Thursday, January 29, 2015

Changing Landscape


     
     Yesterday afternoon we decided to go to the movies. Just because we can.
Retirement is an alternate universe. It resides next to that other one, where five days a week people stumble into the shower half awake and, then still groggy, point their vehicles toward the place where the money comes from.
          So off we went at four in the afternoon. The cinemas we chose are attached to a nearby mall and since we had arrived a little early, we filled the time with a stroll from one end to the other. I do occasionally shop there, but only to duck into the Target or return Land’s End goods to Sears, and then I’m back in my car.
Our meander was sadly illuminating. We passed a baseball cap store, a cheap, cheap costume jewelry store, a dollar store, a scruffy wig shop,a store with tight, cheap clothing that looked to stop at size eight, a store that sold nothing but black t-shirts (and no, I’m not kidding), a shoe store of all man-made materials, a Victoria’s Secret, one with no-name cosmetics, and then the entire list began again on the other side. Not one store where I would consider entering, never mind buying anything.
          My deduction? The sole support of today’s malls is the teenage dollar.
          We then returned to the theatres and to buy our tickets to Mordecai.
(If you’re a Gwyneth Paltrow fan or enjoy Johnny Depp wearing an obviously fake separation between his teeth while overacting with such extravagance that it’s an insult to British men everywhere, by all means go.) After admitting to being seniors, we paid and went down the echoing halls to find our movie.
          Granted, it was a Wednesday afternoon, but here’s what we found.
It remained that way for the entire movie, just us. And in this era of digital projection, there was not even the shadowy man above us running the reels.
          I can easily see a day in the not-too-distant future when our grandchildren nostalgically describe what it was like to sit in a darkened hall with strangers watching giant figures on a screen before them. 


21 comments:

  1. Yes, times are changing. We have been to matinees in empty theatres and strolled down malls with awful stores. It is driven by sales and if it does not sell the store will close. We are anachronisms I am guessing.

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    1. Unfortunate. I don't want to finally be forced to buy my underwear on the internet.

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  2. I can't remember last going to a movie. The last Indiana Jones, I think. In an old fashioned movie theater in a little town in Wisconsin. Perhaps even the streets will be deserted when we shop, work and socialize from home. How awful.

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  3. Every generation has something they remember that has disappeared.. every once in a while something makes a reappearance as brand new and exciting...kind of funny really.

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    1. Yes, you watch: In 25 years some boy wonder will come up with the idea of showing movies on a big screen and charging the public.

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  4. Locally to me, they do cups of tea and biscuits for senior citizens who turn up in the afternoons to watch a film. It's so cute. I can't wait to be senior. (More senior ...)

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    1. Yeah, the discounts alone on arthritis medicine make it all worthwhile.

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  5. At the nearest decent mall, Land's End is at Sears. I will figure out what's going on! :)

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    1. Whoops. Slip of the keyboard. You're right and I've repaired the error. Sears.

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  6. That is odd. One of my blog buddies recently went to the movies and there were just two people in the theater. Wonder how long they can keep that up.

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    1. The tickets were only $11 for the two of us. Not exactly a cash bonanza for them.

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  7. We don't go to movies we wait to see them on Roku or regular TV. Someone else said they were the only ones ina movie theater that would be spooky. I don't do Malls either...too much perfume:(

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    1. I agree. The candle stores can bowl you over as you pass by. Can you imagine having to work there?

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  8. Great description of your afternoon.You raise a good point. How long will we have movie theatres?

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  9. I've been to the movies twice recently and both times happily admitted to being a senior, because we get discounts on ticket prices, yay!, both times there were children with grandmas in the audience as it was summer holidays time and they were kids movies. I did think they might have been a little hard to understand for some of the toddlers I saw, but they came along with older siblings and all were very well behaved. Quite a change from years ago, when the littlies would just all run up and down the aisle.
    I imagine cinemas will be emptier now on weekdays that school is back.

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  10. Oh dear, I just bought underwear on the internet. I didn't feel too bad about it, either. I was the only person in the theater a couple weeks ago, too. But usually there are plenty of people along with me. I haven't seen that movie and I guess I haven't missed anything. :-)

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    1. See? Your internet shopping just proves you're a trend-setter, ahead of the curve, DJan.

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  11. I like going to the movies though we don't very often. except in summer when the grandkids come for their weeks I take each one to a movie of their choice. being self-employed, when business was slow we would often go the the movie matinee on Fridays. even now when we go we go during the week to the matinee and the theater is often empty or has only a few attendees. but who is there to go except retired folks. kids are in school and parents are at work.

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  12. Ah, you caught us! Yes, we are seniors and visit the movie theater a couple of times a month, for a matinee on Wedn. the day when nobody shops and schools are in session. So, we sit where we want and can even take extra seats! Best times!

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  13. I agree with you on malls. I feel totally out of place. Nothing there for me. I simply love to read what your write! Your description of things, everything! :)

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