Nope . . . I purchase all of my snacks from the concession stand.

Of course, lately, it's gotten even cheaper (sort of) with the "free refills on large drinks and popcorn" deals (plus always asking for my drinks "light on the ice", so I don't get ripped off quite so badly ). I always have to take most of the refill "to go", but it gives me something to snack on at home watching a DVD.

I'v got to agree with automator on this point . . . doesn't your movie hopping kind of weaken the strength of your "don't download music" argument?

Working from home does make that much easier to do. Of course, if I were to do it, I'm afraid I'd be a disappointment to you, digi . . . I think I'm more of grunter's type than yours.

Well...to be quite honest with you...I've only started movie hopping in the last few years since I graduated college, I think (ie since i started paying my own bills). Before that...movie prices were more manageable in that I was living at home in CT (matinees) and had a relative who worked for Sony (so I got discounted movie tickets). NYC rips out any chance of having a savings or spare money.
I've basically had to submit to the reality of MP3's since I recently got an Ipod. My argument with MP3's is more about the sound quality than the stealing but since the quality loss is so huge, i also get to throw in the "legal" argument as well.

Well, how's this for justification. Just to throw it out there. It may sound like my rationalization, but in what NatrlBornThrllr said earlier, I really don't give a fuck.

1. Whenever I can, I will purchase a ticket for a Sony movie. That's my studio. I do my part to add to the box office gross whether it be Spider-Man or Stealth, Deuce Bigalow 2 or House of Flying Daggers. If the opportunity is there, I'll make sure that's the ticket I buy.

2. I very rarely go to see a movie opening. If I do, I'll pay for that ticket. It's usually reserved for a big opening like a Star Wars, LotR, Matrix (which don't come around all too often). Sold out shows mean too many assholes to deal with. Add to that, the theater is only making 10 - 15% off that ticket.

3. Because I don't go to openings, I play catch up so all movies I'm seeing, the theater is less than 65% full. So I pay for a 3rd or 4th week Bad Boys II, Sony is getting money and the theater is actually making more money off the ticket this time, about 30 - 40%. And I'm not taking the seat of a paying customer in a movie that I hopped into. There would have been an empty seat regardless.

4. If I like the film, I'll buy the dvd. Now the competing studio can get my money. Yeah, I ass out the theater, them's the breaks.

Do you work for Sony?

Or is "That's my studio" like a Yankees fan saying "they're my team"?

Employee.

I don't think I've ever done it, but trying to jog my memory I recall paying for some kid's flick and sneaking in to see "Animal House" when I was 13. Ah, those first onscreen boobs.

If I find anything at all wrong with the presentation of the movie I paid to see, then I feel that they owe me another movie after that. Consequently, I ALWAYS end up seeing 2 movies, and I don't go for 3 because the theaters close after the 2nd one.

And yes, I've been the ultimate cheap bastard by sneaking into a 2nd movie after seeing a free sneak preview showing! At least I don't bring in food...

I voted "Nope."

I agree with whoever (too lazy to look) said they couldn't handle it due to the ass numbing (insert sick joke here). It's just too much sitting.

Same here. I wouldn't be able to watch two movies in a row like that. Oh yeah the stealing part too.

Nope. Never. Once watched two movies in a row by exiting and returning to the box office to purchase my second ticket. What can I say? Rules are rules, laws are laws, and even if ticket prices are high, I'm not owed anything more than one movie.

BTW, I see no reason to argue about this topic. If you can justify theater hopping to yourself, then nothing I can say or do will change your mind anyway ...

Well, shoot . . . now what are we going to argue about?

No, it isn't. You're not getting something for nothing. Unless it's mandatory that you have to purchase food as well as a movie ticket, they're not losing money the way theatre-hopping costs them.

In a typical case of theater-hopping, the movie theater loses no more money than in the case of a person sneaking in food. Let me make this clear...

Situation: John Doe wants to see a comedy. He goes to the 5:15 screening of The 40 Year Old Virgin, a film he's been wanting to see since he heard about it a few months ago. He pays for his ticket and takes his seat, exclaiming, "This looks so much better than The Dukes of Hazzard. I definitely wouldn't pay to see that on the big screen."

Scenario one:
The Dukes of Hazzard is being shown at 7:35.
50 people bought tickets, for $7 apiece.
John Doe's stomach aches from laughing at The 40 Year Old Virgin.
He decides to go home, instead of sneaking into this screening.
150 seats go unfilled.
The film screens, ends, and the 10:15 show starts seating people.
The theater is paid a total of $350 by the 50 patrons.

