Movie theater

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The Berlin Wintergarten theatre was the site of the first movie theater ever, with a short movie presented by the Skladanowsky brothers in 1895.
L'Idéal Cinéma at Aniche, opened on November 23, 1905, and claims to be the oldest still-active movie theater in the world.
The view from the projectionist booth at Ultimate Palace Cinema in Oxford.
Rodgers Theatre in Poplar Bluff in Missouri (in Art Deco opened on June 1, 1949).
A cinema in Australia



Spelling and alternative terms[edit]

In the US, theater has long been the preferred spelling, while in the UK and elsewhere it is theatre.[1]

However, many US theaters opt to use the British spelling in their own names, a practice supported by the National Association of Theatre Owners, while apart from North America most English-speaking countries generally use the term cinema /ˈsɪnɨmə/, alternatively spelled and pronounced kinema /ˈkɪnɨmə/.[2][3][4] The latter terms, as well as their derivative adjectives "cinematic" and "kinematic", ultimately derive from Greek κινῆμα, κινῆματος (kinema, kinematos)—"movement", "motion". In the countries where those terms are used, the word "theatre" is usually reserved for live performance venues.

Colloquial expressions, mostly applied to motion pictures and motion picture theaters collectively, include the silver screen (formerly sometimes sheet) and the big screen (contrasted with the smaller screen of a television set). Specific to North America is the movies, while specific to the UK are the pictures, the flicks, and for the facility itself the flea pit (or fleapit).

Screening room refers to a very small theater, often a private one, such as for the use of those involved in the production of motion pictures or in a large private residence.

The history in the US[edit]

The Gateway Theatre in Jefferson Park, Chicago was a Movie palace for the Balaban and Katz theater chain. The theater's Baroque spire is a replica of the Royal Castle in Warsaw.

Before 1900[edit]

The earliest documented account of an exhibition of projected motion pictures in the United States was in June 1894 in Richmond, Indiana by Charles Francis Jenkins. Jenkins used his Phantoscope to project his film before an audience of family, friends and reporters. The film featured a vaudeville dancer performing a Butterfly Dance. Jenkins and his new partner Thomas Armat modified the Phantoscope for exhibitions in temporary theaters at the Cotton States Exposition in the fall of 1895. The Phantoscope was later sold to Thomas Edison, who changed the name of the projector to Edison's Vitascope. With the Vitascope, Edison began public showings of his films at Koster and Bial's Music Hall on 34th Street in New York City on April 23, 1896.[5] However, the first "storefront theater" in the US dedicated exclusively to showing motion pictures was Vitascope Hall, established on Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana July 26, 1896—it was converted from a vacant store.[6]

A crucial factor was Thomas Edison's decision to sell a small number of Vitascope Projectors as a business venture in April–May 1896. In the basement of the new Ellicott Square Building, Main Street, Buffalo, New York, Mitchell Mark (properly spelled Mitchel Mark) and his brother Moe Mark added what they called Edison's Vitascope Theater (entered through Edisonia Hall), which they opened to the general public on October 19, 1896 in collaboration with Rudolf Wagner, who had moved to Buffalo after spending several years working at the Edison laboratories. This 72-seat plush theater was designed from scratch solely to show motion pictures.

Terry Ramseye, in his book, A Million and One Nights (1926) [p. 276], notes that this "was one of the earliest permanently located and exclusively motion-picture exhibitions." According to the Buffalo News (Wednesday, November 2, 1932), "There were seats for about 90 persons [actually 72] and the admission was three cents. Feeble, flickering films of travel scenes were the usual fare." The theater remained open for two years, making it the first permanent movie theater in the world.

The State Theater in Washington, Iowa is the oldest continuously operating movie theater in the United States.[7] It showed its first films in 1897,[7] and is still in operation as of April 1, 2014.[8]

November 7, 1897 ad for the Vitascope Theater in Buffalo, New York, one of the first theaters created especially to show motion pictures. In its first year there were 200,000 admissions.[9]
The Pionier Cinema in Szczecin, Poland
An independent cinema in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, UK.


