Movie theater facts for kids
A movie theater (also called a cinema or picture house) is a place where people go to watch films for fun. Most movie theaters are businesses where you buy a ticket to get in.
Movies are shown by a movie projector onto a big projection screen at the front. Sounds like talking, music, and special effects come from speakers around the room. Since the 2010s, most movie theaters use digital projectors. This means they don't need heavy film reels anymore!
Movie theaters show all kinds of films, from cartoons to big blockbuster movies and even documentaries. Small theaters might have just one screen. But today, most theaters have many screens. The biggest ones are called multiplexes, and they can have up to thirty screens! People usually sit on comfy seats that are often on a sloped floor, so everyone can see the screen. Movie theaters also sell snacks like soft drinks, popcorn, and candy. Some even sell hot fast food.
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What Do We Call Movie Theaters?
A movie theater can also be called a movie house or cinema. In the US, people usually say "theater," while in the UK, Australia, and Canada, "theatre" (with an 're') or "cinema" are common. The word "cinema" comes from a Greek word meaning "movement."
Sometimes, people use fun nicknames for movies and movie theaters. You might hear "the silver screen" or "the big screen" (to compare it to a TV). In North America, people often say "the movies." In the UK, they might say "the pictures" or "the flicks." A "screening room" is a smaller, often private, theater.
How Movie Theaters Started
Early Moving Pictures
Long before modern movie theaters, people enjoyed shows with moving images. In 1799, Étienne-Gaspard Robert showed his "Phantasmagorie" ghost show using projectors in Paris.
In 1838, the Royal Polytechnic Institution in London became famous for its magic lantern shows. Lanternists used big lanterns to project detailed images onto huge screens. These shows often illustrated lectures or plays.
The first public showing of animated pictures was in Vienna in 1847 by Ludwig Döbler. In Paris, the famous Le Chat Noir venue, opened in 1881, was known for its popular shadow plays.
First Movie Showings
The very first public film showings happened in places like vaudeville theaters. These were existing venues that could be made dark for an audience.
Émile Reynaud showed his animated movies called Pantomimes Lumineuses from 1892 to 1900 in Paris. He had over 12,800 shows and more than 500,000 visitors!
Thomas Edison first thought people would watch films in small peep boxes. But on April 14, 1894, the first public Kinetoscope parlor opened in New York City. It had ten machines, each showing a different movie. This was the first commercial place to watch movies.
In Germany, Max Skladanowsky and his brother Emil showed their movies in July 1895. The first commercial showings by the Skladanowsky brothers were in Berlin from November 1 to 31, 1895.
The first public showing of films by Louis and Auguste Lumière happened in Paris on December 28, 1895. They used their Cinématographe system.
Early Dedicated Movie Theaters
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As movies became more popular, people wanted theaters that showed only films. One of the earliest movie theaters is the Eden Theater in La Ciotat, France, where a famous train arrival film was shown in 1899.
In the United States, many small, simple theaters opened in converted shops. They usually charged five cents to get in, so they were called nickelodeons. These theaters were very popular from about 1905 to 1915.
The Korsør Biograf Teater in Korsør, Denmark, opened in August 1908. It is the oldest known movie theater that is still open today!
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A small, active Kino Juha movie theater in Nurmijärvi, Finland, opened in 1958.
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Regent Theatre in Hokitika, New Zealand.
How Movie Theaters Are Designed
A movie theater usually has one big room (called an auditorium) with rows of comfy seats. There's also a lobby where you buy tickets and often a concession stand for snacks and drinks. You might also see movie film posters, arcade games, and restrooms.
Sometimes, old stage theaters are turned into movie theaters by adding a screen and projector. Many early theaters had a balcony, which is an elevated seating area above the back of the main floor.
"Stadium seating" is popular in modern multiplexes. It means the rows of seats are sharply sloped upwards from the front to the back. This gives everyone a clear view over the heads of those in front. This idea actually started in the 1920s!
Rows of seats are separated by aisles, usually with steps, to make it easy to get to your seat. In older theaters, small lights were built into the end seats to help people see in the dark. Today, in theaters with stadium seating, each step in the aisles might have lights to prevent trips. Many modern theaters also have special areas for people in wheelchairs.
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Cinema Odeon auditorium in Florence.
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Inside a Hoyts cinema in Perth, Australia, with stadium seating and cup holders.
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Tennispalatsi, a major Finnkino multiplex movie theater in Helsinki, Finland.
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Multiplexes and Megaplexes
Canada was the first country to have a two-screen theater in 1957. A Canadian theater owner named Nat Taylor is often given credit for inventing the multiplex. He later opened the 18-screen Cineplex in Toronto, which was the world's largest at the time. In the US, Stanley Durwood of American Multi-Cinema (now AMC Theatres) also helped create the multiplex idea in 1963.
