A trip to the movies used to be a prime Friday-night activity for college students. What better way to spend an evening after a long week of school than nestled in a comfortable chair with popcorn in one hand and soda in the other, watching what you have heard is a "truly incredible film"?
Moviegoing, however, has become increasingly less popular over the past few years.
According to data from the box office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations Company, movie attendance was down more than seven percent from a year ago as of late 2005. That marks the second year in a row that attendance has declined, and a result of this year's drop, domestic box office receipts decreased 5.2 percent from 2004.
Some students blame the high price of the theater experience. "The movie in itself is expensive, but when you add transportation and food it just gets ridiculous," freshman Elena Vanko said. "In the end, it's not worth it."
There are several other possible explanations for the decreasing appeal of going out to the movies. Economics Professor George Norman said that the promulgation of other entertainment choices may be one reason.
"Nowadays, moviegoing competes with a number of alternative entertainment options, [and] also competes with increasingly sophisticated home entertainment systems," he said.
The privacy of home entertainment is more attractive for many viewers than a large theater, Norman pointed out. "Why go to a movie house, sharing space with people you don't know, doing things that disturb your moviegoing experience - eating popcorn, slurping drinks - when by waiting a short time you can watch the same movie at home with people you like?" he asked.
According to Assistant Sociology Professor Sarah Sobieraj, who teaches the course Introduction to Mass Media, the downward trend in movie-going has two possible causes.
"It could be as simple as bad marketing and a batch of weaker films," Sobieraj said. "Or it could be tied to broader changes, many of which are technological - DVRs, digital cable and HDTV, impressive improvements in home theaters, and so on - which are transforming the industry."
But changes in Hollywood may create changes at home, too. "There is some suggestion that the gap between first-run distribution and DVD release will shorten, in some cases leading to simultaneous release," Norman added.
The impact of "simultaneous release" - or opening a film in the theaters and releasing it on DVD and cable television at the same time - could be significant for both the filmmakers as well as viewers, but experts are still unsure of its consequences for the industry.
"The idea of simultaneous release has been discussed for quite some time, but this month we have a test case: Steven Soderbergh's film, 'Bubble.' The whole industry is watching to see what will unfold," Sobieraj said.
Simultaneous release - although exciting for those who have become disenchanted with the expense of moviegoing - may not improve the quality of films, Sobieraj cautioned.
"Many directors have been vocal about the importance of the big screen for the art of filmmaking," she said.
Although the profit margin for filmmakers may remain substantially high regardless of delivery, "theaters may go the way of the dinosaur as more and more people choose more economical and convenient viewing options," Sobieraj added.
Norman, however, added that it is difficult to pinpoint an exact answer to explain the decline in moviegoing or to predict the future of the industry.
"Can the exhibitors fight back? Only by making movie going a more attractive option than it is at the moment," he said. "But it is difficult to see how they might accomplish that."