The first permanent motion picture theater in the state of California was Tally's Electric Theater, completed in 1902 in Los Angeles. Tally's theater was in a storefront in a larger building. The Great Train Robbery (1903), which was 12 minutes in length, would also give the film industry a boost.[10]

In 1905, John P. Harris and Harry Davis opened a five-cents-admission movie theater in a Pittsburgh storefront, naming it the Nickelodeon and setting the style for the first common type of movie theater. By 1908 there were thousands of storefront Nickelodeons, Gems and Bijous across North America. A few theaters from the nickelodeon era are still showing films today. In 2008, the owners of the Korsør Biograf Teater in Korsør, Denmark, discovered that they were operating a movie theater that opened in August 1908. They were accepted by Guinness World Records (to appear in the 2010 edition of the book) as the oldest still-operating movie theater in the world.[11] A similar claim is made for L'Idéal Cinéma in Aniche, France, which first showed a film on September 23, 1905, but it served another purpose for a few years, was closed for many years, and was rebuilt in modern style in the 1990s.

In 1912, the Picture House, in Clevedon, England, opened with a charity film performance to raise funds for the victims of the Titanic disaster, and has been showing movies continuously since. The 1913 opening of the Regent Theater in New York City signaled a new respectability for the medium, and the start of the two-decade heyday of American cinema design. The million dollar Mark Strand Theatre at 47th Street and Broadway in New York City opened in 1914 by Mitchell Mark was the archetypical movie palace. The ornate Al. Ringling Theatre was built in Baraboo, WI by Al Ringling, one of the founders of the Ringling Bros. Circus, for the then-incredible sum of $100,000.00. Los Angeles showman Sid Grauman continued the trend of theater-as-destination with his ornate "Million Dollar Theater", using the same design firm as Ringling. It opened on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles in 1918.

In 1915, the tremendous success of The Birth of a Nation helped to establish the supremacy of feature films,[12] which forced the owners of five-cent theaters to increase the ticket price to ten cents or more, then either remodel to provide a more comfortable and pleasant environment or relocate to a bigger and better auditorium, bringing the nickelodeon era to an end.[13]

Post 1920s: the modern era[edit]


These forms morphed into a unique architectural genre—the movie palace—a unique and extreme architectural genre which boasted a luxurious design, a giant screen, and, beginning in 1953, stereophonic sound. The movie chains were also among the first industries to install air conditioning systems which gave the theaters an additional lure of comfort in the summer period. In 1931, a seat with a pivoted back was designed to allow people to remain seated while other patrons easily passed in front of them. This type of seat became standard in almost all US movie theaters.[14]

Several movie studios achieved vertical integration by acquiring and constructing theater chains. The so-called "Big Five" theater chains of the 1920s and 1930s were all owned by studios: Paramount, Warner, Loews (which owned Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer), Fox, and RKO. All were broken up as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in the 1948 United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. anti-trust case.

In the 1970s, "adult movie theaters" became ubiquitous in some areas. However, the introduction of the low-cost VHS video system for home televisions has decommissioned many porno cinemas as well as many 'second-run' theaters.

People can pay to watch movies at home after a few short months following their theatrical release, through cable television or streaming media: pay-per-view (PPV) and video on demand (VOD). Initially, home video contributed to an industry wide slump in the late 1980s (see disruptive technology), not to mention the decline of the 'Dollar Cinema' (where first-run films are pulled from circulation to play at reduced rates for the remainder of their run). The theater industry responded by building larger auditoriums with stadium seating layouts, installing more screens (to allow for more variety and more show times), upgrading sound systems and installing more amenities and higher-quality food and drink. The growing popularity of high-definition television sets, along with HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc players may also contribute to the decline in cinema attendance, although there seems to be little evidence of this at the moment.



