Prices for movies are getting out of hand. If you live in a major city then you're paying at least $8 for a movie and as much as $10.25 if you live in New York. According to these statistics from NATO (no, not that NATO), the avergae ticket price has been going up steadily for the last few years. Currently, the U.S. average is $6.03, and the average increase over the last four years was a little less than a quarter.
I don't mind paying $10 for a new movie that I'm really excited about, but I'd rather not pay that much for Walking Tall, not that I'm planning to see that. This is why I love second run theaters. You can see a movie in a theater for less than $4, even if you have to wait a month or two longer than the eager beavers.
Unfortunately, not a single second run theater exists in New York City, and I think that makes no sense. These days, I rarely see more than two movies a month in the theaters because I subscribe to Netflix and I don't feel like tacking on another $20 for movie viewing a month. If I could see movies for $4 a pop, I would see a movie a week. The theaters would definitely lose out on ticket sales, but one of the first things I learned as a film major was that theaters make their money on concessions, not tickets. If you don't trust the UW-Madison film department, check out this CNN Money article.
"Owners joke about being in the candy business," said theater owner Howard Edelman, proprietor of Movieland Cinemas, an independent string of cinemas in the Long Island, NY-area. "If you didn't have concessions at a movie theater, there would be no movie theater. We have movies just to get people in to buy popcorn and candy, where we make our money."
So, if you're getting me through the door a couple more times a month, then you're going to start selling a whole lote more packages of Junior Mints, especially if I'm only paying $4 for the movie.
I'm sure I'm not the first one to think about this, which makes me wonder why there aren't any in NYC. It just doesn't make any sense. I've done a little googling to find an answer, but I've had no luck. Unless one of my fine readers can help, I might turn to Ask Metafilter. We shall see.
Update (6/17/04): Thanks to Time Out Magazine, I found out there is one second run theater in the city. It's called Loews Cineplex State, and it's on Broadway and 45th St. Movies are $5.50. Also, you can see first-run movies at the Kew Gardens Cinemas for only $5 all the time. Oh, and if you REALLY want to travel you can go to the Columbia Park 12 in North Bergen, NJ and see second run films for only $2.
06/02/04 9:04 PM
this weekend, the amc empire in times square charged me $ TEN FITTY to see saved. i see at least two movies a week in the theater, it's an expensive habit. i used to go to matinees in park slope, first screening of the day was $6. maybe this second run theater idea should be the real goal of cine*awesome...
06/03/04 10:08 AM
there used to be the $2 movie theatre (i think it was $4 by the time it closed) at 50th between 8th and 9th ave, but my guess is even witht the candy business, it still couldn't make enough money.
the movie theatre in dumbo on henry st. has some discount on weeknights though so you might want to check that out.
or stop in at AAA (or possibly the hr dept. at work) and hook yourself up with $5.50 tickets to lowes theatres. you have to wait 10 days to see the flik and there's an extra dollar surcharge in ny, but its worth it.
06/03/04 11:02 AM
In fact there is a "second run" theatre in the heart of NYC...Times Square
Its the Loews State theatre hidden deep in the under bowels of the Virgin Mega Store. Top Rate theatre..ALL shows $4.95!! Its been that way about a year.
This week is "The Punisher" which I hear is actually good..well good enough for $4.95..lol and something else I didnt care to check via Vindigo
They also show Bollywood films for $8.
hollatchaboy
06/11/04 9:50 PM
I've heard about the subterranean theater, but I agree that there should be a better one. If I were a venture capitalist, I would give you and the cine*awesome crew a fat load of cash to start one. The cash would be to avoid tax problems.
Sorry I haven't been in on cine*awesome; I'll try to make it out soon. Keep me on the e-mail list!
11/19/04 2:52 PM
Unfortunately, Loews State Theatre in the Virgin Mega Store is no longer a second-run movie house. They are back to regular ticket pricing for first run movies. But the theatre is not impressive looking, so I wouldn't bother going back there now with those prices!