Movie tickets

A friend of mine just returned from deployment in Kuwait. When he got back, he took his girlfriend to see a movie. He was astounded to find out tickets have gone up to $9. He told her that it won't be often that they'll go to a movie. After buying two tickets and snacks, it cost almost $30.

Now comes a study by the University of California-Santa Cruz and Stanford University that says the high price of popcorn keeps movie ticket prices low.

What?!

The San Jose Mercury News said in a story Wednesday that researchers studied data from 43 multi-plexes in 30 cities over a five-year period. It basically said that the concession stands subsidize ticket prices. Without the concession stands, ticket prices will rise at least 25 percent.

Yikes!

I'm really glad that I'm able to buy discounted tickets here at the paper. At $6 each, they're $3 less than at the theater.

Of course, I take advantage of the second-run movie house at Peachtree Mall. If I wait maybe two months, I can see a Hollywood blockbuster there.

Are you going to movies fewer times a year? Buying DVDs more? Waiting 'til the movie is on a premium cable network?

I guess I'm doing all three.