From observation, it's clear that movie ticket sales are way up because people are looking for a $10, two-hour escape. Paul Dergarabedian, a box office analyst said "The movies offer a way to go not only outside of your house, but to a whole different world - and that's very appealing right now."
Comedies have always been a great way for a viewer to forget about their personal life and enjoy a light, fun narrative that can make them laugh. But it's not just any comedy. "Confessions of a Shopaholic" did terribly at the box office. Although it may have been funny, it was about a young woman who accumulated a tremendous amount of credit card debt with her obsession for shopping. No one wants to spend money on watching a film that hits too close to home.
It's not to say that Comedies are the only successful genre in an economic slump, however. "Friday the 13th" grossed $40.57 million its opening weekend, along with "Taken"-an action movie about kidnapping. "If Jason is scaring the crap out of you, you cant really be thinking about your mortgage, you know?" Dergarabedian said. And with serious movies, they may help people understand their own situations, or perhaps allow them to feel less stressed about their personal lives in comparison.
The question remains: "Will this economic chrisis change the way films are made?" It's difficult to say. With a new president this year, and many changes being made, one can only hope that the position of our economy can only improve from here on out. In addition, it can take years after the approval of a studio before the movie is actually in theaters.
What it all comes down to is that movies have proven themselves to be a great escape for millions of viewers this year. The recession is likely to change the way people create and view films and its one of the most inexpensive ways that someone can forget their troubles and lose themselves in someone else's story.
I think it's sort of interesting that considering the state of the economy, people are cutting back on so many things, but absurdly overpriced movie tickets are on the rise.
ReplyDeleteI understand that people enjoy it as an escapist activity, but how about renting a DVD? Seeing 3 movies a month will put you in the hole for over 30 dollars, and in the end you don't walk away with much of anything. For that price, you can buy a couple of DVDs. At least that way you get to keep something in the end.
Anyway, great point that this might shake up the film industry a little. I just hope it's not at the cost of a slew of crappy movies coming out in a couple of years.