I wrote here about the new super-charged, artificially-intelligenced version of The Wizard of Oz debuting soon in Las Vegas. Jim Van Hise wrote to tell me something I hadn't heard; that among the "improvements" they've made to the movie is to cut thirty minutes out of it.
Great idea! Because when I shell out hundreds of bucks to see a classic movie that millions have loved in its original form, the last thing I want is to have to sit through the entire thing. I certainly wouldn't want them to not be able to sell tickets to one more screening of the film each day.
This is really emblematic of so many things in Vegas and elsewhere these days. It's the idea that if we make something seem important, you won't care how much you spend to experience it.