This week I was listening to the news about the ticket resale prices for the movie “The Odyssey.” The going resale prices were $150 to $2000. The reason why is that “The Odyssey” was filmed entirely on IMAX film, so it can only be shown in IMAX theaters. Unfortunately, there are only 25 theaters nationwide that can show the movie. The news report also stated that Dune 3 was also filmed entirely on IMAX film and was projected to have similar resale ticket prices. The news report stated that this was good news for the movie industry and viewed it as people returning to the theatres again after the pandemic had scared them away. However, I see things very differently.
Though I do agree that people fighting to go to the movies is a good thing for the movie industry. I think the fact that scalpers and bots buying all the legitimately priced tickets, only to jack up the price of a ticket on resale, is unfair and an injustice to the average family who really want to see a movie and are now priced out of it. It is bad enough that has happened to people wanting to see concerts, live theatre productions, and sporting events. To happen to the movies, which is something even the poorest of us could save up to enjoy, is wrong.
I’m not against capitalism. However, as a fan of sport and the arts on a middle-class budget, I shouldn’t have to raid my 401K just to see a movie, concert, sporting event, or theatre production. Some people say you may lose the money, but you have the experience for a lifetime. That doesn’t apply so nicely to break your budget to see a movie that will be on the streaming services two weeks after they hit the theatres. That takes the exclusivity of spending a fortune to see the movie first and flushes it down the toilet.
I really question the news reports’ supposition that this ticket resale battle for movies will be a good thing for the movie industry. Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers will still go to the theatre to see a movie and maybe pay the exorbitant resale prices. However, Gen Z and younger generations have been raised in the era of streaming services. Even if they are fascinated with old technology, I don’t think their fascination would create a long-lasting return to regular theatre-going like we used to have in the 20th century. Not when they can wait two weeks later to watch it on a streaming service and avoid not only the expensive ticket prices, but also the expensive food and the rude, disrespectful audience members.
The arts and sports should not be for the uber-rich but for everyone. Unfortunately, with people now competing with bots just to go to see a movie, there will be no options for the average person to enjoy a night out with the family. People will become even more addicted to glowing screens, even if they would prefer to go out and experience the real world, because the real world is now more expensive than the internet.
Until next time!
R.R. Peace, Author and Poet 