DVD or at the theater. It makes a huge difference to me in my enjoyment of a movie. I think I might have enjoyed BROKEN EMBRACES at the theater. Number One, I wouldn't have fallen asleep, Number Two, I wouldn't have gotten a phonecall, Number Three, I wouldn't have watched it over two nights Number Four, I would have been able to read the subtitles better. Number Five I wouldn't have gotten up to check my email. And so on.
I can pretty much say, I never enjoy movies on the television. And I think I am going to stop watching them there.
Does it make a lot of difference to you?
31 comments:
That's interesting. I think I'm exactly the opposite. I don't really enjoy going to the theater and haven't been in over two years. I don't watch a lot of movies but much prefer to do so at home when I can. I tend to watch them late, however, so I don't get phone calls and have finished my writing or other kinds of work for the day.
I get sucked in at the theater; at home, there are always distractions (as you mentioned).
I do think that the theater experience sometimes boosts an otherwise so-so movie. I'm often disappointed when I later watch the same movie at home.
I think if you are easily distractable as I am, away is better. Late means falling asleep for me, Charles.
I like the theater, although with a (relatively)new baby I don't get to go as often.
Fifty-fifty. I do like having a screen which fills my field of vision, particularly if the subtitles are badly done for television viewing. I also like being comfortable when watching a film or television drama, which entirely too many theaters are not. I don't enjoy the noise of other people coughing, crunching food, or (of course) talking, though hearing them react is often amusing. No one kicks the back of my chair at home. If my home smells odd, I can usually do something about that. And the relative lack of expense and freedom of movement is good.
If I've made the extra effort to go to the theater, I'm more inclined to be charitable (which gives one an idea of how much I Hated CRASH and WANTED and THE BLACK DAHLIA and several Oliver Stone films over the years, since I really hated them), but I think, Patti, someday either you'll have to unlearn bad habits about tv viewing or not, as you choose (I take it it makes for only your absolute favorite television to keep you glued...though I imagine it keeps you from enjoying some work which might start slow or fall just below the riveting). Of course, getting others to unlearn their habits around you (including the phone folks, if one is unwilling to let it go to message-taking) is rather tougher.
And Damn I hate the trope in film to have the volume of the music twice that of the dialog...annoying both in theaters and on video.
I do like the availability of the pause button. Not for the phone, it can ring as far as I care, but to get a snack, cold drink, or run "down the hall", it's a great convenience. Also, I don't have to get dressed up, I can watch in my T-shirt, old sweats, whatever. Comfort is a valued thing with me.
The big screen is nice (though when you say "theater" I think stage play, not movie) and some films are best seen on it. I have bought the DVD of Avatar but haven't watched it yet; it was definitely a "big screen movie" for me.
Yes, very bad tv watching habits. I am made for the 40 minute (with DVR) drama and not much beyond that. You nailed it, Todd.
I'd rather watch a baby than anything else.
I think Avatar would be very disappointing without the enhancements the big screen allowed--although perhaps it would have to stand or fall on the merits of its story. Might be interesting to test it.
I can't stand going to the theater. I hate other people talking, cell phones, etc. And I hate the high prices.
I'd rather sit and watch a movie at home with my own food and drinks (priced reasonably) and no one around to irritate me.
I don't have any problem with distractions because I'm one of those people that prefers to finish things I started, without sidetracks if possible.
I lean more toward home viewing lately. We've set up the living room to make it as close to a virtual theater as we can: dark curtains, wall behind the TV painted dark blue (almost black), 50-inch HDTV with a 5.1 stereo. We rarely get phone calls (among the many benefits of having few friends), and we treat it as a "movie experience;" don't get up unless it's an emergency, take advantage of rolling back if we missed something. Plus I can eat or drink what I want, when I want, and the morons who brought a three-year-old to an R rated action flick won't get on my nerves.
As for the "big screen vs. small screen" debate, a big TV in a relatively small room can look just about as good as some of the screens in the twentyplex. When I think "big screen," I'm thinking like a single screen in a 1,000 seat theater, watching LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. That's a big screen experience.
