Movie theaters are giving audiences the chance to leave their homes and experience the greatest hits in film history in the most immersive way possible.
There are movie theaters like Megaplex and AMC that re-release films for audiences to watch again in their best and intended form at a discounted price.
I prefer the cinema experience over any other option because the room itself is a special place: you are spending the whole runtime of the movie with a room full of strangers that also appreciate or were curious enough to sit down and watch a film without any distractions. That’s the most important part of the feeling going to movies gives you, one that has become forgotten with the popularization of streaming services.
The pros of going to the movies and seeing these films is that we get to appreciate them the way people did during their original run. The prime reason why we would want to go to the cinema instead of watching the movie at home is because the feeling you get in those seats cannot be replaced.
During my time as an international student living in the United States, I have enjoyed the theater re-releases of:
- The “Indiana Jones” trilogy
- “Jaws”
- “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”
- Both of the “Dune” movies
These felt even more special than they would have if I were to watch them at home. Listening to John Williams’s music is a unique sensation on its own. Feeling the vibration of the whole theater when the sandworms of Arrakis appear on screen is also a special occasion you get to experience along with the other strangers in the room.
Darren Aronofsky, known for directing the Oscar-winning movie “The Whale,” has said that re-releases are good for younger audiences to be introduced to older work that inspires what we see today.
This strategy from cinemas, aside from being a cheaper way to bring back people to the venues, also allows us to delve deeper into film history. This can influence the audience positively as some of the re-releases are cult classics or genre-defining movies. This means that moviegoers can see plots and stories that might not be similar to what we watch nowadays.
Yet, releasing older movies again also speaks to how movie theaters struggle to find new viewers.
In an article from Artist Weekly, it was mentioned that the popularity of anniversary re-releases stems from a lack of original ideas in Hollywood, with studios relying on nostalgia to gather audiences.
This also speaks to the mentality studios have kept over the years in regards to the industry: keep releasing the same kind of movies from the same old franchises.
This year, we have seen some attempts of films trying to bring originality and creativity back in theaters. “The Naked Gun” tried to revive the comedy scene, “Mickey 17” showed that big budgets don’t always produce a bland, formulaic film, and “The Smashing Machine” dared movie stars to come out of their comfort zone.
Sadly, these movies either fell flat when it came to the box office and critics. So, even though people in Hollywood are trying to bring people back to the theater, they seem to be failing with original or innovative movies, which makes them rely frequently on re-releases.
This makes me appreciate older movies more and encourages me to get those cheaper ticket deals, so I have a reason to go with my friends to the movies and have the guarantee that we are going to have fun there. With ticket prices getting higher and good movies being scarcer, watching a classic is one of the only viable options.
Enjoying all movies is the main goal here, whether new or old. Having the chance to go see them in their intended form allows us to revive that feeling that we lost after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Go watch as many worthwhile movies — new or old — as you can in theaters because that feeling you get in front of the big screen cannot be topped anywhere else.
