Cinema Prices

garthv · 02-02-2005 12:00pm #1

I usually go to the cinema about once a month these days and it seems to me that every time I go the prices are getting dearer. I remeber the days when you could get a movie and a bag of popcorn the size of your head for a nickel....
Naa but seriously, I went to the cinema the other night and paid 9 euro for a 75 minute movie,9 euro!!!
No wonder movie piracy is becoming so widespread these days.

koneko · 02-02-2005 12:02pm

it is, absolutely, I remember a while back, the prices didn't really change very much for a while there, but 9 euro to see a movie is insane. I used to go see just about anything that was on, even if i didn't know if it would be very good. There's about 3 films on at the moment I'd like to see, but my bf isn't really interested in, I'm not wasting 18 euro just for the two of us to see a film i'm kind-of interested in.

It'll be a tenner each before the year is over, mark my words. Probably during the summer.

galactus · 02-02-2005 12:04pm

€9 is the standard price. I think its a little on the steep side but the real-rip off is the extras. That's why i bring my own M&Ms (which I grow myself).

Pigman II · 02-02-2005 1:02pm

I think 8-9euro is pretty reasonable. For example compare it to €30odd euro for a DVD purchase or even more realistically €4.75-€5.00 for a new video rental and I'll glaldy pay the 4 euro difference to see a film because....

1) I get to see it six months sooner than the home market (whilst its still a topic of conversation).

2) I don't have to make two trips (ie to return it to the vidshop)

3) You get a free 'athmosphere' (tho many hermits among us use this very reason negate cinema - usually because at 1 screening per year 1 person in a 100 at the cinema makes a slight racket for 5 seconds which disrupts their enjoyment of the latest vodafone advert)

4) Most importantly I see the film in an enviornment where I can shut off the outside world of distractions and immerse myself completely in what I'm watching.

So for you get I think its a good deal.

//

WRT piracy you could drop ticket prices to 5cent and you'd still get guys who'd rather pirate than visit the cinema. The one thing I've always found about pirates is THEY CAN JUSTIFY ANYTHING in their own minds but I don't think ticket prices is the reason they d/l.

//

WRT time I don't see the problem. Some of my favourite films of all time run at less than 90 minutes. I wouldn't begrudge the price I paid to see them because they were too short.

galactus · 02-02-2005 1:17pm

Pigman II wrote:

3) You get a free 'athmosphere' (tho many hermits among us use this very reason negate cinema - usually because at 1 screening per year 1 person in a 100 at the cinema makes a slight racket for 5 seconds which disrupts their enjoyment of the latest vodafone advert)

That's a good point.

You can't beat the buzz at a "big" movie (Star Wars, LotR), the hoo-haa of a contraversial movie (prayer meeting outside Dogma screening etc.) or the group terror of a really good horror ("Evil Dead 2" in the cinema was a classic).

Have good memories of many films in the flicks: Trainspotting, Pulp Fiction, Se7en had outstanding atmosphere. I wouldn't be mad at dressing up (or even watching) "Rocky Horror" in the cinema but you get the point. Movies are a social occasion.

I've seen a couple of oldies in the Kino cinema in Cork that I'd seen loads of times on tape. One in particular, "The Big Sleep", had loads of innuendo* which I only picked up on while in the cinema.

* not just the Bogart-Bacall exchange on horse racing.

ixoy · 02-02-2005 2:12pm

You know if I didn't have the UGC card and live 15 mins walk away from the cinema, I'd probably have a very different outlook on the cinema. As it is now though, the price thing isn't much of an issue (€15.99 a month, I'd see roughly 6 a month which works out €2.60 each...).

*Cuddles his UGC cinema card*

It makes me far more tolerant of certain of cinema's negatives ('cept noise) and thinking more of cinema as a time issue rather than a price one. Oh and I never buy their overpriced food and drink. Plan ahead...

fade2black · 02-02-2005 2:18pm

I just don't like paying €9 to see films that really should have gone straight to video.....Stepford wives.....Skipping Christmas or whatever the hell it was called....surviving christmas.....the list goes on.

