Hollywood

The Joplin Globe

Everyone has his or her own idea why Hollywood is suffering through a downturn in theater attendance.

Is it that Tinseltown continues to turn out films that fail to connect with the values of most Americans? Is there a dearth of imagination and originality? Are people happier staying home and watching television? Maybe this a moral issue for theatergoers. They want to be entertained and enlightened, but they also may be seeking heroes and heroines with whom they can identify. That's a theory that has been put forth.

There has been speculation, too, that people are weary of remakes of old movies and television series. Start with "The Dukes of Hazzard" and count backward and you'll find quite a few retreads: "War of the Worlds," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" ("Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" in a previous life), "The Manchurian Candidate" and "Bewitched" among them.

But the major reason that people aren't flocking to the theaters, we suspect, is that more and more of them are enjoying their movies in the comfort and convenience of home.

If they don't like a film, they can turn it off with the knowledge they have lost only a few dollars in rental fees. They also can stop the action on the screen while they pop more popcorn, get a drink from the fridge or use the restroom, all without missing a minute of the action.

And, of course, noises and other distractions aren't so irritating if you have a stop button on the DVD player.

That comfort and convenience comes with a price. If you want to be one of the first to see a blockbuster, you'll have to go to a theater.

Otherwise, you must wait until the film comes out on DVD or video or hits a pay-per-view channel.

Furthermore, you can turn a night at the theater into an evening-out experience. And that, once Hollywood starts cranking out more good, original stories, might reverse the trend.