Disney have been involved in a number of weird IP protection stuff. They developed a cassette that could only be rewound with a special device. It was supposed to be a "watch once per payment" mechanism. They also developed a DVD that would oxidise slowly once it got contact with air. They'd burn a movie, seal it in a special case, and ship it to people. Once you opened the packet you'd get about 2 days to watch the movie.

http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-patent-uses-kinect-...

EDIT: Hey, don't shoot the messenger.

I would pay $30 USD to watch a movie from my couch that is currently in the theaters. Maybe a couple friends are over (another couple) but that total is 4... not 40.

I would bet major releases would see people throwing parties at their homes. But then again, is it a problem? Maybe raise the price a bit?

Obviously it's not quite that simple, as some of those 3 friends might not have gone to the cinema - but maybe they all would have.

Of course they can enforce this with digital books, but they shouldn't be able to, and people should protest against it.

Is there even a point to watching new movies? Hollywood is not all that creative these days. The same plot plays out over and over; they are remaking movies that are less than a decade old; actions scenes are formulaic, sex scenes are formulaic, and the way in which scenes are composed is formulaic. When movie studios run out of ideas about what to copy, they just create formulaic sequels to movies that were OK the first time around (Fast Five? Really?).

Hollywood's problem is quality. They spend enormous amounts of money on improved special effects, when special effects are not really what needed to be improved. If you can predict how the story ends (or count the number of possible endings on your fingers), the movie probably isn't worth paying for.

How on earth can you say this? New tellings of old stories are a — the — foundational element of human storytelling since the dawn of time.

Can you give an example of a story whose ending can't be reduced to a few possibilities given the beginning? That doesn't make people shout "What a tweest!"?

But seriously, I see what you're saying: Pulp Fiction has a multilayered narrative that is complex and consistently surprising. And I think it's a good one to highlight my point that it's the journey, not the destination, and that "can you predict the ending" is a silly classifier.

4) No crappy audio

These are the most important and frustrating points for me. What's the point of paying to use a professional set-up if it all goes to hell in a handbasket the minute the switch is flipped?

I've sat in a cinema where the volume was so low, the audience could hardly hear a thing. A few shouts of "Turn it up!" went unanswered, and there wasn't an usher anywhere in sight.

At the end, no-one went and complained. I'm just as guilty (my excuse: crushing social anxiety when it comes to complaining in a foreign language) for not doing so, but maybe this is why: not enough people complain/stop going/ask for refunds, and so the circus continues.

I've bailed on films where half the screen was out of focus or, inexplicably, they were using the wrong lens and everything was crunched. Sometimes all you have to do is point it out and they'll fix it, other times they'll refund it no questions asked.

If they don't feel it financially, they won't care to fix it.

Sometimes all you have to do is point it out and they'll fix it

As I hinted, I would have done so at the time if I'd had the language skills to confidently say what was wrong (and understand their suggested resollution). (and if I'd been able to find an usher as well, for that matter).

I see a new movie at least once/month and have had little issues with the audio or the screen.

Nope - I go to many theatres here in Poland. Now I'm fine with complaining where necessary, but at the time my Polish wasn't up to it. The point I wanted - and failed - to illustrate was more that no-one complains, and so the cinemas get away with it far more often than they should.

Along with digital projection (not much work to do), that means there might be one or two operators for a dozen screens. The projection room also has noise blocking, so no one is listening or looking when you shout. It's more likely that the ticket/security crew outside the door listens and calls the operators, but you have to shout really loud :)

I've sat in a cinema where the volume was so high the audio setup was saturating unless that was a quiet, whispery scene. The film was really good, so we stayed. Although silent, I took action: it was the last time I went to a theatre since three years.