Big Screen Blues

Last week, a friend and I went to see a movie at the Beverly Center Cineplex. This was not a summer-release film: indeed, it had been out for some time (“Say Anything”).

Being overly optimistic (I now acknowledge in retrospect), I had brought $10 to pay for the outing. After paying $7 for a ticket, I went to the snack area, and realized my remaining $3 would not buy me a small popcorn ($2.25) and a small soft drink ($1.75). Rankled, I settled for a small popcorn only (with tax, $2.40), walked down the hall to find Theater 10, and stepped into a room the size of a closet.

Paying $10+ for a movie would be more palatable in a movie theater with a large screen, superior sound system, and ample audience space. But in this age of “movie emporiums,” where each organization competes to see who can cram the most theaters into the least space, paying the same price to be stuffed into a shoe box is absurd.

The movie industry has seen its business dwindle with the advent of cable TV and video rentals. Instead of raising ticket prices to bolster sagging sales, perhaps a better answer would be to realistically assess the theater space and charge patrons accordingly. In the meantime, I will wait for the film to come out on video. My popcorn is cheaper, and my TV screen is bigger.

PATRICIA A. JAUCHLER

Los Angeles