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Chico masses still go to the movies
by Carli Thorkelson
Movie fans throughout the country are waiting for the DVD to
be released rather than watching on the big screen, but in
Chico, moviegoers are waiting in long lines.
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There’s
something about Chico
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Size
does matter
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Photo by Griffin Brockus
Cinemark’s
Tinseltown has 14 screens to draw Chico crowds. |
It’s Friday, the most common day for new movies to hit
theaters. This particular Friday, the new
Johnny Cash movie
“Walk the
Line” just came out. It’s an evening
showing.
All three box office lines at
Tinseltown
are crowded with people waiting to buy their tickets. Young,
old, male, female it doesn’t matter-the theater was filled
to near capacity.
The media keeps telling us how fewer and fewer people are
going to the movies these days, so why is this theater in
Chico filled with people?
A Harris poll shows that box office revenue has declined
from $4.7 billion in the first half of 2004 to $4.3 billion
in the first half of 2005, according to PR Newswire.
Several factors have led to this decline.
One could enjoy the same experience in the comfort of
his or her own home if he or she waits for movies to come
out on DVD. The price of a ticket
continues to soar, which could also be an indicator of the
decline. Mainstream movies continue to
lack the quality they once had, as well.
This year has not been as good of a year as 2004 for movies,
said Terrell Falk, vice president of marketing and
communications for Cinemark USA, Inc.
“This is mainly due to fewer films being released and the
lack of a huge blockbuster such as
‘The Passion of the Christ,’” Falk said in an e-mail.
Not one factor is more important than the other, but the
combination has helped lead to this decline.
But Chico is different. It has not seen
this so-called decline. Chico is a town
whose fascination for the arts goes beyond that of your
average small town. This includes going
to the theater to see a movie.
Some people believe going to the theater to see a movie is
an experience in itself. Travis Miller,
entertainment editor of
The Orion, loves
going to the movies and goes at least once a week and enjoys
every minute of it.
“I like going to a movie whether it’s good or not,” Miller
said.
Here, in Chico, it’s more of a social event, he said.
“Going to the theater is much more of an experience (than
waiting for it to come out on DVD),” Miller said.
“There’s the overpriced candy and sodas, the frigid
theater and the obnoxious crowd.”
When Miller goes to the movies, he said he sees a lot of
couples there. He thinks it’s a way for
older people to get away from the partying downtown and do
something quieter.
“It’s a good thing to do with friends,” Miller said.
“It’s an alternative to the big downtown scene.”
Towns with fewer people can have successful businesses, said
Eric Hill, a recent graduate from Chico State.
“Places of social gatherings can thrive in lower populated
areas because of the lack of competition, and despite
popular opinion, theaters are still affordable,” Hill said.
Some people go to the movies, because it’s the only thing to
do at random times when they’re available, said Debbie
Schuster, Chico State senior.
“Usually a lot of people go at night when they’re off work
or don’t have school,” Schuster said.
“It’s a common time that people usually have free.”
Chico is a college town and consists of a lot of young
people. Young people like to go on dates
and going to the movie theater is always an option.
“It’s a safe date,” Schuster said.
There’s no way around it, Chico likes its movies.
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Click here for a related column on bar
alternatives at Chico State.
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