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The Decline and Fall of the American Cinematic Dream
The disenchantment of the movie-watching experience
Recall, for a minute, a night out at the movies in the late 20th century, maybe the early 21st. After you’d arrive at a cinema, you’d stand in a maze-like queue, where you’d be able to analyze the available films and times. When you finally reached the box office, you’d order a ticket from a smug high schooler. Then you’d walk inside to find the chosen theater, the magical place where, once the lights dimmed, you’d enter an entirely new world.
On a recent trip to the movies, my cinematic experience was quite different. I walked up to an automated kiosk, ran through some touchscreen prompts, and printed out the tickets.
Upon further reflection, I noticed that there was something odd about this ‘innovative’ procedure.
Buying a movie ticket, it seemed, was no longer charged with excitement, anticipation, or the anxiety of a film selling out. Rather, it was more like buying a ticket for the subway. It was like pumping gas. Observing the ticket print out was the equivalent of watching junk food descend from the corkscrew claws of a vending machine. Without the particular fanfare of the box office, the cinema was depersonalized, mechanical. It was a minor pleasure to be unlocked with your credit card.
