$50 To Watch A Movie At Home?
Time Warner Cable has announced that as soon as next summer people will be able to watch newly released theatre movies from the comfort of their home. The cost? $30-50 per movie. That seems like a ton of money. Why would anyone pay it? Supposedly they are going to show movies that have just been released. So, I am thinking that means like the same day or the next day right? Well, not really. More like a few days to a couple of weeks. Ahhh. So, you want me to pay $50 to see a movie that is a week from being in what used to be the dollar movies?
Time Warner thinks there will be a big demand because people won't have to spend money on tickets and food and parking. Umm, that is kind of the point of going to the movies. To get out of the house and not have to cook or watch the television like you do every other night of the week. Would you pay $50 to watch a movie at home?
Full disclosure. I have Time Warner Cable and I hate them.
40 comments:
Doesn't it make more sense to just get a bootleg copy of it? Does to me.
I would do this in a heartbeat. To see a movie, my husband and I have to get a babysitter (3-4 hours @ $15/hour) plus spend about $12 each on tickets. This seems like a bargain. I would *much* rather enjoy a movie on my own sofa, own TV, and with my own snacks than have the disgusting theatre experience.
Sadly, where I live, I'm stuck with Cablevision, the worst, least-innovative company on the planet. Le grand sigh.
I just canceled Comcast. I wouldn't pay it. There are free movies, and TV/Cable shows, at the library. There are DVD's and (don't laugh!) VHS at Goodwill at $1 each. I'm not paying! I'm done!!
I would never pay that much money for watching movie at home. Even we have a very nice TV system, nothing beats the joy of watching movie at the theater. This is a really dumb idea.
BTW - Comcast have had this option for 1+ year under its "On Demand" services for selected indie movies. You pay $9.99 to watch the movie on TV on the same day it is released on theater.
There's no way I'd pay that much for a movie. I'll wait til it comes out on Netflix.
Sounds like a good idea but NOT for that price. i can get a bootleg for $5 and watch it with surround sound from home so unless they bring the price down I am NOT interested.
Yes, a lot of people who spend that much on a movie night anyway will do this.
The only way I'd pay that much to watch a new movie is if the actor came along to watch it.
I am looking at you Hugh Jackman. Would you like the big buttered popcorn? My treat! :p (slurp)
(great now I'm thinking of a well oiled Hugh)
Also the turn around for movies from the theater to DVD is REALLY fast now. So even if I don't get a chance to catch something in the movie theater I can still see it from my home 3 months later when its released on DVD.
Greedy Pigs
No way. Not even if they lowered it to $20. There are too many movies I haven't seen yet that are out on DVD, and I can get them for free at the library. Yeah, good luck with that, TWC.
We have Comcast. We rarely buy movies from Comcast, but we get all the premium channels except Cinemax. In the past few weeks we caught Up in the Air and The Blind Side on On Demand. Totally worth it. I loathe watching movies surounded by obnoxious jackasses in the theater. Plus, I'm on my comfie couch. Plus, I can hit pause when I have to pee which is all the time as a 9-month-prego.
Time-Warner's deal seems hefty. With Comcast, we do the triple play and we get a ton of things with it. It's been worth it.
The price of a movie ticket today baffles my brain. ... and makes me feel really really old, because I remember when a ticket cost like 6 bucks.
While it wouldn't work out for your just you in your basement Enty :) it could be a good deal depending on how many people are watching. I took my 2 kids and my mom to a matinee viewing of Toy Story 3. Cost for the 4 of us to get in: $32(!!!!) A matinee!! Add popcorn, food and drinks and that little family outing was over $60! And if you are in the comfort of your own home, you can pause the movie, stop it and play later, rewind, etc. Seems like a lot of money up front, but it could work.
Thank you ardleigh! Maybe I would pay. Maybe............... I'll take a season of Criminal Minds with Shemar Moore, thank you! Any season!!
Depends on how many people you have over to watch the movie.
I can't see the movie studios being happy about this. They are already fighting the pirates over posting hand-held camera versions of movies, and with this plan that would just mean the pirates would have access to DVD quality films. I can only see this working if TWC would have to wait until movies were out of the Top Ten of the box office.
The only way I can see this being a bargain at such a price is if you were showing at a viewing party or with a group of friends. There are definite plusses to watching a movie in your own home, but I can't see spending that much just so my three-person household can see it before it hits DVD.
My husband, on the other hand, would be Time-Warner's target audience. He tends to want what he wants when he wants it, and ran up our old DirectTV bill by buying on-demand movies he really wanted to see. Idiot. (In fairness, he's working on that aspect of his personality.)
Full disclosure: I watch pirated versions of movies all the time. That's what they're there for, right?
I wouldn't pay 50 bucks to watch something I can see for free. But, I hope other people do because then it creates easier access for bootleggers.
I win either way!!!
I wouldn't pay that much.
What Ms. Cool said - a movie is not a PPV fight where you invite people over to chip in. Forget it. I cringe at paying $7.99 (in Canada) for a semi-new release in HD, but I *do* see where Cancan is coming from.
And Cancan - where have you been?! ;)
the FBI went after a lot of the online first run pirate movie sites. RIP www.movies-links.net.
That is an insane amount of money and I don't think it will be a big demand. If it was as much as today's pricing 10-15 bucks, then maybe.
