Hollywood: Pre-DVD $30 Streaming Flicks for Xbox and PS3

Well if the US Cinema prices are anything like the UK Cinema prices then I'd say for a family the $30 / £19 (for arguments sake) price tag is about right. I went to the cinema last week with my girlfriend, to watch a movie on a standard screen, it cost us around £18. Now factor in the costs of refreshments at cinemas, which are astronomical and limited, and the £19 price tag gets more inviting.

Also, many home owners have high def tvs, and surround sound, meaning the have the capability for the cinema experience in their living room.

You won't have to deal with people talking in the cinema, idiots throwing popcorn, having to miss some of the film if you need the loo etc etc.

If there are two of you watching the downloaded film then you break even on the costs of cinema, but if there are more of you watching you start saving money.

So you don't have the gigantic screen, but I think it's a small price to pay to have the comfort of home and the film of your choice.

Its a fantastic idea but I can't understand why anyone would be willing to pay $30.00 to watch a film at home?

Greedy bastards.

I don't think it makes sense. I hardly ever go to the cinema because it's a better experience watching films at home - for all the reasons Penitent gives.

So then I'm comparing paying 30 to stream it, 20 to buy it on disk release about 3 to rent it on disk release or 10 to buy it six months after.

How's 30 to stream it supposed to appeal?

£20 is the cost of 2 cinema tickets for me so if it was less than this I'm interested. also our local multiplex is rubbish for showing anything but big blockbusters. I'd be interested to see more art films. but i need to upgrade my sound system!

They obvioulsy count on the fact that most people are impatient and need immediate gratification for little effort. We're like rats in a box pushing buttons to receive treats. Facebook, Twitter, Blogs are all ways to seek immediate gratification, we're spoon-fed virtual pats on the head every minute of the day, so we can feel like we are valued without actually having to achieve anything worthwhile requiring effort. We're being hard wired from an early age to have no tolerance for delays. It's a mechanism which plays into the hands of a capitalist society, where new, faster, sexier things are made and you HAVE TO HAVE IT NOW!!! even if you don't have the money or the need for it. Look at the apple fanboys for instance, Steve Jobs only has to fart and they run behind him with a jam jar.

The film industry relies on the fact that most people have no patience. It's madness that you have to pay £9 to see a film, when you can wait and get it on DVD for that price and watch it as many times as you want. I'm of the opinion if cinemas reduced their prices, they would have much higher revenue as going to the cinema would be a cheap night out, rather than a account checking, change scraping exercise, where you can't afford to buy any treats or drinks.

@Trigger and @ghoti, Not only does streaming a film for $30 mean you can watch the film NOW it means you don't even have to leave the house. So you can be tweeting regular updates about what is happening in the film, your viewing pleasure relayed as a time vs glee graph as the film unfolds in front of your languid, semi clothed, greasy, fat filled, crisp covered body.

@Penitent - Steve Jobs does not fart! You sir, seem to have a slightly jaded view of modern society.

Actually, I agree with everything you say. I despise the obsession the younger generations have for virtual lives.

I agree that for some people the opportunity to pay $30 to download a film for free as opposed to getting a poorer quality download from a torrent or newgroup that may or may not turn out to be what they actually wanted, or password protected or virus laden, would maybe appeal. It's worked well in the music industry offering simultaneous launches of albums for download and in the games industry.

I still think $30 is too much though. Lets be honest here as well, its not going to be the equivalent of $30 if it was to come over to the UK. That very rarely is the case with pricing. Wouldn't be surprised if it was £30!

I don't see the benefit in getting a download copy of a film rather than going to the cinema, whats the incentive? If it was cheaper than a night at the cinema then maybe I might be interested. Although that would take some doing as I Cineworld pass so I'm comparing it unfairly I guess.

Maybe in the future they could do something similar to a Cineworld Pass, I'd be interested then!

Well, I took six months off watching any films in about 1987, so now I can watch films six months after release, yet still get the benfit of constantly being drip-fed rubbish. It just costs half the price.

@ghoti GENIUS!

@Trigger

It's not meant to be an incentive against going to the cinema (although for some it will be as it will be cheaper for bigger families), it's an incentive for those naughty downloaders to download legally without worrying about getting a letter from ACS Law.

I can't see that working either, maybe even more so. Those naughty people download movies for FREE. I don't think the option of paying $30 a movie will make them have a guilty conscience all of a sudden.

@ghoti

Then there comes a period where films that you're interested in stop being released, to tempt you to "catch up" during that period.

Personally, I just don't watch films. It's free and legal.

@Trigger

It may well not work, but it doesn't hurt them to give it a try. It has worked reasonably well for the music industry though. And (legal) game downloads in the US have passed boxed copy sales even though people could in all likelihood have downloaded those games illegally.

well when i went to see toy story 3, firstly I had to watch in 3D as no 2D option was on at my chosen cinema, myself and Mrs plus our 4 children with popcorn and drinks came to about £80.00 for this we could watch 4 films even if I add into it the cost of home snacks and drinks and even use of electricity at home it still prolly means I could watch 3 films for the same price as one at the cinema, i think i hear the detah toll of the cinema though, except for that wierd arts one down the road, you know the one with 8 seats.

well when i went to see toy story 3, firstly I had to watch in 3D as no 2D option was on at my chosen cinema, myself and Mrs plus our 4 children with popcorn and drinks came to about £80.00 for this we could watch 4 films even if I add into it the cost of home snacks and drinks and even use of electricity at home it still prolly means I could watch 3 films for the same price as one at the cinema, i think i hear the death toll of the cinema though, except for that weird arts one down the road, you know the one with 8 seats.