3-D film is a system of presenting film images so that they appear to the viewer to be three-dimensional. Visitors usually borrow or keep special glasses to wear while watching the movie. Depending on the system used, these are typically polarized glasses. Three-dimensional films use two images channelled, respectively, to the right and left eyes to simulate depth by using 3-D glasses with red and blue lenses (anaglyph), polarized (linear and circular), and other techniques. 3-D glasses deliver the proper image to the proper eye and make the image appear to "pop-out" at the viewer and even follow the viewer when he/she moves so viewers relatively see the same image. For many years, most 3-D movies were shown in amusement parks and even "4-D" techniques are used when certain effects such as spraying of water, movement of seats, and other effects are used to simulate actions seen on the screen. While these are still popular, movies are again being presented in cinemas in 3-D, in the IMAX 3D system and in digital 3-D, such as is used in the animated films of Disney/Pixar. The earliest 3-D films were presented in the 1920s. There have been several prior "waves" of 3D film distribution, most notably in the 1950s when they were promoted as a way to offer audiences something that they could not see at home on television. Still the process faded quickly and as yet has never been more than a periodic novelty in film presentation; it remains to be seen if 3-D movies will remain as popular with moviegoers as they are now.

In 2009, Ben Walters suggested that film exhibitors are now more interested in 3-D film. The number of 3-D screens in theaters is increasing (Real D company expects 15,000 screens worldwide in 2010). 3-D films encourage exhibitors to adopt digital cinema and provide a way to compete with home theaters. One incentive for 3-D screens is that although ticket sales decline, revenues from 3-D tickets grow.[15]

The RealD 3D system works by using a single digital projector, that swaps back and forth between the images for eyes. A filter is placed in front of the projector that changes the polarisation of the light coming from the projector. A silver screen is used to reflect this light back at the audience and reduce loss of brightness. RealD is the most popular system, but there are three other systems available: Master Image, XpanD and Dolby 3D.

When a system is used that requires inexpensive 3D glasses, they can sometimes be kept by the visitor. In most theaters the price is not simply for the glasses, but for the experience of 3D. Most theaters have a fixed cost for 3D, while others charge for the glasses, but the latter is uncommon (at least in the United States). For example, in Pathé theaters in the Netherlands the extra fee for watching a 3D film consists of a fixed fee of € 1.50, and an optional fee of €1 for the glasses.[16] Holders of the Pathé Unlimited Gold pass (see also below) are supposed to bring along their own glasses; one pair, supplied yearly, more robust than the regular type, is included in the price.



At the IMAX cinema attached to the National Media Museum in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, in the United Kingdom, visitors to the museum's sixth floor can observe the IMAX projection booth via a glass rear wall, and watch the large format films being loaded and projected.[17]


Cinema Odeon in Florence
Interior of Hoyts Southbank cinemas in Australia, with stadium seating, acoustic wall hangings, wall-mounted speakers, and cup holders
Interior of a 1950s style fine arts movie theater. A low pitch viewing floor is used.

Traditionally a movie theater, like a stage theater, consists of a single auditorium with rows of comfortable seats, as well as a foyer area containing a box office for buying tickets, a counter and/or self-service facilities for buying snacks and drinks in the lobby, film posters, arcade games, theater entrances, and washrooms. Stage theaters are sometimes converted into movie theaters by placing a screen in front of the stage and adding a projector; this conversion may be permanent, or temporary for purposes such as showing arthouse fare to an audience accustomed to plays. The familiar characteristics of relatively low admission and open seating can be traced to Samuel Roxy Rothafel, an early movie theater impresario. Many of these early theaters contain a balcony, an elevated level across the auditorium above the theater's rearmost seats. The rearward main floor "loge" seats were sometimes larger, softer, and more widely spaced and sold for a higher price.





See also luxury screens below.

