Film tickets can get fairly costly today, significantly on the opening weekend for a serious launch the place costs can go upwards of Rs. 1,000 per ticket, relying on the theatre and format. Anybody who made a latest effort to purchase tickets and attend the nice ‘Barbenheimer’ occasion of 2023 will know simply how a lot of a success on the pocket it might have been, significantly in the event you watched Oppenheimer in an IMAX theatre, and that is earlier than you take into account the value of popcorn or every other snacks.
The excessive prices are usually related to the large theatre chains, and loads of reasonably priced theatres exist in each main metropolis in India. There’s actually no strain on you to pay massive bucks for film tickets in the event you do not wish to, and I made a decision to offer each choices a attempt whereas watching Barbie and Oppenheimer over two weekends. Curiously sufficient, I discovered that maybe paying extra is price it in spite of everything – let me clarify why.
Barbie in an reasonably priced theatre
I began with Barbie, and selected an outdated, however considerably modernised multi-screen theatre in Mumbai to go watch Greta Gerwig’s movie in. The modernisation has come by means of turning the previously single-screen theatre right into a three-screen multiplex with improved decor. There was additionally a touch of nostalgia right here, because the snack counter is identical because it has been since my school days, serving the identical sandwiches and popcorn at pretty cheap costs.
Nonetheless, the place this theatre hasn’t fairly saved up with the occasions is within the lack of upgrades to issues just like the projector, display dimension, and seating. The chairs had been considerably uncomfortable even for a two-hour film, the display was arguably tiny and no higher (in comparative phrases) than watching a movie in a big front room on a 43-inch tv. The projector was boring, missing in sharpness, and made for a moderately underwhelming watching expertise. It wasn’t dangerous and the movie was watchable, however I used to be considerably dissatisfied with the expertise on the entire.
Many won’t care an excessive amount of about these technical drawbacks; you’re there for the movie itself, and the cheap tickets and snacks undoubtedly assist in making the hours you spend there a bit nicer. This complete expertise price me Rs. 270 for the ticket and about Rs. 300 for a great quantity of snacks per individual, on a Friday night time.
Oppenheimer in an IMAX theatre
Watching Oppenheimer ‘as Christopher Nolan supposed it’ has been a key buzz-phrase leaning into the discharge of the movie, and certainly Common Photos has pulled out all of the stops in guaranteeing the movie is out there to observe in IMAX screens in India and globally. Gautam Dutta, Co-CEO at PVR Inox Ltd. stated, “A movie like Oppenheimer is greatest watched on IMAX screens for the colourful and immersive expertise, which solely will get higher at a sure angle: the director’s most popular seats.”
I watched the movie in one of many handful of IMAX screens in Mumbai, arguably the most effective one within the metropolis after the closing of the enduring IMAX dome theatre in Wadala, Mumbai. This can be a trendy multiplex with modernised massive screens (together with the huge IMAX display the place I watched the movie), laser projection, and comfy seating.
Various top ranges of the seats be certain that the folks in entrance of you are not blocking your view, and assuming you are not sitting too near the display, you do not even need to crane your neck to observe. Moreover, the viewing expertise is virtually nearly as good on the sides of the theatre as within the centre. Evidently, the technical expertise of watching the movie was far superior to the older tech within the theatre the place I watched Barbie.
Nonetheless, this technically superior viewing expertise is considerably mirrored within the ticket costs. Priced at upwards of Rs. 1,000 per ticket for a Saturday morning present, this may go a good bit larger (round Rs. 1,400 per ticket) in the event you attempt to e-book the extra common night reveals. For reference, a complete month of Netflix Premium prices lower than one ticket.
Snacks price a good bit extra as properly; popcorn was priced at Rs. 510 for a giant tub, and I nonetheless wanted to eat lunch afterwards. There’s actually no cause for the value of snacks to be this excessive, nevertheless it’s all a part of the ‘premium’ expertise, and likewise hyperlinks to the truth that you do not actually have a selection if you wish to get one thing to eat or drink in the course of the intermission.
Pay extra for the higher expertise
After each of those contrasting theatre experiences, I can not assist however really feel that it is price paying extra for the higher expertise. As a fan of streaming and a TV reviewer for Gadgets360, I normally have entry to massive televisions and glorious content material to observe on them, so the theatre-going expertise is normally reserved for under a very powerful releases, the place watching it early and on the large display make all of the distinction.
The IMAX expertise prices a number of occasions as a lot as that of the old-school theatre (particularly in the event you consider the price of meals and drinks), however the superior technical choices justify the value, for my part. In the event you’re somebody who visits a theatre as soon as per week, these prices may stack up shortly. Nonetheless, in the event you’re an occasional theatre-goer, my suggestion is that you just decide the higher theatre, select IMAX each time doable, and splurge a bit to get the most effective expertise. In the event you actually wish to get monetary savings, give the overpriced popcorn a miss as a substitute.
