Movie Prices on the Rise

The sweet memories of a single trip to the movies costing $8 with an order of a large soda and popcorn to match are long over for movie lovers.

As movie matinee prices skyrocket to an approximate range of $13 to $15 at many theatre locations, due in part to a recent 30 percent increase, one is looking at an approximate $60 setback for a family of five, before even thinking of hitting the concession stand.

According to an article in The Seattle Times, the cause of instantaneous wallet thinning at ticket stands has been a direct hit of escalating corn costs nationwide.

Changes like this have left movie goers frustrated and wishing for theaters to reconsider decreasing ticket costs to $5 or $8.

“Paying $13 for a ticket plus the price of a drink and snack makes me just want to wait for the DVD to come out, so that I may rent it instead of throwing away my money to see something that I might not even enjoy,” said, movie fanatic, 22, Chris Wood.

Forest Hills Resident, 45, Henry M, couldn’t agree more.

“I do not understand why ticket prices cannot remain at the mere price of $5 per ticket. They should just increase the concession stand prices. Why should I have to pay for something I do not even buy?”

According to The Seattle Times, spokesman for AMC, Justin Scott, proclaimed that corn was not the only impactful circumstance. Numerous economical factors went into consideration over the increase of ticket prices, leaving theatre companies with no other choice, but to spike the costs.

"It's not one or the other, concessions or tickets," Scott said. "A lot of factors are considered to find the right balance."

Even so, the complaints though quantitative, linger in silence as no thunderous protests have been made to counter the increases, which might not prevail anytime soon.

Yet, even in this downturn economy, the movie business is not faltering. Rather, surprisingly enough, it is doing better than in past years with a 17.5 percent increase.

According to The Numbers, a site dedicated to movie trends since 1995; this year ticket sales have exceeded the one million mark.

Though contradictory to the circumstances, the outcome is not all that startling to the movie franchise. According to an article on CNN.com, people are searching for outlets where they can forget about their overbearing problems if only for a little while.

“Films are a good form of entertainment during a recession because you can sit back and -- sad or happy -- you lose where you are and you go into the movie,” chairwoman of the film studies department at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, Jeanine Basinger, said.

Hence, movie theatres will not relent unless boycotts and protests ensue, seeing as their revenues have been anything but negative.

Research data used for this article can be found here.