Movie audiences....Getting worse??

[DR.MID-NITE]

I just got back from seeing the Hulk. And for the second time in a row. I am finding the audience to be getting worse. This is what happened in this one movie...

-A family with a 3 year old kid sat next to me. Now, having kids of my own, I understand having patience. But, this movie is around 2 1/2 hours and the kid got bored and would start talking. At first the parent did nothing and even would talk with the kid. But, finally he would shush him.

-The same family got a cell call. And instead of answering it quickly or turning it off. The wife waited a few rings, like she was pretending it wasn't hers.

-This guy sits in front of me. And sat up straight the entire movie. So about a quarter of the screen was blocked by this guys head. I know this is not a major deal, but most people settle in their seat.

-This woman comes back from getting food. And after looking for about 3 seconds for her group she proceeds to call out their names. And when she finds them(they were 2 rows from where she was). She proceeds to stand up at her seat for a minute yapping until she finally sat down. And it wasn't like she didn't know where they were sitting. She was with them through half the movie.

-People talking. And not just kids, every age.

Maybe, I am oversensitive to all of this. I never really had problems with going to movies. I usually go to one or two a month. But, the last two times have been brutal. All of this makes me enjoy my home theater even more.

[The Penguin]

I don't know if it's when I go to movies or what, but I don't usually have too many problems with the audience. The last one I can remember being displeased at was Episode II (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=33443) and even that wasn't too bad. Some punks talked for a little bit, but then they stopped and I enjoyed the rest of the movie.

[JLApe]

Consider yourself lucky you didn't go see E.T. when it screened last year. Crying babies. They kept crying, and wouldn't stop. Not only that, the mothers refused to take them out of the theater. Who's f**king idea was it to allow infants under the age of 1 into the theater? And this was a 26-theater cineplex. I was tempted to yell at those moms to take their babies out of the building.

[Matthew Williams]

usually I have good experiences with audiences... even when they act up, like the little kid who screamed "No!" during Finding Nemo when Nemo is about to be nabbed. That was funny.

But audiences do get a lot more annoying, like the one at "Hulk" last night. Nothing too bad when the movie started... but someone began smoking during the movie. The person actually lit up and you could feel about three rows of people glaring at him. I don't even know if he was lighting up a cigarette... or something worse...

[kid_flash]

Generally I have a good experience at the theaters...actually the ones who usually mess me up are the friends I go with. They carry on entire conversations. During Lord of the Rings even! At least them I can tell to shut up without looking like a jerk.

Other than that...Vin Diesel movies always carry the loudest kids. I know, I know, why am I going to Vin Diesel movies? Well, I dunno, my dad and bro are big fans.

But, yeah, there are theaters I go to in the city where I know I'll just get pissed at people (like when a couple had a running commentary during Phone Booth or the four-year-old in Identity). But luckily there are a couple where it's either mostly adults with respect to the movie or kids who have been taught to shut up.

[The Guard]

I sat in front of some teenage girls who insisted on laughing at everything anyone said, and calling Bruce "damn sexy" every three minutes. I don't think audiences are getting worse, I think movie theaters are doing much less to curb the rude patrons. Rarely do you ever see ushers in theaters anymore. And if they are, they don't do a damn thing.

[Red]

Yea it annoys me.. I don't get why parents don't understand that people are trying to LISTEN to the movie...

[Daredevil_2003]

I've had mostly good experiences with audiences, except the first time I saw X2. There was some broad's 'cute' little baby who would not shut up for the entire first 10-15 mins of the movie! That little genetic defect just kept whining and whining until some guy in a Wolverine shirt turned around and yelled "Take your *expletive deleted* kid out here, lady!!!". Nobody said anything and shortly after the crying stopped. Ahhhh...comic book geeks, gotta love 'em :D.

[Knight]

I had a bad experience during The Hulk also. There was a lil kid behind me talking the whole friggin time almost. Asking tons of questions like the person they was with had seen the movie before which they hadn't so it was pointless to keep asking time and time again. "Who" is that and "Whats" going to happen to "Who". Saying crap like "I wanna fly like The Hulk" several times over and over . I was screaming inside my head praying they would shut the hell up. The parent for the most part didnt say anything.Luckly for me I can toon out most things when I'm into something but this kid was trying my patience. The only total relief I got is when the kid went to the restroom.

[czyznyck99]

Movies just aren't as hypnotic anymore. If they were, less people would be bored enough to come up with their pathetic side converstions and distractions.

Later.

[Condiment King]

Do you go on opening day or even opening weekend? This is something I never do because the theatre is always too filled for my tastes.

Last movie I saw was Bruce Almighty on a Wednesday afternoon. I comfortably sat to (including myself) about a 10 or less person audience. :eek: :)

[Alaskanbullworm]

I just got back from seeing the Hulk. And for the second time in a row. I am finding the audience to be getting worse. This is what happened in this one movie...