And these take one two and threes....are these supposedto be value meal deals??? I owe my first born child to the local cineplex now cause I took a liking to mixing malteasers and popcorn

Agent Orange · 02-02-2005 2:47pm

Pigman II wrote:

compare it to €30odd euro for a DVD purchase

Eh? Maybe if you're buying a DVD in HMV, but who does that anymore? DVDsoon and Cd-wow allow you to purchase movies for less than 10 euro, often before they're even out here (Hellboy for example).

The cinema going experience is so utterly crap these days (uncomfortable seats, people talking, crunching popcorn, kissing in front of you, farting, puking, crapping, screaming, crying) that I can easily skip it in favour of a DVD.

ObeyGiant · 02-02-2005 3:15pm

I used to live 5 minutes from the UCI in Coolock. I'd go to the cinema maybe once a week, if there was something I really wanted to check out. Now I live 5 minutes from the UGC and have had an Unlimited card since the summer, and now I can check out pretty much every movie I want to, and I never even think of the think of the prices.

Although if I didn't live so close to the UGC, I don't think I'd use the Unlimited card nearly as much as I do now - right now I just jet on up if I'm feeling a little bored on Sunday afternoon.

steveland? · 02-02-2005 5:23pm

ixoy wrote:

You know if I didn't have the UGC card and live 15 mins walk away from the cinema, I'd probably have a very different outlook on the cinema. As it is now though, the price thing isn't much of an issue (€15.99 a month, I'd see roughly 6 a month which works out €2.60 each...).

*Cuddles his UGC cinema card*

It makes me far more tolerant of certain of cinema's negatives ('cept noise) and thinking more of cinema as a time issue rather than a price one. Oh and I never buy their overpriced food and drink. Plan ahead...

I agree wholeheartedly!

During the Summer I went to see at least three films a week, which was grand cos I had a job that paid well enough.

I decided to get the card cos I was spending on average €18 a week on tickets alone (student cards also rule

) so within one week my card had paid for itself that month.

So now that I have NO job I'm incredibly thankful I got the card when I did and paid for it all at once cos I can't afford to go out drinking unless it's a student night somewhere and drink are 3quid (but then ya also have to put up with students :eek: ) so thank god I have somewhere I can go for free

Also it helps being within 25 minutes walking distance from UGC

*spanks UGC card for being a "naughty boy"*

Mr E · 02-02-2005 5:27pm

What I'd like to see is a scale based on screen size. So the 'Screen 1' type movies are €8-9, mid-sized screens are €7-8 and small screens are €6-7. So when a film is fizzling out after being on release for 4 or 5 weeks, they're still filling seats due to the price.

PowerHouseDan · 02-02-2005 5:29pm

In cork for student in the Capitial Cinema its only 5 euro which to be fair is good

koneko · 02-02-2005 5:30pm

Yeah, I'd love to be able to go to UGC all the time, but it's way too far (and will just end up costing me more if I take the travel into account)

I don't think UCI will ever introduce a card like that... one can only dream.

I won a cinema pass years back, free cinema for 6 months. Man that was the life. I got to see The Big Lebowski about 6 times in the cinema. I mean, if it's free, why the hell not. I think I saw nearly everything that was out at the time.

dudara · 02-02-2005 5:31pm

I paid E7 to go see a film 2pm last Saturday. Couldn't believe that it was so much. The feeling of anal abuse persisted with me for quite a while.

steveland? · 02-02-2005 6:07pm

koneko wrote:

I got to see The Big Lebowski about 6 times in the cinema. I mean, if it's free, why the hell not. I think I saw nearly everything that was out at the time.

I know the feeling

Went to Anchorman and the Incredibles 3 times each and Super Size Me twice.

Dodgeball a couple of times.

