There are those who do not like going to the movies. Why is a complete mystery to me...but, that's just my opinion. Some people don't like the idea of paying $9 for a movie ticket. Others balk at the travesty that is the concession stand. Still others hate the concept of being crammed into a small, dark room packed with complete strangers for an hour and a half. Whatever the personal prejudice may be...some people just prefer to watch a movie from the comfort of their own home. And don't get me wrong...I enjoy that as well. I like nothing better than to kick back on the sectional sofa, toss a DVD into the player, grab a Mountain Dew and a bowl of popcorn, and have at it.
But, let's face it. There's just something magical about the theater.
Granted...if you have the space and the bucks...you can bring that same experience home to you. I've seen shows on HGTV where people have movie theaters installed in their homes. And that's all well and good...if you have a couple hundred thousand bucks lying around burning a hole in your pocket. Even if you have a home theater on a budget...with a big-screen TV, surround sound system, and a top-line DVD player...as well as excellent seating...it's still not the same.
I've touched on this in a previous post...and here it is again: Some movies are just meant to be seen in a theater. Find me one person who saw "Star Wars" in the theater...and I will bet money they remember the opening scene when the Star Destroyer passes by...and takes up the entire screen. I saw that for the first time when I was four years old...and at thirty-three, I still remember it well.
Sometimes, it isn't just the movie itself...but a moment shared by the audience. I vividly remember seeing "Aliens"...and the scene where Sigourney Weaver utters the infamous line, "Get away from her, you b***h!". And the next thing I remember was the crowd going wild. Or the absolute, utter silence during "The Blair Witch Project". I even have the mental image of grown men crying when the Enterprise was blown up in "Star Trek III".
I'm not saying that movies aren't overpriced...and that we are not getting hosed when we are asked to pay $4.50 for a bag of popcorn that cost fifty cents to make. Theaters will always have gummy floors, uncomfortable seats, and you will inevitably be forced to sit behind a couple who wore too much perfume, puts their feet up on the seats, and talks through half the show.
But...the magic and the allure is what brings us back. Even if it is only for an hour and a half...we can be four years old again.
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