Mental Floss: Before faceless multiplexes became the norm, one could always spot a movie theater in the distance, even if it was your first visit to that town. A large illuminated vertical sign announced the name of the cinema, and the triangular marquee below was lined with tiny blinking light bulbs. Even if the film being shown was a dud, that sign out front just lured you inside.
And that was just one of the trimmings that used to make “going to the movies” an event, a night out on the town. If you remember when an usher would scold you for speaking too loud, or had a grandma who had a full set of china only because she’d faithfully attended weeks of Dish Nights, these 11 artifacts might bring back some fond memories.
21 comments:
This article provides an interesting perspective. There are definitely some of these things I would like to see come back--such as the costumed ushers. But there are other elements that I am thrilled are phased out such as the ashtrays. It would be okay with me if intermissions became a thing again, especially for some of these movies that only seem to be getting longer and longer. In a theatrical performance, you would never get away with keeping audiences in their seats for more than 95 minutes without an organized break.
As for the cost of movies, it would be nice to get some sort of door prize (or piece of china) along with my $15 ticket--but I think the increase of ticket prices can be attributed to the fact that the cost of making movies has gone up. Thanks inflation, piracy, and expensive hollywood contracts.
I have noticed that now the more novel thing for new cinema facilities to offer is a dine-during-the-movie experience. In my opinion, most of these are overpriced and serve mediocre food.
This article reminds me of the Senator Theatre, a large 500+ seat proscenium style cinema in downtown Baltimore. That particular theatre featured many items from this list.
What is interesting is that live theatre has been around far longer than cinema, and while the format for the showing of a movie has changed very much, theatre performances are still very similar to how they were 200 years ago, and still maintain a reasonable level of decorum (Vegas performances notwithstanding.)
My mom tells me about when she would go to the movies and how now doesn't even compare to when she was younger. This was in the '50s and '60s, so very different from the '30s but it was still nicer to go to the movies then than it is now. I think back then is a nicer experience than now. Of course, it was cheaper back then because everything was and prices now are just ridiculous. They had double features for around 50 cents where now a days it's around $13-15 to go see a single show (in NYC at least and everything in NYC is more expensive). I think we take for granted what we have. Why can't going to the movies be a special occasion? Now it's just something you do if you can't figure out anything else.
It's not just at the movie theater, but performances like musicals, plays, and operas! Operas especially! And that change was pretty recent. I remember when I was little my family would go to the opera at least four times a year because my mother had some sort of membership with Lincoln Center. We never dressed up, but we never dressed down either. I used to look at all the women who wore evening gowns and fur coats and the men who wore tuxes and occasionally a hat. I remember telling my mom how when I grow up, I'm going to wear luxurious clothes every time I see a show. A few years ago I started noticing less and less people dressing up. Every now and then there will be a couple or two keeping the luxurious aspect of the Opera alive. I still want to dress up. When I go see a musical or play, I tend to wear a nice dress and heels. I'll put some light make up on and do my hair. I like dressing up for shows! It's fun, it makes me feel good and I think more people should do the same.
It's interesting how many of these things, like the curtains or the ushers, came from theatre. Which makes me wonder how many movie theaters started life as re-purposed theatres. I think that reintroducing cry rooms might be rather useful. I think it might be interesting to bring back the cartoon and a double feature, or at least include a cartoon when theaters do marathons of two part movies, such as the 7th Harry Potter film
Wow! What a blast to the past! I've seen some images of these old-time theaters in films (Singin' in the Rain, Seabiscuit, etc). It's sad to think how movie theaters have now become so commercial and uniform. Back then, it seemed as if the theater workers actually cared about the viewer's entertainment. It was very thoughtful to put a cry room in the theater, not only allowing audiences to enjoy the show, but also allowing the mothers to listen as well. Now, I think theaters and audiences have become a little sloppy. The ushers are less personable. The once one-night luxury where people dressed up has now become weeknight-slobfest where viewers figure out how much popcorn and soda they can spill on the floor. I also really loved the idea of the newsreels. I've seen a few of them on youtube, like one on the Hindenburg Disaster, and I think it's a fun way to inform audiences or worldly topics. I think it is better to inform the public on these issues rather than to bother them with advertisements. And of course there is Dish Night. That sounds so much fun! I feel like I've been dealt the short end of the stick with that event. I've been to a drive-in movie once, and it was a blast. Unfortunately, the place has closed down because of costs and a lack of audience members. It was fun with there was that cartoon intermission. Unfortunately, now, people think that vintage should be more expensive. Even back then, the value of a movie ticket was less than movie tickets now (they were about $6). I guess people think that big-name theaters are more reliable or less expensive than privately-owned theaters. It's sad because, now, they are less expensive than the private theaters. It's unfortunate how quality has decreased so much since the early 1900s
This is an interesting thought because I have had many conversations about the state of our movie theaters. What type of ambiance the theater gives off. I have heard a lot of people say that they wish there were more dinner theaters. I think it is a shame that there is such a small variety in the theatrical experience because many people do not just want to sit and watch, they want to be able to eat, some may want to have a bit of a "flash back" experience in a more 'old timely' theaters with the features listed in the article.