Multiplexes and megaplexes[edit]

Example of a Multiplex layout

Canada was the first country in the world to have a two-screen theater. The Elgin Theatre in Ottawa became the first venue to offer two film programs on different screens in 1957 when Canadian theater-owner Nat Taylor converted the dual screen theater into one capable of showing two different films simultaneously.







Although definitions vary, a large multiplex with 20 or more screens is usually called a megaplex however in the United Kingdom this was a brand name for large Virgin Cinema (later UGC). The first megaplex is generally considered to be the Kinepolis in Brussels, Belgium, which opened in 1988 with 25 screens and a seating capacity of 7,500. The first theater in the U.S. built from the ground up as a megaplex was the AMC Grand 24 in Dallas, Texas, which opened in May 1995, while the first megaplex in the U.S. based on an expansion of an existing facility was Studio 28 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which reopened in November 1988 with 20 screens and a seating capacity of 6,000.



Other venues[edit]

1967 Bedford mobile cinema




In 1967 the British government launched seven custom built mobile cinema units for use as part of the Ministry of Technology campaign to raise standards. Using a very futuristic look these 27 seat cinema vehicles were designed to attract attention. They were built on a Bedford SB3 chassis with a custom Coventry Steel Caravan extruded aluminium body.

Films are also commonly shown on airliners in flight, using large screens in each cabin or smaller screens for each group of rows or each individual seat; the airline company sometimes charges a fee for the headphones needed to hear the films's sound. Films are sometimes also shown on trains, such as the Auto Train.


The Bell Museum of Natural History in Minneapolis, Minnesota has recently begun summer "bike-ins," inviting only pedestrians or people on bicycles onto the grounds for both live music and movies. In various Canadian cities, including Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa and Halifax, al-fresco movies projected on the walls of buildings or temporarily erected screens in parks operate during the Summer and cater to a pedestrian audience.





35 mm movie projector in operation
The interior of the control room where the projectors are located.



A typical modern theater presents commercial advertising shorts, then movie trailers, and then the feature film. Advertised start times are usually for the entire program or session, not the feature itself;[22] thus people who want to avoid commercials and/or trailers would opt to enter later. This is easiest and causes the least inconvenience when it is not crowded, and/or one is not very choosy about where one wants to sit. If one has a ticket for a specific seat (see below) one is formally assured of that, but it is still inconvenient and disturbing to find and claim it during the commercials and trailers, unless it is near an aisle.

Some movie theaters have some kind of break during the presentation. There may also be a break between the introductory material and the feature. Some countries such as the Netherlands have a tradition of incorporating an intermission in regular feature presentations, though many theaters have now abandoned that tradition,[23] while in North America, this is very rare and usually limited to special circumstances involving extremely long movies.





This practice is most common with so-called blockbuster movies. Muvico Theaters, Regal Entertainment Group, Pacific Theatres and AMC Theatres are some theaters that interlock films.[citation needed]

Live broadcasting to movie theaters[edit]



Pricing and admission[edit]

Box office of a 1950s style fine arts movie theater.[24]
A typical Malaysian movie ticket.


For 2013, the average price for a movie ticket in the United States was $8.13.[26]

The price of a ticket may be discounted during off-peak times e.g. for matinées, and higher at busy times, typically evenings and/or weekends. In Australia, Canada and New Zealand, when this practice is used, it is traditional to offer the lower prices for Tuesday for all showings, one of the slowest days of the week in the movie theater business, which has led to the nickname "cheap Tuesday."[27] Sometimes tickets are cheaper on Monday, or on Sunday morning. Almost all movie theaters employ economic price discrimination: tickets for youth, students, and seniors are typically cheaper. Large theater chains, such as AMC Theaters, also own smaller theaters that show "second runs" of popular films, at reduced ticket prices. Movie theaters in India and other developing countries employ price discrimination in seating arrangement: seats closer to the screen cost less, while the ones farthest from the screen cost more.


