Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Entertainment › Movies (Theatrical) › Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

post #1 of 73
Thread Starter 
also, add the fact that even when people put their phone on silent, about 99% of the time I see people in my field of view checking their phone to see if they have any messages. How annoying is it to see the screens of phones turn on in front of you during a movie? In a theater with 75' screens, a couple who was down on the flat watching the movie, looking at their sidekicks, kept opening them the entire movie (OMG even once during a movie is too much). About 30min into the movie, I told my friend watching the movie with me that I bet I could hit them with a penny. I then threw a penny and must've hit them because they were the only two people to turn around. As immature as it is, it felt good to do.

People with phones basically suck in theaters. I turn my phone on silent and even make sure vibration is off so I don't disrupt the theater. If there is something important enough going on that I need to have my phone with me, I wont be sitting in a theater.

*EDIT* and nearly two weeks later, here is the video link.
post #2 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

I feel like I just walked in on the middle of a movie. Speaking of which, that can be a theatrical annoyance, too.
post #3 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

This is why I rarely go to the movie theaters anymore. People may not be talking, but those damn screens annoy the crap out of me. The first time I saw this happen was at the midnight premiere of Return of the King. A friend of a friend was sitting next to me and during the movie, he took out his phone a couple times to check his texts or e-mail.
post #4 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

what "vid"?
post #5 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

I always have to laugh when people bring up the "disturbances" in movie theaters. I've been going to the movies regularly for over 40 years and I have yet to experience all these supposed interruptions and inconveniences. Or more precisely, I know it's happened at times in the past... but so few that I cannot even recall one example to share here. I will admit I have seen the phone screens light up here and there lately, though... you can imagine how extra-perturbed I get at that when considering I don't even own a cell phone yet! Since when did we get to the point where people have to check their messages every minute??

Now, if you want to discuss interruptions when watching films for a Movie Night IN MY OWN HOME, well I've got a million of those! I had a marathon last year of five films with two of my friends, and one guy sat there with his cell phone, text messaging his girlfriend (he'll be marrying her this month) throughout the entire day!.

The bottom line is, at least in public theaters people are somewhat aware that they have to consider other people (like reading in a library) ... but while movie fans always say "that's it for me! From now on I'm only watching films at home!!" the truth is, you'd better do it home ALONE... because people chat throughout the film at home, get up to go to the bathroom, go get things to eat, and there are always the sounds of outdoor disturbances like trucks or ambulances whizzing by. A few times I've been invited to my sister's home to watch movies... she's got three kids, and believe me, it's often impossible to hear or concentrate! From my own experiences, I've found a theater to be the proper and preferred way to enjoy a film by far.
post #6 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

I'm with Joe, I'm so fixated on what's happening on the screen that I don't notice most of what's been noted in this thread.
post #7 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

People opening their phones to check messages or to text are hugely annoying. It's impossible for your eye not to be drawn to these little bright lights throughout the theater. It's almost always kids (teenagers, young adults) who seemingly have never been taught manners.
post #8 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
I'm with Joe, I'm so fixated on what's happening on the screen that I don't notice most of what's been noted in this thread.

I'm envious of that sort of tunnel vision.
Reminds me of those who claim to not hear the bozos talking. You're surrounded by theater speakers, how in the world could you filter out the audience yappers?
post #9 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

You lost my sympathy when you admitted to throwing a penny at people in the theater. That's when you clearly became one of "them". It's difficult to maintain the moral high ground when you throw things at strangers. Between the behaviors of looking at cell phone screens and throwing objects with intent to hit people, I'd choose a theater full of the former any day of the week.

Brad
post #10 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

I haven an extremely low tolerance for talking or phone-ringing, and go to the theater much less than I used to for exactly that reason. However, people silently checking their phones for text-messages or whatever has never bothered me. As long as they're being quiet, I'm okay with it.
post #11 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

Yes, all young people are evil. I've never seen a rude old person before. I generally go to matinees and I can honestly say that I've seen and heard alot more senior citizens who talk through the movie than the young.

I agree with Joe. I've had a few problems here and there but it's nothing that can't be handled by telling people to be quiet. You don't have to spout obscenities or freak out, just say something like "Could you please be quiet." And if you're not a confrontational person, move to another seat. No, you shouldn't have to move but if it's bothering you that much, it's better to move than listening to a conversation and missing the movie or being pissed off for 90 minutes.
post #12 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

i don go to the movies much anymore because i dont need to.

