Hello dear readers! Today’s post is perhaps a bit different. It is actually an Ethnography, which is a document written by anthropologists to analyze something about human culture. What you are about to read is an edited version of an ethnography I wrote in my Anthropology class last semester. It is all about a topic I find immensely interesting: the movie theater.
Research
The movie theater, as it is known today, is a place to transport oneself to a world of one’s own choosing. The theater first began in 1905 as the ‘Nickelodeon’, where someone could go to see a short production for a nickel (Ho, 2020). It became a great place for Americans to spend their newfound free time. By the present day, though, it has become clear that the movie theater has become more than just that. Before each movie, AMC plays a clip that tells of the “indescribable feeling you get” and how we are “not just entertained, but somehow reborn, together”. This pre-movie clip tells of the reason that people attend movies at the theater.
It is of note that the movie theater is declining in popularity ever since the advent of streaming services, with sales of tickets and theater food being lower in 2021 than any other year in the previous decade (Statista Research Department, 2023). COVID-19 has also played a role, but, regardless, sales and revenue of the theater is lower than it has been previously. This trend has been present even during the 2010s. Even so, there is still undeniable reason to go to the theater. These reasons can include the superior screen and sound system, the undeniable focus that comes with the theater, and the presence of other people to watch with (Tiffany et al., 2017). These factors are all part of the culture that surrounds the movie theater and the experience of it. This culture is possibly the largest contributor to the appeal of the movie theater.
Observations
As established, people go to the movie theater to consume and enjoy stories. But what exactly is their behavior when at the theater or in a movie seat? First of all, the theater has an undeniable culture that comes across in many different behaviors. For example, the majority of people at the theater purchase popcorn (and/or other treats) to eat during the movie. In truth, these snacks are not to quell hunger, but more so for mouthfeel or flavor, something for one’s mouth to do while watching. Although, the person I was with bought mozzarella sticks and pizza. Drinks tap into this same field. Another observation regards the social aspect of the theater. With little exceptions, everyone in the theater was accompanied. The movie theater, even despite the expectation of silence, is a social event/place. Many people also attended the theater with their friends or lovers. I myself have gone to the movies multiple times with friends. Socializing was limited to outside the theater (for the most part), so the social aspect of the theater is more so shared experience than socializing in the traditional sense.
More Observations (Emotional)
The movie theater’s effect on people’s emotions is especially profound. Movies, in general, have an incredible influence over how people feel. Horror can make you cover your eyes and fear for your life, even in the safety of your home. Family can make you tear up as the main characters are separated and tear up again as they are reunited. My observations at the theater were that people’s emotions aligned directly with the tone of the scene at hand. The movie I watched was extensional and universal, so the people watched in awe at the most grandiose scenes. There were also comedically absurd moments, in which the audience laughed. In general, the movie determined the emotional states of all who watched. This is an incredible ability of movies and is yet another reason why people watch them (the theater only enhances this).
Ascribing a Meaning
What do my findings reveal about the movie theater? This answer to this is that there is a culture of the theater, separate from the movies themselves. This culture draws people to the theater and keeps them coming back. This culture is also one of the primary money makers for the theater, through popcorn and drink sales. This culture is what the theater is known for. A quick search of the movie theater will bring up images of popcorn and soda. These are all elements of the theater’s culture. In summary, the overarching idea of my research is that the movie theater has formulated its own culture.
Analyzing the Analysis
Allow me to conclude with one final question: why? Why choose to trek to the theater and sit in a public place to watch a new movie when you could wait a month or two and watch it at home in a (likely) more comfortable setting? I have a personal answer to this, but I wished to find another, generated from the movie goers. What I found is that the movie theater provides an experience. This experience is one that cannot be fully replicated at home. Certain people wish to continue going to the movies for the experience, although some have made a permanent switch to streaming services. This experience will keep people coming back to the movie theater for as long as movie theaters remain standing.
In conclusion, the movie theater provides an experience to its attendees. This experience is emersion in the culture of the theater as well as social interaction with whoever one may accompany. The movie theater was invented to entertain, but it can do much more.
Bibliography
Ho, S. (2020, December 5). Behind the curtains: A brief history of movie theaters. The Daily Californian. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://www.dailycal.org/2020/12/05/behind-the-curtains-a-brief-history-of-movie-theaters
Statista Research Department. (2023, January 5). U.S.: Movie Theaters’ revenue by source 2010-2021. Statista. Retrieved March 5, 2023, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/185127/revenue-sources-of-us-movie-theaters-since-2005/
Tiffany, K., Plaugic, L., Opam, K., & Robinson, T. (2017, April 4). 10 reasons the movie-theater experience is still worth the effort. The Verge. Retrieved March 5, 2023, from https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/4/15177542/movie-theater-box-office-ticket-prices-get-out-record
Thank you for reading! Leave a comment if you have your own thoughts to share and subscribe if you’d like to know whenever I post.
-This has been Thoughts by Mekhi.
Thoughts by Mekhi 
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