Are movie theaters dying? Do people still care about the theatrical experience? Ted Serandos, the CEO of Netflix, said in a recent interview with Variety that the theatrical model was “outdated”. Martin Scorsese, one of the most influential and beloved of living cinema advocates, recently admitted to critic Peter Travers that he no longer goes to see movies in theaters, citing the abundance of distracting and disruptive behavior among modern audiences.
Surely no one doubts that streaming has profoundly changed the way we watch movies. For most, it is probably the primary viewing option, and for some, it might even be the only way they consider watching anything. People generally seem to prefer the solitary, controlled experience of home streaming today, which paints a grim picture for the future of theatrical exhibition and the classic, not to mention unpredictable, communal experience of watching a movie with an audience.
Do theaters stand a chance? I spoke to some managers and employees of local Contra Costa movie theaters to get their take on the situation. At the Brendan Theater, located in downtown Concord, general manager Mitchell Kriedt sat down with me in the theater’s Cinema Cafe to share some thoughts.
The Brendan is a fourteen-screen complex, part of a chain of seven locations nationwide, that has been open since 1997. Mitchell’s worked for the company since 2014 and describes it as feeling “like a mom and pop operation.” The kitschy spaceship design, featuring false blast doors and painted portholes looking out onto star fields, feels like something out of a 90s sci-fi flick. Customers tend to appreciate the retro look.
Mitchell addressed the list of challenges movie houses have been facing over the last few years. There was Covid, which shut down business for a year, and, since reopening in March 2021, there’s been a struggle to regain momentum. Streaming and digital platforms are putting up heavy competition, and the recent writers’ strike, in Mitchell’s opinion, brought down the overall quality of movie product for a time.
Surprisingly, despite these tough setbacks, business has been picking up recently. “Gen Z and Alpha seem to have a high admiration for going out to the movies,” Mitchell said. More and more, he’s noticing younger crowds frequenting the theater. Their viewing habits are different; in general, they prefer a “hands-off” experience. Tickets are purchased online, and there is little interaction with staff. But the big screen experience still appears important.
“Last November was actually one of the busiest weekends we’ve ever had,” Mitchell said. “Not just for us, but domestically.” Wicked, Moana 2, and Gladiator 2 all opened at the same time, and the crowds were enormous.
Over in Martinez, the Contra Costa Cinema is seeing similar hope for the future. Parker Viale, the theater’s Media/Presentation Manager, said that over the last two years, their numbers have actually caught up to pre-Covid numbers, in some cases even exceeded.
Merchandising has also become a major boon. For the release of the new Lilo & Stitch, the theater stocked a special popcorn bucket, and people were actually calling in about it, sometimes even driving hours from out of town just to buy one. “We had no idea it would be that popular,” Parker said.
Even so, nobody can really predict the movie business, and it’s impossible to expect consistent numbers. Interest is constantly fluctuating. Audiences show up, or not, depending on the time of year, the type of movies being shown, and the amount of advertising behind them.
“Streaming is taking over, and it’s concerning, it is hurting business,” Parker said. “Studios are still invested in supporting theaters, but it is concerning. The last theater in Lake Tahoe just shut down.”
The Contra Costa Cinema has been around since the late 80s. It started with five screens and today features double that number, with up-to-date laser projectors and Dolby Atmos sound. They are one of the last theaters in the Bay Area that still offer a $5 ticket. Every Tuesday, all tickets are five dollars, and many first-time customers show up for that price.
Being a non-corporate location, they also work to create more engagement with the community. The theater’s General Manager supports local filmmakers by donating auditoriums for special screenings. They host festivals (formerly at DVC, now at the theater itself) and feature a Kids Summer Series, where ticket money is donated to elementary schools.
The theater attracts many repeat customers, especially on Tuesdays, and Parker remarks, “It’s rewarding to see the regulars.” The investment in the theatrical experience is still there, and it’s heartening when people choose an independent location.
People are still showing up, but what about the behavior? Are the crowds more disruptive? Both Mitchell and Parker felt the rate of disruptive behavior to be about the same. As with most things in movie exhibition, it depends on what’s being shown. “The opening night of a campy horror movie is going to be more rowdy,” Mitchell said, “while the latest Downton Abby is going to be quieter. But it’s rare to have complaints.”
Contra Costa Cinema actually saw some vandalism during the infamous height of The Minecraft Movie’s popularity. Teens were standing on top of the swiveling tables attached to the seats, and one of them broke off. This, however, tends to be the exception rather than the rule. “We do occasionally have to kick people out,” Parker said. “But it’s really not an epidemic.”
The most unusual theater in the area is the West Wind Solano Drive-in. This location has been open consistently since the 70s, and is part of the West Wind Group of drive-ins located throughout California. It is one of the few businesses that was able to reopen early during the pandemic, with customers maintaining a six-foot distance in their cars.
Ryan Hunt, the assistant manager, says a drive-in is a different environment. “Any place people congregate, you’re going to have rambunctious behavior.” Here, it’s hard to tell because being inside a vehicle limits how much one customer can bother another. “The worst we have is people forgetting to turn their lights off.”
The West Wind Solano is the smallest of the West Wind Drive-ins, with two screens that can play 4-6 movies in the evening after the sun sets. Ryan says they’re the cheapest theater in the area, and they attract a lot of families and regulars. It’s also a popular date night spot for young couples.
The atmosphere is relaxed and very communal. People can leave their cars to visit the concession stand without losing sight of the screen. There’s a bar, a taco truck on weekends, and a small playground and picnic area for children who can’t sit still for an entire movie. Saturdays and Sundays, during the day, the location even hosts a local swap meet.
“Streaming has been negative for theaters in general,” Ryan said. It’s resulted in a less popular movie culture. What it hasn’t done, however, is kill that culture entirely. “I personally feel business has been trickling up lately.” Ryan points out that he deals with the customer side of things and hasn’t been studying the numbers, but from what he’s been seeing lately, he gets the impression people are starting to re-engage more with movies and theatrical exhibition.
There’s no way to accurately predict where the movie industry will go. There will always be ups and downs. Every year, every season, and sometimes even every week can look different. Theaters have been weathering the storm for a long time now, and overall, have been doing an impressive job staying afloat.
Visiting these local businesses and speaking with the people who run them, it became much clearer how a theater contributes to a community. These are places people can meet up, hang out, see the latest release, host or attend events, or even just catch up and connect with their neighbors. They provide an opportunity for people to do so much more than just watch a movie by themselves.
As streamers begin hitting subscriber ceilings, raising their subscription fees, and putting ads all over their lower-tier packages, perhaps the luster is finally starting to fade from this once unstoppable juggernaut. Whenever more people decide to come out of their homes to see what’s stuck around outside, hopefully, the movie theaters will still be around to welcome them.