[Saquist]

Originally Posted by martok2112

Some theaters are taking a more active role in that very area. I remember hearing some recorded phone call from a former movie patron who was kicked out because she was apparently being too loud, or was texting during the film where EVERYONE could see her...and someone FINALLY spoke up to an usher. The usher tried to get her to stop and she apparently refused, so she was escorted out of the theater (with no refund....well fitting). So she calls the theater, and launches a profanity laced string of complaints. I heard that some theaters are actually using the call as part of their pre-show ad campaign after the trailers (the AMC theaters here in New Orleans, LA have stop-texting ads, some are pretty amusing, but all get the point across.)

When I go into a theater, I turn my phone OFF once the lights finally go down for trailers.

However, despite some great box-office numbers that still keep churning up, I see movie theaters eventually going the way of the drive-in. I certainly don't want that to happen, as I LOVE the big-screen experience (especially for great sci-fi and action films), but I think that lots of folks are starting to adapt the "I'll wait for the blu-ray" mentality. They don't want to deal with the :
--long lines
--high prices
-- inconsiderate patrons who are
---noisy
---bring small, noisy children to R rated films...or worse, a crying infant to ANY film
---text
---talk or even shout during a movie

---expensive snacks
---parking prices (depending on where you live...thankfully, in my area, we don't have paid-parking at our theaters...yet...)

As I said, I hope I'm wrong...because I love the big screen experience, as long as a couple of the above deterrents are dealt with or not a factor (for me, that would largely be the inconsiderate patrons). For the most part, my movie-going experience has largely been a positive one, save for when I went to go see Alien Vs Predator: Requiem.....had to deal with two different instances of *** hats bringing unruly children, or a mom who brought a crying infant...both of those in the same night AS the movie was playing.

For the rest of the most part, I am very selective about what I choose for my big-screen experience. I rarely go to the movies anymore, unless it is a major event flick like Star Trek, Harry Potter (Dammit...no more HP films), Star Wars (same DAMMIT), or the recent flux of really good superhero movies. The upcoming PROMETHEUS definitely has my big-screen attendance assured, as well as The Dark Knight Rises. Otherwise, I'll wait for the blu-ray.

Yes it's true.
The theater business has been doing anything possible to clean up he auditoriums as of late. Figures show that more and more people are preferring to wait for netflix or even get the movie boot leg because frankly the movie going experience has sucked the last ten years and the home entertainment venue doesn't charge you a mortgage for food and drink as well as the ability to see the film any time you want on your terms...

Previously theaters wouldn't have dreamed of kicking out the moderately obnoxious...That's all changed. OFTEN. All you have to do at a AMC or a Cinemark Theater is to keep the number of that theater on your phone and call when there is a problem . An Usher will be sent thru walkie talky to see the problem themselves and rectify it.

[kevin]

I'm starting to get curious about the UK/US movie going divide. I go to the cinema fairly often and can count on one hand the number of times there have been disruptive audience behaviour issues.

Yet it sounds like you experience it often.

As for concessions? Three quarters of the time I either slip in my own stuff or don't buy anything anyway. Charges problem solved or greatly reduced!

[samwiseb]

I've mostly only had a problem with texters. If I've ever heard talking on a cell phone, I don't recall.

But texting has become a chronic issue in just the last couple of years. There will be just one or two people in the auditorium who simply. Cannot. Disconnect. From the cyber-world. For the whole two hours. That they've paid. To watch a movie. And that's the part that's staggering. They've paid for this movie just as I have, and they do not care.

'Talkers' in my experience are usually younger people on dates who can't seem to fathom any other reason for being at a movie (Turn around to give them the evil eye, and I suspect you're probably just giving them the gratification they want because you're 'obviously' there by yourself and grumpy to boot). Or maybe a larger group of people hanging out who picked the wrong movie and just aren't engaged (This probably happens especially with genre films... on the other hand, who knows, maybe fans of genre films are just more likely to be grumpy about such things).

One of the most 'annoying' experiences I had was at Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part 1, where an obese older Aspergers woman behind me (obviously a fan) was narrating the entire movie for either her partner or whoever happened to be listening. And at The Science of Sleep, when one group of people kept asking me all through the movie "Are you alright?... dude, are you alright?"... again, because I was having to turn around and stare at them hoping they'd take the hint.

But mostly... it's the texters. People who assume as long as they're quiet that they can do whatever they want.

[martok2112]

What the texters don't realize....or perhaps they do, and that's part of the point...is that their lights on their cell phones is what distracts the movie going patrons behind them, or beside them....especially if the texter is waving their phone around recklessly.

Some try to be discrete, or think they're being discrete, but that little LED/LCD screen on the cell phone sticks out like bollocks on a bulldog...and catches everyone's attention, either directly or peripherally.

I think some people text at theaters as a means of saying: "can't nobody tell me what to do....nuh uh." And then if they do get escorted out, they think their rights have been violated.

I personally wish I had a device that, when someone decided to light up their cell phone at a showing, I could pull it out, aim it at the offending cell phone, push a button, and make the little thing burn out in a shower of sparks.

[samwiseb]

Several years back there was a news story about a device that could jam cell phone reception in public. It's illegal to have though (or maybe just to use, although I'm somewhat cynically inclined to assume the worst).

It wouldn't do anything about the LED screens of course, however I see no reason why it couldn't jam wi-fi connections. Even if the @$$hole keeps his text machine out, it would serve him right to lose connection in a theater.

It's illegal though because in a worst case scenario someone might have a medical emergency and not be able to get help.

[Quark]

I read that they are now going to officially allow texting in theaters. I swear, there is nothing more annoying that having the btight light of a smartphone or whatever flashing in your eyes. That's one of the inevitable problems with stadium seating.

[martok2112]

Originally Posted by Quark

I read that they are now going to officially allow texting in theaters. I swear, there is nothing more annoying that having the btight light of a smartphone or whatever flashing in your eyes. That's one of the inevitable problems with stadium seating.

If that's the case, then what they need to do is allocate an area in the theater where texters can use their cells (texting only....no voice calls...and ringers must be set to VIBRATE ONLY)...perhaps the upper three rows of seats in the theater.

You have to decide outside the theater whether or not you are going to text during the film. If you choose NOT to text, you must turn your cell phone off. If you choose to text, you must go to the designated texting area (kinda like smoking/non-smoking sections of a restaurant or other place that allows for either). If you are caught using your cell outside of the designated texting area, or if you are caught (or reported) voice calling even within the designated texting area, you are subject to ejection from the premises, no questions asked, no refund given.

A special exit can be provided for text patrons who might have to respond to an emergency message, so they can discretely, and quickly leave the theater, instead of having to run down the aisles to get to the main house exit. It is precisely that, though...a discrete and rapid exit corridor, and not a place for someone to hang out and voice call before, during, or after the film.

[samwiseb]

Originally Posted by Quark

I read that they are now going to officially allow texting in theaters. I swear, there is nothing more annoying that having the btight light of a smartphone or whatever flashing in your eyes. That's one of the inevitable problems with stadium seating.

No way. Cite please?

[Saquist]

I don't think that's true.
They've paid alot of money for advertisement against it.