Japanese theatres attempt ot lure movie audiences with expensive extras

by Chris MaGee

Looks like Japanese theatres are facing the same dilemma as those here in North America. What with home video and illegal downloading of recent blockbusters the studios and theatre companies are just seeing dollars rolling out the door. Their answer? Well, here it's meant video arcades, junk food kiosks, more neon, more chrome, and general sensory overload and one of the huge Silver City complexes that have landed like U.F.O.s, obliterating the smaller and in some cases historic movie theatres of Toronto. In terms of how Japanese theatre chains are dealing with the stiff competition, well, let's say that they're just gouging theatre goers even more.

Recently Yomiuri Shimbun has reported that moviegoers in Tokyo can get a truly luxurious night out by purchasing tickets for "platinum seats" for ¥5,000 ($47.53 Canadian) or really splash out for a private "platinum room" for ¥30,000 ($285.12 Canadian). Well, if you're going dutch then it's only $142 and change! Ummm... yeah....

With Japanese movie tickets being some of the most expensive in the world, averaging $18.00 Canadian a pop, then I question the wisdom of creating even higher priced tickets to combat people cocooning in their homes... that is unless these platinum seats and rooms are made of real platinum.

Thanks to Japan Probe for the story.