I have hazy memories of one of my earlier cinema experiences — it was to watch “Brother Sun, Sister Moon” in the ’70s. We were in the province and I remember sitting on a wooden bench. After that, I remember going when you could just enter the theater at any time and leave at any time. Newspapers had movie sections which I loved.
Also, tickets could get oversold. I remember watching the James Bond movie, “For Your Eyes Only” sitting on the floor on the left side of the screen. For “Jurassic Park,” I was seated on the steps on an aisle. It was a world where ‘fire hazard’ wasn’t in anyone’s vocabulary. I spent P17 to get the best seats to see the original “Terminator” film. In the middle of traffic, it wasn’t unusual to see a man on a bicycle transporting canisters of film reels.
Movie going has come a long way. Now, all the big malls have cinemas, we have ten IMAX theaters in the country, three 4DX screens, one cinema with Tempur beds, pillows and linens, we have cinemas with recliners, and there’s one kid-friendly family cinema with colored seats and lounge seating up front.
A movie ticket now costs between P350 and P500. P750 will get you into an IMAX theater and P2,000 gets you and your plus one that fancy bed with a snack and butler service.
For those wondering whether 4DX is a better cinematic experience compared to IMAX, both have the capacity to screen films in 3D however, the 4DX screen is smaller and I’d compare it to an amusement park ride. It offers synchronized motion seats and environmental effects like mist, wind and lightning. I saw “Mad Max: Fury Road” there and the people who sat in front of me arrived with drinks and burgers. They left before the movie ended. I wouldn’t recommend eating during the experience. Ultimately, I’d rather ride a roller coaster.
IMAX, with its ultra large screens, offers way more imagery. An IMAX camera can have a resolution up to 18K, and the audio has more sophisticated channels. This is why Christopher Nolan told people to go watch “Oppenheimer” at the IMAX.
Movie going these days really isn’t just the cost of the ticket. It’s the cost of transportation, parking and snacks. People still make a date, family activity and pastime of going to the movies. Unless you happen to be in a mall waiting for traffic to ease up, going to the movies can be a big production to coordinate. This is an activity for people with a budget for it as well as the time and the inclination.
While it doesn’t offer the big screen, the bells, whistles and the feeling of an event, watching movies via a streaming platform has undeniable perks for the consumer. A Netflix subscription ranges from P149 to P549. Disney+ goes from P249 to P519. And you don’t have to commute or worry about missing the start.
There’s close to 15 million people in Metro Manila. All hustling, living, getting decadent, getting by, all away from places they can hike, breathe fresh air or be close to nature. Movies provide an urban diversion, all of us in a dark box, watching stories unfold on screens. Cinemas co-exist with streaming, new malls pop up with new screens and according to Statista, they should be doing good business here in the years to come.
Actual local box office figures are hard to come by but it is common knowledge that films from foreign markets (Hollywood, South Korea, Thailand) currently outnumber and out earn our own. A segment of the population is also shut out from enjoying movies due to the prices.
As to how and if that can be addressed would be the subject of another piece.
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