George Lucas Quits the Movie Business

[Chris D]

I thought this news story was quite interesting. George Lucas is quitting movies, saying it's too much of a gamble now for high-cost flicks, and that he thinks the future is cheap, mass-download movies.

Oh, I hope not.

Also sounds like "Indy 4" is not as sure as we had thought.

http://www.variety.com/VR1117951284.html

[George Bellefontaine]

Well, I hope his look into the future is incorrect. Download movies from the net will never be my way of getting or watching movies. IMHO, I feel there will always be a market for film goers. Especially the younger ones. But the staggering cost of making some films is indeed stupid, along with some of those indecent multi-million dollar actor fees, and that's what should really change.

[Arneson]

The Lucas family lived six doors down from me in Modesto.
I never met him but ten years later I happened to watch American Graphitte and said, That place and people and cars are all so familiar, not realizing it was a depiction of Mchenry ave. and our neighborhood.
His first movie was low budget and aptly named.

[RobP]

I hate to say this , but I think Lucas is on the right track in his thinking here. Although I don't think that TV broadcast is the future of movies, I do believe that digital delivery in the style of a VOD straight into the home will be.
The movie industry is on a downward spiral in the terms of film and its delivery in the commercial theatre venue and has been over the past 10-15 years.The money that is spent on producing films has to be recovered somewhere, it used to be in the cinemas, but anymore the take at the box office has been dismal to say the least.
But, IMO Hollywood only has itself to blame, it used to be when a film was released in the theatres it would stay out awhile and was allowed run its course, then it was later released on VHS or DVD at a respectable pace.
Now a movie comes out, stays in the theatre for a couple weeks, if its decent, and in the blink of an eye, its out on DVD.
They have created a convince for the consumer by doing this, in a sense spoiling us, so to keep up the current pace, digital delivery to the home will be the way to feed both the consumer and the film company's veracious appetites.

[ht_addict]

I hate to say this , but I think Lucas is on the right track in his thinking here. Although I don't think that TV broadcast is the future of movies, I do believe that digital delivery in the style of a VOD straight into the home will be.

Its my understanding that there just isn't enough bandwidth to offer this to the majority of users

The movie industry is on a downward spiral in the terms of film and its delivery in the commercial theatre venue and has been over the past 10-15 years.The money that is spent on producing films has to be recovered somewhere, it used to be in the cinemas, but anymore the take at the box office has been dismal to say the least.
But, IMO Hollywood only has itself to blame, it used to be when a film was released in the theatres it would stay out awhile and was allowed run its course, then it was later released on VHS or DVD at a respectable pace.
Now a movie comes out, stays in the theatre for a couple weeks, if its decent, and in the blink of an eye, its out on DVD.
They have created a convince for the consumer by doing this, in a sense spoiling us, so to keep up the current pace, digital delivery to the home will be the way to feed both the consumer and the film company's veracious appetites.

Want too get more people in the cinema's, then drop the price. Two people, pop/popcorn is $40-45CDN.(cheaper at matinees). Family off 4 would approach double that.

[RobP]

Its my understanding that there just isn't enough bandwidth to offer this to the majority of users.

Possibly, but this movement is still in its infancy. This form of delivery is already in use in theatres without too many glitches.

Want too get more people in the cinema's, then drop the price. Two people, pop/popcorn is $40-45CDN.(cheaper at matinees). Family off 4 would approach double that.

That seems like an easy solution, and in fact that is what most people say, but in reality the concession prices at what they are is really the only thing that keeps the doors of a theatre open. Now these could be lowered if the film company's take at the box office was reduced. Depending on the film company, the take can be 60% on up to 80% of the ticket price.

[wkhanna]

George Lucas is quitting movies

George WHO?

[Nolan B]

To me the industry is moving more (or following) in the direction in the direction of people wanting to watch movies at home. With a Hi Def format bound to win in the future it makes it all the more attractive for people to watch movies at home. If they can stop copy right infringment then there is still plenty of money to be made...maybe more then before.

I for one hate going to theaters; the price, hearing people eat, cell phones, forced to watch commercials etc.

Ever since I got a decient home theater and can enjoy a glass of wine and cigar while watching a movie I long for the day HD DVDs are released the same day as first run movies.

[Boombox]

Want too get more people in the cinema's, then drop the price. Two people, pop/popcorn is $40-45CDN.(cheaper at matinees). Family off 4 would approach double that.

Quite right, a night out to the movies for two costs the same as buying the DVD. Also, some theaters waist your money with poor sound systems, out of focus pictures at times and a fool, who always seems to pick the seat in front of you and happens to be so tall, you have to lean to the side to see the full screen or find another seat. Finally, you very seldomly get to sit right in the middle of the theater.....Home DVD solves 95% of these little inconveniences....

[Race Car Driver]

I agree, with the cost involved to go to a movie these days, I would rather pick one up at the store and watch it at my leasure. *shrug*

But going out is a nice treat every now and then.