Some movie theaters and chains sell monthly passes for unlimited entrance to regular showings. Even if the price is quoted per month the minimum duration may be several months, and when subscribing again after termination a one-time extra fee may be charged. Some examples:

  • UGC Illimité passes for all UGC/MK2 movie theaters in France and Belgium (620 screens), for 19.80 euro/month or 35 euro/month for two people, and an entrance fee of 30 euro. (since 2000)
  • Carte Le Pass for the chain of movie theaters of Pathé/Gaumont in 40 French cities (with a total of 800 screens), for 20.50 euro/month.
  • UGC Unlimited passes for the four UGC movie theaters in Belgium (56 screens), for 16,90 euro/month.
  • Pathé Unlimited Card (PUC) for the chain of 16 multi- and megaplex theaters of Pathé in the Netherlands (129 screens), for €19/month.
  • Pathé Unlimited Gold for the same movie theaters, but including 3D and IMAX, for €26/month.
  • Cineville Pass for about 20 movie theaters in the Netherlands (mostly the west), in Amsterdam, Diemen, Amstelveen, Haarlem, Den Haag, Delft, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Maastricht, for € 18.50 per month.
  • Groninger Filmkaart for €20/month for the two movie theaters MustSee Euroborg (10 screens) and Images (3 screens) in Groningen.
  • Must See All Card for €18/month for movie theater MustSee Euroborg only.
  • Unlimited Card for the chain of movie theaters of Cineworld (formerly UGC) in the UK and Ireland, for £14.99/month, or £17.99 including those in London's West End (plus £1.50 per 3D film viewed)—tickets can only be purchased on the day of the showing.
  • Membresía Club Cinépolis $125 Pesos(10USD)/month for the regular membership grants access to all the facilities across México for unlimited viewing. 1 Year of forced membership is required. There are also VIP and double memberships.
  • Hotlips adult movie theater The Hague, for 55 euro/month.

Note that in Thailand there is the restriction of one viewing per movie, while in the Netherlands one can see any movie as many times as one wants as is the case with the Cineworld UK pass.



Also for some film festivals a pass is sold for unlimited entrance.

Luxury screens[edit]

Cinemas in city centers are increasingly offering luxury seating with services like complimentary refills of soft drinks and popcorn, a bar, reclining leather seats and service bells. The Vue Cinema chain is a good example of a large-scale offering of such a service, called "Gold Class" and similarly Britain's largest cinema chain ODEON have gallery areas in some of their bigger cinemas where there is a separate foyer area with a bar and unlimited snacks.[citation needed]

Age restrictions[edit]




See also box office



Ticket price uniformity[edit]

The relatively strong uniformity of movie ticket prices, particularly in the U.S., is a common economics puzzle, because conventional supply and demand theory would suggest higher prices for more popular movies, and vice versa. Unlike seemingly similar forms of entertainment such as rock concerts, demand is very difficult to predict ahead of time, and is usually determined from ticket sale statistics after the movie is already out. Uniform pricing is therefore a strategy to cope with unpredictable demand. Historical and cultural factors are sometimes also cited.[32]

Ticket check[edit]



The lobby may be before or after the ticket check.

Movie theater culture in U.S.[edit]

Movie theaters are associated with dating, popcorn and expensive treats.[citation needed]


Abandoned theater in North Miami, Florida

Sometimes couples go to a movie theater for the additional reason that it provides the possibility of intimacy, where the dark provides some privacy (with additional privacy in the back-row). This kind of intimacy is considered by some a lesser form of public display of affection. Compared with being together in a room without other people, it may also be reassuring for one or both of the couple (and for parents) that the intimacy is necessarily limited.


Foyer area, food and drinks[edit]

Movie theaters usually sell various snack foods and drinks at retail counters or kiosks. Sometimes it can be a self-service where one pays at the counter till, and/or a coin-operated machine. Sometimes the area of sale is more like a self-service shop or kiosk (it is not suitable for consuming the goods), and one pays at the check-out between the shop and the area with the screens. Foods usually served at movie theaters include popcorn, soft drinks, nachos, hot dogs, ice creams and a wide range of confectionery. At most theaters, people are allowed to select their own sweets (known as "pick and mix".)