-A family with a 3 year old kid sat next to me. Now, having kids of my own, I understand having patience. But, this movie is around 2 1/2 hours and the kid got bored and would start talking. At first the parent did nothing and even would talk with the kid. But, finally he would shush him.

-The same family got a cell call. And instead of answering it quickly or turning it off. The wife waited a few rings, like she was pretending it wasn't hers.

Wow, that happened to me as well. Except there were TWO 3 year olds and the cell phone rang about 5 times during the movie. I wished I was the Hulk so I could get rid of them. It ruined the movie for me, I have to see it again now.

Finding Nemo had the same problem, but it was mostly this one family behind me. The kids weren't doing anything, it was the parents. The dad let out the loudest fart I ever heard, that family ruined the movie for me. So, I'm seeing that again today. :D

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

My wife and I usually do matinee showings because they're less crowded. Almost all our really bad moviegoing experiences happened when we went to see movies in the evening.

When we went to see "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" the first time, one guy in the front of the audience started griping really loudly about the subtitles. Apparently, he didn't realize the movie was in Chinese and "didn't want to read the entire movie." Him and his buddies were talking throughout the whole thing, although to their credit they did get a few zingers in at the movie.

The other really stupid thing was a mother who brought her 5 or 6 year old to see "The Matrix Reloaded." I saw him walking in and knew he was going to be trouble, and I was right.

Unfortunately, this works in reverse when we go to see a "kids" film like "Lilo & Stitch," "The Iron Giant," or any of the Pixar films. Gets even worse when it's something like "Spirited Away," which may look like a kid's film to a rather dense parent, but can be pretty intense for the kiddies.

I remember reading an article that suggested that the rise of home video has led to a lot of the bad behavior at movie theatres. Now that people can see almost any movie they want at home (and act as badly as they want to), going to the movies has become less of an event and just an extension of people's living rooms. I also think the totally selfish butthead factor of the general population is rising, which explains the growing tide of ever larger SUVs by people who don't need them and idiots paying more attention to their cell phone conversations than the road when they're driving.

In larger, less pleasant urban centers, there is also the very real possibility of getting shot if you try to tell some of the louder, ruder audience members to quiet down (which, frankly, is why the "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" commentators weren't shushed).

-- Ed/Ace

[cysurf]

As annoying as it is to hear babies or little kids talking, I can't get too upset at them because they don't know any better (Their parents on the other hand...). The thing that drives me nuts is when a group of teenagers start making loud noises, talking, laughing out loud for no reason, using laser pointers, etc, just to be sooo "cool" to their imbecile friends. I remember when I went to see Ocean's 11 a few years ago some teens were laughing and talking with each other for half the movie and finnally I got so pissed off that I went over to them and yelled at them like a madman. Believe me, the talking ended there.

[Boy Wonder]

Just a quiet theater.

[JTurner954]

This is why I don't go to the theaters as much as I use to. If there is a movie I really want to see, I would wait and go sometime during the week before a matinee showing OR wait a month or two so the crowd would go down.

If it's not cell phones, beepers, and babies (I've seen parents bring them to R-rated movies), it's some person telling you what happens either inside the theater or while walking out (I hate spoilers, on and off the internet :mad: ).

So to answer your question: Yes, movie audiences are getting worse (then again, so are movies), but I know of two possible solutions:

Overseas, I recall that some theaters have devices by the entrance-way that disable any cell phones or beepers from going off. I think it would also be good if they had one theater equipped with headphones (sort of like the Drew Carey attraction at Disney's MGM Studios) so we don't have to hear any distracting people.

[Discloner]

I sat in front of some teenage girls who insisted on laughing at everything anyone said, and calling Bruce "damn sexy" every three minutes. I don't think audiences are getting worse, I think movie theaters are doing much less to curb the rude patrons. Rarely do you ever see ushers in theaters anymore. And if they are, they don't do a damn thing.

Same thing happened to me when I went to see X2 the second time. A bunch of preteen girls sat in the row behind us and decided to laugh and giggle at everything from the word "tit" to Cyclop's crying. Part of their group even decided to try and destroy a chair towards the end of the row by constently kicking it and ripping it off it's foundation.

To top it all off at that same movie, a 10 kid who sat a seat from the left infront of me decided to sit on his knees the whole time making him taller then his father, who did nothing to stop the kid or seemed to knotice that people atleast 3 rows in back of him couldn't see past him. It bothered me because he was blocking half of the screen for me. The kid even kept standing up in his seat to get confortable, but still his dad did nothing but continue watching the movie.

I dubbed that night my worst movie going experience.

