U.S. Box Office Hits Longest Modern Slump

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050627/ap_on_en_mo/box_office

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Theater revenues have skidded about 7 percent compared to last year. Factoring in higher ticket prices, movie admissions are off 10 percent for the year, according to box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

If the slump continues, Hollywood is on course for a third straight year of declining admissions and its lowest ticket sales since the mid-1990s.
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I was wondering why they wouldn't mention that record oil prices has sucked the cash out of the majority of peoples discretionary spending, and that could be the cause of lower turn out over the last 3 years?

I seem to remember a big stink about that during the 90's when gas prices hit 1.59/gal...

Ticket prices and food are insanely expensive

that and our big fat asses would just as soon stay home and wait for it on pay per view or Netflix.

:freak:

Sure, if there is a movie I really really want to see I'll plop down $10 for a ticket, but I know I've been seeing less and less movies over the past 5 years and here's why

1) The prices have gone through the roof. I'm not one to be embarrassed going by myself to a matinee but the prices have gone crazy. It use to be that matinee prices were good til 6pm but now theaters are so hard up for cash that the matinee is usually the first showing of the day.

2) Overpriced concession stand. I know the concession stand but this is ridiculous. Last I checked a bottle of water I can get at my local grocery story for 89cents is $3 and popcorn is over $5 for a small. I love movie popcorn but I've been doing without and I'll sneak in my own bottle of water.

3) Obnoxious patrons. Here's a thought - All movies rated PG-13 and higher should have a ban on small children under the age of 6 after a certain time in the evening (say 7pm). I'm tired of sitting through a movie and having someone's kid scream, shout, cry and kick my seat and that was when I was at an R-rated movie on a Saturday night. By banning small children from the evening shows I think you remove a class of patrons that, in my opinion, tend to be louder, talkative and leave their damn cell phones on during movies. The fact that they think their kid will be ok during the 10pm showing of Land of the Dead pretty much shows that their IQ is about the same size as my shoe.

The final thing that the media rarely mentions during this non-news story is that last year was "The Passion of the Christ" which brought to the theater people who normally do not go to the movies. That's where the difference is between this year and last.

that is exactly how I feel and have not been to the movies more than twice in the last 7 years

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Gas has doubled since 99, food is way way up and wages.. well lol.

Sorry can't just walk in and throw down 20 bucks like its nothing, hell thats almost a tank of gas!!! The juice the precious juice.

There are very few original stories, and everyone makes the same movie over and over again. I'm sick of the comic book super-hero movies, the Ben-Stiller-Owen-Wilson-Will-Ferrall-Vince-Vaughn comedies, the sappy, overly-sentimental chick flicks, and the animated features that are meant for children but have enough double-entendre jokes to keep the adults interested.

IOW, movies have become just like TV.

people would want to go see them

Shitty movies + High prices = Less sales

Went by myself.

How can a family afford a night at the movies any more?

I don't know if this will force movie makers to make better movies and knock off all the big special effects action blockbuster bullshit; or just cut back on the budgets of their big special effects action blockbuster bullshit.

I fear the latter.

To everyone that has replied so far... I do goto the movies but only if i want to really see the movie... I guess LoTR's and Star Wars, and beyond that i haven't hardly went... I do go alone and i always catch a early show. But I feel if i get to the movies before 1 i shouldn't have to pay more then $5 to see the movie plus a drink that i might get...
The movie place i normally goto had just up their early prices from 4.75 to 5.25 so i checked out another one that was owned by the same company and the same distance away from me, and they still were 4.75 so the last few movies I've seen have been there. (I did just go see Batman, so i guess I'm a bit guilty of some of the cheesyness..:)... Anyhow i still think when you have to spend most of your money on what is required you really don't have money for things that you would like to do and that is a major problem with BFEE. They what ALL your money and it doesn't matter who else suffers, and because they control what you need to live they control where you can spend your money. </rant>