Movies Too Expensive?
I'm a cheapskate. I enjoy going to the movies,
but I've always tried to go to dollar theatres, or on dollar night. As those
opportunities disappeared, I switched to bargain matinees. As those drifted out
of my price range -- I'm willing to pay triple what I pay for a DVD rental -- I
took to theatre hopping . (Seeing a second feature at
the multiplex and only paying a single
admission.)Yes, I know that's
essentially software piracy, but I justify it by noting that if I didn't get to
see two pictures, I wouldn't pay for either, so the studio (and the theatre)
make more money from my theft than they would without it. And I never hop to a
busy show; that's rude.Now the bargain
matinee price has climbed to $6.50, so Mary and I seeing a film is $13. Renting
two DVDs is only $4. (Less if I use Netflix aggressively.) Over my 3x
limit.Hence, I haven't been to the
movies in a theatre in a while. I went a lot in Hong Kong, where it was only $4
per ticket, and I didn't even bother staying for a second
feature.At current prices, I'll only
bother to see huge-budget special effects extravaganzas in the theatre. Or I'll
have to learn to double-hop.
Filed Thu - January 6, 2005, 11:56 AM in
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