Why "Bubble" Won't Kill Theaters
 

I noticed the pricing on Bubble which comes out on the 31st.
$22.99 at Best Buy
$20.99 at Amazon
$22.12 at DVDEmpire.

About the price of 2 tickets at the theater.

So they'll eliminate the window and increase the price.

F#$%.

so... ? this won't be available for rental?

Price seems pretty standard to me....

If you want to buy it, just wait 6 months for a price reduction.

If you just want to see it, rent it or go to a matinee.

It's actually premiering on HDnet movies this week. I have it scheduled on my DVR. I guess I get to see if for free (relatively speaking).

HDnet has been great lately. They're already playing the new transfers of Network, Dog Day Afternoon, Midnight Cowboy, Dune and Unbearable Lightness Of Being-all of which are not released on DVD yet.

Or watch it for exactly zero more dollars than you presently pay for your cable/satellite subscription on HD-Net/Movienet. That's not exactly free, but it won't cost me a penny more than I already pay.

Let's get to the real reason why "Bubble" won't kill the theaters - not even a fraction of enough people give a shit about the movie to make a difference.

That's not meant to be a threadcrap, either. I'm not saying that the movie sucks... I know nothing about the movie. The only true test of this will be a blockbuster movie being released in this fashion. Do this with the new Superman movie if you want to really test how this system will work.

Personally, I think that if it extended to blockbuster films, this system would certainly kill the theaters. Let's see, pay $20 for the DVD vs. -

The cost of driving to the theater
The inconvenience of having to watch the movie at a time set by someone else
The cost of a movie ticket
The high cost of popcorn, etc
Sitting through 15 minutes of commercials
Dealing with morons that talk throughout the movie
Dealing with the children of morons
Not being able to get up and go to the bathroom or get refills of pop / popcorn unless you want to miss part of the movie...

Those are just a few things. Individually they don't seem like much, but added together they make a pretty good case for not going to the theater if you don't have to.

I think I'm a weird, crazy exception. I prefer going to the movies, but I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I don't encounter the following problems:

The cost of driving to the theater - I can walk
The inconvenience of having to watch the movie at a time set by someone else - They're never inconvenient to me.
The cost of a movie ticket - True
The high cost of popcorn, etc - I don't eat at the movies. If I do, it's split between two or more people.
Sitting through 15 minutes of commercials - True
Dealing with morons that talk throughout the movie - For some reason, I NEVER encounter these people.
Dealing with the children of morons - In one out of ten movies, I hear a baby cry, but it never ruins the movie for me.
Not being able to get up and go to the bathroom or get refills of pop / popcorn unless you want to miss part of the movie... - I don't need to eat a lot during a movie. Also, I find it easy to plan my peeing schedule around a movie, even something long like King Kong.

Maybe I'm a big freak, I don't know. I don't really see the downside of the theater thing.

Coming from someone that does go to the movies a lot but also gets annoyed at the same things listed above I would have to say at the present time I would still go see an awesome blockbuster movie like superman in the theater. It's the expierence in audio and video that I'm after...Plus it's a reason the get out of the house.

Right now I just have a 42" plasma and 5.1 Home Theater system in my living room and I still see a difference in the theater.

But (God willing) by the middle of this year we'll be in a house with an unfinshed walkout so I can begin my real home theather design with a projector and nice surround my view will likely change to staying at home more.

Several things about move theathers have griped me lately.
1. They charge ridiculous prices on the ticket and food.
2. With #1 I don't see any improvements to the theaters ever.
3. See # 2 They stink...they are nasty.
4. I pay large amounts of money to be forced to sit through cheesy ignorant commercials like I"m watching public TV. That really pisses me off.
5. Then sometimes you do get the talkers or punks.

This could all be my local shops and may not be everyone but it gripes me to the point where I probably would stay home if/when I get a dedicated home theater room with a projector and good sized screen installed.