"Charge half price and run an old movie, such as "Casablanca" or "Gone With The Wind" (The 1947 version of "Miracle on 34th Street" would be great for the Christmas season) and a couple of old cartoons, or an episode of one of those old serials, such as the Commando Cody, Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, or Zorro. They could even toss in an old newsreel film from the pre-television days of theater. They could have double-feature Saturday matinees with old cowboy movies. I think they'd do more than enough volume in tickets to compensate for the discounted price"
cool idea- some of the old action movies too. Star Wars, Super man. etc. The did do Titanic again-missed it. Wasn't there very long. Do the old Titanic.

At home. Big TV, surround sound. No one else talking. No crazy people. No head lice. No one coughing on my back, no over-priced popcorn...etc Peace

I like to watch movies in the theater occasionally, but the industry is urging me to stay home. I like science fiction, but I'm Batman and Spidey'ed out. I've also seen enough Superman. The Avengers might have a couple of good movies left in them. I don't care to see any more "Alien" or "Predator"-style monster movies, no matter what planet they are based on, or how they arrive on Earth. I think "Independence Day" topped off my quota of invading alien movies.

I don't care to see remakes (or reboots), no matter who is starring. Nobody is going to touch Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle, or Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger, or Arnold Schwarzenegger as Conan the Barbarian or Matt Damon as Jason Bourne.

I also am not interested in animation films - I don't care who is doing the voices. Other than James Earl Jones, I can't think of an actor/actress who deserves more than the scale pay a recent graduate with a BA in Drama would get for reading an animation character's lines.

Ticket prices are high, and I paid the 3-D surcharge once, for "Avatar" - to see what the fuss was about - but I haven't seen a film in 3-D since. I wish Wildwood would run more independent films, like Sundance. I don't begrudge the extra ticket price for them as much as the drive to Madison. Since the local theaters serve Pepsi instead of Coke, I skip eating and drinking there, and save a lot more money.

The advertising run before the trailers is really annoying. If they want to sell more seats, they should make one of their screens a nostalgia theater. Charge half price and run an old movie, such as "Casablanca" or "Gone With The Wind" (The 1947 version of "Miracle on 34th Street" would be great for the Christmas season) and a couple of old cartoons, or an episode of one of those old serials, such as the Commando Cody, Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, or Zorro. They could even toss in an old newsreel film from the pre-television days of theater. They could have double-feature Saturday matinees with old cowboy movies. I think they'd do more than enough volume in tickets to compensate for the discounted price.

CitizenX - My thoughts exactly. I couldn't agree more!

Depends on the movie. I couldn't imagine, for instance, NOT seeing "Avatar" on the big screen. If I think the special effects in a movie are "above and beyond" the norm, I will definitely make the effect to get to the theatre to see it first. I do also like to patronize our local $4 "budget" theatre. They seem to get the popular movies pretty quickly, and it's do-able for $4 (if I can avoid the concession stand.) Otherwise, I fear Netflix has most of my attention.

no better way to see a movie then going to a location where they have movies in the park under the stars and on a blanket or lawn chair. Janesville had 4 of them at Optimist park this summer with attendance over 450 viewers per movie

Don't forget to turn off that phone.
http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/arts-and-enter...

As a typical baby boomer, my hearing is poor in noisy situations. The volume in theaters, along with the over-bearing musical background or traffic noises, etc. that movies have keeps me from understanding what the heck the actors are saying.
Hearing aids are worthless in this situation.
Thus, I only watch at home with closed captioning.

I can't wear my jammies to the movies nor bring a pillow and a blanket."

walmat shoppers dont seem to care!