Before getting emotionally attached to all of these things that have since left the movie theatre, I have to be rational. Think of how much it costs to put in and operate many of these things (a grand drape for instance). Now think of the price of movies at some places. $16/ticket? And THEN think of how much they would feel they were entitled to charge "extra", just because they had a drape over their curtain, or they didn't show advertisements, or they paid ushers, or whatnot. So maybe a little nostalgia comes to mind for the older generations when movies were special, and not a run-of-the mill activity. But if most of those luxuries were kept, no one would be able to afford movies, even if the cause is a 99% profit margin for the theatre.
I'm not surprised that many of these movie theater gimmicks have fallen to the wayside. However it would be nice to bring some of them back. I realize opening an old-fashioned style movie "palace" with a grand drape and "cry rooms" is a little impractical. I cannot begin to imagine how high the ticket prices would have to be to compete with multiplexes but the "nostalgia effect" would surly draw in the crowds.
As for newsreels, double features, cartoons and serials, a comeback seems unlikely. That's not to say there isn't a practical place to put them in our modern movie theater world. Disney movies still often show cartoon shorts before the film and they tend to be one of the audiences favorite parts. Even the double feature could make a resurgence. Theaters could show a big blockbuster and follow it up with a lesser know indie flick (though with the high price of films, this is probably out of the price range of most movie theaters). With the connivence of televisions and the steep price of movie tickets, newsreels and serials are unlikely to make a comeback.
What really struck home with this article was the comment about the silence before the film. I long for the days that I was not bombarded with pointless trivia and annoying ads that play in a ceaseless loop. Do advertisers not realize that I am less like to want to buy their product when they flash it at me on a big screen interrupting my conversation? The only ads that a theater should show (apart from the food in the lobby ones) are the previews. I have always gone to the movies early so as not to miss the previews but since the increase in pre movie advertising and blaring pop music I've grown more accustomed to showing up at the theater just in the nick of time to catch the flick.
I thought one of the most interesting things in this article was the section about the curtains. It made me think about how the curtains gave the movie theater a theatrical air and focused the audience's attention in a unique way, as opposed to the current method of flashing trivia questions and advertisements every few seconds. It would be interesting to investigate whether the use of curtains before a movie affects an audience's overall behavior- perhaps it would cut down on talking or texting.
As for "cry rooms," I think this is a brilliant idea that should be implemented not just in movie theaters, but in all areas where many people are forced to sit together for long periods of time!
This article reminds of my favorite theater, the Avon Cinema, in Providence. The Avon is an independent movie theater from the 1930s and its definitely a different experience to see a movie there than in a modern theater. The Avon does have some of the features listed in the article, like a velvet curtain that opens before each show and a beautiful lit-up marquee. They only have one theater and its much nicer inside there than a Showcase cinema. What this article really focuses on though, is that seeing a movie did not just use to be about the movie you came to see, it was about the experience of going to the movies. Old, independent movie theaters definitely help recreate some of those experiences, although I'm sure it comes no where close to what seeing a movie in the 1930s was really like.
It's so strange to think that going to the movies was once as grand and formal, if not more, as going to the theater. It's also interesting that even though theater has been around much, much longer, it has not been nearly as commercialized as the movies have. There's something about live performance that keeps people interested and coming back, unlike the movies which have become gimmicky and commercial in order to get audiences to come.
