Why Aren't We Going To The Movies?

Many industry insiders are wondering why fewer people are going to the movies these days. Enid may also be wondering why many people leave town to go see the latest flick. I have a few ideas of my own as to why. Here's a story about my latest trip to my local theater.
When I go to the theater I don't like to carry the large amount of cash it now takes to see a movie, so instead I take my good old plastic. After standing in line outside a local theater last night I discover that, out of the blue, this theater no longer takes credit cards. A business that does not take credit cards??
No big deal I think to myself. My card is also a debit card! That works for them, only now I have to enter the lobby and go stand in the debit card line to use my card. Okay, I can still live with that, but now I find out that MY debit card is not on their "network" so I get to pay an extra .99 for my movie. Now I'm a little hot, which is a good thing at this point (more on that below).
I personally do not drink soda pop, instead I drink tea. Well, of course my local theaters do not provide tea for non pop drinkers. But they are glad to offer me a tiny bottle of $3 water which I can get at the grocery store for fifty cents. Not wanting to take out a loan for popcorn and trying to avoid having to go back to the debt card line (another extra .99) we skip the consession altogether.
Again, no big deal. We have resorted to sneaking in bottled water and our own candy bars. That's right I brought my own water (which, by some miracle, is free at the water fountain) and did not feel one bit guilty due to the extra .99 they had tacked onto my price of admission.
The movie we had gone to see was The Chronicles of Narnia. After the now mandatory 15 minutes of trailers we finally settled in for our movie. If you have seen this movie you will know that it is about an ice princess and a land that has been frozen. About an hour into the movie I realize I'm not freezing due to the subject manner but because the theater obviously has not turned on the heat. For the next hour I froze right along with the characters in the movie. When the movie was over I went outside into the January night air to warm up.
So, maybe there is a reason we're not going to the theaters any more. You know, sometimes it's just easier to take my fourteen bucks, buy a movie that I will own, sit on my couch with my iced tea and eat as much popcorn as I can choke down. Not to mention that I can wear my electric blanket if I want to.


















3 Comments:
AMEN. I used to love going to the movies but I have run into many of the same issues you have. It costs entirely too much to take more than one or two people, it's freezing, and it seems like I always get stuck with the jerk that likes to kick me in the back of the head the entire time. It is so much easier to just go rent a movie and do your own thing. Unfortunate, but true.
Hi Tammy,
Thanks for the comments!
I agree with you all completely...I used to go all the tim, when i was a lot younger, but with ticket prices the way they are, as well as the concession prices....jeez for the money on concesions alone i could host a party for at least 10 people in my home....lol.anyway...thanks for this blog, i just found it on the net. I used to live in Enid a couple of years ago, and may be returning there by next fall. Its nice to be able to catch up on all the things changing as well as remembering how life was when i was a kid.thanks.have a good day...jon
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