EP 456 Is the Movie Theater Dead?

Movie theaters were in trouble before the pandemic and have been for years.  While megascreen complexes were still being built, consumers were gearing up their equipment at home to receive an abundance of movie choices by way of cable and streaming services.  The idea of going out to a movie requires many conscious decisions, while staying at home and flipping around requires few.  And then, of course, with cell phones and obnoxious patrons, the choice was getting easier by the year.  Scott Higgins, Director of the College of Film and the Moving Image, at Wesleyan University, believes there still will be a place for the movie theater, albeit in a much more competitive environment.  Many movie studios are competing internally to accommodate both large screen extravanagas and a regular aray of films to populate their own streaming services.  While movies have outlasted other eras in which newcomers were said to spell their demise, the new landscape is still emerging and exciting to imagine as choice abounds.  We talk movies, too.  He weighs in on the best picture of all time.  It will surprise you.

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