Yes, it's a shame that we don't have a grand drape surrounding the movie screen. But, that's the only thing I really would see myself missing at the movies (if I was old enough to remember one). However, the extent of the article contains pieces that are simply out of the norms of movie theaters today. Also, what is this article trying to accomplish? We don't have signs that say "Ladies, remove your hats?" So what? This article documents changes movie theaters have gone through without much commentary on the matter. If you read between the lines, you can kind of see how the author is all for the fancy theaters of the past, but it's not consistently present. Movie-going culture has changed. It's still a social event, but it's more laid-back. There's nothing wrong with that. If I had to pay the same amount to go to the movies as a show, then I would probably see a lot less movies. Production of films has changed rapidly since that romanticized era. Now there are something like fifteen movies out at one time, when back then there might only be five. There's more selection, and theaters don't need gimmicks like "Dish Night" to lure customers.
This article was very interesting for me to read. I have noticed a slight difference in Movie theater culture since i was little but i believe this is speaking of a broader and older change that has happened. I know that going to the movies used to be a big deal, It was almost like going to the theater (whose culture has also changed a ton) but it used to be more of a get dressed up and have a night on the town kind of feel. Where as now days its more of a well im bored ill put some sweats on and go to the movies. It reminds me how aviation culture has also changed, people used to get dressed up to go on a plane but now days its more casual. I wish that we could find a happy medium between fancy movie theaters ( which i haven't seen) and casual everyday movie theaters.
Can we please have Cry Rooms everywhere? Especially in movie theaters and real theatres as well? We're all talking about movie theaters and how they've become a little lower class in people's attitude towards going out to them but haven't everyone's attitude towards going out in general become a little more lax? People used to dress up whenever they went out but now everyone is fine going out in jeans and a t-shirt. I'd love to see going out become a more formal event for everyone. It makes it seem a little more elegant and so people are less likely to make messes and be so lackadaisical in their attitude towards what is going on around them.
It's things like this that make me think that I was born in the wrong era. I would love to go to the movies and have it be a special occasion. I love going to the movies but it's definitely something that I take for granted and it certainly isn't a special and elegant outing. It's interesting that some of the things that people loved about the movies are things that we still have in the theater. We still have the big red curtain and we still have the concessions between acts. We still have ushers whom, are usually not dressed in a uniform, do dress up and kindly show people to their seats. I wonder if anyone has ever tried to open a movie theater like this ever again and if they did if it was successful. Also, cry rooms might be the best idea I have ever heard of.
I think its interesting how movies have changed over time. This brings to mind the question, is theatre a dead art form? Obviously, I dont think so, but my view is that Theatre itself has changed and evolved into a different type of art form. Going back to the article, many of the things that we take for granted in going to a nice theatre show include what is lacking in the modern day movie experience, and its part of what makes seeing theatre fun.
It's really cool to look back and see what movie theaters used to be. In my town there's an abandoned theatre that had a marquee, and every time I look at it there's an air of nostalgia. It would be great if some of the attributes of old movie theaters could be brought back, such as the cry room or the decor, but the ashtrays can stay in the past. It's sad to see the elegance and grandeur that theaters once had fade away.
I think the changes in movie theaters are both great and sad. I would love the chance to go to the movies and have it be a special occasion, but by the same token the casual air modern movie theaters have, makes them more accessible to a broader audience. The same goes for plays. I remember being younger and having it be a great occasion when we went to plays and now people go in jeans and t-shirts. I like the idea of broadening the audience in all facets of entertainment, but when I hear about all of innovation that some theaters are using to recreate the excitement around their events, I am really interested in that as well.
Special rooms for children who won't stop crying?!???!!? Why would we ever get rid of this? The one thing I hate about movie theaters are all the distractions. Phone calls, text messages, crying children, I understand all of these things are unavoidable at some level, but they can be really bothersome to those who are enjoying the movie. It seems like a special room to take care of your 'situation' while still watching the movie will allow you to not lose precious movie time while still not bothering the other patrons. Genius.
This article is very interesting since I never had an experience in this kind of old theater. However, based on what I read here, I feel like the old theaters were more friendly in a way that it was more interactive and encouraged more people to watch the movie. On the other hand, today's movie theater is rather too dry and its purpose is just to show the movie and sell as many popcorns as it can. The most impressive and surprising thing that existed before is the fully-equipped cry rooms for mothers. This is extremely great idea and I wonder why it does not exist anymore because a lot of mothers are hesitant to go watch movie because of their children. It is sad to see how old theaters where there are double features, themes of the theater, and newsreel in order to update current news, be a real entertained place, and interact with audience are no longer existing.
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