[lechacal]

They're a load of old toss aren't they? And they've had the last of my money that they're ever going to get.

The final straw:
Went to see Ocean's Eleven at the Cheltenham Odeon last Friday, and...
The rows were packed closer than a 'Go' 737.
The film just was not loud enough.
Even if it had been it would have been struggling to be heard above the air conditioner right behind my ear (back row). Can anyone say 'noise floor'?
Someone didn't bother to turn surround processing on - there wasn't a peep from the side/rear speakers.
The print was ruined by a vertical scratch on the right hand aide of the picture from start to finish.

Why did I pay for this rubbish? Even on a good night my home setup would have sounded better. Can cinemas really last much longer in the current state? I realise there are exceptions but most managers don't seem to give a sh*t. It's a matter of 'Get the posters up. Get the bums on seats. Chuck them out.'. There is no attention paid to the quality of the experience whatsoever.

Or is it just me?

End Of Rant.

I totally agree, now I have 5.1 sound, I will blow out the cinema. But there is one problem, I don't think I can wait an extra 6 months to watch the 'Two Towers'!!

[Steve T]

How many times do you sit in the cinema and pick out faults in the print and deficiencies in the sound? For the last coupe of years I find myself doing it all the time.

I remember watching Swordfish last year and remember thinking "I can't wait to hear the explosion (the bullet time one at the beginning) in DTS on my set-up"

My local UGC Cinema isn't a bad one by any means and I still go reasonably frequently. I think Home Cinema has spoilt me. When you can watch films in the comfort of your own lounge with comparable (or better) sound, a screen that's (perceived) to be just as large with the lights down, no annoying children/morons, and a selection of beers - who needs to leave the house!

As for getting Region 1 films before they even get a theatrical release over here (Pitch Black anyone) - Nuff said!

[Kevo]

Totally agree.

I have no incentive to go to the cinema now that I have a fairly decent home cinema set up.

What can the cinemas do now to entice people back?

[mjn]

erm....have extremly good looking girls to "assist you"....free chocolate and beer.....extra comfy seats.....ban kids altogether...and get rid of those sh**ty side seats which are pointless, as you get no soundstage...

I completely agree as well, the sound quality of my HC is far superior to that of my local cinema and while I have only got a 32" TV once you get into a film in the dark a 32" set does fill your vision pretty well. I will admit though until I move house where I can install a projector you just do not get that wow factor from a widescreen TV that you do from a huge cinema screen.

The one draw of the cinema is that it is a social experience and makes films feel that bit more special (opening night of FOTR at my local cinema was just so cool, I would never get that sort of buzz watching it home for the first time on DVD). OK you could argue that you could do without the social experience if all you are going to get is some little sh*t texting his friends and talking really loudly, but generally people like going out with other people.

Also the cinemas will still do really well as the vast majority of films come out 6 months before the DVD release anywhere in the world, and I for one could not wait that long for The Two Towers.

[Ron240]

Originally posted by lechacal

The film just was not loud enough.

This can also be quite the opposite.When i went to see The Fast And The Furious last summer at the UGC,the volume was actually painfully loud.That was the first time i had experienced this problem and in general i find the volume level about right.
I think you cant beat staying in and watching a good film with good company on your home set up,but cinemas do have their place because with some films you have to view them on the big screen to get the full effect.I have seen myself watching a film in the cinema and thinking if it would make a good transition to the small screen.One of the recent films i have seen that i thought would lose a little is Lord Of The Rings.Dont get me wrong,i think it will be fantastic on DVD and i will buy it right away,but i still think it will lose some of its effect.Another thing about cinemas is that they provide a good evening out with friends or partners.
So to sum up, long live cinemas!

[Reiner]

Though some cinemas or rather the film/sound is not perfect I still like going to the movies. As some of you know I lived in Malaysia before and it was very, very cheap but the cinemas were state of the art, every new shopping mall (and those are mushrooming there) will have a cineplex with all the latest (THX ect.).
Here in Taiwan I pay around tripple but the cinemas (also new) are very good, too.
I just like the athmosphere, bag of popcorn and a coke, off we go.
Don't have a projector/big screen at home so it makes a difference compared to my 29" TV, without my system now it's even worst.
Even some movies/transfers have, say, quality problems I can overlook that if it doesn't last through the entire movie, the worst I have seen was the opening of "Romeo must die" because it was shown in the wrong aspect ratio, everything was squezzed.
Nobody seemed to bother so I went up and complained after which it was fixed, guess someone forgot to flick a switch ...

Ocean's 11 had problems with the sound, some annoying bass/LFE in scenes where it didn't belong. But then I didn't like the movie too much either, so that's what I consider "wasted money" - but you can't know that beforehand, can you?