There arent many drive-in movies left, but a few new ones are beginning to pop up.
The maintenance for a theatre owner is lower and consumers love it because it is so much cheaper. Now days, the sound is better than ever, the digital movies show better, and if you love movies and have never been to one, you owe it to yourself at least once.

For families, drive-ins are a real bargain. If you take them to a regular movie, you dont want them to go to sleep after paying a steep price, and if you dont take them, you end up paying for a sitter. With a drive-in, they can sleep all they want in the back seat while you watch a movie. The other good thing about drive-ins is taking your own food and beverages. That saves a lot of money in itself. A cooler with sandwiches and sodas or beer at a fraction of the price youd pay at a concession stand.

Its also sort of nostalgic. Some drive-ins still have playgrounds and even arcades
for older children. Turn them loose and let them play. For couples, drive-ins are perfect for a little private hand holding and talking during the film. Theres no one to complain if you talk and no one to giggle if you sneak in a kiss. So pack the cooler, a blanket if its chilly and go for one of Americas great blasts from the past.

Summers were made for drive-ins. The summer air, the biggest screen ever, and a veritable bargain compared to movie houses. If there isnt one near you, check around in other areas. Its worth a drive to the drive-in! drama

Ever wonder where the first movie in America was shown? Well, it was at a theater called Koster and Bials Music Hall and was located at 34th and Broadway in New York City. It is no longer there. It was replaced by the Macys store of Thanksgiving Day Parade fame.

On April 23, 1896, the theater added several short films to the end of their usual vaudeville show. Touted because the VitaScope process had been invented by Thomas Edison, the short films opened to great reviews. It was noisy, live music played over the roar, and people saw a comedic boxing match, a sexy lady dancing and a little political satire. While the quality may have been a bit jerky and the editing a little rough, people knew they were seeing something that would be a lasting contribution to culture.

The theater had added a 20 x 12 foot screen adorned with a gold gilded frame on which films were shown. People were wildly excited by this and the New York Times gushed on about the event for days. Apparently, before the films were even over, the crowd was cheering wildly in appreciation of the marvelous thing Edison and the Koster and Bial had brought to them.

Theaters arent made like Koster and Bials anymore. There were marble stairs from the foyer into the theater itself. There were exclusive boxes for the rich. There were bars on the promenade, and satin and silk drapes everywhere. Even the backs of the theater chairs had special shelves for patrons drinks. While contemporary theaters are returning to the idea of giving the movie goer more these days and the technology is so much better, nothing can replace the grandeur of these old music halls. Today, theres a small plaque in Herald Square across from Macys which commemorates the theater and Edisons great invention. theater

When we go to a movie theater, we see the ticket seller, the person who sells us popcorn and the ticket taker. Maybe we even see an usher if its a big theater. But the one and most important person we never see is the projectionist.

The projectionist as a profession came about originally due to the nitrate used in films and the fact that it was dangerous to handle. Since then, the projectionists job description has changed as technology has changed. Its always included a certain amount of equipment maintenance, cleaning and regulation of picture and sound. Beginning in the 1970s, technology diminished many of these tasks and to an extent the job of a projectionist has been demoted. Everything now is automated but theres still someone in the projection room who threads the projector, handles the film and does a film splice if it happens to break.

These days, projectionists lament the fact that digital is replacing 35MM film. They say film has its own quality which is better. A digital projector now costs $150,000 and up and does much of the work by itself. But these people may be on to something and it isnt all about film history. They claim that a digital picture can often become pixilated on a big screen and that theaters that can afford it are switching back to film copies. Maybe theyre just dreaming, but research says there is a trend back to the real thing.

While they may always be in the back of the theater, its a job you have to love which means a projectionist loves movies. Usually, they work alone and they see things over and over and over, but think of the premiers, the screenings for celebrities, and the changes theyve seen. They may be invisible but they see everything. musicals

As theaters try new things to lure in more movie goers, you can expect lots of new things. Aside from more comfortable seats, ergonomic cup holders and fantastic sound systems, youll soon be able to have dinner and drinks. The new trend is in doing
in house restaurants and bars. Forget racing to dinner and then going to the movie. It will all be right there.

This new trend wont come cheaply and dinner and a movie for two can wind up being a $100 in some places but usually averages out at about $20. But for now, its a thing worth trying once when it comes to your neighborhood. The seats will be bigger with plenty of room for a tray table in front of you, and there may even be waitresses who serve you. Expect to see familiar names of chain restaurants and micro-brewery names too. The range of prices and menus will be very diverse.

At most theaters, theyll remove about half the seats to make room for the tray tables and service so expect some ticket price increase. Some theaters are making it all very swanky to bring back a type of golden age of cinema while others are just making it easy for people to have a complete evening out. In most theaters, people will have to be of legal drinking age to get in since they dont want to check identification once youre in your seat. But who wants to bring the kids at those prices and when you can relax and have a margarita with gourmet nachos? Everyone is in a hurry these days so these types of theaters can definitely give people more bang for their buck and in record time! plays

While there are enough IMAX theaters around these days that most people have seen a movie in one at least once, we take them for granted. But the IMAX technology has had a startling effect on our movies. For years, the movie industry tried different techniques like CinemaScope, VistaVision and even Cinerama for wide screen and special effects.
But it has been IMAX that has made the most change.

It was first shown in 1970 at Expo 67 in Montreal. It was such a complicated sytem of projectors (multiple ones!) and multi-screens and then the founders, Graeme Ferguson, Roman Kroitor, Robert Kerr, and William C. Shaw concocted the single, large screen format that we know today.

