Tickets and Wallet, Please

Recently there has been a lot of talk about movie going and unfortunately how expensive it is. Instead of discussing the movie, people come out of the theater discussing the overwhelming prices. A friend of mine who just recently took her children to an afternoon movie was still reeling from sticker shock days later. The movie going experience for one adult and two young children ended up costing her over $50.00!


This reminded me of an old comedy bit by Jerry Seinfeld. He made the observation that theaters keep expensive candy in glass cases just like jewelry. "What can I show you?" the clerk asks. "Something in the way of a milk dud, perhaps? And I think there was even a part where a single milk dud came out on a velvet cushion. Hilarious, Seinfeld nailed it and it's even more relevant today!


I guess to elaborate on this theme we can say that there are 3 C's in candy just as there are in diamonds. In diamonds the 3 C's are Cut, Clarity, and Color. In candy, the 3 C's are Chocolate, Calories, and Cost. Because of cost, I know moms who strategize before heading out to the movies. They grab the "movie purse," a bag the size of a piece of carry-on luggage and load it up before leaving the house. In it they can fit every item found at the concession counter with the exception of the slushy machine. Then under the cover of darkness, as the feature presentation begins, you will hear the unzipping of purses as moms stealthily distribute snacks.


What will the future of movie going hold if costs keep rising and theaters look to thwart the snack smuggling? Will they install x-ray machines like those at the airport to scan any bags being carried into the theater? "Red alert, we've got something resembling a bag of M&Ms in a red canvas tote." Will a patron be forcibly taken down for smuggling Twizzlers or concealing Goobers in his cargo shorts? That just seems wrong and disconcerting on so many levels! Let's just hope for the sake of all movie goers that it never comes to that.