Cinema will have to reinvent itself

Mar 02, 2026 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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(Kaieteur News) – For a brief moment, it seemed that the cinema had found new life. After years of decline, movie theatres in Guyana reopened their doors. Shiny screens replaced dingy curtains. Digital sound replaced the old crackling speakers. Families returned. Young couples lined up on weekends. The cinema appeared to have made a comeback.

But that comeback may not last another five years.

Streaming services are now dominating the entertainment world. People no longer need to leave their homes to watch a new film. They can sit comfortably in their living rooms. They can stream movies directly to their televisions. The selection is vast. It includes the latest releases. It also includes older classics. The choice is endless. The convenience is unmatched.

This shift is powerful.

In the past, going to the movies in Guyana was the main form of entertainment. Before television became widespread, the cinema was king. It was a social event. Entire families would attend. Friends would gather in groups. The cinema was a dating site for boyfriends and girlfriends.

In those days, the cinema offered two feature films for the price of one ticket. There were cartoons and newsreels as well. It was an outing. It was affordable. It was exciting.

Then television arrived. People could stay home and watch programs for free after buying a set. Slowly, cinema attendance declined. Many theatres closed. The large movie houses that once defined entertainment disappeared.

More than a decade ago, cinemas returned. But they returned in a different form. The days of large theatres were gone. The new cinemas were smaller. They were modern. They were cleaner. But they were also more expensive. Instead of showing two feature films, they showed only one. The experience became shorter but costlier.

Today, going to the cinema is expensive. The entrance fee averages around $1,000 per showing. That may not sound extreme at first. But that is only the beginning of the cost. There is now a strong culture of buying popcorn and drinks at the concession stand. It feels almost mandatory. A ticket, a drink, and popcorn can push the total to $4,000 per person. For a family of four, that can mean $16,000 for one night out.

That is not a small sum.

Some streaming services, such as Netflix, by comparison, charge a monthly fee. For the price of one cinema outing, a household can enjoy unlimited movies for weeks. There is no travel cost. There is no parking problem. There is no need to stand in line. There is no pressure to buy expensive snacks. One can pause the film at any time. One can rewind a scene. One can choose another movie immediately after finishing one.

The economic argument is clear.

Cinema operators may argue that the big screen experience cannot be replaced. They may say that surround sound and a dark theatre create magic. That is true to some extent. There is something special about watching a film with a crowd. Shared laughter feels louder. Shared fear feels more intense. But technology is closing the gap. Large smart televisions are now common. Home surround sound systems are affordable. The difference between a living room and a theatre is shrinking every year.

The cinema once had exclusivity. It had new releases that could not be seen elsewhere. That advantage is fading. Streaming services now offer films soon after theatrical release. Some movies are released directly on streaming platforms. Audiences no longer feel they must rush to the theatre or risk missing out.

This trend is global, and Guyana will not escape it.

If cinemas are to survive, they must adjust. They must offer better value. Patrons should lobby for change. In the old days, two movies were shown for the price of one. That made the outing feel worthwhile. Why not return to that model? Showing two feature films without increasing ticket prices would give customers more for their money. It would make the experience feel generous rather than restrictive.

Cinemas must also reconsider concession prices. When snacks cost more than the ticket itself, customers feel exploited. Reasonable pricing would encourage goodwill. Special family packages could help. Discount nights could attract larger crowds.

Without such adjustments, the future looks uncertain.

The comeback of cinema over the past ten years has been impressive. It showed that people still enjoy gathering for shared entertainment. But convenience and cost are powerful forces. Streaming services combine both. They offer comfort, variety, and affordability. These advantages are difficult to defeat.

In the western world, the cinema survived barely the arrival of television once before. Today, the competition is not just another screen in the home. It is an entire digital library available at the touch of a button.

Unless cinemas reinvent themselves quickly, their recent revival may prove temporary. The next five years will test whether the big screen can compete with the small one in the living room. Right now, the living room is winning.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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• Cinema, Digital, movie theatres, preeping tom, reinvent

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