Americans have enjoyed motion pictures for more than a century. Movies have gone from a novelty to entertainment to an art form. They helped us forget our troubles throughout the Great Depression and our fears over the war years that followed. And, to this day, people can leave the real life outside while concentrating on what's happening on the screen. The question is where do motion pictures fit in today's lifestyles?
A recent Rasmussen poll shows that 55% of Americans rarely or never go to the films. This is true for virtually all all age groups except for those 40 to 49 where the number drops to 48%. Among those 65+ the negative response jumps to 63%.
Occasional movie attendance, that means less than once a month, is 34% for the total sample. Those 40 to 49 are highest with 42% and New Seniors are lowest at 28%. Regular theater goers, once a month or more, represent just 10% of all respondents.
So who's watching movies and where? About 44% of individuals are viewing movie movies at home once every week or even more. Another 41% are doing this sometimes, and only 14% say they rarely or never watch movies in their homes. The 30 to 39 age bracket is most likely to do this (57%). Those 65+ are least likely (34%).
Excluding people who rarely or never watch movies at home, 59% say they watch it on a premium cable channel or regular network TV. The number will be lower for the youngest age groups, 18 to 29 (35%), and increases with age, 65+ (65%). On the contrary, 35% of the total rent movies for home viewing. Nearly half (47%) of the youngest demographic do this, while only 16% of New Seniors are renting movies.
What people watch also varies significantly by age. Comedies are 2 times as popular as every other film genre, with 37% of respondents preferring them compared to 19% for dramas. With those 18 to 29 this type of movie was selected by 42% while among New Seniors the category was only 29%. On the contrary, the older group selected dramas first with 30%, and with the younger audiences it was on 8%
Action films ranked third overall at 15%. As might be expected it was highest with the young crowd at 20%, twice that of the older demographic. Science fiction was fourth with 10%, but 22% of the 30 to 39 group selected it. Musicals barely made the list; however, 13% of New Seniors chose them.
The report did not ask about watching movies online, upon an iPad or possibly a smart phone. But it is safe to assume that this is a younger audience. The most significant thing is you will find cost effective ways to enjoy movies. But it is nice to go to the theater, buy some fresh popcorn and a soft drink then sit back as the lights dim as well as the curtains open to reveal characters that can be literally and figuratively bigger than life. That is the way to lose oneself in what is playing on the screen. That is precisely what the movies are about.
A recent Rasmussen poll shows that 55% of Americans rarely or never go to the films. This is true for virtually all all age groups except for those 40 to 49 where the number drops to 48%. Among those 65+ the negative response jumps to 63%.
Occasional movie attendance, that means less than once a month, is 34% for the total sample. Those 40 to 49 are highest with 42% and New Seniors are lowest at 28%. Regular theater goers, once a month or more, represent just 10% of all respondents.
So who's watching movies and where? About 44% of individuals are viewing movie movies at home once every week or even more. Another 41% are doing this sometimes, and only 14% say they rarely or never watch movies in their homes. The 30 to 39 age bracket is most likely to do this (57%). Those 65+ are least likely (34%).
Excluding people who rarely or never watch movies at home, 59% say they watch it on a premium cable channel or regular network TV. The number will be lower for the youngest age groups, 18 to 29 (35%), and increases with age, 65+ (65%). On the contrary, 35% of the total rent movies for home viewing. Nearly half (47%) of the youngest demographic do this, while only 16% of New Seniors are renting movies.
What people watch also varies significantly by age. Comedies are 2 times as popular as every other film genre, with 37% of respondents preferring them compared to 19% for dramas. With those 18 to 29 this type of movie was selected by 42% while among New Seniors the category was only 29%. On the contrary, the older group selected dramas first with 30%, and with the younger audiences it was on 8%
Action films ranked third overall at 15%. As might be expected it was highest with the young crowd at 20%, twice that of the older demographic. Science fiction was fourth with 10%, but 22% of the 30 to 39 group selected it. Musicals barely made the list; however, 13% of New Seniors chose them.
The report did not ask about watching movies online, upon an iPad or possibly a smart phone. But it is safe to assume that this is a younger audience. The most significant thing is you will find cost effective ways to enjoy movies. But it is nice to go to the theater, buy some fresh popcorn and a soft drink then sit back as the lights dim as well as the curtains open to reveal characters that can be literally and figuratively bigger than life. That is the way to lose oneself in what is playing on the screen. That is precisely what the movies are about.