But after you add all the taxes you get hit with on your cable bill that 30-50 charge is more like 70-80. Not worth it for a Miley Cyrus movie in my book.
I wouldn't be shelling out the $50. I usually wait until it hits video, and then, if it's kids movie, I just buy it, as I know they'll watch it endlessly between the house and the van. My sanity is worth that $20.
We've taken our two kids to new movies, and here in Edmonton, a family of 4 to see a 3D new release, with drinks and popcorn is $100. Needless to say, it takes a very special movie to make me spend that much.
I prefer my movies downloaded. I can be pretty cheap. Unless it's something action packed that needs the full screen and I've been dying to see it (e.g. Dark Knight, which I saw three times in the theaters), I won't bother shell out the cash for something I can watch in the comfort of my home.
Besides, with all the good TV shows that are more artfully done than movies (e.g. Mad Men, The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, etc) why bother heading to the theater? Their overpriced food sure isn't making the deal any sweeter.
BigMomma - That just reminded me of this habit my mom has that drives me nuts! She won't go to the movies, but instead will buy a DVD she has never seen before. She adds it to her her extensive DVD collection. What's maddening is that she'll watch the same movies on TV. I realize it's easy cause it's already on, but you have to deal with commercial breaks and edited scenes. Just put in the damn DVD. Even more maddening is that she rarely ever watches any of the DVDs she has bought. What's the point of buying all those DVDs if you're not going to watch them? Gah!
Rant over.
I should also mention that my husband and I download movies, too, but, again, it's a case of he wants what he wants when he wants it. If he can't find a good copy out there for download, he'll be happy to buy or rent it somewhere. (We can't torrent -- our rinky-dink wireless broadband ISP goes crazy about that. They don't even like us streaming hulu, but begrudgingly let us.)
Hell no, I would not. I don't even go to the movies or even rent them at home much anymore, and I don't even have any cable movie channels or PPV.
karman, our moms should hang out. she recently just got rid of her WHOLE Disney collection on VHS that no one watched...and is now on to her DVD set. jesus. i just bought new home insurance and if they all got ripped off you will NEVER recoup the cost, they only cover so much,not the whole collection.
there is not ONE single movie i can think of, or actor for that matter, that i could NOT wait and see on dvd a few months down the road.
this instant gratification that society has is so not healthy. i know how ripped off i felt watching Get Him To Th Greek for $5...imagine a $50 movie?
This post has been on top long enough. Next one please.
I wait for the DVD at the library. Always free. The only movies I plan to pay for and see in the theaters is Harry Potter 7.1 and HP 7.2.
Is there like a pirate movie store somewhere that I don't know about?
Never. I just go to the AMC $5 movie if I just can't wait for the dvd.
No way. If I'm not getting the giant screen and sound system, I'll wait until it's on Netflix.
No effin way.
$30 for a movie? NO. Absolutely not. They are crazy. In most cases, I'd rather wait for the DVD because I hate spending $20 on a movie and then seeing cell phones lights, people talking, etc.
$30-50 No way! Through itunes and AppleTV there are a bunch of movies I've seen that are released before or at the same time as in the theater, and they're only $5-6 to rent. Some are crap movies, but some are just ones with production companies taking advantage of the other market. Even just regular ppv on directv has a few movies at the same time as their theatrical release - again $5.
While I agree there's a market for watching movies at home, it's not one worth that much money. Sorry big business. Your product isn't worth that much to me. I don't even go to rent movies anymore because I'm sick of the price hikes. I'll wait until it's on itunes or netflix if it's something I'm going to watch at home.
On the other hand, I'll pay extra if I'm going out to be at a theater that disallows under 21's and has reserved seating. That's worth $20/ticket to me. If I have to be around "the public", I'll pay extra. If I'm at home relaxing, I guess I'm cheap!
I can see spending this much if you could watch it as soon as it came out in the theatre. A lot of people (especially those who have kids) would take advantage of it. (I wouldn't, I like going out, but I don't have kids yet)
BUT... for a movie that you'll be able to rent for $5 or watch on pay per view for $15 in a week or two? No way. Just wait the extra couple of weeks. I mean you're already going to be seeing it way later than all the people that rushed to see it in the theatre so why pay $50???
movie theaters and cable tv subscriptions are fast becoming obsolete. this is a desperate (albeit greedy) attempt to salvage a dying industry. hulu, apple tv, roku, and free or subscription online viewing are the wave of the future.
I dropped TWC almost a year ago to see if I could go one year without cable. Not too bad. Thank goodness for Hulu.
I dropped TWC almost one year ago to see if I could live without cable (and I'm a tv-junkie). Almost there and I actually don't miss it and save some money in the end. Thank goodness for Hulu and Redbox.
Hmmm...I'd probably do it every once in awhile. Definitely not a once a month/week thing though. We rarely go to the movies now. Our local theaters are GROSS (there is only one new one w/ stadium seating & it is 30 minutes away). I get VERY stabby with jackass movie watching behavior, too, so I'd prefer to watch at home. I think it's a great idea, I just wish it didn't cost so much!
P.S. I have had Time Warner Cable, Comcast, and now Charter. Charter is THE WORST!!!!! And we can't switch to Direct TV b/c of all the trees! Damn trees!
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