The concessions for buying snacks and drinks often represent the theater's primary source of profit (snacks make up 20% of revenue but 40% of profits in the United States theaters, with a box of popcorn generating a profit of 85%)[34][35]) since most of the ticket revenue goes to the film distributor (and onward to the movie studio). Bringing one's own food and drinks may be forbidden (although not always strictly enforced) in order to maintain a captive market, so theaters charge prices often threefold or higher than nearby stores, while popcorn has been marked up 900% according to CNN.[36][37] Some movie theaters forbid eating and drinking inside the viewing room (restricting such activities to the foyer), while others encourage it by fitting cup holders on the arm rests (on the front side of the arm rests of one's own chair, or the back side of the arm rests in front) and selling large portions of popcorn and soft drinks. According to a report by Time magazine, "Theaters, it’s been said, are really in the popcorn and candy business. The showing of films is just an excuse to gather a crowd and try to sell them buttery snacks and sugary drinks."[38] This is not a new perspective on the financial importance of food and theaters. Retail is currently a huge area of expansion with many companies in the U.S. offering a wider range of snacks, including hot dogs and nachos. Some movie theaters feature a wider selection than simply snacks and popcorn. These "dine-in" theaters allow patrons to purchase "meals" (ranging from pizza slices to hamburgers and more) that can be consumed while watching the movie. Many theaters have embraced the "brew and view" concept, serving alcoholic beverages, in addition to snacks and popcorn. Some movie theaters such as the Living Room Theaters or Alamo Drafthouse offer full restaurant service at one's seat, though this is not as widespread. McMenamins is a chain of restaurant/brewpub establishments in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington, many of which have full movie theaters. By the mid 1940s in some smaller theaters popcorn alone was paying the overheads, even sometimes bringing in more revenue than ticket sales. One theater company in Kansas City had about 4000 acres producing popcorn, and an unnamed person commented "Find a good popcorn location and build a theater around it."[39]

The health benefits of this cinema food are generally low, and have been debated for years. Owner of Sony Pictures, Michael Lynton, has been one of the chief arguers over this, and has wanted cinemas worldwide to stop providing this junk food and instead provide healthier alternatives, like crudités, smoothies, nuts, granola bars and additive-free air-popped popcorn.


Patrons are typically angered by cellphone use, talking, and other disturbances during the viewing.

On July 18, 2008, a screening of The Dark Knight had to be delayed for about an hour because of multiple fights over saving seats. There was a near riot and police had to be called in.[40]

On December 25, 2008 in Philadelphia, during a screening of Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a 29-year-old man got upset at a loud man in a theater and threw popcorn at his son and shot the man in the left arm.[41] The shooter was found guilty of aggravated assault and possession of an instrument of crime, and was sentenced to 11 to 23 months of house arrest and 5 years of probation.[42]

For example, a screening of Alice in Wonderland had to be stopped short at the Regal Stadium 14 in Bowie, MD due to a fight that occurred over a teenager who constantly put her feet on the chair of a child sitting in front of her. The father of the child had to be escorted out of the theater by local police.[43]

In February 2011, after a screening of Black Swan in Latvia, a man was shot dead for reportedly eating his popcorn too loudly.[44]

On January 13, 2014, a 71-year-old retired police officer shot at a couple who were allegedly texting during a screening of Lone Survivor in Wesley Chapel, Florida. The 43-year-old male victim died soon afterwards. The suspect was charged with murder and attempted murder.[45]

Business practice controversies[edit]

  • Piracy: In recent years, cinemas have started to show warnings, before the movie starts, against using cameras and camcorders during the movie (camming). These warnings threaten customers with being removed from the cinema and arrested by the police. This example was shown at cinemas in the United Kingdom:


