I was shushed at the movies! (1 Viewer)

[DaveF]

That's right, I was shushed for talking at the movies! But, it was for talking during the pre-preview commercials! Am I a bad person? Is it bad etiquette to talk during the pre-movie advertisement loop? Should I watch in silence the St. Jude's Cancer fund? Are people upset about chatter during the Coke ads?

I thought I was a good person, but my moral compass is spinning madly now.

 

[Rich Romero]

I always talk during the ads. I only tell people to shut up once the movie starts.

 

[Haggai]

I can see wanting others to be quiet during the previews, but during the commercials? What's up with that?

 

[Jeff Gatie]

I don't know about St. Jude, but there is one special Jimmy Fund (New England based Dana Farber cancer research fund mainly supported by the Red Sox) trailer in my area and if anyone talks through it I can honestly say they have no heart. It tells the story of a bunch of high steel workers who were constructing a building next to Dana Farber Cancer Center in Boston. Every day the sick kids would gather at the windows of the hospital and hold up signs saying "Hello" and "My name is..." to the construction guys. The workers would wave back and do everything they could to help cheer them up. The guys ended up having a close relationship with the kids, even painting each of their names on the steel girders of the building. They watched each other closely over a few months, some of the guys taking it hard when they would notice a face not appearing anymore. It showed a scene of the men passing a hardhat from floor to floor, each construction worker giving what he could to the fund. Anyone who cannot be moved to tears by that scene is not human. I first saw it just after my dad died from cancer and it always gets me to reach into my pocket, which is a good thing.

I don't expect anyone to be quiet during commercials, but that Jimmy Fund short tends to "shush" everyone around here.

 

[Zen Butler]

DaveF you should be executed immediately. No trial....straight to the guillotine. Us real, hardcore film-buffs are trying to concentrate on Tommy Lee Jones riveting, emotional delivery during the Will Roger's Institute snippet. The Will Roger's Combo Pack commercial has some of the best Extra's work I have seen in years. I really can tell, that they love their Combo. So please, be a bit more considerate.

 

[Jon_Gregory]

Well it used to be that when the lights dimmed that was when it was time for people to shut-up. I think now with the commercials, people still tend to think this way. I personally don't mind people talking during the ads, but when the previews start, it sucks when the person behind me or beside me talks. Especially if it is a movie preview that I am interested in.

 

[Steve Phillips]

You were probably shushed because you were drowning out their cell phone conversation.

 

[TedT]

Maybe their babies were trying to sleep.

Or maybe it was a pre-emptive "shhh". When someone is talking through the previews or commercials, you never know if it's going to be a 2 hour conversation or they're just getting it out of their system at that time.

Makes no difference to me. I don't go to the theater anymore. Too many talkers.

 

[Ernest Rister]

Shhh. I'm trying to watch the banner ad.

 

[DonRoeber]

My local theater showed the Will Rodgers commercial all summer, and they never had the combo packs for sale! I couldn't figure it out.

 

[Ocean Phoenix]

You should be allowed to talk any time you want at the movies, as long as you're not loud and obnoxious about it. I don't talk a lot, but if I went to the washroom and missed something, or if I want to ask the person I went a question because I don't understand something that happened, I should be able to ask quietly without someone bothering me about it.

 

[WadeB]

Nothing personal, but that would be 2 strikes against someone: talking during the film and getting up and going to the bathroom. Stepping all over people while someone gets up to go to the bathroom is as bothersome as chatter during the movie. I am more understanding at a kids movie or at an ultra long film like LOTR, but having people all in my lap, kneeing my popcorn, and blocking my view, irks me. Obviously I don't get out much any more.

 

[BobV]

"You should be allowed to talk any time you want at the movies, as long as you're not loud and obnoxious about it."

Boo... hiss!

If I hear it, it's too loud, be quiet. I don't care if it's a whisper, it is annoying and obtrusive.

I don't have a theatre in my town (although I have a great HT) so I have to drive 2 hours one way through mountain passes to get to one. I just went to a movie this last Sunday evening and there was a quiet whisperer behind me. SHUT UP! I did't drive 2 hours to listen to their pss spspspt pspptpspsst.

On the other side, talking through the advertizing, I don't care, but as soon as the previews come up I expect silence.

 

[Steve Phillips]

If someone I'm with gets up and goes to the bathroom, they know better than to ask me what they missed. I won't answer. They can wait until after the film to hear what they missed, and if they can't live with that, they better hold it or go to the movies with someone else.

 

[DaveF]

Just let me set my affairs in order. You sharpen the blade.

A few more details, to better allow you to chastise me. Regal Theaters is showing previews for "Biggs", a CG cartoon about kids and bigfoot. I think it's going to be a cartoon serial played during the commercial segment, aimed at kids. The ads are done like movie previews, complete with the Jack Angel voice. There are maybe 8 of them, each is a minute or so long. And they often play two are three in a row.

The first time I saw one, it was uninteresting. The entire series later, I wanted to return to the Will Rogers Institute Pledge Drive. A second viewing with my parents, and Biggs was tiresome.

During one Biggs ad, I made a disparaging comment to my dad. The to-be shusher cast a demeaning look over his shoulder in my general direction. During a later Biggs ad, I was saying something to my mom, and there was a "shush" from the same guy.

Maybe my voice was too loud? I didn't think I was talking loudly. I should have asked Mr. Shush what the problem was.

Ok, I'll be quiet now, so Ernest can watch his baner in peace.

 

[Kevin Grey]

Yeah, nothing personal, but I hope never to sit near you in a theater.

 

[Kevin M]

Let me get this straight, you were talking during the ever repeating commercial slide show loop that precedes any moving film at all...right?

I am normally a fairly patient person but I would have had a very hard time controlling the temptation to tell this person to stuff their ears with popcorn....actually it probably would have been closer to "fuck off"...but that's not very nice now is it?

 

[Shawn_McD]

Well I think you shoudl be able to talk to anytime...its a public place.

 

[Patrick Sun]

But Silence is Golden, while the film is being shown.

 

[Greg_S_H]

It's actually a private establishment, and you can be removed if you continue talking. Typically, asking someone to be quiet is the polite first step. Next is to get an usher to either quiet you or haul you out.

I wouldn't say anything if people were talking through the ads or even the trailers, but there is that bad few moments where you wonder if the people will shut up once the film starts.