Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 19, 2005)
Nyburg: Experience creates a false sense of community Continued from page 5 theater make me some kind of bizarre, postmodern, fragmented in dividual completely disconnected from his fellow human beings? Bullshit. Watching a movie in a theater is a community experience like staring at a car wreck from a moving vehicle is a community expe rience. I get no sense of interaction from this. A hundred people sitting in the dark watching flashing lights and hearing loud noises is more akin to a psychological experiment than it is to human togetherness. At least at a concertyou can talk, move around and be vomited on, activities that connect to the rest of humanity bet terthan sitting around like a pack of hypnotized herd animals does. So let me make a radical sugges tion: Let's burn down the multiplex es. Hell with them. They rarely show independent works; studios only use them as launching padsforfilms, and even that practice is proving less profitable. Studios make all of their money from other media, i.e. television broadcast rights and video sales. Theaters are hardly worth the trouble anymore. They ex ist to give a false sense of legitimacy to a film, make it seem like more than a direct to video fare. But production values are all that distinguish high class Hollywood films from the non theater-screened drivel. Why not just cut out the middleman? I'll make an exception for certain cases: revival houses, some art the aters. These serve a purpose for the community, giving a mode of expres sion for upcoming filmmakers. And I actually like seeing old movies with an audience of respectful film snobs. It carries that community experi ence the big theaters lack. Also, there are some things that just need to be seen on the big screen. So maybe we can reach a com promise between what we have now and arson. First, eliminate the ads before movies. I have never heard a positive response to these, though I know advertisers are banking on the factthatthe next generation will just accept them because they won't re member a time without them. For now, I actively do not buy products I see advertised before a movie (as for ones that are advertised in the movie itself, keeping track of those is a little more difficult). Second, theaters should start offer ing movie passes. For, say, $20 people could see as many movies as they want This would get people in the the aters more often, which means more concession sales, which is where the aters make real profit But studios might not like the idea because it would cut into their slice of the pie (though that slice getting progressively slimmer anyway). I'm not going to make a grand pre diction about the decline of theaters over the next few years or for direct to-video/on-demand rental being the wave of the future for movies. I make no claims to clairvoyance. But if you want a definite trend toward home viewership rather than theater go ing, look at the horrorfilm genre. A good chunk of the most interesting horror films are released directto video or with such a limited theater run they might as well have been. "Dagon," "May," "Ginger Snaps," "Bruiser," "King of the Ants," "Dog Soldiers" etc. Each one betterthan the last Wes Craven film and each one more intelligent than the remake of "The Amityville Horror." How's that for a wave of the future? ryannyburg@dailyemerald.com *Hdumiiuf *Tie6jclenU There is still time to sign-up to live in the halls next year if you are a current resident. Just stop by the main housing office, fill out a free application before June 10 and pick the room of your choice. ^Taking- '"C&iM&L Ihid Summer? You can live on campus as long as you are enrolled for summer classes. Stop by the main housing office and submit an application and $10 non-refundable application fee. You can choose to add a meal plan or go without. www.housing.uoregon.edu For more information call 346-4 277 or email housing § uoregon.edu EO/AA/ADA institution committed to cultural diversity. | ■■ • f o J UNIVERSITY OF OREGON GOT A STORY IDEA? 2005 Season a UO Student Theatre Absolut Improv April 28-30 The Portrait of the Virgin Mary Feeding the Dinosaurs May 5-7 Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread May 12 and 14 Telluric May 19-21 Two Rooms May 26-28 Villard 102 All Shows 5 pm $1 Suggested Donaton www wccandobettcr.org FREE *call td see if you qualify Birth Control Supplies & Health Services for Men & Women SCHNITZER MUSEUM OF ART Master of Fine Arts Graduate Exhibition Through June 26, 2005 Discover the artwork of nine emerging artists featuring: Fibers Metalsmithing + Jewelry Painting Photography Printmaking Visual Design Meet the artists at gallery talks May 21 and 25 See http://jsma.uoregon.edu or call 346-3027 for more information [ISbank. Oregon Quiy Emerald Allied present UNIVERSITY OF OREGON BOOKSTORE ^ UNIVERSITY OF OREGON JORDAN a Florida & THomin9s,Hideout 1^r f 1 North, Rlains,mOregon Tickets on sale NOW! campout & musk festival™ Bahamas yoianays (check for details online) Friday and Saturday August 26 - 27 /Z Michael Franti & Spearhead Medeski Martin & Wood Galactic, Soulive, Dj Logic Sage Francis, Big Wu Robert Walters Heavy Organ Jerry Joseph &the Jackmormons Benevento Russo Duo, Global Funk Flowmotion, Big Island Shindig artist acCcCitions to 6e announcecCsoon! 24 hour info line: (503) 299-4769 telecharge: (303) 544-5875 ^jQg]l333nJEa5E&333uD11223HilK
