Blood-Sucking Prices

With all of the vampire hype recently, many people seem to be over-looking some of the other blood-sucking that's going on.

While I was in grad school, I went to a theater at the height of the recession (almost an oxymoron), simply to get a break from my studies.  I car-pooled with several friends who had been there before and was told to bring my student ID as they gave student discounts.  I was the first in line of my friends and proudly presented my card, despite the mug shot on the front.

"I'd like the student discount, please," I said.

"That'll be $8.50" the teller replied as she barely glanced at my card.

"No," I said, "I would like the student discount.  See, I have my ID."

"That is our student discount," she replied wearily.
Knowing how dangerous it is to hold up a ticket line for almost any movie, I paid and left.  My student ID had saved me a whopping 50 cents.  Oh boy, if I wait until I'm 55, I can almost buy a cup of senior coffee at McDonalds!

I just can't believe how much movie ticket prices have risen in the last few years.  Everything else has bottomed out, but the three things you need to go to a movie, gas, food, and tickets have gone steadily and, it seems irrevocably, upwards.  By the time I got a small drink, a box of candy, and helped pay my friends' gas money, I could have waited until it came out and bought the freakin' movie on blu-ray!  The total for that night? $26.50!

Friends of mine have told me that many of the local gas stations near larger movie theaters are selling boxed "movie theater candy" for a dollar, hoping that they will attract some of the crowds before the movie.  If theaters don't lower their prices on tickets and concessions, they might just find themselves out of business.  In all honesty I will admit that going to a movie is a luxury, a privilege.  But this is a blog about movies - so guess what? I'm complaining: it sucks!

Personally, I love my home-town theater.  It's much smaller (and there's no 3D) but I can go to a matinee, get a box of candy, and a drink, all for less than the cost of that one movie ticket.  Hey, I might miss out on that senior coffee later, but I think it just might be a worthy trade-off.

(images from: gotchamovies.com  and  dreamstime.com )