Since the 1960s, theaters with many screens have become normal. Many old theaters have been changed to have multiple auditoriums. All the screens share one main lobby. Multiplexes often attract audiences from a larger area because of their size and features.
Most single-screen theaters (sometimes called "Uniplexes") have closed down. The ones that are left often show arthouse films, small productions, or host film festivals. A popular movie might be shown on several screens at the same multiplex. This gives people more choices for showtimes.
A very large multiplex with 20 or more screens is usually called a "megaplex". The first megaplex is thought to be the Kinepolis in Brussels, Belgium, which opened in 1988 with 25 screens.
Drive-in Theaters
A drive-in movie theater is an outdoor parking area with a big screen. People watch movies from their cars. The parking spots are sometimes sloped so you can see the screen better. You usually watch through your car's windshield. Sound comes from portable speakers or through your car's FM radio.
Because they are outside, drive-ins usually only open when the weather is good and after the sun sets. Drive-ins were very popular in the US in the 1950s and 1960s. There used to be thousands, but now only about 400 remain in the US.
Other Places to Watch Movies
Some outdoor movie theaters are just grassy areas where people sit on chairs or blankets. They watch movies on a temporary screen or even on the side of a building. Colleges often show movies in lecture halls.
In the 1980s, VHS tapes led to "video-salons." These were small rooms where people watched movies on a big TV. Movies are also shown on airplanes and trains.
The smallest movie theater built just for showing movies is the Cabiria Cine-Cafe in Brazil. It's only 24 square meters (258 square feet) and seats 18 people! The world's smallest solar-powered mobile cinema is Sol Cinema in the UK. It's a converted 1972 caravan that seats 8–10 people.
In some countries, there are even "Bed Cinemas" where you can lie in a bed instead of sitting in a chair!
3D Movies
3D movies make images look like they are three-dimensional. You wear special glasses to watch them. These glasses send different images to your left and right eyes, making the movie seem to pop out at you!
The first 3D movies appeared in the 1920s. They became popular again in the 1950s as a way to offer something you couldn't see on TV at home. In the 2010s, 3D films became popular once more, especially with IMAX 3D and digital 3D systems used for animated movies from Disney/Pixar.
The RealD 3D system uses one digital projector that quickly switches between images for each eye. A special filter changes the light, and a silver screen reflects it back to the audience. Other systems like Volfoni, Master Image, XpanD, and Dolby 3D also exist.
Sometimes, you can keep the inexpensive 3D glasses. In some places, there's a small extra fee for 3D movies, and sometimes a separate fee for the glasses.
IMAX Movies
IMAX is a special system that uses very large film, much bigger than regular film. IMAX theaters have huge screens and special projectors. The first permanent IMAX theater was in Toronto, Canada. The largest permanent IMAX screen is in Leonberg, Germany, measuring 38.80 by 21.00 meters (127.3 by 68.9 feet)!
IMAX also has a digital format that uses two projectors and a specific screen shape. In 2015, IMAX introduced "IMAX with Laser," which uses even higher-quality laser projectors.
Premium Large Format (PLF)
"Premium large format" (PLF) refers to movie rooms with extra fancy features. PLF theaters often have bigger "wall-to-wall" screens, super clear 4K projectors, amazing surround sound systems (like Dolby Atmos), and really comfy seats, sometimes even reclining leather ones.
Movie chains give these special rooms their own brand names, like "Prime" (AMC Theatres) or "XD" (Cinemark). PLFs compete with formats like digital IMAX by offering similar high-quality experiences. Dolby also has its own PLF brand called Dolby Cinema, which uses technologies like Atmos and Dolby Vision.
Moving Seats
Some theaters have seats that can move with the action on screen! This is called D-BOX technology. It uses haptic motion to make you feel the movie, like vibrations or tilting.
Types of Movies Shown
Movie theaters can be grouped by the types of movies they show:
- First-run theater: These theaters show the newest, most popular movies from big film companies when they first come out.
- Second-run or discount theater: These theaters show movies that have already been in first-run theaters. Tickets are usually cheaper.
- Repertory theater or arthouse: These theaters show more unique or art films, as well as older classic movies.
- IMAX theaters: While they can show regular movies, IMAX is best for films made specifically for its large screen and special system. These often include documentaries about nature.
How Movies Are Presented
Today, you usually buy a ticket for one main movie. Sometimes, two movies are shown together as a "double feature" with a short break. In the past, many theaters showed short films before the main movie. These could be newsreels, comedy shorts, documentaries, musical shorts, or cartoons.
A typical modern theater shows commercials first, then movie trailers (ads for upcoming movies), and then the main film. The advertised start time is usually for the whole program, not just the movie. So, if you want to skip the ads, you might arrive a bit later.
Some very long movies might have a short break during the show. After the movie, many people leave during the closing credits, but some stay until the end. Sometimes, there are extra scenes during or after the credits, which can be funny bloopers or hints for a sequel!
