Dear Mr Shyamalan
p2p news view / p2pnet: Movie man M. Night Shyamalan admits he bought his house on DVD sales from The Sixth Sense, but says there’s no way he wants to see his creations released on DVDs at the same time they’re released in cinemas.
“This is such a huge load of bull,” says a p2pnet reader >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
No theatre employees shining flashlights at audience members in the middle of the movie
The message is important, not the media. Any TRUE artist would know that. Anyone who is serious about their home theaters, and I’m sure Mr. Shyamalan is one of those folks considering the kind of money he has, will certainly know that even a half decent home theater system is easily a much better experience than the theatre by far. For people like him, I guarantee it’s all about money and control, plain and simple. Getting rid of theatres would be getting rid of a source of revenue after all, since most people later buy the DVD as well. Artistic vision, don’t make me laugh.
Personally I like the idea of straight to DVD releases, and I’m sure most regular movie goers like myself do too.
Who wouldn’t like the idea considering how much it costs to go to the theater these days?
For relatively the same price as a ticket for the wife and I, I could instead own a DVD that the family and I can watch over and over as many times as we want. No bratty kids screaming or running around, no idiots talking through the entire movie, no cell phones going off, no theatre employees shining flashlights at audience members in the middle of the movie, no expensive concession items to buy (can’t live without those!), no having to look over peoples heads, not having to share a single arm rest with the people on your left and right, no sticky floors, being able to pause the movie in order to go to the bathroom, no having to stand up for others who need to come and go for whatever reason. I could go on and on why DVD is a far superior viewing experience.
I’m sorry, but the theatres days are numbered, and nothing is ever going to change that. Get used to it Mr. Shyamalan, and if you’re really serious about having a tantrum by not making movies anymore, then good cause we certainly don’t need you as much as you need us. Move over and let the true artists that honestly care about their craft take over the reigns.
“Great post,” says another Reader’s Write.
“Going to theatres is a poor, expensive delivery system, for what is often a poor and expensive product.
“Shyamalan probably only visits the theatre when it’s a gala premier and when he’s getting a freebie – not something the rest of us gets to experience.
“Give us more choice in how we view the products we buy, not less.”
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October 31st, 2005 at 7:54 pm
First, regarding the sentence about a half decent home theater being much better than the cinema. I find it hard to believe that a home theater can be “better”. Having an enormous screen with thousands of watts of sound blasting your ear drums to me, is an experience even the most expensive home theaters can not reproduce. Not everyone can afford a “better than theatre” home entertainment system. Personally I like going to the theater. It is an experience. Going on the first date to see a horror movie with the girl you have a crush on, wanting to laugh with other people when watching a comedy, not laugh alone at home, and sure there can be distractions, like the two or three times the theatre employee walks around to check for kids screaming or running around.At home, with the telephone, kids, a wife, work,or an unexpected visit from relatives, its hard to get away from it all.
Going to the movies is a way to get away from home, to do something exciting. Call the babysitter and go spend some time alone with your loved one to see the latest drama that everyone is talking about. We can work from home, pay our bills from home, shop from home; why not take some time to get away from that stressfull environment.
I dont believe the theatres days are numbered, but they have to adapt with the evolution of information techology. I agree that DVD/cinema date releases has potential for a certain audience, but i’m sure many people would rather pay 10$ to see a movie on the big screen rather than buying a big screen T.V, a 5.1, 6.1 or which ever is the latest technology, a comfy coutch, in a light free environment, and being a gadget freak, keeping up to date with the latest models of technological equipment(LCD,HDTV,PLASMA,Dolby 5.1,etc) can add up to quite a large amount without noticing it.
October 31st, 2005 at 8:32 pm
what decade are you living in? it sounds like 1955 where you are. the days of first date horror movies went out with the edsel – or perhaps the a bit later with the demise of drive-in movies in the early eighties.
but you’re right. going to the movies IS an “experience” – a very bad and expensive one for the majority of people.
people don’t want to “get away from home” anymore. they want the comfort and convenience of staying home. babysitters, movie tickets, transportation/gasoline are all very expensive. (and too parents bring their underage brats to the movies, crying and screaming and ruining the “experience” for everyone just because their parents couldn’t afford a babysitter – or perhaps because their kids are so unbehaved, they couldn’t get a babysitter willing to take them on.)
i guess you didn’t see my article almost 2 months ago:
for your benefit, here it is: http://p2pnet.net/story/6123
it shows how and why people are opting to stay home in droves, rather than put up with the garbage masquerading as entertainment showing in theatres, and the overall inconvenience of going to the theatre.
the information – as i’ve quoted from in my article – comes from CNN and other news services, based on data provided by Brandimensions.
the numerous points in this current p2pnet article (the readerswrite piece) are correct and have been validated numerous times in recent years. why do you think there has been a “slump” in theatre-going and a rise in dvd sales and rentals? the studios even admit that the majority of their $84billion profit last year came from dvd sales.
i have a modest-priced home cinema with surround sound and wouldn’t trade it for a single movie ticket. surround sound home systems are now very affordable to the average family for a few hundred dollars or less.
the time period between a box office release and a dvd release is getting shorter and shorter. same day theatre/dvd release is the obvious – and possibly needed and desired – next step in changing the cartels’ business models. since they make their profit from dvd sales, and less and less people are going to the cinemas – it would behoove the studios to stop dragging their feet and do what the customer wants.
