By Shropshire Star blogger Emma Suddaby
I used to love going to the cinema. The film was the least important part of a chance to see friends, gorge on unhealthy delights and then move on to somewhere else for a plot dissection and a drink afterwards.
But it just doesn’t seem the same any more. It might be partly because I’m finding it increasingly difficult to get comfy in those awful cinema seats for long enough to get through a whole film, but it’s not just that, it’s such an anti-climax now.
Going to the cinema used to be a three-course meal and now it feels more like a garage sandwich, you know?
Actually the garage sandwich is a good analogy for a night at the cinema. They both look good, are packaged well and say they contain all the ingredients you’re looking for.
But having paid, you realise you’ve been charged way over the odds for a sandwich that looks great but tastes of nothing in particular, leaving you unsatisfied and out-of-pocket. Much like a night at the pictures!
I realise life can’t be very easy for cinemas right now. Times move on, not only do we all have TVs now, maybe even plasma screens and surround sound, but most of us have access to the internet which in turn is a gateway to almost everything else.
There’s just more to do now too, and if karate doesn’t float your boat, maybe salsa dancing does. Somewhere along the way, the flicks have lost their sparkle.
But that should be even more reason for cinemas to be fighting back, and apart from the odd lick of paint nothing much has changed in the world of cinemas in a long time.
There are obvious areas for improvement . . . increase social appeal with seating and drinks areas, lower prices or failing that, make the ticket price feel worthwhile by giving us more for our money. Or maybe themed nights, with linked activities based around screenings. Even I can think of endless possibilities.
So imagine my surprise to hear that Picturehouse Cinemas, a chain of 19 across the country, is this month experimenting with popcorn-free screenings.
So it’s all popcorn’s fault, is it? Love it or hate it, with the problems facing the cinema industry right now, making a scapegoat of popcorn is like trying to blow a candle out while the house burns down around you.
Never mind the popcorn, Picturehouse Cinemas, ultimately if we like it we’ll buy it and if we don’t, we won’t.
Far more offputting is having to sit in an uncomfortable bucket seat for an hour and a half, in an auditorium that’s by turns either heaving with rowdy kids (and their mobile phones) or eerily empty and cold, eating overpriced junk that I had to mortgage my house to be able to afford.
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Emma’s ‘Word of the Week’:
This week the word is PAUCITY.
Paucity is a little-used way of saying meagreness, scarcity or deficiency.
As in: “There’s a distinct paucity in the sunshine department this year.” Or: “There seems a paucity of common sense at Picturehouse Cinemas, if they think taking our popcorn away will revive ticket sales.”
Variety is the spice of life, so add a new word to your vocab and you’ll never suffer a paucity of good conversation!
12 Comments
I used to work for a cinema. The price mark ups are ridiculous. A small bag of popcorn that would retail for about £3 would only cost about 2p tp produce. Pick and mix was sold for nearly 5 times that it was bought for (an empty bag would cost 10p on the scales). Ticket price increases were always brought in just before busy times such as before kids holidays or the release of a blockbuster. I was so surprised people still paid for it.
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Sorry Emma, I have read many of your stories, but this one is such absolute rubbish, I can not believe it is actually written by you.
You can not be going to the OLD POTTS WAY Cinema that’s for sure.
The service received there is very good, and if you are indeed referring to that establishment, then you are doing them a serious injustice.
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I went to the Cineworld last night and had a really good night. I admit the ticket prices are a little expensive compared to buying a DVD etc. But I really think it depends on the film you go to see and the service you recieve. The chairs aren’t that bad, especially if you remember the old cinema we once had. I would say that the popcorn and pic’n'mix is over priced, and this could be looked into, but I think it’s an issue throughout the industry more than anything. I think this blog was more abouting bashing a particular industry rather than given a balanced review. Oh and by the way, I saw an £11.99 unlimited cinema promotion last night, which I am seriously thinking about. You have to sign up for 12 months, but at £7 a pop your sure to make your money bacvk if you go twice in a month…
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this reminds me of the last time i went to the cinema, 1964 to see those magnificent men in their flying machines
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Looks as if you’ve never been to a Picturehouse cinema, Emma. We have luxury cinemas that are cared for well beyond a lick of paint! Also lots of different film related activity and hugely varied programmes, way different to the multiplexes or whichever cinemas you are attending. We don’t have any cinemas in Shropshire - sounds as if we should!
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Suggest you go along to the Old Market Hall in Shrewsbury for really comfy chairs, no popcorn, great coffee etc, a beautiful environment, and a wide choice of films too - not overly priced at £5.50 is it? Altogether a more cultured experience
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I have to agree with Emma she is completely correct about cinema’s.
With the advent of wide screen TV’s HD Vision I can see cinema’s going out of business.
Way pay over the top for popcorn, pix n mix etc plus cinema ticket when you can buy the dvd for the same amount and watch it over and over again.
Plus with wide screen TV’s and dvd you don’t get any annoying little oinks chatting around in the background or munching on popcorn or laughing at unfunny moments
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another vintage popcorn moment was at the clifton cinema ludlow in 1956 with rock around the clock and bill haley and his comets shouting the odds about seeing an alligator later!
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even the popcorn cried when i saw bambi in 1949
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we went to see a film last night and even with reduced priced tickets it cost £20 this include our pop corn but still i feel is far to much. if we take kids it comes to more like £40 which is nearly all my carers alowance for the week. It means it becomes unexcesble for alot of people, and should be a fun family thing to do. maybe free pop corn would swing it .
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The movie theatres in the small town I live in (population 15,000) in western Canada has a four plex as well as a single screen picturehouse.
They are owned by the community and all profits go back into the community for various projects - such as building bike trails etc.
There is a film society bringing in films from all over the world and of course in many languages. The theatres are well run and well attended. Free coffee and goodies are often available before or after shows and we often enjoy a discussion or debate about the merits of various films.
Popcorn is still sold for about $2 (about one pound) which helps profits. Tickets are between $6 to $8 (3 pounds to 4 pounds) seniors and students get special rates.
My favourite film this year has been the Swiss film “Vitus” - I highly recommend it.
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Devon Salopian!
I was around at about that time too. I enjoyed Captain Marvel at the King’s theatre which was at the east end of Town Walls (or bottom of the Cop) — Saturday mornings. Is this picturehouse still there??
And the Empire on Mardol - “Never on a Sunday”.
The Granada in Castle Gates had a cafe - great place to take a date - even though the coffee was lousy- especially after watching - “The Fly”.
You have certainly missed out on hundreds, or perhaps thousands of great films if you haven’t been to the cinema since ‘64. Kinda sad I’d say.
Why not get back into going to the movies - it is always a great night out and there are so many films out there that don’t originate in Hollywood - or even Bollywood!
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