What do you do when people talk in a movie? (1 Viewer)

[Grady Hollums]

I have seen TLOTR for the 3rd time day and every time I have gone to the movies lately I have had ignorant adults or middle scholars behind or in front of me!! This is so irritation to me not to mention how rude they are being!

I realize that lots of you are going to answer the question as: "That is why I have a Home Theater" OR "I wait for the DVD and enjoy it at home" But I am really am wondering how to phrase my irritation to them. For example:

"Excuse me, but until you buy the DVD (or probably in your case the VHS tape) of the movie where you can talk all you want at home, but while you are in a plubic theater please be considerate of your fellow movie goers"

"Pardon me, do you know the director of this movie? You don’t? Well, I bet he/she probably would not have your talking during the movie"

"You know, I don't think that the director of the movie wanted your talking to be in the rear channel, so please be quiet"

"I paid $??.?? for this movie and the last time I checked your talking was not included in the admission price, so please be quiet, or get the management to charge less for the crappy environment"

Come on; give me what you got people!! I need some good ones.

 

[Nate Anderson]

I just pull out my revolver and shoot them dead. Clears out the theater rather effectively.

Seriously, I find a loud Shhh! will shut most of them up rather effectively.

 

[Brian E]

Usually the Shhh method works, but I have been know to quietly ask them to shut up.

 

[CaptDS9E]

Well when i was watching Lord of the rings with my father we sat at the back of the theater. In the row in front of us was young married couple. In front of them was 2 older couples. For some reason the older couples must have been talking loud enough for the Young couple to hear them. Well the young women during a slow scene screamed out loud SHUT THE *insert any curse word* UP. They shut up after that
Capt

 

[Steve Christou]

I will KILL them until they die!!!!!
Ok back to the topic, yeah its annoying, I've shooshed my mates many times, they just won't shut up.
The classic is babies crying in the theater, we're watching some creepy movie, and suddenly waaaaaaah! someones baby crying in the front somewhere, how did they sneak that baby in? Was it in a carrier bag?.
I remember watching Mars Attacks with some friends, and someones baby was crawling up and down that dirty aisle all thru the film, crawling right by my seat in the dark, I couldn't concentrate on the movie, kept thinking of that film 'Its Alive!' with that mutant baby with the big sharp pointy teeth........ :frowning:

 

[Butch C]

In the bronx its

[rant]Shut the fuck up asshole![/rant]

 

[MichaelPe]

Shut the fuck up asshole!

That line works effectively here in Montreal too.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

I'll just turn to the person and simply say "Could you be quiet please?" I say it low enough to not embarass the person, but loud enough to not sound wimpy.

I've tried this technique several times and I've never had to beat anyone up in the parking lot...

...or get beat up myself.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

You go get the manager. Bottom line. Also demand a free ticket to return since you had to miss part of the movie to get him to remove this brigand

 

[Nick C.]

Also demand a free ticket to return since you had to miss part of the movie to get him to remove this brigand

hmm if I stuck it out for the remainder of the film and then asked the manager, would he still fulfill the demand? i don't like the chatterers during the movie, but i'd even more prefer to not leave my seat during the film, especially during some exciting or climactic moment

 

[John Spencer]

My favorite method is to ask the person "Did you ACTUALLY pay money to sit in here and talk? Do you not realize you can go to Wal-Mart and make a complete ass of yourself for free? Now you look silly, and you're poorer." Usually they either a) realize their faux-pas and clam up, or b) spend the rest of the film quietly trying to translate my diatribe into "moronics."

And if that doesn't work, then I fling poo at them. Using your own is preferable, but not nearly as dramatic obtaining someone else's.

 

[David Brashear]

God, we live in a self centered society. You think if people had to talk during a movie they could at least do it quietly. But for some people, it's like they want everyone in the theater to hear them. I think the best way to get them to shut up is a loud Shhh. Don't add to the problem by yelling obscene comments at them or saying more than a few words, you will just further distract the audience. Or if it's someone next to you, a quick elbow to the nose.

 

[Paul Mason]

The last time I had this problem was during "O, Brother Where Art Thou"

I was in town on a Saturday afternoon, I saw the film was on and on a whim decided to see it there and then (normally I watch movies in the evening). Boy was that a mistake.

The cinema in question runs a 'season ticket' type deal - as many movies as you like for £10/month during the day. So the audience for this particular showing was me and about 10 bored teenage girls. And they basically talked the whole way through - I spoke to them, shouted, pleaded - but all I got was a brief reduction in volume each time I complained.

It's a testament to the movie that I still enjoyed it.

