Another cinema chain going down the pan

[Ormy1]

The viewing angle isn't the ultimate determining factor

Not ultimate, but it is one of the main factors.

it's uncommon for people to sit within 4 feet of a 65" screen

Their loss. That is also a bit of an exaggeration. I sit 5-6ft from a 55" screen which I find ideal.

If you aren't situated in the furthest rows of a large theater, the scale perception at a cinema is likely to be more impactful.

That's a perspective thing, you unconsciously compare the size of the faces/heads on-screen with the silhouettes of the heads of the people in the front row. You can't really recreate this at home, but once you're consciously aware of the effect you don't miss it as much IMHO. That might just be me though, I fully accept that.

I'd question how many people are investing thousands in subwoofers solely to surpass cinema-level sub-bass frequency at home.

As a fraction of the populace? A tiny fraction of course, but still many thousands of people (tbf this is a much bigger thing in the US, not so much in the UK). Most people have never heard low distortion 10-20Hz reproduced correctly at 110+dB, much less used to good effect in a movie (more movies than you might think have deliberate effects at these frequencies). I think a lot more people would want it once they had experienced it first hand.

It's worth mentioning that frequency is only one element to consider when handling sub-bass.

Very true but that's getting off topic for this thread IMHO, let's just leave it at 'sub-bass done correctly' shall we?

 

[uvarvu]

Do you think people are more intolerant of others after Covid? For me I stopped going so much after having children but intolerance is also a factor along with lack of content.

 

[rp2000]

More speakers ≠ better sound.

...tecnho gobbledegook...

Off course, and I don't know as much about these things as you do.

BUT, I think most cinemas use 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos or Sony SDSS. Same sort of stuff as available at home. Only difference is they use multiple subs and multiple speakers per channel. Assuming all their speakers are working, I still think it's better

p.s. I sit exactly 3metres from a 55 inch TV. Doesn't feel cinema like. If I halved that distance, maybe, but still not a cinema experience in my opinion.


rp2000

 

[Jono8]

Do you think people are more intolerant of others after Covid? For me I stopped going so much after having children but intolerance is also a factor along with lack of content.

Possibly.

The main factor is home equipment has got loads better I think.

I mean the cinema was great when all you had at home/could reasonably afford was a 32 inch CRT tube TV with built in speakers

Now, you can arguably get a better picture and audio experience at home without having to be mega wealthy.

 

[Rimsy]

Rubbish films and an increase in people's lack of consideration for others is what killed it for me.

 

[413x]

Those are all opinions? most of them don't even explain why it's better, just that it's a nicer (not better) experience and less expensive.

You're also on a forum full of introverts who couldn't be paid to sit near the general public

It's the same with things like Reddit, you get a very skewed response from certain demographics. The reason cinema attendance is down has nothing to do with the level of equipment people have at home, because the vast majority of people don't have an OLED or surround sound system. It's down to cost and the fact that there are only a couple of films a year that are worth seeing on the big screen.

I don't go that often myself, but I'm not under any illusions that my home setup can beat a cinema on the AV front. Yes, it may not have the infinite contrast ratio of my OLED or be as crystal clear, but some movies just need the sheer scale of a cinema screen to give you the full experience. The same reason very few people use TVs when building a dedicated home cinema room.

I genuinely think non Imax is a bit naff.
Imax for sure it's better. No doubt.

But I've been in non Imax and the sound (particularly the sound) had been really poor.

Or the cinema is cold.

Definitely lack of films doesn't help. But when you have a nice set up at home, cinema has to be much better.

You're spending 40 as a couple, much more as a family. Vs free at home.


Better doesn't have to be purely PQ/SQ. The entire experience matters.

 

[Ayahuasca]

The entire experience matters.

Which I didn't question, and which has already been done to death if you've bothered to read the other replies.

The only point I questioned was those who said outright that their equipment was better than the cinemas, as it takes quite a bit of money, calibration and the right space to really beat a decent cinema setup.

I'm in and out of people's gaffs all the time and hardly anyone has a TV worth more than about £500 and even fewer have additional audio equipment.

There are far bigger factors for why we've seen a decline in cinema attendance over the last few years, but looking at some recent statistics, it could be seeing a bit of a revival.

 

[willhub]

Orange Wednesdays was good.

 

[413x]

Which I didn't question and has already been done to death if you'd bothered to read the other replies.

The only point I questioned were those outright saying their equipment is better than the cinemas as it takes quite a bit of money, calibration and having the right space to genuinely beat out a decent cinema setup.

I'm in and out of different peoples gaffs all the time and barely anyone has a TV worth more than about £500 and even fewer have any additional audio equipment.

Some cinemas are really poor though.
Visible scratches on the the projector screen (this was particularly annoying). What sounds like front firing 2.0 sound.
Its often the small screens. When a film is near EOL.

It certainly varies cinema by cinema

 

[Ayahuasca]

Some cinemas are really poor though.
Visible scratches on the the projector screen (this was particularly annoying). What sounds like front firing 2.0 sound.
Its often the small screens. When a film is near EOL.

It certainly varies cinema by cinema

I've genuinely never been in a cinema with any of those issues. If that was the standard in the ones I went to I'd probably have the same opinion in thinking my home setup was better than the average cinema.