Scenario two:
The Dukes of Hazzard is being shown at 7:35.
50 people bought tickets, for $7 apiece.
John Doe wants another dose of comedy after The 40 Year Old Virgin.
He sneaks into this film, one he would never have paid to see.
149 seats go unfilled.
The film screens, ends, and the 10:15 show starts seating people.
The theater is paid a total of $350 by the 50 patrons.

The theater loses no money by having a theater-hopper in their seat. They pay no, as you put it, "cost." They'd have made $350 if John Doe went home. They make $350 if he sneaks into the screening. Either way, they weren't getting his money for a screening of that film. There is no literal or hypothetical cost incurred by the theater. None. At all.

Now, you can argue that John Doe stole a service. You can say that it's his duty to pay for the service he received (the screening of the film)...in much the same way he shouldn't skip out on the check at a massage parlor, a car wash, or a session with a physician. You can't, however, say that he cost the theater money...because he didn't.

-JP

You forgot scenario #3: the theatre makes $357 if John Doe does the right thing. This whole situation boils down to people thinking that movies are good enough to see but not pay for. You seem to think it costs the theatre no money for each screening. What about the rent? What about equipment and maintenance costs? How about the utilities? I'm sure after sitting through a movie or two, John Doe will have to use the toilet. Then what about the added cost of having more staff to clean up after him?

Moral of the story: John Doe should go home if he doesn't want to cough up $7 for a film he didn't want to see anyway.

And you forgot the part where I said that John Doe wouldn't ever pay to see this movie. They're not losing his $7, because even if he didn't sneak in, he wouldn't be paying to see the film (often the case when people theater-hop; they see a film they're remotely interested in, but wouldn't pay to see). There is no loss incurred. At all. It's a rather simple notion that you are, for some reason, having a hard time grasping.

By the way, "right" is a subjective term. We're arguing issues of fact.

Nice list. Unfortunately, it consists wholly of costs that the theater would have incurred whether the guy had snuck into the film or not. There is NO additional cost incurred by having a theater-hopper fill an already empty seat. None.

That may be true. However, that has nothing to do with your entirely incorrect notion that sneaking into films costs the theaters money. In the end, regardless of what the guy "should have done," he has cost the theater exactly $0.00.

-JP

Instead of writing another reply that would be exactly the same, reread my last post.

This is the point where your post should end.

If he wouldn't pay to see it, then there is no reason for him to be there.

There is a charge to see it, if he doesn't want to then he shouldn't be there.

Again, perhaps that's true, but it's completely beside the point. I'm sure those of you who object to this practice can find thousands of reasons regarding why people shouldn't partake in it. However, fiscal ramifications for theaters is NOT one of them. Nobody has come close to proving otherwise.

Theater-hopping doesn't cost the theaters one literal or hypothetical cent. If you want to take issue with the practice, fall back on your claims that the guy is stealing a service, that he shouldn't go see a movie he doesn't want to pay for, and so forth. However, don't state that he's costing the theater money. It's simply not true.

-JP

But I do have to say...I wouldn't bother sneaking into a movie I really didn't want to see on some level.

But what if the theater was approaching a sell out? What if two guys sneak into that showing, preventing two ticket holders from finding seats, thus requesting refunds?

I've witnessed this happen a couple of times.

I have never hopped, unless I am just waiting for another film I've paid for, and stick my head in the door to pass time, or to see if I want to watch the film.

I don't see that many movies at the theater anyway... With over 1000 DVDs, I have plenty to watch. Occasionally, I will go see big films (Star Wars, LotR, etc.) with friends. Often, we try to catch a matinee price. Other than that, my theater viewing is limited to the dollar movies, especially on .50 cent Tuesdays.

One film is usually my limit at the regular theaters, by then we are ready to go eat, or something. I usually try to see 2-3 films on Tuesdays when I go to the dollar movies, if there is a lot of stuff I want to see. Last week, I saw Land of the Dead and The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D...

I don't view sneaking in food as quite the same as theater hopping. You paid for the food, and didn't steal it from the snack bar, you just denied them the opportunity to sell you something at inflated prices. Most food sneakers aren't going to buy from the snack bar anyway. I am not going to spend snack bar prices for anything... Either I will somehow manage to go 2 whole hours without stuffing my face (sarcasm detectors on!) or I will occasionally sneak a can of pop or a candy bar. When I am at the dollar movies, I sometimes get a hot dog for a buck, along with a glass of water. That is usually my lunch on those days, so I figure a buck is a pretty cheap lunch...

I don't think I've ever done that. The closest was Collateral when we had to sit in the second row. But even then, the movie had started already (was about 3 minutes into it) so I'm assuming we didn't take anyone's seat.

I usually will go to see the movie after its been out a week or 2 when I sneak into it. I'll pay for the movie that I want to see more (which is usually the newer movie).

I only did it once to catch Rochelle Rochelle "A young girl's erotic journey from Milan to Minsk".