renting a red box at home? Or do you just like downloading them on iTunes and watching them on you iPod? Second question: Where do you see the future of the way we consume movies going? How long do you think video stores will be around for?
16 comments:
I usually use Redbox for movies. I think that although movies are becoming mostly digital and available more easily, movie theaters will still be around. There is something about going out in the evening to the movie theater with friends or love interest. Movie theaters are taking actions have digital quality video and sound and still have room to be with the times when it comes to creating an experience we enjoy.
I hardly ever watch movies—whether at home or at the theater. I feel as if there is too much to do in the day. While my free time may have been spent watching a film a few years ago, I now spend the little free time I have on the Internet—occasionally this does consist of pulling up a TV show on Hulu, but for the most part movies are no longer a large part of my life.
Everything changes so quickly in today’s society with all the new technology. Blockbuster has already gone out of business in several locations in Utah and I think those trends will continue as technology becomes more accessible from consumers’ homes.
until last week I was a avid netflixer. I would watch anywhere from 10 to sometimes 25 movies a month. because of the amount of movies that I watched going to the theater would have for sure consumed every last penny that I had. therefore I would wait until it came out to netflix and watch the movie that way. I believe this phenomenon is the way of the future and that unless tickets prices do not somehow become subsidized in anyway it will completely take over and movies theaters will go the way of the Drive-in.
Growing up, going to the movies was something my family did on Thanksgiving and sometimes for birthdays. Usually we would wait for films to come to video and then just rent them from our local video store down the street. I think this made going to the movies a special event for me, something I regarded as a treat. Today, I still don't go to a ton of movies, but I don't go to my local video store either. When I watch movies, I go to Red Box. It's convenient and easy. Although Red Box is getting so popular, I think people will always go to the movies, even if it's just for the experience of being in a theater filled with other people who are as enthusiastic about a film as they are.
On the weekends I like to Redbox a movie or borrow one from one of my friends. I do think movie rental stores are going out. Netflix and Redbox have completely changed that. However, I don't see theaters going out for a while. They have this whole feel to them that is totally different from a living room experience (or if you are an especially poor college student--a laptop experience). As a matter of fact, I think I'll go to the theater this weekend.
As for seeing movies, I would have to go with Red Box all the way, or the dollar theater :) I do prefer bigger name movies, or 3-d movies in the nicer seats though, and will "splurge" for some of those.
Movie stores are most likely all but gone in the next few years, but I hate not having something saved in more than one place, so I wouldn't love the idea of having to just save movies on my ipod or computer, I like having actual copies, so I would have to say it depends on the person.
I go to both the movie theater and redbox. The movie theater won't ever die down because there is something to be said about getting out of the house for a night out - and going to a movie is one of those things to enterain you. There are some nights you just want to stay home, though, and that's where redbox, comcast, and whatever else comes into play.
i think video stores are probably on their way out. Streaming is much easier and it is also very easy to connect a computer to a tv. Although it may be a while but I am sure that traditional movie renting will shift more toward a streaming format.
As with movie theatres I feel that they deliver an experience that cannot be matched at home and so for the time being I think they will stay. In addition, people are always willing to pay to have things early. There are lots of people who will always line up to see a movie in theatres.
I usually either watch movies in the theater or stream them on my laptop at home. I believe that the brick and mortar stores like blockbuster are going to disappear, shortly followed by any physical distribution process. Having a physical DVD that has to be returned, serviced, can get scratched etc is just not going to be worth it when digital media distribution online really gets cooking. However, movies on the silver screen will probably linger on as 3d seems to be giving a boost to the old fashioned ways of viewing movies. It remains to be seen whether people will continue to go to theaters in the same numbers that they have in the past tho.
My wife and I use Netflix on a consistent basis. It is so incredibly convenient. We live in a time where we love and expect things to be easy and quick and I feed into that notion. I expect within a day of me mailing me recently viewed movie via Netflix I will get my next request.
Since movie rental stores require leaving the confines of one's home, not to mention trying to pilfer through the rows of movies trying to find what you are looking for, they are less convenient and practical when compared to newer methods. I see rental stores closing up all of the time. With more an more "classic" films being made available online and through RedBox and Netflix, it is only a matter of time until movie rental stores have nothing left to provide and will ultimately close all together.
i have noticed how the movie stores seem to be going out of business more frequently. i remember when i was little going to the movie store almost every weekend, it is sad to them go. however, the convenience of red box and the internet is very nice and cheaper. Most the time when i watch movies i just put one in on the TV at my apartment even though i would probably rather go watch a new one at the movie theater but prices are just so high these days i cant' always afford to do that. i would agree with you that i think the way we view movies is slowly changing and evolving and will probably be completely different in a short while.
Because I am a poor college student, I don't spend much time at the movie theater. My wife and I use Netflix because each month is the same price as one ticket at the theater, and we get one movie out at at time and unlimited online viewing. I think the future of movie watching includes bringing the movie theater to your home. It may be a new company or even an existing one that does this, but I think that what will happen will be people will be able to purchase movie theater movies to watch in their home - most likely streaming online or through pay-per-view.
Nowadays, I usually rent a movie from a redbox. Unfortunately when I want to watch a movie that night and it's an older movie, redbox is unlikely to carry it. For that reason I head to one of the remaining blockbusters open in town. I know movie rental stores are taking a hit right now from netflix and redbox, but I think they can adapt. For example Blockbuster just came out with their version of redbox. I rented I Robot from one of those a couple of weeks ago.
I use netflix for movies. I justified the expense of $9/month as long as this was our only source of consuming entertainment, (i.e. no redbox, dollar movies, theaters, etc..) I see the future of movies evolving as we speak with a swipe of card like redbox or by a click of a button like netflix. So far in the past two months a blockbuster and hollywood video have been closed down in Provo, and therefore the movie rental establishment I think will go extinct in the next decade.
I love love love going to the movie theaters. I love going in to the chilly theater and sitting down in front of the huge screen with unhealthy butter soaked popcorn deliciousness. I doubt that movie theaters will disappear because I think that many share my sentiments. However, I do think there will be a decline in theater goers because it is expensive and sometimes inconvenient. You can only go at scheduled times, have to deal with crowds, and have to make an effort to drive there.
I think video stores will still be around because people just like having a physical copy of a movie, but I definitely use Hulu and Netflix far more than anything else.
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