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Re: [Phys-l] A geek's observations on "Avatar"

As pointed out by others on the list, the non-IMAX versions - Beowulf was mentioned - sell the glasses for $2-4 and you can take them home. You can't use them the next time you go to the theater, however. The theater is really charging for the premium charged to them to lease the 3-D films. They are basically giving you the glasses. As Leigh pointed out, the cheaper glasses are destroyed after use.

Except for blockbusters like Avatar, theaters lose money on ticket sales. They rely on the concession stand to make their profit. That is why they constantly try to "upsell" you when you get drinks, popcorn, etc. It's a survival thing for them.

Back to the movie, there's some interesting physics that occurs when the indigenous people fall from the trees and manage to survive. They live on a low gravity planet - which accounts for their tallness - and the gigantic trees and other flora.

Bob at PC

________________________________________
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Bernard Cleyet [bernardcleyet@redshift.com]
Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 1:50 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] A geek's observations on "Avatar"

Some thieves, perhaps, would purchase if offered for sale as souvenirs; are they?

bc

p.s. at one time (ca. the fifties) the overhead was partially determined by the number of viewers; no longer?



On 2010, Jan 04, , at 06:22, LaMontagne, Bob wrote:


The theft is a real problem. Last night they could not fill their showings of Avatar because of theft of the glasses. Their losses were not only the expense of the glasses themselves but also the loss of income from customers they had to turn away. Movie theaters work on low margins, so any loss of customers is a serious concern.

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