...Cinema takings are well down this year. The music industry is saying that profits are at an all time low. Game companies are going bankrupt because of poor sales...

Seems to me like blaming the creators of a browser for the fact that illegal sites can be reached. Or is that a bad comparison?

Netflix wasn't (isnt?) doing so well after Blockbuster started renting online, and has had to partner with Wal-Mart to try and help themselves get ahead of the game. Just because you pay Netflix (or Blockbuster) doesn't give you the right to burn movies that you don't own. I'm not seeing how you can circumvent that, knowing you're only paying a few dollars per DVD.

On to the price of movies at the theaters:

how is it the MPAA's fault that a bag of popcorn is $4? or a cup of Coke is $5? do they regulate those prices? that's a serious question.

$7 or $8 dollars for just the movie per adult is not a big deal. i can watch the top flicks on a DLP projector for the same price at my local Harkins theater. you pay for the experience (especially if you don't have an HT setup at home).

It's fucking retarded. By that logic you can sue Vauxhall for making Novas that thousands of ricer chav tosspots drive like cunters and run people over with

oh and another reason that cinemas are making less money is that everyone has a 40000 inch plasma hd home theater with surround sound, and would rather watch movies at home

See, as far as I'm concerned, I do own it. What's the difference between the price I pay NetFlix, and waiting until the movie's in the bargain bin at Best Buy? Nothing, IMO.

I can't say with absolute certainty that the MPAA is to blame for movie ticket prices, but I'm reasonably sure that there's a connection. How much do theaters have to pay to run movies? Surely a good chunk of the cost of a ticket goes to those fees, and the rest to facility costs, staff wages, etc. And as I said, I do go to movies for the massive screen and sound system. The MPAA and theaters do get a bunch of my money. I just think that I've paid to watch a movie, they've recouped "my" portion of their expenditures, so I feel I'm not in the wrong for making a copy. I don't distribute them, and I don't make money off them. Besides, it's not my fault that they pay actors $35876357620987498723 per film.

plus hollywood is producing nothing but shit lately - everything is a remake nowadays.,. theres no originality

OLD

that has nothing to do with Hollywood making less money. most of the American public are f*cking stupid, and will go for the "blockbuster" 9 times out of 10.

On to the price of movies at the theaters:

how is it the MPAA's fault that a bag of popcorn is $4? or a cup of Coke is $5? do they regulate those prices? that's a serious question.

$7 or $8 dollars for just the movie per adult is not a big deal. i can watch the top flicks on a DLP projector for the same price at my local Harkins theater. you pay for the experience (especially if you don't have an HT setup at home).

I can't say with absolute certainty that the MPAA is to blame for movie ticket prices, but I'm reasonably sure that there's a connection. How much do theaters have to pay to run movies? Surely a good chunk of the cost of a ticket goes to those fees, and the rest to facility costs, staff wages, etc. And as I said, I do go to movies for the massive screen and sound system. The MPAA and theaters do get a bunch of my money. I just think that I've paid to watch a movie, they've recouped "my" portion of their expenditures, so I feel I'm not in the wrong for making a copy. I don't distribute them, and I don't make money off them. Besides, it's not my fault that they pay actors $35876357620987498723 per film.

Actually, most if not all of a ticket price for a movie goes to the movie people. Concessions are where a movie theatre makes most of their money.

I agree with you Nightshade. 7 to 8 dollars is a big deal for a ticket. In general, and I'm not saying youre doing this at all but people shouldnt just consider whats easy or not for themselves, but for others. By doing this, one gets a better understanding of why theres a problem in the first place.

For example, if you have a family of four and you want to go check out the latest movie it will cost you maybe 32 dollars for 2 hours entertainment. Couple this with the fact that most people will eat out before/after the movie and you can tack on another 30 dollars at the least. It gets very expensive, youre already looking at 60+ dollars for one night.

Even matinee prices are pretty high these days. At a main theatre I use to go to in downtown Boston, they had no matinee prices on the weekends (i.e. when most people are free). It was 10 dollars all the time. And of course, if you factor in that its 10 dollars...for a family of four thats 40 bucks right there.

Even if you ignore eating out beforehand or ignore getting movie popcorn/drinks, you're still spending quite a bit of money for something that you can easily do at home by just renting a flick for 4 bucks (or less with netflix).

Also I'm tired of MPAA's/RIAA's/TV people/whatever's whining and bs. Yes I know that its all about economics and whatnot but if all them actors and whoever else had normal salary's (instead of something 10000x the norm), then they wouldnt have all these "problems". They wouldnt have to shove down 10 minutes of commercials for a sitcom and shit. Theres more to this but thats a discussion for another time.

not sure if you're condoning piracy here or not, but that's what i was referring to. there is no argument you can muster for stealing copyright material. none.

i'm sure the MPAA do have something to do with ticket prices, but nothing else you may or may not purchase in a theater.

i don't agree with the rest of your post at all. the money you pay Netflix? you pay <$20 a month for as many dvd's as you can stuff in a 4 week period with, what, no more than 2 or 3 out at a time? that's hardly paying "your share".

also, the good flicks do not wind up in WalMart's bargain bin. on top of that, WalMart's for f@ggots. i hope you don't shop there.

but true...

that has nothing to do with Hollywood making less money. most of the American public are f*cking stupid, and will go for the "blockbuster" 9 times out of 10.

Thats why last week was the lowest grossing week in DECADES (adjusted for inflation) And it just happens to be a coincidence that Herbie, Bewitched, The Longest Yard, and Batman - all either remakes or sequels - are in theaters?

Maybe you don't think it's paying my share, but I do. How much money does the MPAA need to make off of one copy of a movie? I don't know the particulars of their agreement with NetFlix, but I'm pretty damn sure that those movies have ALL been paid for.
And I've seen every movie you can think of in a bargain bin somewhere at some point. and note that I said Best Buy, not Beijing-Mart.

not sure if you're condoning piracy here or not, but that's what i was referring to. there is no argument you can muster for stealing copyright material. none.

Seems to me like blaming the creators of a browser for the fact that illegal sites can be reached. Or is that a bad comparison?

i'm totally pro-piracy.

for the first time, mankind can share and reproduce something, in this case information, at nearly no cost. this is as much of a technical revolution as electricity was.

well, im not mustering up any argument promoting stealing or anything of the such. i just dont have any sympathy for those organizations.

that i think is a reason why theres an issue to begin with. i think most people dont really care. its hard for people to care when "stealing" music/movies from someone means (1) they still have the thing (one is not depriving the other of some good) (2) they still have oodles and oodles and oodles of money up the wazoo--more money than 99.999999% of people in the world. bear in mind, its not all flat out taking and not giving. some think that "hey, what im paying is good enough" (the 4 dollar rental for example).

i think the problem is bigger than just some moral dilemma. and if we hope to solve this whole thing one day, we should instead study income gaps, social behavior and digital property law.

oh and another reason that cinemas are making less money is that everyone has a 40000 inch plasma hd home theater with surround sound, and would rather watch movies at home

plus hollywood is producing nothing but shit lately - everything is a remake nowadays.,. theres no originality

See, as far as I'm concerned, I do own it. What's the difference between the price I pay NetFlix, and waiting until the movie's in the bargain bin at Best Buy? Nothing, IMO.

I'm sure Netflix has them all paid, but that doesn't give you a right to make copies of them. you're conjuring up reasons WHY it's ok for you to do it so you can sleep at night.