Before the movie starts, many theaters show a continuous slideshow with movie trivia, ads for snacks, or local businesses. They also show reminders about theater rules, like silencing phones and not recording the movie.
Live Shows in Movie Theaters
Sometimes, movie theaters use their digital projectors to show live broadcasts of things like operas, concerts, or other events. For example, the Metropolitan Opera often broadcasts its performances live to movie theaters. Tickets for these events are usually more expensive than regular movie tickets.
Making Movies Accessible
Movie theaters can have features to help people with disabilities:
Special Audio Tracks
A Hearing Impaired (HI) audio track helps people with hearing loss hear the dialogue better. Audio description is a narration for people who are blind or visually impaired. Moviegoers can wear headphones to hear these special audio tracks that are synced with the film.
Sign Language Video
Sign language can be shown on a separate screen or device that is synced with the movie. In Brazil, for example, movies shown in theaters must offer Brazilian Sign Language for people who use it.
Tickets and Prices
To get into a movie theater, you usually buy a ticket at the box office. Sometimes you get to pick your exact seat (allocated seating), or it's "first-come, first-served" (open seating). Many theaters now sell tickets online or at self-service machines in the lobby.
In 2013, the average movie ticket price in the United States was $8.13. Ticket prices might be lower during off-peak times, like for matinees (daytime shows), and higher on busy evenings and weekends. In Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, Tuesdays often have lower prices because it's usually a slower day for theaters. Tickets are also often cheaper for kids, students, and seniors.
Some movie theater chains sell special passes that give you discounts or even unlimited entry for a monthly fee. Discount theaters show older movies at a much lower price.
Luxury Screens
Some cinemas offer luxury seating with extra services. These might include free refills on drinks and popcorn, a bar serving alcoholic drinks, reclining leather seats, and even service bells to call staff. Theaters need a special license to sell alcohol.
Age Restrictions
Admission to a movie can also be limited by a movie rating system. These systems suggest or legally require that children or teenagers under a certain age cannot watch some movies, or can only watch them if an adult is with them.
How Theaters Make Money
Movie theaters make money from ticket sales and concessions (snacks and drinks). In Canada, the movie theater industry made $1.7 billion in 2012, mostly from tickets and concessions. In the US, the number of tickets sold went down between 2004 and 2013, but the money made from tickets actually went up because ticket prices increased.
New Competition
One reason fewer people go to the movies is that "home-entertainment options are getting better all the time." This includes streaming movies and TV, video games, and mobile apps. Also, movie studios are releasing fewer movies. This trend of people watching more movies at home has been happening since the 1950s when TV became popular.
Today, Netflix and other streaming services are big competitors. Also, many people now have home theater systems with big flat-screen TVs, Blu-ray players, and great 5.1 surround sound systems.
Movie Theater Chains
Big companies own many movie theaters, forming "chains." In North America, the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is a large group for movie exhibitors. In Canada, Cineplex Entertainment is the biggest chain.
In the United States, the top chains include Regal Entertainment Group, AMC Entertainment Inc, and Cinemark Theatres. In 2015, the US had over 40,000 movie screens! In Mexico, the main chains are Cinepolis and Cinemex.
In Asia, Wanda Cinemas is the largest in China. South Korea's CJ CGV also has theaters in other countries. In India, PVR Cinemas is a leading chain.
In Europe, some big chains are AMC, Cineworld, Vue Cinema, and Odeon. In Australia, large chains include Event Cinemas, Village Cinemas, and Hoyts Cinemas.
Images for kids
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A small still-active Kino Juha movie theatre in Nurmijärvi, Finland, opened in 1958
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Regent Theatre in Hokitika, New Zealand
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Cinema Odeon firenze 1.JPG
Cinema Odeon auditorium in Florence
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Interior of Hoyts cinemas auditorium in Perth, Australia, with stadium seating with cup holders, acoustic wall hangings and wall-mounted speakers.
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Tennispalatsi, one of the major Finnkino multiplex movie theatre places, in Helsinki, Finland
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A drive-in with a 33-metre (108-foot) wide inflatable movie screen in the centre of Brussels
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A giant inflatable movie screen used at a temporary outdoor movie theater (open air cinema)
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1967 Bedford mobile cinema
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Bed cinema auditorium
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A typical multiplex (AMC Promenade 16 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles)
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Some movie theaters in Finland sell alcohol to take along to the movie itself in select showings. Such showings are always adults-only, regardless of the rating of the movie.
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These ratings are from the revised Taiwan motion picture rating system which took effect in October 2015.
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Admission ticket for the premier of the movie A Viszkis
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Hallway of MPX Grande, a defunct movie theater in Pasaraya Blok M, Jakarta.
- Cinema etiquette
- Film poster
- Film screening
- Home cinema
- Inflatable movie screen
- List of drive-in theaters
- List of movie theaters
- Mini theater
- Movie palace
- Multiplex (movie theater)
- Nickelodeon (movie theater)
- Saturday morning pictures