 

[413x]

I've genuinely never been in a cinema with any of those issues. If that was the standard in the ones I went to I'd probably have the same opinion in thinking my home setup was better than the average cinema.

I tend to go to Imax only showings now. Just because I know the standard is high enough.

And only visually/sonically impressive films.

Anything else.. Home is plenty good enough

 

[gingergundog]

I used to love the cinema experience when I was younger...it was basic but exciting plus the popcorn, pearl and dean adverts etc. The last time I went was to an IMAX and tbh it was too damn loud. The cinema picture was amazing but that wasn't the reason for going.

Most of the time these days I prefer to watch movies on my sofa. I have surround sound but tbh it doesn't matter that much to me now, there was a time when all I wanted was things whizzing past my ears...don't get me wrong I still enjoy it but its less of a priority now.

 

[Steeps]

It's only more recently where some cinemas have been refurbished to take into account new sound standards such as atmos. One cinema only got surround in every screen about 6 years ago, half the screens were still using stereo with the feed pushed from the front and back speakers, full surround was allocated to the blockbuster screens and the others played the shorter run films, similar to when digital projection started becoming a thing and then 3D screens with the additional filters which needed the brighter projector.

One major issue is keeping spare parts on site, obviously they use the most powerful projectors for the bigger screens due to the distances involved but if one of them fails, they have to pull a smaller projector in which has a dimmer picture. Same issue with sound, if one of the channel amps fails they often (badly) re-route the sound to different speakers, very distracting if it's the centre channel which goes and they use the left or right to cover it. They don't seem to have the capability of using both left and right to balance it.

Starting to find my sofa is getting a bit uncomfortable for films, and I'm not liking the size of my screen, or the neighbours being in meaning I can't push the amp further. Looks like I'm going to continue using a cinema while they still exist.

 

[n111ck]

Seems those predicting the death of cinema were premature (again) - contents the issue not the format..

Barbie and Oppenheimer films to ‘save cinema’ with best ticket sales for years

Thousands see both movies in marathon Barbenheimer double bill on first weekend of their release

www.telegraph.co.uk

The Barbie and Oppenheimer films have led to the biggest weekend for UK cinema ticket sales in four years, Vue International has said.

 

[Shoza]

Nothing wrong with the cinema. I still go but past few years have not had the best movies out to draw crowds. Hollywood seems to have run out of ideas!

That and (UK) cinemas make it so hard now. Mission Impossible wasn’t on past 8:20pm this week at any of my local cinemas!

 

[SixTwoSix]

Orange Wednesdays was good.

Not related to the thread but I really struggled with Brennan Brown in Man in the High Castle due to having him seared in my memory as the Orange Wednesdays guy.

 

[SixTwoSix]

Seems those predicting the death of cinema were premature (again) - contents the issue not the format..

Barbie and Oppenheimer films to ‘save cinema’ with best ticket sales for years

Thousands see both movies in marathon Barbenheimer double bill on first weekend of their release

www.telegraph.co.uk

The Barbie and Oppenheimer films have led to the biggest weekend for UK cinema ticket sales in four years, Vue International has said.

Wait - so you're telling me that when the two most hyped movies in recent years released on the same weekend, which mainly cater to two separate demographics, it's gone and led to record sales for the last few years?

I'm shocked, shocked I tell you.

 

[SPG]

Well after mission impossible this weekend (8/10 btw) I am done with the cinema. Too expensive for having to put up with scorates who can't leave their phones alone, and the idea of actually Whispering if you need to speak a seemingly abstract concept that lives in a different dimension.

The cinemas need to start enforcing standards somehow or turn the cinemas into a big Faraday cage and whip people for being annoying.

 

[n111ck]

Wait - so you're telling me that when the two most hyped movies in recent years released on the same weekend, which mainly cater to two separate demographics, it's gone and led to record sales for the last few years?

I'm shocked, shocked I tell you.

Well yes if a film about a plastic doll and a 3 hour historical biopic can break box office records I dont think cinema is going anywhere...

 

[ianh]

Just seen that Cineworld want to close 25 of their 100 cinemas in the UK, and renegotiate the rent on another 50, to the shock of absolutely no-one any more I guess. I think this summer will have at least 3 "billion dollar" films (we've had one already) so has the harm already been done to all of the cinema chains by now?

If enough landlords refuse to agree to the new let terms, the 50 Cineworld complexes up for rent renegotiation could also be at risk of closure. It is expected that other cinema operators could step in and take over some of Cineworld's closed sites. It is not yet known what Cineworld locations could be effected.

A Cineworld spokesperson said in a statement: 'We continue to review our options but we don't comment on rumours and speculation.'

Cineworld to exit dozens of cinemas in radical restructuring plan

The multiplex operator wants to close roughly a quarter of its 100 British sites and negotiate rent reductions at another 50, Sky News learns.

news.sky.com

Cineworld ‘considers closing a quarter of its 100 UK cinemas’

Debt-laden chain reportedly drawing up plans to shut 25 screens and renegotiate rent agreements at 50 sites

www.theguardian.com

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www.ft.com

Cineworld plans to close around 25 of its 100 British cinemas

The company also wants to renegotiate rent agreements at a further 50 sites, with the remaining 25 untouched by the restructuring.

www.dailymail.co.uk