I dont like any of the theaters near were i live so if i go I will travel a it to a theater that i know i can trust.
I trust that this theater won't have messed up sound and won't botch up the way it should be projected.

i still dont follow what "Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...' means
post #13 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

Where's the vid?

It wasn't nice of you to throw the penny at them.

Did you go see Meet the Spartans? I'm sure whatever was on their phone was better than what was on screen.

~T
post #14 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who is confused by the thread title description word association football.
post #15 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

I've always been puzzled by these threads which sprout somewhere in HTF every other day (can we just have one official theater bitching thread?). My experience as a whole is nothing like that, I love theaters more than ever and at this point, I am more inclined to blame oversensitive HTFers than a consistently uncouth audience.

That said, for the first time in years, I have my own horror story to offer, one that is all the more bizarre since I ended up causing as much disruption, if not more than I intended to squelch.

A bunch of kids (about 10, aged 10-12ish) who apparently had come from a previous screening and were waiting in the hallway for some reason, took to opening the door to my theater, running up the side aisle inside, tussling and tripping over each other and running back out, with assorted noises. Very distracting stuff. After a few minutes of this, I dramatically got up from my center row seat (well, I am a big guy so when I get up it's always dramatic ) , and proceeded to the exit. A couple of people, guessing where I was heading, started preemptively thanking me.

I got to the door, visibly annoyed and told the kids standing outside to tone it down. Most of them immediately hushed, but of course, one of the little punks had to mockingly mimic my admonition. Oh man... You see, I am from a culture where there is a very low tolerance for rudeness from children. I was already annoyed, but at the time I saw red. Livid, I violently knocked the doors fully open, pointed at the offending little fuck and literally roared the following gem:

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
"FUCK WITH ME AND I WILL TWIST YOUR FUCKING HEAD OFF!!!"


The kids scattered in every direction -- with some giggles, I am sorry to say.

Evidently they weren't too impressed with my wrath; well after I returned to my seat, to the thanks of a few patrons (I know the whole theater must have heard me), I (we) had to endure a few more minutes of my Nemesis opening the door and yelling that immortal phrase before running away. To be honest, I wish I had stayed in my seat, I would have saved myself some mild embarrassment

--
H
post #16 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

I'd still want you on my side in a confrontation, Holadem.
post #17 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

Quote:
Originally Posted by TravisR
You don't have to spout obscenities or freak out, just say something like "Could you please be quiet."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Holadem
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
"FUCK WITH ME AND I WILL TWIST YOUR FUCKING HEAD OFF!!!"
Looking at two different schools of thought, I actually like Holadem's advice more than my own.
post #18 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

good story Holadem.

there is a thread in movies somewere to review you theater.

actually it's sticked to the top of the movie forum.
might e a different topic though.
post #19 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kyle McKnight
I then threw a penny ....

This is the direction Holadem should have gone in, not throwing a penny AT them but perhaps just chunking a handful of change down the corridor.
post #20 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

I've seen your picture, Holadem, and have to admire that kid's courage.
post #21 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg_S_H
I've seen your picture, Holadem, and have to admire that kid's courage.
That kid had no courage, he was a rude, disrepectful little snot, and you can only wish that you had just one minute of his time to straighten him out. Remind me of a situation when Close Encounters was in theaters and I had to deal with these, at the time, younger kids. Every time when the police walked around in the film with their keys jingling the kids would pull out their keys and jingle it (obviously it was not their first time seeing the movie). Well I threatened them, had the backing of two other movie goers and it straightened them out. But it was more disruptive to threaten them within an inch of there life than to simply watch the movie. Camera phones are another form of virtual annoyances when watching movies and unfortunately facing what Holadem faced in his situation there's not much you can do about it unless you report it to staff and usually they can be the same age as some of the annoying kids that cause us grief.
post #22 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

When watching Juno recently, we were surrounded by teenagers. They were everywhere in the theater, and they talked through the whole movie. "That's a cute shirt;" "What an ugly couch," "What did he say?" and so on. I shushed the girls sitting behind us a few times, and each time, they'd be quiet for about a minute before chatting again. Near the end of the movie, there were teenagers chatting in back of us, in front of us, on the sides of us. So I said "EVERYONE! SHUT UP!"

And in back of me, I heard a whisper: "Hey, that guy is mad."

