Movie Theatres Hoping That Better Sound Will Get Us Off Our Couches
Movie studios and cinemas face a looming problem. With the introduction of 4K TVs (and soon 8K sets), cinemas are no longer the only place where we can enjoy an ultra high resolution visual experience.
Maybe sound is Hollywood’s saviour. The Daily Telegraph looks at developments in that area.
With so many viewing alternatives, theatre exhibitors are having to work harder than ever to entice consumers into their establishments. The big screen in itself is no longer enough – now the film has to be in ultra-high-definition 3D, and there has to be a hipster coffee shop or ice cream bar in the lobby to make the whole thing feel like an ‘experience’.
This is fair enough. If I am going to pay £15, I want more than I can get from a large TV screen and a packet of microwave popcorn. However, a Häagen-Dazs sundae and a pair of 3D glasses doesn’t really do it for me. The ice cream is over-priced and most of the time I could take or leave 3D – those glasses give me a bit of a headache.
What might just sell it, however, is if the cinema can offer a quality of viewing experience that simply cannot be replicated at home. This isn’t just about a big screen and a high-definition picture, but about creating something totally immersive, which makes the viewer feel like are not just watching the film but becoming a part of it.
Not if they keep increasing the cost. $100 for a family of 4? I don’t think sound will help much. You’d think the 15 minutes of commercials that I have sit through might off-set some of the high costs. Hmm.