I borrow movies from Hedberg. They have a great selection, always have the new movies, and I enjoy watching them at home. It's too expensive to go to the movies, plus I can't wear my jammies to the movies nor bring a pillow and a blanket.

neat have to start all over- wont display page.
I prefer home. Like Sigma said seats now to small, to close, not enough bev holders. Ones downtown were better. The theaters now seem gross. True people don't have mannors. Any age too not just teens. Don't prefer to hear the man two rows back eating his popcorn.
I like the butter on the popcorn but it runs out of the bottom so I bring my own bowl or baggie now. I stained two pair of pants now. Yes I tried Dawn-ASAP it wont come out. Not sure why it has to be an icebox in there during the summer. Do they think the theater will full? The last two movies I watched the preview were on AUDIO only. Silly to watch previews with no picture. I do a lot of dinner and movie with clickthecoup. It is a good deal. I will watch Clint Eastwood next movie. He is pretty cool.
I don't like the 3-d. The glasses are better than the cardboard ones. Suggestion- don't sit near the end with one of the lamps on wall near you. The reflection on glasses was terrible. I was with a group or I would have moved.

hg- sounds fun-outdoor in the garage.

Sadly I rarely go to theater anymore, for all the reasons your responders mentioned. The cost, lack of cleanliness,sound level and poor manners of the audience. That said however there are films from the past and present that require an auditorium. Films such as Lawrence of Arabia or any David lean film. Others like Saving Private Ryan with the proper sound system or 2001. All lose a lot on a television, I don't care the size. Some films just need that "wow" factor. All that said I have some great childhood memories of spending an afternoon in the Myers, Beverly, Jefferies and the Hitching Post. Television can be great, but a movie theater transports one a different reality.

I will continue to support movies on the silver screen, Drive-ins, and streaming. I love the medium, the presentation, the whole sensory experience.
Yes, I have a set-up in my home, I do watch films on my mobile device, and will continue to do so.
But if I want more of something, good quality something, my expected level of something, bigger, better, louder something, I better support it and the places that show them.
So I will buy the popcorn, soda, and candy treats and be transported to a magical world of flickering frame rates be it 24 or 48. Widescreen, full frame, IMAX, glorious 70 mm or whatever comes along (Film or digital), it is a wonderfully entreating art form.
My favorite job ever was a projectionist, miss it all the time. Magic!

I like to go to a movie in a theater. I think most of the seats at the Wildwood Theatre are comfortable. My only complaint is that it is so dark when you enter the theater that it is difficult to find a seat. They have lights but don't turn them on. Their $10.00 special on Tuesday for ticket, popcorn and soda is a good deal.
The Sundance Theatre in Madison has very comfortable and roomy seats. Some other Madison theaters are very nice as well.
I usually see one movie a week in a theater and 2 or three at home on the wide screen. I agree with the previous comment about "action movies", but there are still some movies made with good plots and acting.

Home. But I have a media room so it is essentially a small theater.

I would prefer to watch movies any day over the stupid make no sense sitcoms that are on the tube now adays. We have the big wide screen in the living room and try to find a movie at the end of the day to sit and relax to as often as we can. On the nice warm summer nights we sometimes take out the 108" pull down screen and set it up outside on the garage and take the overhead prector and set it up and watch a movie or two outside. It has a reminance of the old outdoor theaters. The neighbors come over and we all pull up a lawn chair and have a nice time watching a movie. We have cable selections, netflicks, and a ton of dvd's so there isn't much we cannot see.

I don't watch many movies at all. Maybe one a month...maybe, but here are my observations...
I would prefer to watch them in a theater. I don't complain about the food prices, because I don't eat it. It seems silly that folks cant sit for two hours without shoving something in their mouth. I don't mind the crowded chairs either. I usually go with my wife, and we snuggle close anyways. Bench seats with no armrest would do just fine. I'm not a fan of the trailers. We usually walk in 10 minutes late to miss most of them. My biggest complaint is that THEY ARE TOO LOUD!!!!!!. Are we that hard of hearing?
Too many movies these days are digital. I'll take a good plot and great acting over special effects any day. Blow up this, crash into that, shoot a million rounds through high tech weapons (without ever hitting anything), and an hour and a half later they call it a movie. There are many great actors out there. Too bad they are all too often handcuffed by directors and producers.

I think theaters around here have gone down hill. I remember the downtown theater had nice comfortable seats and nice spacing. The ones now are worse than public transit seats and so squished together you have to share an arm rest with the person next to you. That compounded by the price for food and drink...HA! I see a free one once in awhile, but i'd never pay. Sitting at home watching one is way better though. Although the 3D Avatar was amazing and I couldnt duplicate that at home.