MOVIES IN YOUR LIFE

Movies: Any Time, Any Place?

College students are major consumers of movies. How important are they to your life? As you read this chapter, think about the different ways in which you view movies.

Where do you watch movies? - In a theater? - On TV or cable? - On VCR? - On other media, such as a computer?

What is you main purpose for watching? - To relax or kill time ? - To keep up with lifestyles, or seek excitement? - To take in a social scene, to enjoy with others? - To expand your horizons?

Do you think these habits of yours and your friends can influence the movie industry? What do your friends think?

Here are some of the most popular types of movies available. For each type that you have seen at one time or another, think about where or how you viewed it, and also about your purpose. Register where and why you most often view movies, and then compare your own patterns with those of other site visitors.







Theaters

 Films were shown in the vaudeville theaters and by traveling showmen who projected them at tent shows or fairs. Others rented storefronts and showed movies there. By 1906, storefronts, or "nickelodeons," arose, often attracting working-class audiences. To broaden their audience, nickelodeon operators began moving their operations into theaters and adding one or two vaudeville acts to broaden the attraction. See page 177 of "The Media in Your Life."







Television movies

 In 1953, when television made the transition from live production to filmed production, Hollywood became the center for television production. By 1955 Hollywood was also releasing many of its pictures for television. RKO sold its film library to a television programming syndicate for $15 million. Television became a regular market for films and competitive bidding continued to rise. See page 182 of "The Media in Your Life."







Movies as relaxation and entertainment

 Until 1952, movies did not receive First Amendment protection on the grounds that they were not a "significant medium for the communication of ideas," but a simple amusement, such as a circus. At the same time, civic and religious groups fought against them and tried to institute censorship because they feared the power of the movies. Early research labeled them as emotionally powerful. These early contradictory views of movies persist to the present time. See page 183 of "The Media in Your Life."







Movie to expand horizons

 Movies have been characertized as both frivolous and yet emotionally and socially powerful. Despite these contradictory views, the movies, or America's dream factories, have given generations of children, adolescents and adults the opportunity to escape from routinized work, from inhibition and from the doldrums of everyday life. See page 183 of "The Media in Your Life."







Movies as a social scene

 Nearly half of teenagers go to the movies at least once a month, compared with just one in four adults. Young people rarely wait for recommendations and reviews, but rather go to the movies as soon as they open. They attend movies as part of their social activity with friends, choose a movie on impulse and are heavily influenced by television advertising. On the other hand, older adults selectively attend movies, particularly those that represent more sophisticated fare than they can find on television. They choose movies after reading reviews and listening to their friends' recommendations. See page 194 of "The Media in Your Life."







Keeping up with lifestyles, seeking excitement

 The movie industry had its biggest year for some time in 1996, selling more than $5.8 billion in tickets. In the previous best year, 1995, $5.5 billion in tickets were sold. Industry observers credited the growth to increased numbers of screens in multiplex theaters and to the desire to see the latest in special effects in action films such as "Independence Day," "Twister," and "Mission Impossible," that are most spectaular on big screens and big sound systems. See page 196 of "The Media in Your Life."







VCR movies

 Today popular family movies such as "Home Alone" first make money at the box office, qand then theater popularity prompts buyers to pay $15 to $25 for a movie their children will watch iover and over. Less popular films do well as rentals. Top video sales include children's or family movies, many of which are Disney classics. See page 197 of "The Media in Your Life."


Home