Grrrrrrr.
post #23 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

I have to laugh at all the age discrimination in this thread. Age is absolutely meaningless when it comes to being rude. I've dealt with rude young people and I've dealt with rude old people. I saw There Will Be Blood and listened to a guy who was at least 70 years old talk to his wife for 2 and a half hours (many insightful comments like "I didn't think that would happen" and "This movie is long."). He wasn't rude because he was an old man, he was rude because he is an asshole.
post #24 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerome Grate
That kid had no courage, he was a rude, disrepectful little snot, and you can only wish that you had just one minute of his time to straighten him out.

I don't mean to assign any real positive qualities to him, because I hate little shits like that.
post #25 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

Quote:
Originally Posted by TravisR
I have to laugh at all the age discrimination in this thread. Age is absolutely meaningless when it comes to being rude. I've dealt with rude young people and I've dealt with rude old people.
Co-signed. I go to a lot of movies in the theater, and while it's the twentysomethings that tend to check their email in the theater, it tends to be middle-aged-and-older folks that talk, by and large.
post #26 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

Back when I was young those kids would have had courage, because Holadem could have beaten them within an inch of their lives and then handed them off to their parents, who would have finished the job, and no one would have said a word. Nowadays the only thing they have is indulgent parents who don't want to hurt their self-esteem. Oh, and lawyers on speed dial.

And before anyone gets their ageist panties in a bunch, I've had to yell at many a senior citizen for giving a play-by-play of the movie, complete with color commentary, to an obviously (to everyone but them) hearing impaired companion. Even handed them a hearing-impaired headset once. I'm an equal opportunity offendee.

One thing though, I usually get the cellphone thing out of the way early. Anyone who's chatting excessively during the pre-show gets asked "You ARE going to put that away, right?" The only one who ever gave me grief got told "Then you better give it to me now, cause if I hear it during the movie I'm taking it and chucking it out in the hall." Worked like a charm and I'm not near as big as H (not many are).
post #27 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

Quote:
Originally Posted by TravisR
I saw There Will Be Blood and listened to a guy who was at least 70 years old talk to his wife for 2 and a half hours (many insightful comments like "I didn't think that would happen" and "This movie is long."). He wasn't rude because he was an old man, he was rude because he is an asshole.
Anyone who watches a PTA movie and talks at all shouldn't be watching the movie.
post #28 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

I have to admit, at some point we all may have been annoying little dorks at movie theaters. Either to impress our friends, occasionally get a good laugh out of the people at the theater, or just simply so cocky we disregarded the right movie goers have to enjoy the movie with out extra dialogue. Case in point I went to see the Empire Strikes Back in NYC and my first comment was reading out loud the opening story line and some guy said shush, I can read and I looked at him like I was going to kick his butt. Didn't learn but during the scene when Luke went to the Dagobah system I immediately said look Central Park out loud and the theater roared with laughter. Glad I grew out of that real fast, because I was just trying to impress my friends. Now look at me, an old guy who actually want to watch the film with out audience participation. It takes a brave soul to come clean, Hi, my name is Jerome Grate (Hi Jerome) and I was a movie theater disrupter.
post #29 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

I saw three movies a week or two ago, Diary of the Dead, 1/4 of the one with that hawtie from Pirates of the Caribean and Rambo. For *EVERY* single movie, people would not shut the fuck up. I sushed the couple all the time during Diary, and Rambo was so damn loud it drowned out everyone in the theater (and since I had snuck in, I wasnt about to make waves), and I was only killing time in the one with the Hawtie, so they could blather on all they wanted.

But man, the ones in the Hawtie one were loud, like normal conversational volume. If I had paid to get in, I would have been pissed beyond words. And it was a stupid conversation, too - like when you watch a DVD commentary and all the director does is tell you what is happening on screen. That's what these basterds were doing.

So, aside from Indy this year, I'm done watching movies in the theaters. That's all folks - I'll buy the damn DVD and tell my guests to shut the hell up.
post #30 of 73

Re: Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...

Every so often someone has a bad experience in a theater and swears off attending movies. Now I have occasionally seen bad behavior and things that distract me in a theater, but that also happens at home.

The phone rings, a worker (or peddler) buzzes at the front gate, a friend drops by, a cat wants in, another wants out, my wife asks a question (to which she expects an answer) and on and on. Neither of my TVs is in an isolated environment that is separate from the world. So I find theaters much more isolated (and isolating) than my home environment.

True enough movie theaters are not perfect and neither are their patrons. So too is my home imperfect insofar as distractions.
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Movies (Theatrical)
Home Theater Forum › Home Theater Forum › Entertainment › Movies (Theatrical) › Forget about "seat-kicking" and this vid explains my theatrical experience...