Originally posted by: Mike O
Well, at least we know that it isn't likely for the 30th anniversary. Improved special effects techniques, powerhouse stars, 3-D technology, and audiences still aren't packing in. Perhaps you should try making good movies? Just a thought. Lucas and Rick appear to be in this together.

They don't even have to make good movies. Make the atmosphere better and I'll start going again. Kick people out when their phone rings. Offer assigned seating. Start the movie at the time you say it starts (not 20 mins later after the damn ads). Remove the ads (I payed to see the movie, not the ads). Aside from the ads, the only place around here that does all that (and has a no kids policy) is the ArcLight. I'd go there, but it's all the way up in Hollywood (I'm in Orange County). I wouldn't mind paying $15 per ticket, but the gas and time it takes are what kills the idea now. If there was a theater like that within a 15 min drive, I'd go in a heartbeat.

Good movies obviously help, but I haven't been to a movie since Serenity (which I loved). I use to go to midnight showings all the time. It was the only place where you could gaurantee that everyone would turn off their cell phones, not bring crying children (the babies that were brought would always sleep through the movie without making a sound), and not talk or yell at the screen. The only thing missing was assigned seating, but even that wasn't a big problem with the size of the theater (and I didn't mind getting there early to wait in line for a good spot). Since getting married and having a pregnant wife at home that has to work at 7am, that hasn't been an option anymore (Ep 3 was the last time and I made special arrangements to sleep at a friends near the theater).

Depending on what theater we go to, I can almost gaurantee that someones phone will ring, which completely ruins the experience for me.

I honestly hope they never get this technology going in wide use and I hope theater attendance continues to drop. I'll still buy the movies on DVD, so I'll get a lot more value for my money (no annoying cell phones, pause for the bathroom, rewind to hear that line I missed, etc, etc).