Well, my screen is 32 inches. Maybe that makes a difference.
I like to go to movies in off hours, when no one much is around. And I tend to go to art houses, filled with people who don't talk much.
And I liked the shared experience, I guess, too.
Going out to the movies is one of my favorite things to do, but I'm picky about which ones I go to. My wife loves to go too, so it's one of those things we do together that we really enjoy.
I do like watching movies at home too, but we tend to make an event out of it, a reward for getting other stuff done.
What I like to watch at home most is episodic fare-like Foyle's War and that sort of thing.
It's been so long since I've seen a movie in a theater, I don't even remember which one it was. I have to have the captions on to understand most movies.
Perhaps oddly, I almost never watch any of the special features on a DVD. Just the movie, that's it.
Although an avid moviegoer during my teens and twenties, once my children came along, I got out of the habit of going to the movie theater. Now I go rarely and I'm always astonished at the prices, noise level, on-going conversations (in person and on the phone). I like it better watching a movie in my den where it can be (relatively) quiet and I can pause the action and re-watch scenes as I wish.
I've never watched any of the extra stuff either.
Yeah, it is more expensive but it's getting out of the house for me. I like to get out.
I don't go to the theater anymore. When I did, it was more than likely a big SF movie that is better seen on the big screen first.
Though it has been a few years since I visited a theater, they were already filling with people that seemed more interested in socializing than watching the picture. And I've read too many horror stories about cell phone use lately to make me reconsider my watching ALL movies at home on the TV. I have enough bad tales of my own about cell phone users elsewhere.
The worst thing about cell phones has come to be people turning them on suddenly and distracting you with the lights. People have a serious problem with cellphones.
Yes, as others mention, the high prices for theater food was ridiculous years back. I hate to think what they might be now. Home is so much more convenient, especially with all the movie channels, and my DVR, as I watch movies at the rate of about ten very old ones to one new one.
I get a lot of movies from the library six months after their theatrical release, and with many I'm damn glad I didn't go to the theater. One example was Shaolin Soccer. The first half was dumb, dumber, and beyond-belief dumb, so I was able to fast forward to the soccer matches in the second half, that were actually a lot of fun.
The only time I make it to the theater is to take my boys to a kids movie so I can't say for certain, but I would never see most movies if not for DVD.
Despite reading a lot of reviews and doing investigations, I still see a lot of bad movies I pay $10 to see. We only have one car, no housekeeper, no animals or children to support, don't buy a lot of clothes, so I regard it as a necessary expense to keep me sane. I can only read and watch TV so many nights. Having children at home still would change that--although then we went to Wed or Friday matinees.
It makes all the difference in the world, Patti. I firmly believe movies were made to be shown in a theater projected through light into a dark room onto a screen, in front of perhaps hundreds of people watching silently.
Me, too, Mike. Otherwise they just aren't movies for me.
I'm pretty flexible. I like movies in theaters if there isn't a crying baby or talking teenagers or some old guy snoring. I like movies on my 46" HDTV in Blu-ray where I control the sound, the closed captions, and the environment (I turn off the phone).
Wish I could figure out how to get these closed captions.
I like the theater experience of sitting in a dark room and watching a film-- but I hate being in a room of people that act like they are at home talking and all the rest of it. Because of my work schedule I don't get to the theater much and finally broke down and bought a TV and then a DVD/Bluray player and am pretty happy watching at home. I do watch DVD extras sometime, depending on the movie and I've been known to listen to good commentary tracks on a lot of stuff.
Also, Patti, reading your post inspired me to post a blog on my own website on this very topic. I referenced you at the beginning of it.
It is certainly not the same experience, but I like the DVD because we are in control and can take a break (to phone, brew coffee etc) whenever we want. Besides, my husband and I can watch them late night in our comfortable beds! And if my husband falls asleep, he won´t disturb anyone else by snoring, and I won´t have to carry him anywhere.
There's a CLOSED CAPTION button on my remote, Patti. I push it and the captions begin. I push it again and the captions stop. You can get the save feature on a "universal remote" available at BEST BUY.
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