Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 24, 1992 TAG: 9201240086
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Chris Gladden
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
MOVIEGOERS ARE CHOOSIER IN HARD TIMES
The conventional wisdom of the film industry has taken a beating in the last year or so.Movies were long thought to be recession-proof. Conventional wisdom says that in tough times, escapist entertainment - particularly movies - is the last item in the family budget to be trimmed.
The Depression of the 1930s, when movies flourished, is generally held as an example. However, times have changed. Television, VCRs, cheap video rentals and escalating ticket and concession prices weren't part of the entertainment landscape during the Great Depression. Most movies were suitable for families, so the expense of a baby sitter was not as much of a factor. Movies then were "events," and dishes and other items were given away on promotional nights.
It was another era, a time when Americans were mesmerized by glamour, and film epitomized all that was glamorous.
According to the Los Angeles Times, 1991 film grosses were only four percent behind 1990 because of higher ticket prices. But attendance dropped below 1 billion for the first time in 15 years.
Some observers are citing a mediocre product until the Christmas season came along with some critically and commercially successful movies. But quality does not always translate into high attendance. In boom times, people take chances. In down times they want sure things and more bang for their bucks.
And we're not talking about Bruce Willis firing a Mac 10. The figures show that people are going to fewer movies, which indicates more selectivity.
\ Conventional wisdom also says that movies should be less than two hours long, ideally between 90 and 110 minutes.
That means more showings on a daily schedule, which means more money for the studios and theaters. Longer movies mean fewer screenings, unhappy theater managers who have to juggle schedules and restless audiences if the movies are less than compelling.
But Christmas was the season of the long movie. Perhaps the box office success of "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" and "Dances with Wolves," both long movies, turned the trend around.
There were several unusually long movies this holiday season.
"Hook," the box office leader for the last few weeks, clocked in at 145 minutes. "The Prince of Tides" is 132 minutes. "Cape Fear" is 135 minutes, as is "Bugsy." "For the Boys" is 150 minutes. "JFK" is a whopping 189 minutes, and the trend continues with "Grand Canyon" at 130 minutes.
Perhaps filmmakers are equating more bang for the bucks with more minutes per movie.