WHATS GOING ON WITH MOVIE THEATERS?
There’s something called a “zero-sum-game.” That means that someone strolls off with all of the marbles while everyone else is left empty-handed. In the past, on these pages, we’ve looked at the ferocity of the mass market and how it threatens to devour the independently-owned video store forever. Well, what about movie theaters? Since 1950 they’ve been subjected to the creation of television, cable, satellite, video, DVD, downloadable film, and ever thing else that we’ve hearlded as great technological leaps. In a zero-sum-game world these guys should be standing along the roadsides with signs that read, “Will Exhibit For Food.” So how are they doing? Just fine, thank you. Total theater admissions in the U.S. and Canada are up about 50% since 1990. Total dollars this year should hit or top $1.5 billion. Part of it has been from the rise of the multiplex, particularly premium facilities with stadium seating. Part of it is a demographic shift–after years of stagnation the number of tee