Even with the fact that that they were effectively getting in for free I couldn't understand why they'd chosen this movie. I mean Coen brothers isn't your usual teenage fare. I'm sure there are plenty of teenagers with enough taste to appreciate it but they proved it wasn't them. Then it hit me. Of course - George Clooney! He was just nice eye candy to have in the background of their chatter.

I told my sister this story later and she told me her method of dealing with this situation. She first politely asks the person(s) to be quiet, she then asks an usher to deal with the person(s) - ask them to be quiet or remove them, finally if none of that works she asks to see the manager and demands her money back. Apparently this has worked on several occasions.

Usually I try to avoid showings with large numbers of kids or teenagers as adults tend to be more likely not to talk and to stay quiet once you've complained.

I do still have a pet-hate which is people talking through the trailers. For me if I miss the trailers I feel like I've missed the start of the film. But people look at you funny if you ask them to be quiet during the trailers.

 

[PhilipG]

"What do you do when people talk in a movie?"
I listen. It helps me follow the plot.

 

[Henry Gale]

Yesterday afternoon at the 3 o'clock A Beautiful Mind an older lady was seated in the sweet spot (don't these bozos often center themselves?) and I could tell from her volume during the trailers she was going to be trouble. So, the girlfriend and I got up and moved to the left side of the room.

Not too far into the film a small group that included a couple of 10 year olds became restless and talkative because as one of the kids loudly put it at one point, "This movie is boring!"

Now, I've often used the "get manager-free passes" method but it involves giving up on the current showing and arranging another trip. It's a defeat.

This time I leaned over to the culprits and spoke to them firmly, "You need to be quiet, IMMEDIATLY!"

This time it worked.

Jim

When I feel the need I have another approach, "I have more Coke than I can drink and if I hear you again I'm going to dump it in your lap."

 

[TheoGB]

Wow, Grady. What an appropriate name for this LOTR time of year. If only you'd registered as GHollums...
I've never had that much talking when I've been to the cinema but I guess I must go at peculiar times or something. I've said it before: go somewhere expensive. People tend to pay attention when they've had to unbelt a significant amount of cash.
The most bizarre experience I remember is seeing Starship Troopers. Me and my two mates were the only people pissing ourselves at this one. The rest of the audience seemed to have had their irony removed before entering...Either that or we were alongside a Combat 18 social night and they were sitting there taking notes!

 

[Coressel]

The last time I had an annoying talker experience at a serious movie, I (after putting up with it for about 30 minutes) "threw" my voice...

After my muffled, bassy "SHUT THE FUCK UP..." the cinema remained silent for the rest of the movie.

So it works in Ohio too!:b

 

[Paul_D]

Shut the fuck up asshole!

Here in England, that extra asshole will get your ass kicked!
But seriously. That ussually does the trick: Shhhh's don't do the job like a good 'shut the fuck up!'

 

[TheoGB]

Well it would make you sound like a piss-taker for sure. If you really want to get them you'd have to say 'Shut the fuck up, you arsehole' and then I really think you would be in trouble as Paul suggests.

 

[Sam Davatchi]

Welcome to the real world!

Couple who hushed boys in cinema are beaten up

By Paul Stokes

Filed: 11/01/2002)

A COUPLE were viciously attacked by two adults after asking two boys to be quiet while watching The Lord of the Rings in a packed cinema.

Andrew Morse and his fiancee Becky Brown, both 26, were unable to concentrate as the boys, aged about 14, swore repeatedly and used mobile telephones.

They were subjected to a torrent of abuse when they told them to be quiet and reported the disturbance to staff at the Odeon, Doncaster.

When Mr Morse, an engineer, and Miss Brown, who works with autistic children, left at the end they were attacked by the parents of one of the boys.

Mr Morse's nose was broken and his lip cut. Miss Brown received a black eye, cut nose and bruised ribs.

The parents, in their thirties, had arrived late for the showing on Saturday night and began drinking cans of lager.

Miss Brown said: "I could not hear the early part of the film. The boys were swearing and rattling about. Then they got their mobiles out and all I could hear was bleeping." They swore when she asked them to stop.

Miss Brown said: "The parents just sat there doing nothing. After I complained to staff, things quietened down for a while.

"Then the kids started kicking my seat and coughing in my ear. None of the family were interested in watching the film."

Describing the attack, Miss Brown said: "It was completely unprovoked. I was shocked, as about 600 people had been watching the film and nobody helped.

"There was blood everywhere. The father was wearing rings and I think that is what did most of the damage to Andrew."

The police are appealing for witnesses.