The first permanent screen they set up is still in use in Toronto. Since 1971 its been showing movies to people who are still fascinated by the high resolution and amazing visual effects. It wasnt until the 1990s that you could see much more than a great documentary, and today youre more likely to be able to watch films by directors like Martin Scorsese, who did a special IMAX film called Shine A Light.

While IMAX theaters arent likely to ever replace regular movie theaters because of their expense and the amount of space they take, it is easier than ever to see this style of filming. Many museums, especially those dealing with science or natural history, have them making it possible for adults and children to enjoy science in a whole new way.
Because of their popularity, even the big studios are beginning to release more IMAX features or incorporate IMAX capabilities into regular films. The Batman film The Dark Knight featured six sequences that used IMAX technology. IMAX is just another thing we have to thank Canada for! acting

Its one of the great debates. Whats the greatest film of all time? We may never know because every poll, every statistic, every expert varies from one to the other. The top grossing film of all time is Gone with the Wind. Even adjusted for inflation, its still at the top of everything including Star Wars and The Sound of Music.

A British magazine called Sight and Sound is considered by film buffs to be the most accurate for sheer respect and their consensus is that Citizen Kane gets the award for best film. Gone With The Wind isnt even on their list. The great thing about trying to work it all out is that there is no scientific method or logic that can be applied. There are polls, statistics and surveys but none of them can tell the whole story. That answer is only within the serious film viewer. And, of course, it depends on where in the world you are. Bollywood movies are huge hits in a country with a huge population. So a list with only American films just applies to what is referred to as mainstream film.

The Godfather gets a lot of top spots by movie goer publications like TV Guide and Entertainment weekly. Star Wars always figures into top spots in polls as does The Lord of the Rings. On Netflix, the number one position goes to The Shawshank Redemption. So theres a huge difference between regular, ticket buying folks and film critics.

Nobody is ever going to agree because critics think differently from movie goers and movie goers think differently than film studio librarians. Its one of lifes fun pleasures for people who love film. There would be less to argue about! drama

As movie theaters do more and more to entice people, they do it for good reason. They need to. Technology provides many fantastic things related to movies but it has also provided less than savory people a way of making money. Movie pirates and movie pirating has become a huge black market industry in recent years.

The first attempts by people to pirate movies were usually in the form of a movie cam taken into a theater and taping the film. This method was less than desirable. The angle was off, the sound was bad, and if an usher came down the aisle and interrupted the operator, you were likely to lose a scene or two. The pirates realized there was money to be made by selling dvds on the street so they became more clever. They tried something called telesync which wasnt much better except for the audio. Sometimes, theyd manage to steal a workprint from a film lab or studio and duplicate it.
But the most common method is to get their hands on a film academy screening tape.
Thats the one that is typically sent to people who vote on the Oscars. They receive films throughout the year to screen and their copies get stolen. These days, dvds arent sold on the streets but are available online to download. One research group estimates that 25.6 million Americans have illegally downloaded a full length movie. Thats a lot of people who didnt go see a movie in a theater.

Piracy hurts the theaters more than anyone and most people blame the fact that it exists
on the studios who are considered greedy with their high ticket prices and reluctance to lower them or lower dvd prices. Either way, the theaters are taking a hit because of piracy. drama

Even with home big screen televisions and a tough economy, people still love to go to the movies. Its a great way to escape into fantasy worlds, romantic comedies or a armchair gripping thriller. One would think that with all the foreclosures, unemployment and low home prices that people would be sticking close to home, and they are. But not when it comes to the movies. Even during the Great Depression, ticket sales were still high and it is no different now. During the past year, box office sales say that people are escaping to the movies in big numbers.

Whether its date night, family night or whether people go on their own, there are now movie lines. The most popular films these days are things like Avatar and the Twilight series - complete and utter escapism. Its an unusual phenomena with all the movies available online and on cable, but people are proving that getting out and going to a movie is still at the top of their list of things to do.

Both chain theaters and locally owned places are reporting record numbers right now,
so theres at least one section of the economy doing well. You can tell how many people are going to movies by how fresh the popcorn is these days. Its all good.

Consumers can be selective and find deals. Watch the ads and look for the discounts.
Some theaters offer lower prices in the afternoon or late at night. There are discounts for seniors, kids, and groups if you look around. Look online or in the local newspaper, and when you look at the movie listings, check the deals. Theres there. Get there early, get a good seat, get yourself comfortable and have a great escape! Its movie time! theater

Of course, the main reason people go to theaters is to see a movie, but there other reasons as well. Many true film buffs want to see a film as the director meant it to be seen and thats on a big screen. Well, bigger than at home. Generally, the quality one gets in a theater is the best one will ever see the film.

Over the history of theaters, theyve also served many other purposes. Going to a movie has historically been something many couples would do on a date night. For teenagers, it allows a couple to be sort of intimate and in the dark - especially if they sat on the back row. For teenagers who still live at home and who dont have cars, the movie theater becomes a special place. But parents never worried because movie theater seats dont lend themselves to people getting too carried away by romance.
Those pesky seat dividers are always there, and there are other people right around.

Single people dont mind seeing films alone. Once again, the darkness is a cover and if a person tends to be self-conscious for being alone, that thought is gone once the lights go down and the pictures start. Movies and theaters are also a place where people who dont like to celebrate holidays go to avoid the holiday. Be they couples or singles, many people who dont celebrate holidays like Christmas make it a point to see a movie on Christmas Day.

There is also a psychological aspect to wanting to see a film with others around. The sense of sharing, of seeing or hearing others reactions, and just being a part of a crowd seeing a big event. Thats the wonderful thing about theaters. You can be alone and yet a part of things at the same time. plays