The last three months notwithstanding, it’s no secret that Hollywood has been struggling for the last few years. Movies are more expensive to make, consistently bumping up against, or flat-out shattering the $100 million mark. That, of course, translates to heftier ticket prices—and consumer doldrums. I mean, why would film lovers want to go fork over a small fortune at the movie house when they can simply wait for the DVD release and watch the flick on a beautiful HDTV and surround-sound system in their own home? Think about it: The viewing experience in your living room even comes with a comfy sofa and anytime access to a nearby fridge.
In a way, this is the same sort of conundrum that the studios faced back in the 1950s when TV first became a household norm. Folks started thinking, “Hey, why spend a quarter on a flicker when I can get The Milton Berle Show and You Bet Your Life at home for free!?” Back then, the movie houses reeled the crowds in with gimmicks such as CinemaScope and promises of ice-cold air conditioning.
So what can they do now? Well, for awhile there, hopes were pinned on a new wave of 3-D movie viewing. But let’s face it. That’s a gimmick that gets old pretty quickly, just as it did when it first came out … back in those CinemaScope days. But there is one new trend hitting the sweet spot for viewers: IMAX.
The gigantic-screen-and-awesome-sound approach is selling like hotcakes—even with an added $5 or so ticket premium. Fans just can’t wait to line up and see their action and stars king sized. USA Today reported that through the first six weeks of this year, IMAX ticket sales hit $55 million—a 45% increase over the same period in 2011. And that’s on only 325 screens. In fact, even with last year’s smaller take, nine out of the Top 10 grossing films were pics that came out with IMAX presentations.
“There’s a consensus that with all the ads, all the gimmicks Hollywood pulls, IMAX is the real deal,” hollywood.com’s Paul Dergarabedian said. And that makes a lot of sense. After all, if you want IMAX at home you’ll have to do some pretty serious remodeling to accommodate that six-story-high screen.
Now that the summer season is edging closer, all the biggies will be bigger than ever. The Hunger Games opens tomorrow, and even though it isn’t the high-flying action-packed CGI spectacle that you might expect to play on IMAX, it’ll be there, tempting you to see Katniss’ ordeal in a big, big way. After that, Wrath of the Titans, Titanic 3-D, The Avengers, Prometheus, The Amazing Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises are all in the wings, eagerly waiting their turn.
So don’t be surprised when your local theaters starts advertizing that IMAX has come to town. A Cineplex near me just remodeled one of their larger theaters with a giant screen and super-oomph sound and it turned out pretty well. They built it and the crowds lined up. And movie execs are betting that they’ll see you there too.
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