  • Refunds: Most cinema companies issue refunds if there is a technical fault such as a power outage that stops people from seeing a movie. Refunds may be offered during the initial minutes of the screening.[citation needed]

Cinema and movie theater chains[edit]

See also[edit]


  2. ^ Merriam-Webster: kinema—British variant of cinema Retrieved 2012-07-21
  3. ^ Kinema – a journal for film and audiovisual media Retrieved 2012-07-21
  4. ^ The Kinema in the Woods—name of cinema in Woodhall Spa Retrieved 2012-07-21
  5. ^ "Edison Film and Sound: History: The Shift to Projectors and the Vitascope (1895–1896)". Retrieved 2012-11-04. 
  6. ^ "Where was the first permanent movie theater in the United States located? | Blake Pontchartrain™: New Orleans Trivia | Gambit New Orleans News and Entertainment". Retrieved 2012-11-04. 
  7. ^ a b
  8. ^
  9. ^ Vitascope Hall
  10. ^ Millard, Andre (1993). "Review: Before the Nickelodeon: Edwin S. Porter and the Edison Manufacturing Company by Charles Musser". Technology and Culture 34 (1): 166–167. JSTOR 3106478. 
  11. ^ World's oldest cinema is Danish,, August 6th, 2008
  13. ^ The Nickelodeon's history
  14. ^ "Theater Chair Has Adjustable Back", March 1931, Popular Science bottom of page 34
  16. ^ "Je eigen 3D-bril". Retrieved 2012-11-04. 
  17. ^ "Museum Map – Plan a Visit". National Media Museum. Retrieved 2012-11-04. 
  18. ^ "Nat Taylor | Historica – Dominion". Historica. Retrieved 2012-11-04. 
  20. ^ "Welcome to the Crest Theatre". Retrieved 2012-11-04. 
  21. ^ blog about open air cinemas
  23. ^ website
  24. ^ The Fine Arts Theatre Group Proudly Presents...
  25. ^ See e.g
  26. ^ "Cinema Statistics for 2013". Retrieved 2014-03-24. 
  27. ^ Skirl | Dan Dickinson » Blog Archive » First the accusatory vignettes that air before the movie, and now this
  28. ^ Bulktix Movie Passes
  29. ^ Wildaboutmovies Movie Passes
  33. ^ The Parkway Speakeasy Theater: interior photo with sofas
  34. ^ "Sky-high cinema snack prices – how much is too much?". 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2012-11-04. 
  35. ^ Tuttle, Brad (2009-12-07). "Movie Theaters Make 85% Profit at Concession Stands |". Retrieved 2012-11-04. 
  36. ^ Tuttle, Brad (2012-03-19). "Why Does Movie-Theater Popcorn, Soda, Candy Cost So Much? |". Retrieved 2012-11-04. 
  37. ^ "America's Biggest Rip-offs – Movie theater popcorn – 900% markup (2)". Retrieved 2012-11-04. 
  38. ^ Tuttle, Brad (2012-03-19). "Why Does Movie-Theater Popcorn, Soda, Candy Cost So Much?". Retrieved 2012-11-04. 
  39. ^ Smith, Andrew F. (1999). Popped Culture: The Social History of Popcorn in America. Univ of South Carolina Press. pp. 119. ISBN 1570033005
  40. ^ "Near riot at Cradle of aviation over Batman". 
  41. ^ Man shoots talker at movies, police say, CNN, December 27, 2008.
  42. ^ House arrest for theater shooting,, March 3, 2011.
  43. ^ "Bowie theater fight, father escorted from theater". Retrieved 24 June 2011. 
  44. ^ "Man shot dead for eating popcorn too loudly during Black Swan". The Daily Telegraph (London). February 21, 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2011. 
  45. ^ "Retired officer arrested in Wesley Chapel theater shooting". Bay News 9. Retrieved 14 January 2014.