Over the past six months, I’ve seen a number of media stories about Hollywood’s lacklustre 2005 box office revenue. Inevitably, the piece features a sound bite from a film critic or artist (most recently it was Atom Egoyan) decrying the quality of cinema. I don’t disagree, but I’ve always suspected that the fact that most movies suck has little to do with movie attendance. This poll backs me up:
Why have you gone to fewer movies in the past year than a year ago?
Cost of Movie Ticket 35 No Time/Too Busy 35 Cost of Snacks 17 Movie Quality 15 Move Theatre Not As Good As Watching At Home 13 Less Time To Wait for Movie To Buy/Be on DVD 9 Skepticism Towards the Promotional Hype 5 Theatres are Too Busy 3 Other 24 DK/REF. 1
The survey also finds that “54% of Canadians would choose to watch a movie at home on DVD rather than venture out and go to a movie theatre. Only 35% of those polled would choose the movie theatre experience.” No surprisingly, the prairie provinces are the national leaders in staying home.
I have a healthy skepticism about polls, and that 24% for ‘Other’ is worrying (respondents could presumably give multiple reasons). Clearly, though, it’s only a minority of respondents who are most concerned with the quality of today’s cinema.
DarrenBarefoot.com 
I’m skeptical of the idea that 17% of non-movie-goers abstain because of the cost of snacks. Of course they’re outrageously priced, but is that a reason to not go to the movies at all?? I’ve never met anyone who won’t go to the movies because of the price of Junior Mints.
The prairie province people will stay home if it’s cold. If it’s -40, you can be damn sure that the average prairie person will be home under a blanket watching DVDs, rather than going out anywhere.
Thanks for the photos by the way. And also thanks for the recommendation of Samsara.
As usual, I’m going against the trend. I saw 1 movie in a theatre in the first half of the decade and two this summer. I’m answering
y) my two oldest kids are 7 and 5 yrs old and want to go to the theatre