The Sunday Mail
. . . my movie theatre experience
Prince Chidzvondo Upper Six – Visitation Makumbi High School
Most recently I got an opportunity to be part of the Ster Kinekor Westgate staff thanks to Ster Kinekor’s latest promo #SKBestJobEver for scholars which is a five-day opportunity to be an employee of the company.
On announcing the obviously great news to one of my friends, he instantly expressed a dislike for cinemas as he claimed they were only saturated with the overwhelming aroma of popcorn, salt and butter and were a complete waste of money because the same movie showing could be purchased for less than a dollar at the roadside.
Shockingly he produced the ‘evidence’, two disks – Gunmen and Fast and furious 7! Well it really got me thinking, how many people have really had that cinema feel which keeps you coming back for more? It’s not just about watching a movie on a big screen in a dark room, there is more to watching movies in a cinema than we think we know.
If Shakespeare was alive, he would have loved cinema.
Everyone LOVES movies. If you’re a movie goer, I’m sure you do too. My employer believed in something they call “The Movie Theatre Experience.”
They believe that going to the movies should be an enjoyable experience, free from distractions. The visual and aural quality should be high, and the patrons respectful of one another.
Cinema has really played a major role in changing our society. Patriotic movies make us remember to love our nation (e.g. Red dawn). Good comedic movies have treated many patients through laugh therapy (e.g. Identity thief). Adventure movies have given us a sense of adventure to explore new possibilities (e.g. Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb). Horror movies have allowed us to jump right out of our shoes (e.g. Drag me to hell). There are many more! The cinema exercises a great influence on the mind.
You can always rely on cinemas to always have the latest movie offerings. Be one of the first people to know the buzz in moviedom by watching the most anticipated movies as they officially come out for release by stepping into your favourite cinema. People like talking about movies as a means of socialisation. Achieving first hand movie enjoyment can be used as a social instrument to associate oneself to others and get acquainted.
You can count on movie theatres to always have the newest, hottest films. Larger cinemas, with 12 or more screens, can show a dozen movies at once, giving you plenty of options. However, big theatres generally stick to Hollywood blockbusters and do not show independent or small-studio films.
Some movies, however, even when popular, are not shown because they are censored. Nonetheless, you are guaranteed the best movies at cinemas.
Experiencing a movie in a theatre lets you see the film on a huge screen with plenty of detail. It also offers a surround-sound system that enhances the overall experience, making you feel as if you’re actually part of the story. There isn’t a flat screen HDTV anywhere that’s as big as even the smallest screen at your local movie house. And even if you could get one that big, you probably don’t have a wall in your home big enough to accommodate it.
Cinemas are also a cautious advocate of the digital 3-D phenomenon. Not every movie requires it, but when an Avatar or Despicable me, Avengers or The last airbender comes along, the effect can be mind-blowing. Yes, there are 3-D HDTVs now, but they’re very expensive and, as of this writing, the only movie available for them is Monsters vs Aliens. That’s a good flick, but really, how many times do you feel like watching it? So the best place to be would be the cinema.
Watching a movie in a theatre full of other movie-goers can be very satisfying, especially for movies that provoke a strong reaction. Watching a movie with a lot of other people can be boatloads of fun. Sure, there will be instances that some people would inevitably talk or make all sorts of noises while the movie is still running but for the most part, experiencing varying and similar reactions from fellow viewers can be very enjoyable. Besides, the cinema staff is always available to make sure the viewers are comfortable and undisturbed as they watch.
Comedies are funnier when a hundred people are laughing together. Horror movies are scarier when everyone screams in unison. Tear-jerkers are more emotional when you’re a grown man trying hard to hold the tears back so that the macho dude sitting with his family two seats down from you doesn’t see you blubbering when Dumbledore dies at the end of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Movie theatre concession stands offer plenty of snacks. Movie-goers can enjoy popcorn, and a large variety of candy and soft drinks. Cinemas offer lovely refreshments at the catering counters.
They offer popcorn (the best popped ever!), chocolates, drinks, biltong and sweets. Not to forget the famous cold slush puppies which are now a regular favourite.
While there’s something to be said for watching a movie at home with friends or family, there’s nothing quite like taking your seat in a buzzing theatre packed with filmgoers.
Whether the gathered crowd is anxious to see some sci-fi adventure unspool on screen, or laughing along with the latest comedy – whether they’re screaming at a horror film or sobbing with a drama – there’s never a moment when a viewer can feel quite as connected to a film as when surrounded by fellow fans in a bustling theatre.
Cinemas also crank the volume up nice and loud – the way it was meant to be – and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
And then there’s the matter of atmosphere.
Flanked by film posters, enticed by the smell of popcorn, there’s a quality to ‘Zim has no database on economic enablers’.
The in-person theatrical experience that simply can’t be replicated in your living room. Your house or apartment might be comfortable, indeed, but your kitchen isn’t stocked with slush machines, nor is your living room plastered with vintage movie posters.
And then there’s just the ritual of it all. Choosing a time, buying your tickets, the mid-lobby, post-film conversation – all these gestures, however innocuous, make Friday night at the movies an important cultural sacrament in need of protection from a rising home video market.
All kidding aside, you’re more likely to be affected by a film’s mojo if you see it theatrically. At home, you might be inclined to pick up the phone if it rings, or throw in a load of laundry while you watch, or hit the pause button for a potty break.
At a theatre, you block out all the outside distractions and simply sit. Watching a movie uninterrupted allows you to be more fully transported into its world.
That’s what movies are all about – escaping from reality for two hours. It only makes sense to give yourself the freedom of forgetting about all the other stuff for a while.
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