The magic of the movies is lost in the frequency. Maybe.
What I mean is this. When I was young, the movies were magical. Absolutely, positively magical. The first time I saw Mary Poppins, I was crazy for it. The dancing penguins, the jumping into sidewalk chalk scenes, the laughing and floating on the ceilings… the creepy lady feeding the birds. Tuppence. Tuppence.
Maybe they were so grand because we did not get to go to the movies very often. At all. In fact, I really can’t remember going to the movie theater… but maybe a handful of times… before high school. It seemed like it was too expensive for all of us kids to go.
Yet, when my Dad was little, he went to the movies all the time. And their family was really, really dirt poor.
Go figure. And I did.
In 2012, the average cost of a movie ticket in the United States was $7.92. This is just the price for one ticket, on average.
According to NATO (National Association of Theater Owners) Online……in 1910, the average cost of a movie ticket was $0.07. Now when this was adjusted for inflation, a movie ticket in 1910 would work out to about $1.71 in 2013 dollars.
And then …. in 1924, the cost of a movie ticket was $0.25. Again the inflation adjustment works out to about $3.33 in 2013 dollars.
So, the increases aren’t terribly dramatic.
I am not so sure about the JuJu Bees and Milk Duds. However, it is pretty apparent that you have to take out a personal loan to get a Snickers Bar and a Coke, these days.
But back to the magic. It seemed like it was a rare occasion that we had the opportunity of seeing film on the big screen. And. The frequency of the production of movies seemed to be far less back then. Now, there are five new releases every week. (And what about all of the sequels and remakes? Unheard of… in the long ago.) And another twist…. these days, the graphics and special effects are gargantuan. Yet…it doesn’t seem to carry enough weight.
Truthfully, it has been a long time since I’ve been blown away by the overall brilliance of a film. If I’d have to pick..I’d say the last time I was awestruck was Finding Nemo. Before that Winged Migration. Before that.. Star Wars.
But here is the deal. Maybe it isn’t the movies. Maybe it is us. Perhaps as adults we lose sight of the magic. Or maybe I stand alone on this one. Don’t get me wrong. I have seen a LOT of great movies in just the past decade. Totally great. But they aren’t “Knock your socks off” great.
These days, I seem to be noticing the movie magic in real life. More so than on the screen.
Take a couple of baby geese, for instance. A story of two egg-freaks. They came into my life and won my heart. In just a couple of weeks. They have also grown physically at an alarming pace. Like a time warp in the movies. And let me tell you. The special effects they leave in the bottom of their cage are astonishing. Beyond words.
So here’s to the movies, new and old. And to Baby Geese.
And most of all. Here is to the magic.
It really doesn’t matter where you find the magic. Just so long as you find it.
“Those who don’t believe in magic, will never find it.”
-Roald Dahl