What is it that really draws us to the theater? Is it the oversized screen that gives us nausea? The frigid atmosphere that leaves you bundled up in your coat the entire movie (or the opposite thereof)? The obnoxious person behind you who laughs, rocks in his squeaky chair, and kicks your seat every other scene? The 10 dollars you have to spend on a ticket, and the 20 other dollars you have to spend on a dringk? It could be the wonderful idea of being one of the first people to see the movie... or the oportunity to sharing the movie with a room full of strangers with whom you can share in the laughs and tears of the film. It could be a combination of these factors, or the culmination of all of them. I, however, would like to propose this: It's the ability to actually feel the movie.
Sound is an awesome force. The deep waves undulating back and forth penetrate our beings literally allow us to feel the images presented on the screen. The giant foot of a tyrannosaur slams on the ground, causing ripples on the puddle, AND vibrating its audience's chests. It is this awesome force which I believe is one of the main draws of an audience to the screen. Many people now days have a surround sound system, with a sub-woofer and super tweeters, but nothing quite compares to the overbearing power of the booming speakers in the auditorium of the movie theater. Sure blu-ray players now praise their ability to give an audience 7.1 surround sound system, but this has been in theaters for years. Why bother adding two more speakers (in the recent transition from 5.1 to 7.1) if people didn't think sound was an important aspect of the movie experience.
People want to feel their movies, not just see them. The theater and its outstanding audio system are still a major draw to the general public (even if that number may be dwindling), because home theater systems just don't quite cut it. The feel of the movie just isn't there.
correct.
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