Movie audiences....Getting worse?? (2 Viewers)

[MattGentry]

I am ashamed to say that, as of last night, I have become part of the crowd which I have hated for my entire life. Last night, I called a girl that I had recently met and asked if she wanted to see a movie or something. She had some family over and didn't know if she could get out. So, we said we'd meet at the cheap movies if she could manage it. Well, upon going to the theater, she and a friend were already there, waiting. So, we bought tickets and headed in. Once in, the two girls I was with performed nearly every "theater no-no" in the book.

1) They talked, nearly constantly, throughout the entire movie.

2) Apparently not caring, they left cell phones on and, at one point, had a phone call. It was from more of their girlfriends who were outside the theater and needed to know where they were sitting.

3) Upon their friends coming into the theater, the two girls proceeded to STAND UP, turn around, and WAVE to their friends, to let them know where they were.

4) The movie in question was Phone Booth, starring Colin Farrel. The girls had only chosen the movie due to the fact they thought Colin was "hot." And yes, they decided to inform others around them that they would love to blow him, or get him into bed.

5) Halfway through the movie, a group of guys came and sat in front of us. Well, the girls I were with didn't like that and kicked the seats repeatedly.

6) Throughout their many conversations during the course of the movie, they thought, hey, why not interject some colorful, numerous swear words. All the time.

7) Did I mention that they had candy that they had brought? Well, towards the end of the movie they were getting bored, and decided to make eating said candies as loud as possible. When they got bored with that, they used to remaining candies and the box as a sort of musical instrument. Whee!

Add all of the above to the fact that there was a screaming kid in the movie, and the fact that the entire left side of the theater's speakers COMPLETELY WENT OUT!, making most dialogue or any sound at all from the left unhearable.

I must say that, throughout the movie, I kept thinking "There is no way that I can continue on with this girl. I mean, I LOVE MOVIES. I see movies every Tuesday, and most of the time, more on the weekends. So when I see a movie, I absolutely hate it when things like the aforementioned happen. I'm going to take her out to one more movie, and, if, she still acts this way without any of her friends there, it will leave me with no choice. Ah, the balance of power between the brain and the penis. And, in this case, the brain may win.

I am sorry to anybody who had to be there and be subjected to that.

 

[MarkHastings]

Ah, the balance of power between the brain and the penis. And, in this case, the brain may win.

But what if it's a skin flick? Using your brains to remove the girl over the penis's power of staying with her would then be negated by the fact that the penis wants peace and quiet while watching a skin flick.

Ouch! My head hurts (don't ask which one )

Kinda cosmic...Isn't it?

 

[Seth Paxton]

The NYC law has nothing to do with intolerence for rudeness and everything to do with getting your name in the paper. In news market #1 you have to do outlandish things to get noticed.

While I don't disagree that pretty much all politcal moves have some "look at me" factor to them, in the end their MUST BE an appeal to the general populace for the law to be worth backing.

It's not like they were passing the "legalize selling babies for crack" law. Why not? Because the people wouldn't like it.

The fact that the "rudeness" law was a popular one that politicians saw as a good point to champion (even just for their popularity) tells us that it does have everything to do with a growing intolerance among the populace. Politicians try desperately to avoid backing any choices that will offend a majority of the people.


I'm not a NYC person and I'm not taking a political side here on the motives. I'm simply saying that even the most cynical view of the motivations still demands that the idea have popular support, which was my original point in mentioning it.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Movie audiences.....Getting Worse??

Yep.

The only "rude" thing I do so far according to this thread is get up at the rolling of the end credits. I have no desire to see those. I find out the information on my own.

The only comforting thought I have when it comes to theater rudeness is that these folks will die sometime down the road.

 

[Travis Hedger]

OK, that is IT!

I posted in the other thread about commercial theaters.

I think it is time for us to pull together and start our own movie franchise with sets of ground rules that are strictly enforced. And since it will be Private Property and such, we wont have to worry about discriminating against arrogant idiots who violate others enjoyment of cinema!

Who is with me?

 

[Brian Dobbs]

Resurrecting this thread. I couldn't believe my eyes when I went to see Inception last year on a Tuesday night at 10:20 p.m. and I still had to tolerate college-aged kids checking their cell phones throughout the movie. Every time they'd whip it out it would just light up and distract me. Really guys? Really? During Inception?

 

[ThomasC]

The best (but not foolproof) time for me to go to the movies with the least amount of distration is the first showing on Saturday, usually around 11am or 12pm. Otherwise, I'm pretty guaranteed to have someone sitting in front of me whipping out their cell phone every 15 minutes to text their friends or tweet about the movie.

 

[Charles Smith]

I don't go to movies as often as I should, but I must say I do remarkably well where I live, usually going to the mainstream theaters on a weeknight. Not only have I not had annoying audience members in quite a while, I often am one of the very FEW audience members in a given screen. Not that I'm wishing bad business on anyone. But I always end up enjoying films in the theater way more than I ever expect to.

 

[Leo Kerr]

I suppose this is one of those times when my odd work schedule helps out... I'm off every other Monday, and no-one makes the 10am showing of any film on Monday!


(Okay, that's a bit of a stretch; I think Return of the King and some like that still had serious crowds then...)


Leo

 

[Paul D G]

I live in a good area for movie going. I normally go Wednesday afternoon and the place is usually dead. I rarely get a cell phone glow and only occasionally get conversation (usually seniors). I did, however, go on a Friday early afternoon recently. The place was packed as there was apparently no school in that district. Fortunately I went to see a 'grown up' movie so the children and teens went to other screenings. My theater was packed but everyone was respectful. No talking, no cell phones.


I refuse to go to evening screenings tho.

 

[Malcolm R]

Ditto. Early matinee screenings are the only way to see a movie in the theater with a chance of enjoying yourself. I'll never attend the movies in the evening again unless forcibly arm-twisted.

 

[Todd H]

Yep. Same here. Early matinee showings are the only ones I attend. The glow of cellphone screens during later showing drives me to the point of wanting to strangle someone.

 

[montrealfilmguy]

i will now tell my William Castle anecdote


although now being dismissed as an movie urban legend,i had read of one projectionist in a theater who was quite bored one night

watching his 100th showing of A nun story and decided to test out the rigged electrical shocks (for The tingler ) from under the seats which had been already set up.


wouldnt that be great though ?


Usher: Yeah Bill ?

Bill : what is it ?

Usher:seat 246 has been swearing and texting the Inception plot to his buddy on his well lit Iphone.

Bill:246,got it!


ZZZZZAAAPPPPP!!!