The Columbus Dispatch has a story about recent reductions in movie ticket prices in the Columbus area:

Hoping to lure more patrons back to the multiplex, three major movietheater chains are cutting ticket prices.

Last month, Rave Polaris 18 dropped the cost of an adult evening ticket from $8 to $6 — a move that followed the introduction in July of Marcus Theatres’ $4 pricing for some early shows.

Also in July, AMC Theatres expanded nationwide the $4 early-bird pricing it had test-marketed in Columbus since March.

"If you can get in for $4, I’m going," said East Side resident Lynn Wohlstein, arriving at the AMC Easton 30 on a recent Saturday for a 10:50 a.m. showing of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.

"We come every weekend, or every other weekend," she said.

The discounts come on the heels of a three-year decline in domestic ticket sales. The 9 percent drop in 2005, according to www.boxofficemojo.com, was the worst in 20 years.

The average ticket price, meanwhile, jumped from $6.21 to $6.40, the industry-tracking Web site says.

While the depth of the price cuts varies greatly between the chains, the overall trend of offering lower pricing seems to be paying off. If your favorite theater is not yet doing this, let them know that you're interested and that you would probably come to more movies if the admission price was lower. Smart theater managers will listen to their paying customers!