Twas great cos one group of people wanted to see it and then another mate couldn't go that day so I'd just go both days.

The card is a lifesaver

Crucifix · 02-02-2005 8:55pm

Just pay into one film but see as many as you can for economic value.
How is the UGC card thing done? Direct debit each month?

herobear · 02-02-2005 9:22pm

koneko wrote:

I don't think UCI will ever introduce a card like that... one can only dream.

UCI have them in the uk, i dont see any reason why they dont have the same over here, but alas....

garthv · 03-02-2005 12:47am

yeh the UGC card is a brilliant idea but unfortunately i live out in blanchardstown and its a bit of a trek into town just to see a movie...

D!ve^Bomb! · 03-02-2005 1:06am

went to see assault on precinct 13 today, only cost 4.50 each:D

steveland? · 03-02-2005 1:38am

Crucifix wrote:

Just pay into one film but see as many as you can for economic value.
How is the UGC card thing done? Direct debit each month?

You have to pay the first two months upfront and then direct debit every month

Or you can do what I did and pay 191.88 upfront for an entire year

sceptre · 03-02-2005 3:17am

galactus wrote:

That's why i bring my own M&Ms (which I grow myself).

Good for you. Can I get a cutting from your M&M tree? (you wouldn't have a Minstrels tree around as well?)

TmB wrote:

What I'd like to see is a scale based on screen size. So the 'Screen 1' type movies are €8-9, mid-sized screens are €7-8 and small screens are €6-7. So when a film is fizzling out after being on release for 4 or 5 weeks, they're still filling seats due to the price.

Now that makes sense. And it would make it far more likely for me to try a movie I hadn't heard much about or even one with bad reviews. Given that Irish cinema owners obviously believe there's no price elasticity in tickets though (tied in with their reel rental costs) I suspect we won't such an idea of such towering sense any time soonish. To be honest if small screens were €6-€7 the reel rental cost wouldn't be an issue either.

(personally what annoys me is that I only have time to go at weekends, only have a GF to go with at weekends (90 mile gap and I've eased out of the habit of going by myself)) and most cinemas have dumped cheapo tickets for those with a student card except Monday-thursdays but that's back to thast inelastic price thing again)

skywalker · 03-02-2005 12:25pm

ixoy wrote:

Oh and I never buy their overpriced food and drink. Plan ahead...

can you bring your own food/drink into UGC? like i dont mean having to smuggle it in, can you just walk in with it in full view?

ixoy · 03-02-2005 12:28pm

skywalker wrote:

can you bring your own food/drink into UGC? like i dont mean having to smuggle it in, can you just walk in with it in full view?

I know I have. Sometimes I'll put it in pockets, in partial view, but other times I'm not bothered and just shift it to the other hand when giving them my ticket. I doubt the staff are paid enough to care, assuming they even have a food policy. After all who is to say, once up, that you didn't get that bottle of coke from their vending machine?

trotter_inc · 03-02-2005 2:34pm

€9 is a lot alright - paid €8.50 last night to see Meet the Fockers - thought it was well worth the money - movie was 2 hours long.

Cinema is still much cheaper than going on the piss anyway!

talking_walnut · 03-02-2005 10:17pm

Prices definatly stop me going to the cinema. They're just unreal. I watch a huge amount of films but I think the last time I went to the cinema was last summer.

If cinemas offered some kind of deals I'd be much more likely to go. Those UGC cards sound great as does TmB's idea of a pricing scale. A decent student reduction would also help.

Good thing for the the Galway Film Society. €5 for a ticket and films I actually want to see

gandalf · 04-02-2005 1:47am

Don't go as much as I used to, partly because of cost but also because of idiots in Irish Cinema's. I tend to buy DVD's and watch them at home venturing out if I can't wait for a film to hit DVD like Million Dollar Baby last week. Saw that in IMC Dun Laoghaire for €8 each and its quite a decent cinema as well.

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