Ever since the arrival of DVDs and the affordability of high-quality eye-popping 40-inch + LCD TVs, analysts have been predicting the end of the traditional cinema. Indeed, it’s regularly noted that the home movie market is becoming more profitable than its cinematic counterpart. Cinema at the start of the last decade certainly took a hit, just like when VHS entered the consumer market. But does this spell the end of cinema theatres? Hell no!

All you have to do is look at the figures in the US to prove how we’re still a world of movie-theatre maniacs. 2009 broke the US movie box office record by earn over $10 billion across the year, crossing a mark that no other year has reached (and it had the fewest amount of films released since 2003). And even though inflation of ticket prices is an issue, 2009 saw more tickets being sold across the US than the last 4 years (2004 sold more, being another landmark year for cinema).It was a hugely celebratory revelation for Hollywood, an industry that this year saw either the major studios cutting staff, merging with the majors (New Line being absorbed by Warner), or branches closing down entirely (Fox Atomic). Sure, a huge chunk of the money was due to the success of Avatar, but it only proved the popularity of the traditional cinema experience.

For despite the recession ravaged 2 or so years most of the Western World has been experiencing, it seems as if the cinema experience is even more important than ever. With most of us who have even less disposable income to spend on having fun, going to the cinema offers a relatively inexpensive form of entertainment. Sure, we could wait a few weeks to rent a Blu Ray for cheaper, but the point is that staying at home can only remind you of your extra-curricular limitations. For a few dollars/pounds/Euro extra you can escape the confines of your house and get away from it all. It’s no wonder most national TV broadcasters across Europe are prioritising “escapist” TV programming for their upcoming seasons. So it’s natural that the films that are experiencing surprising success in the box office are eye-popping spectacles (Avatar, District 9) and comedies (The Hangover, Paul Blart).

But most importantly, going to the movies is still a form of social engagement. There’s still nothing quite like the hush of the audience as the lights dim, the shared guffaws at a comic moment, the clenched teeth and uncomfortable silences, and of course, the post-flick analysis in the foyer, in the nearby café, or on the drive home. Going to the movies is part of who we are, and some things will never change.

by Eoin O’Faolain

And to read Steve Anderson’s paltry reply to my post, click here.