[comp.society.futures] TV vs Movie theatre

zifrony@TAURUS.BITNET (06/11/89)

In his letter, Mike Trout says:
>There's a different atmosphere, too; watching a movie at home is just too
>constricting and there are too many familiar distractions.  Movies in REAL
>theatres (not those mall phone booths) are an unmatched romantic experience
>that can never be duplicated at home.

I second that feeling.  I never feel the same experience when watching a film
on the television (either from a VCR, or from the air).  Something is lost by
the lack of a big screen, and maybe, by the lack of the surrounding people.

Of course, the fact that you can watch the film whenever you want, on your
favorite seat and you can stop it to run to the toilet are a strong point too
in favor of watching films at home, but it's not the same.

--
Doron Zifrony   E-mail:    BITNET:    zifrony@taurus.bitnet
Msc.  Student              INTERNET:  zifrony@Math.Tau.Ac.IL
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Disclaimer: I DON'T represent Tel Aviv University.  The opinions hereby
            expressed are solely my own.

gd@geovision.uucp (Gord Deinstadt) (06/12/89)

In article <8906111007.AA04654@sl2.tau.ac.il> <zifrony%math.tau.ac.il@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU> writes:
>In his letter, Mike Trout says:
>>There's a different atmosphere, too; watching a movie at home is just too
>>constricting and there are too many familiar distractions.  Movies in REAL
>>theatres (not those mall phone booths) are an unmatched romantic experience
>>that can never be duplicated at home.
>
>I second that feeling.  I never feel the same experience when watching a film
>on the television (either from a VCR, or from the air).  Something is lost by
>the lack of a big screen, and maybe, by the lack of the surrounding people.

Sounds like they haven't started showing *commercials* in the movie theatres
where you are.

"Gee ma, just like telly-vision but with bigger pitchers!"

Gord "I used to like going to the movies, too :-(" Deinstadt


Coming soon to a theatre near you:
     >>Garth Drabinsky - the man who ate the theatres<<

bill@bilver.UUCP (Bill Vermillion) (06/16/89)

In article <8906111007.AA04654@sl2.tau.ac.il> <zifrony%math.tau.ac.il@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU> writes:
>In his letter, Mike Trout says:
MT-There's a different atmosphere, too; watching a movie at home is just too
MT-constricting and there are too many familiar distractions.  Movies in REAL
MT-theatres (not those mall phone booths) are an unmatched romantic experience
MT-that can never be duplicated at home.
 
DZ-I second that feeling.  I never feel the same experience when watching a film
DZ-on the television (either from a VCR, or from the air).  Something is lost by
DZ-the lack of a big screen, and maybe, by the lack of the surrounding people.
   
DZ-Of course, the fact that you can watch the film whenever you want, on your
DZ-favorite seat and you can stop it to run to the toilet are a strong point too
DZ-in favor of watching films at home, but it's not the same.

Mike's key word is "too many familiar distractions".  Granted that seeing a
film in a "good" theatre (and too many I have seen have poor optics/screens
compared to what we used to have).

Doron's comment about surrounding people doesn't seem as appropriate today as
it used to be.  Too often I am one of a handful in a theatre.  A great
audience helps, but even packed audiences of today aren't like the appreciated
film audiences of the past.  Probably too much exposure to video. (IMHO).

But I have found a way that helps "bring you into the film" and not have the
distractions.   Works only with stereo, and properly done at that.  Put a pair
of headphones on.  The room/house disappears and you are IN the film.  The
bigger the screen and the better the sound the better the illusion.  Laser
disks watched this way are a very interesting experience.


-- 
Bill Vermillion - UUCP: {uiucuxc,hoptoad,petsd}!peora!rtmvax!bilver!bill
                      : bill@bilver.UUCP

zifrony@TAURUS.BITNET (07/22/89)

In his article, <leah!rpi!crdgw1!ge-dab!peora!rtmvax!bilver!bill@csd4.milw.wisc.

>... Put a pair of headphones on.  The room/house disappears and you are IN the
>   film.  The bigger the screen and the better the sound the better the
>   illusion.  Laser disks watched this way are a very interesting experience.

maybe with the introduction of flatter TV screens, which may be a yard or more
in diameter to the home audience , one may fake the illusion of a movie theatre.
This technology is here, or just outside the door.  There are also projector
screens, connected to videotapes, which are quite large.  In fact, our local
cinemateque uses them from time to time when projecting video films (which are
not available on regular film).

The need for a sterophonic headset, may be replaced by a room sealed to
outside noise.  It may be better for your ears too.

--
Doron Zifrony   E-mail:    BITNET:    zifrony@taurus.bitnet
Msc.  Student              INTERNET:  zifrony@Math.Tau.Ac.IL
Dept. of   CS              ARPA:      zifrony%taurus.bitnet@cunyvm.cuny.edu
Tel Aviv Univ.             UUCP:      ...!uunet!mcvax!humus!taurus!zifrony
Israel                     CSNET:     zifrony%taurus.bitnet%cunyvm.cuny.edu@
                                        csnet-relay
--
Disclaimer: I DON'T represent Tel Aviv University.  The opinions hereby
            expressed are solely my own.