For those RNS readers who live under rocks and haven’t heard yet, the theatrical version of the fifth Harry Potter book, Order of the Phoenix, drops into theaters today. I’ve been re-reading the series over the past month or so and will finish the fifth book sometime tomorrow, which will be followed by my visiting the local Drive-In Theater, The Valley 6, this weekend to catch the flick with the recently upgraded 1000 Watts of audio in my F150.
For those whom deem themselves more cereberal on this topic, a University of Tennessee law professor who isn’t Glenn Reynolds published a paper in the Michigan Law Review (pdf file) last summer on the subject of the series. The non-pdf Cliff Notes version is here
Just as I did, Benjamin Barton finds some serious Libertarian veins throughout the series. Veins that will very likely come to fruition as the kids who grew up with the series become voters.
Brilliant!
On a side note, does anyone think that Drive-Ins will become more popular given the complete jackassery that abounds at multiplex theaters these days, or am I the only one holding out hope?
Drive-ins will prolly NOT make a comeback, because of their land footprint. They take up a huge amount of land, compared to the usual cineplex and it’s parking lot (which could be condensed into a parking garage).
Too bad, since when the movie got boring in the old days, you could clean the steam off the windows, look around and see which cars were rocking from the exercise therein…can’t do that in a theater.
When I can afford an HD projection TV, HD or Blu-Ray DVD, and a rec room/home theater, I will never go to movies again.
I have all that, HL, and I said exactly that last year. But I am an impatient bastage, and am positive that I won’t be able to wait until Thanksgiving/Christmas to see this flick.
I’m not a fan of drive-ins as the screen quality suffers. If you watch a dark movie (e.g. most scenes are at night) you can’t see squat.
Theaters are getting better as managers are getting the message that most people don’t go because of inconsiderate jerks in the audience. So they have ushers make more frequent trips in during the film and some theaters even have “call buttons” to summon the manager if someone in the audience is being rude. Me? I prefer pouring my Coke in their lap or telling the person I paid to watch a movie, not listen to them yap.
Also, movies like this one, if you see it opening week, you usually get a decent crowd as the people going what to see the movie, rather than chit chatting in the back row.
Actually, I was reading a Forbes Magazine (yes, I get them. You think military retirement will be my only source of income in my later years?) and they had an article on people who are reviving drive-in theaters. For a variety of different reasons – nostalgia, all the problems you’ve mentioned with mega-plexes, and the cost of a megaplex ticket.
So yes, you might see a lot more drive-ins in the future.
When it’s $17 for a pair of tickets, when you have to wear ear plugs in the theater, and when, after all these years, they still haven’t figured out how to keep the floors from getting sticky, I’ll stay home (or go to a drive-in), thank you.
Also, I have a hard time getting so gaga over Hary Potter’s schtick anymore. Two of the flicks were plenty, five is obscene.
Wow Rivrdog,
I wish it was only 17 for 2 tix. It take 22 just to get in the door for a theater date for me. But I guess that I am willing to wait for a 19.95 DVD with extras that I can watch while I pause for some one to go to the bathroom or get another beer. Oh yeah, that is why I wait and buy so as to watch at home. Nice couch, beer, in underwear if alone, and I am the only one talking. Plus I control the volume with an original THX cert system not this new slackness so as to sell the name more (I mean non acoustical suspension speakers cannot pass the original specs and for a good reason). Would like to get a larger screen, but the 42″ plasma is holding out for now.
I prefer the nice new multi-plex to a drive-in anyday, sorry. The prices are high, it’s true, but I like the stadium seating and quality sound systems for when I can’t wait for the DVD. I don’t go during peak times, though – to avoid the crowds, not because of ticket price. We almost never attend an evening show – preferring the afternoon matinees to minimize crowd effects 😉