Cinemas and the American life

Cinemas have gone a long way. Less than a century before crank-operated projectors and black and white silent films, movie-watching experience has reached unimaginable heights further stimulating the whole entertainment experience.

When surround sound technology was introduced a decade ago, movie watchers hailed it as a hyper-drive to the future. Just years, even months after that 3-dimensional (3D) movies came, then computers came into Hollywood and created gargantuan space battles, uglier monsters and made pigs speak. Then digital cinema, now there is even 4D where you can watch and “feel” the movie. Charlie Chaplin must be stirring in his tomb for a chance to feature in a high-definition movie.

Aside from the on-screen developments, the movie-watching experience has also improved. Cinemas are cozier and better while the huge number of movie houses gives patrons a wide array of choices. There are cinemas for new releases, as well s cinemas for old movies.  There are cinemas in malls, universities at the center of town. There are movie houses for everyone.

At the heart of each movie, however, is the story. With the help of computer animation and technology, story tellers are able to dig deep into the recesses of their imagination and put it on the script and on film. Movies have become not only a reflection of reality, but a better version of it, where fairy tales come true and where people can escape, at least for two hours, and into worlds we can only imagine. Sometimes into the world we never imagined existed.

Despite the technology, DVD and Blue ray players and 59-inch plasma screens with cinematic sound at home, people continue to flock to movie houses and line up for premiere night. It must be about the dim light or the seats or the giant screen. For many, however, watching at cinemas is an experience not just about the movie, but the queues, the seats, the silver screen and the company.

Movies continue to fill the void that has been there since the turn of the century. Movies give people a widened view of the world around them and make them realize their existence. Movies inspire, satisfy, titillate but it also educates and motivates. There is not one single invention that has so influenced society – fashion, culture even religion – than movies. It is in the heart of the American experience and will continue to be a part of the American life.

Movie World

Since the time of theatre play to beta max, to VHS and then to high definition graphic of VCD and lately DVD, movies do continue to offer us a kind of entertainment that simply interests the viewers in their own prospective way; may it be gore, action, suspense thriller, science fiction, romance, adventure, documentary, horror, anime, comedy and more. From time to time, as the viewers crave for more exciting films, so did the film makers develop movies beyond our imagination graphics, special sound effects and so on. No question that the film makers always do have a lot of ways to lure the viewers of such a stylish and out of this world fantasy movie that cope up with the people’s standard on the movie they wanted to watch.

We all know how much money is involved in this kind of business. Nowadays, they would spend millions of dollars just to recruit a super star actor or actress alone that the other crew film members are still not included. We are aware of the fact that if the film does hit the top of the chart, the casts would definitely earn twice as much money. That is if the movie goes well, for it all depends on the viewers. As stated earlier “people do crave for more exciting films” and with this, we ask ourselves “why in the first place do people watch a movie”? And in relation to this question which then brings to the next one and that is—“what good reasons can be given in watching a movie”?

Other people would say that the reason they wanted to watch a movie is simply to have fun, release tension, do away with boredom or simply kill time. However, generally, it is a simple act of escape. A pure escape from the reality of the world; other people would want horror films, and or fantasy with romance that has happy ending. In short, we would like to contain the feelings of such what the show brings to us. Whether it is hatred or laughter, we plainly would like to divert our attention to this kind of stuffs. Although other people would simply not worry about what the movie brings to them that they simply kick back, relax and watch a nonsense film. Whatever the intention we have that brings us to watch, it is solely a subjective one.

“What we do in life will echo in eternity”—told by General Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) in the 2000 film “The Gladiator”. Just a simple phrase that gives the viewers a lesson or a principle in life that is worth listening to. If we ask “what good reason, there is to watch a movie”, it is simply a kind of a visual learning tool. We notice that whenever a motion picture on television is to be played, a warning for the viewers is then announced about the appropriate age for it affects the point of view of the young ones. With this, it shows us how a visual tool of learning greatly affects us all. Unlike written words, it does not engage the “inner eye” which contains our reasoning faculties. Therefore, whenever we are into a movie, we are consumed of the ideas which the movie brings to us, for the time being. It shapes our perspectives and thoughts until we have extrapolated what we want from the film we watched.

One example of why visual learning tool is put into good use is for the autistic persons. It is one therapeutic way of interaction. They learn things through their visual experiences. In fact, research shows that personal interaction is lost on watching videos, but it deeply depends on what kind of videos the people watch and the duration of time they spent on. Hence, if we choose to watch an appropriate video that dearly affects our lives in a good way, then positively it is a good reason for us to do it.

We see families and lovers spend quality time going to theatres. Other people talking about their lives that somewhat co relate with the film they watch or simply a stuff worth having the chit chat with their friends. Whatever it is, movie world will be here to continue to share their concepts and views of the world. So sit back, relax, grab a drink and a pop corn and enjoy the show!!!