While ticket prices have been inching up over the past few months, movie theaters in New York City are about to push it even further as the AMC theater in Manhattan's Kips Bay neighborhood, AMC Loews 34, AMC Loews Lincoln Square and the AMC Empire 42nd Street are all going to charge $20 dollars a ticket for Shrek Forever After in IMAX 3D this weekend.
Granted, recent showtimes for DreamWorks How to Train Your Dragon were $19.50 at some of the same theaters, but that was below the $20 psychological barrier. That .50 cents really makes a difference. More after the jump:
With this new price increase, it brings me to something I've been meaning to talk about for a long time: different prices for movie tickets.
When I go and see a huge Hollywood spectacle....something that costs $200 million dollars like a Star Trek or an Iron Man 2, I would understand having to pay more for a ticket. But at the same time, when I go to see a documentary or a drama that features two people talking for 120 minutes, the price should be lower.
Many wonder why independent movies aren't doing as well as in previous years. I'd argue it's ticket prices and large screen TV's. After all, if you have a huge TV at home with a great sound system, many are starting to realize they can get almost the same enjoyment watching on their couch and they won't have to pay $50 dollars to see it in a theater (tickets and food). Mind you, I'm not talking about people that see movies every weekend...I'm talking about normal folks that go to the movies occasionally.
The fact is, charging people $15 dollars for a ticket to Avatar and then trying to charge them the same price for a small indie film is crazy.
I think if theaters had tiered pricing based on your seat (like they do in some countries in Europe) and what movie it is would help get people to see more movies.
But I'm a little off track. The fact is, $20 dollars is a lot of money to charge for one ticket. Would I pay $20 dollars to see a movie.... probably. But it would have to be a big budget spectacle and something I REALLY want to see. But I'm a huge movie nerd and I love going to a movie theater to see movies. I am not the norm.
So...would you pay $20 dollars to see a movie? Leave your comments below. I'm very curious.
(via WSJ)
