The cinema is one of the most commonly used facilities for social groups looking to spend time together. The chance to take in a movie with friends, or someone special, is a great experience. Being able to talk about the latest cultural hit and to share your views with one another is always a great experience. However, like most things in our world, there is more to the cinema than meets the eye!
What, though, are some of the most intriguing facts about the big screen showcase that you might not know?
The FBI ads exist for a reason
Do you ever laugh when you go to the cinema and you get the big ‘you wouldn’t steal a car…’ adverts about film piracy? Well, they exist for a reason. Piracy within cinemas is still rife, and many cinema staff members are actually given the chance to earn sizeable cash prizes and other goodies if they catch someone in the act of piracy.
If someone brings a camera or a recording device to the cinema, they can be hit with a criminal fine and a penalty. Staff are asked to fight this as best they can, and remove anyone doing so from the cinema.
The risk of investment
The movie industry feels like a license to print money, but for cinemas they need to pay to get their hands on each blockbuster. This is where the judgement comes in; spend too big on a flop and it can take years of showings to even recoup their costs. Spend small on a cult classic, though, and the cinema can make their money back time and time again.
This, though, explains why box office flops tend to last longer in the cinemas than the big screen hits!
The failure of 3D
If you go back a decade, you no doubt remember the big fuss being made about 3D movies. They were all the rage, the ‘future of the industry’ according to some. However, you might also notice that they are already being phased out.
The reason is simple – people were beginning to feel pretty unwell during 3D showings. It was common for people to complain about dizziness and other physical discomfort during the 3D movie showings. The ability for 3D films to wow was obvious; the also shared the less-desirable ability, though, to give us a disconnect between brain and body, leading to fair amounts of dizziness within filmgoers.