Discuss: Would You Buy DVDs at the Theater?

Posted by Dr. Cole Abaius (cole.abaius@filmschoolrejects.com) on October 19, 2009

Discuss-DVDTheater

Last week, Devin Faraci over at CHUD posted up an interest (if not unfounded) theory about how Paramount could be banking even more seriously with Paranormal Activity – a film that is poised to beat the record held by The Blair Witch Project as the highest ratio of box office returns to production cost. The piece waxes business-like about Paramount needing to simultaneously allow for the film to be available through DVD and streaming services to capitalize on those who are interested, but not quite interested enough to drive to the theater.

Speculative arguments for or against that theory aside, the piece raises an interesting question. I realize that this is still hardly scientific, and it only adds to the anecdotal evidence, but since my falling out with Zogby (after I called what they did voodoo numerology to founder Quentin S. Zogby III’s face), I figured the next best source for information would be you, the dear reader.

So here’s the scenario:

You just went to see a movie at your local haunt of choice, and when you emerge from the darkened theater, there are tables full of the DVDs for the very film you just saw waiting to be purchased. Do you buy it?

The hypotheticals are endless. You could have hated the movie, liked the movie or loved the movie. You could love the movie and still not care to own it. Hell, you could hate the movie so much you need proof that something that bad exists to share with your friends.

But the question remains, about how many times a year do you think you’d end up buying the flick?

WHAT SAY YOU?

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Karen

I'd buy movies that I really like and want to see again. If that option were available I would have probably bought 500 Days of Summer, Away We Go, Underworld 3, Jennifer's Body, Zombieland and Whip It before I exited the theater. For that strategy to work people would have to show their ticket stub to prove that they paid to see the movie in theater first.

Alex Santa Maria

I'm thinking that plan would fail because then DVDrips would be available on the Internet while the film is in theaters, and then anyone already hooked up to that kind of stuff would have no reason to leave their homes.

daviedave_47

As you said, there are many different hypotheticals in a case like this, but one of them may result in the following:

A perfectly ordinary theater-goer sees a movie that they LOVED...I mean, jump up-and-down, fist pump the air L-O-V-E-D, and upon exiting the dim theater into the lobby, they happen to see a red-shirted Regal employee manning a table chock-full-o DVD's and other associated merchandise (as there is bound to be a HUGE marketing push...so that the lobby will look like a Suncoast Video), so what do they do? They buy a DVD (and get talked into a T-shirt, or some such thing). They then go home...the "high" ends, and then they realized the movie they just purchased, although a good movie, wasn't worth the $40 they just spent on the DVD.

This post-viewing "high" will certainly cause an increase in sales, although the potential for returns might be just as high (buyer's remorse, and all that).

On the flip side, a movie that was awful upon first viewing most likely will not generate an increased likelihood for immediate sales. Some movies also require thought and further reflection before a definitve judgement is made (as to it's being good or bad). This might end up with a DVD purchase down the road, but not upon immediately exiting the theater.

In the end, DVD's get purchased, but I still think the likelihood of a movie being purchased down the road will prove to be the most effective. Sometimes that delayed anticipation causes a greater interest (plus a longer marketing schedule).

gholson

The Tinseltown 17 in Pflugerville, TX had DVD vending machines in the lobby for a while. I bought STAR TREK II from it, mostly because it was about $5 cheaper from the machine than it was anywhere else.

It's hard for me to say whether I'd buy a movie I just got finished watching. I don't think I would...

RobertFure

Very few times, if any. And it would mostly be smaller films. Coming out of the theater I just spent $14 to watch it. I'm not in the mood to spend $20 to watch it again on my home system. If I want to see it that badly again, I'd just watch it in theaters.

The exception might be something like Paranormal Activity (I might just walk over and buy it rather than sit in the theater, not alarmingly interested in it) or some great small film (Brick) that I want to immediately show friends.

I'd say in a year I might buy a DVD like that twice.

Christina

It would be on the rare occasion that I would be tempted to buy a DVD coming out of the theater. That being said, I would have bought the (500) Days of Summer and Zombieland on the spot, if the price was right. Otherwise, stepping out of the theater to only be bombarded with merchandise would be like exiting a Disney ride and lucky you, you get to wade through a ride themed market shop. It would just irritate me beyond believe more than likely.

adamcharles

It would probably depend on the price, and what I was getting. If I'm just getting the flick with no extras (which is probably the case if it's simultaneous w/ the theatrical release) then I wouldn't pay any more to own it than the cost of a ticket. Considering I would end up purchasing it again when the blu-ray is released I could only warrant buying the bare-bones dvd if it cost no more than the price of another ticket to see it a second time.

Sean

Really I like the fact that if i really love a movie i get to wait another 6 months for DVD. It makes the second veiwing almost feel like the first time. Plus you can always see it again in the theater.

jenniferwishum

Another movie that is coming out that offers a clean alternative is ‘’Paranormal.’’ Below is some additional information about this new thriller!!

Paranormal, the latest supernatural thriller from Cross Shadow Productions, (the
creators of the Dove.org approved, best-selling BMG releases: Pray and Pray 2:
The Woods) will be available in stores nationwide January 26th 2010. The 2009 Mrs. America is starring in it.

See more information and trailers at:
www.ParanormalTheMovie.com

Following the success of family-friendly suspense/thriller The Exorcism of Emily
Rose (Sony Pictures), comes a riveting supernatural thriller in the vein of the hit
SyFy television series, Ghost Hunters and Frank Peretti's House (Roadside
Attractions / Lionsgate).

Paranormal follows best-selling, self-made novelist Greg Evans struggling through the worst case of writer's block in his award-winning career. In a desperate search for
inspiration, Greg quickly finds himself immersed in a world he is not prepared to face.
Turning to a group of paranormal investigators, Greg and the ghost hunting team search for proof and answers, yet are unaware they are about to have an experience of a
lifetime! None will leave the way they came. Paranormal will peel back the supernatural curtain to reveal how The TRUTH will EXPOSE the darkness!

lucascott

there have been very few movies I would buy and even then it wouldn't be on DVD. I actually have not bought a physical disk in over a year.

but if movies I would buy in one form or another, I'd say maybe 6-7 of all that I see in a year (and I see a lot)

Discuss: Would You Buy DVDs at the Theater?

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