Goodbye To Movie Theaters?

I grew up going to independent movie theaters. I went as often as I could in my youth, but it was the 1980's when I really began my obsession with moviegoing. My preferred method was, of course, the drive-in, but that wasn't always practical. I went to a lot of walk-in theaters.

I lived in a area called Newmarket, in Hampton, Virginia. There were several theaters close by. One was a small AMC, but the rest were independently owned. I lived within walking distance of a lovely little theater called Newmarket Cinemas. That was perfect for strolling down the street with a half-pint of whiskey in my pocket. I'd buy a large Coke, make my drink, kick back, and enjoy the movie. Oh, for carefree youth.

The Newmarket was great. A family atmosphere, unlike at most chains. The popcorn was freshly made, with real butter. Not the nasty 10 Weight oil you'll get at many places. The Newmarket got movies other places wouldn't touch, like Evil Dead 2 and The Last Temptation of Christ.

A big monolith theater was opened in 1998. The AMC 24 was a wonder to behold. New, shiny, and high tech. It came with a price. The writing was on the wall for locally-owned movie houses. The Newmarket closed down even before the AMC 24 opened its doors.

i should have been sadder than I was. It did hurt, but there was this new spot that had all those choices. I liked movies a lot more in those days. I went to the AMC constantly. At least once a week. Two or three times wasn't unheard of.

I saw big movies, small ones, blockbusters and quasi-indie productions. I think back on it all and I smile.

Time has passed since the late 1990's. The way we watch movies has changed, and movies themselves aren't what they used to be.

Theaters began competing with home theater systems, installing recliners, and selling adult beverages. I preferred the illicit thrill of sneaking in a bottle.

CGI was rising in the 90's. Now green screen and digital effects are overwhelming. It's sometimes hard to determine what is real acting and what is synthetic.

Netflix revolutionized home streaming, and Amazon, Disney, itunes, and other outlets are in strong competition. I get dizzy thinking about it all.

Yes, it is nice to be able to pull up most any movie and watch it. We stream from Amazon and Netflix. We contribute to the very sources that are systematically destroying movie theaters.

Warner has just announced that it will release all its 2021 movies simultaneously on HBO Max. AMC is frantically searching for a way to overturn the decision.

We may never go back to life as we knew it. Covid-19 has resulted in a lot of casualties. Movie theaters might be one of them.

Is this the death knell for movie theaters? Maybe. I think they will continue in some form, but I really don't know.

We missed the independent theaters and cursed the multiplexes. Now we might end up sadly remembering the days of giant movie houses.

It will be heartbreaking for me. Yes, despite rude audience members, regardless of sky-high refreshment prices, in spite of digital production and projection that makes movies like like video games, I will badly miss the joy and magic of going to the movies.


Written by Mark Sieber