October 31st, 2005 at 9:12 pm
Still prefer the theatre for most films… except the Mr. and Mrs. Smith type of film. But then again, I wait until they’re shown on TV, rather than renting it on DVD
October 31st, 2005 at 9:21 pm
i bought signs and sixth sense. to me, they were woth buying – but only when they were in the discount bins more than a year later.
i borrowed the village from my library – and copied it!
October 31st, 2005 at 9:22 pm
I would disagree with you Catflap, merely for the fact that I have the romantic notion that going to the movies is still a very special experience. It is true that I have not visited the cinema since Star Wars Episode 3, but I still get the pleasure of going to see something on the big screen. I grew up going to movies, getting popcorn and a soda and sitting down to some of the finest that Hollywood has put out over the years. I could not have enjoyed the Lord of the Rings Trilogy on DVD at home as much as I enjoyed seeing it on the largest cinema screen in the southern hemisphere.
However, I must say that Hollywood gives me less and less in terms of options to see something decent. I miss good well constructed films and for that reason I do not frequent the cinema that often anymore, and I don’t even bother to rent a DVD of a recent release, simply because of the trash that has been released.
As for being annoyed by people, I usually wait until the rush is over and then I go to the cinema when there is virtually no one around.
I must admit one thing though, in South Africa, drive-in cinemas are still around! I have had some incredible fun going to see a movie at a drive-in!
November 1st, 2005 at 3:22 am
While I can certainly appreciate the idea of simultaneous theater and DVD releases, I can’t help but side with Mr. Shyamalan on this one. By the way, almost everyone who has blasted Shyamalan on his position, have greatly missed the point of what he and others on his side have said. He is arguing, not primarily from the point of view of one who’s worried about his income (and to correct a fallacious notion put forth earlier, Shyamalan would actually stand to gain financially by the simultaneous release dates, not lose money), but instead he is concerned, and rightfully so, that the real problem isn’t being addressed: it is not that moviegoers are reticant to attend theaters, but that studios are cranking out shitty movies like it’s going out of style. Releasing movies in theaters alongside DVD’s will do nothing to remedy the industry of its cancer. He opposes it, again rightfully so, because it’s just another suggestion by some businessmen who don’t want to lose their jobs by admitting that they’re writing checks for lousy movies. The pressure is thus being put unfairly on motion picture exhibitors instead of the people who should feel the burden. When studios begin hiring competent storytellers and visionaries to make movies (and let them do their jobs without interfering), then good cinema will return to theaters, and so will the crowds. Any TRUE film geek knows the theater is the sanctuary of artistic appreciation. DVD’s are great, but th
November 1st, 2005 at 5:04 am
The theatre will probably change over time, but it isn’t going away. There are too many people that enjoy the act of going out to a movie.
November 1st, 2005 at 7:22 am
People will laugh at ANYTHING this is why I hate seeing comedies in theaters just as well I hate most TV shows with laugh tracks, as for a home theater system I don’t need one my 27 inch stereo TV is very simple but works for me I love going out to the local hollywood video renting a DVD, sticking a bag of popcorn in the microwave, grabbing a can of soda and watching a movie on a saturday night keep in mind I didnt have to pay through the nose for the popcorn and soda.
The growing sales of DVD’s shows not everyone wants to have their ears blown out in the theaters while at the same time listening to some jack-off talk over the movies or coughing not to mention you can hear the another movie playing in the background in some multi-plex theaters.
Atleast with most DVD you can skip over the commercials or find something else to do while they are playing you can’t do this in a theater also some rental places will give you credit if you didnt enjoy the movie OTOH from my personal experience if someone mis-behaves or completely ruins your movie experience you are probably out of luck trying to get your money back.
Why go to the theaters and be surrounded in a cramped space with noise, filth and germs, not everyone goes to the local bar to enjoy a drink, not everyone goes to public restroom to use the toilet, not everyone takes the Bus to go from point A to B, as technology advances we are faced with more and even better choices we should never cave in to “traditionalists” if we did they we would probably still be watching black and white movies.
One last comment since they are making us pay through the nose at theaters it wouldnt hurt these theater owners to clean these places more often.
November 1st, 2005 at 11:51 am
One benefit to having all movies go straight to DVD is that people would go out to see live shows such as plays, operas, and musical theater instead. Of course, what would Entertainment Tonight talk about then?
November 1st, 2005 at 3:26 pm
Rather than trying to force the public to watch shitty movies in their theaters, cinema operators should pool their resources (and artistic ideas) and have movies produced for them by independent studios. This way, they can bypass the cartels and hopefully produce something new.
November 1st, 2005 at 6:09 pm
Which part of “the act of going out to a movie” do people enjoy?
The fight in the parking lot to find a space that isn’t 3 blocks away?
The $25 dollars you stand in line to pay so you and yours can see the flick?
Or perhaps the 15 minute wait in the concessions line to pay exorbitant amounts for a box of popcorn and a soda?
Maybe its the 10 minutes of commercials you are forced to sit thru before viewing the movie, despite already having paid to see it?
Personally I much prefer my home theater, where I can smoke if I choose, pause to take restroom breaks or get a snack (that I bought at realistic grocery store prices), fast forward over the commercials, adjust the sound to my liking, and not have to put up with others background noise, all while reclining in my favorite lazyboy.
November 10th, 2005 at 4:25 am