Frankly I think if we're going to have to pay outrageous prices for movies...and the food is even worse...then they should atleast have ushers in there to spot troublemakers and help stop the problem. I mean I'm not paying 8 bucks to listen to preteens giggle at every little 'naughty' thing, or see the back of some little kids head.

If I wanted that I'd go see "The Lizzy Mcguire Movie".


I don't go to the movies when they first come out anymore. The packed theathers are riduculous especially when there's nobody there to help curb the problems that take away from the enjoyment of the movie. I wait a couple of weeks.

[Conekiller]

I't reasos like this that I've avoided going to see "big" movies during high traffic times (weekend: 7-10 pm) I went to see Matrix Reloaded and X2 on opening day, in a large, mall theatre 9which usually attracts its shear of loud , obnoxious teeneagers) but I went at 2 pm. My god! I could sit ANYWHERE I wanted to with my buddies. It was quiet (except for the requisite "ooohs" "ahhas" laughs and "WHOAHs!") and it was genrally a pleasent experience. I understand its hard to coordinate a group of friends to see a movie ahead of itme lie that. but the experience you avoid makes it so much worth it. That's why I'm not wathcing Hulk until Tuesday in the middle of the day ^__^

[Squall]

When the day comes (and it will come!) in the near future when home theater systems are affordable for the average person or family on an average budget, the movie theater will go the way of the dinosaur. All movies will one day be available on pay-per-view on cable or satellite TV, at Blockbuster (or one of its competitors), or straight to DVD.

That's not my prediction -- I read it in an issue of Time magazine once, an article about the future of entertainment. :) Personally, I look forward to that day.

[Zechs]

I've always been a rental kinda girl so I almost never go to the movies last movie I saw was deliver me from eva.Only once did I have a bad experience with the audience some girls come in and talked and made jokes during the whole movie. Funny thing was I kenw one of the girls mind you I live in a small city with one theather.

[Zero Signal]

I try and avoid going to the theater unless I abolutely have to see the movie. Usually when I have to go it ends up bad.

I went to X2 on opening weekend with my girlfriend and it was just really crowded, hot, and of course we got the 5 kids sitting behind me that have to ask tons of questions and kick the back of our seats. I'm a nice person to a point, and after about 45 minutes I turned around to the lady with the kids, and used my mean voice and said "If you don't take care of those ******* kids, I'm going to". She got up and moved them all away :) . I don't like having to do things like that, but it works.

[Good Ol' Batmanuel!]

Fortunately, I can't really recall any major instances where I was annoyed, other than the times where people talk a lot. That usually doesn't last too long, though. I saw The Hulk tonight and the crowd was extremely well behaved. :)

[Mynd Hed]

I went to X2 on opening weekend with my girlfriend and it was just really crowded, hot, and of course we got the 5 kids sitting behind me that have to ask tons of questions and kick the back of our seats. I'm a nice person to a point, and after about 45 minutes I turned around to the lady with the kids, and used my mean voice and said "If you don't take care of those ******* kids, I'm going to". She got up and moved them all away :) . I don't like having to do things like that, but it works.

I believe Dave Barry once said that it should be every American's Constitutional right, when people are behaving like that, to say "SHHHHHHH!!!" really loud in a warning manner twice, after which it should be every American's Constitutional right to beat them to death with a stick.
Seriously, though, you should try asking people POLITELY once or twice to quiet down before you resort to threats and profanity. It usually works, although on those occasions when it doesn't, I think threats and profanity are a perfectly acceptable next step. (-:

[Carolina Red]

I have problems with watching movies.....when I'm at home from college and watching in a house! My parents usually spend the first five minutes of the film arguing because one of them has to finish some kind of chore after dinner and is complaining about getting no help, or they are arguing because they do not have a beer or other alcoholic beverage (not whiskey, or course!). Then, I have to delay the start of the movie (if it is not pay per view) by about ten minutes.

They say that they are having a "verbal discussion" when they are yelling loudly, but I doubt it. That's one of the big reasons why I prefer living on campus.

Also, my mom always butts in during a movie to add some kind of commentary or some fact about a character. I believe she gave a big spoiler about Catch Me If You Can about an hour into the film when it was on pay per view the other day.

[Weatherman]

never had a problem in the last couple of years at PG-13 or R, but I did have a problem when I saw Nemo for the first time. This idiot's cell phone went off three times! Last time it went off he carried on a coversation for 5 minutes with his wife who was outside the theatre. I wispered at him to shut up and he turned off the phone pretty quickly, though I think he gave me a rotten look. :mad:


Generally, I haven't noticed too many problems with crowds getting worse, but I'm not out at high teenager and but head time. I see movies after 10 or during the day. My girlfriend who works at a theatre could tell you some stories though.

[Sue_Jackson]

Let's see.........

When I saw Nemo, like after ten or twenty minutes into the movie, these people come in, and they stand right there trying to find a seat. My dad and I were sitting off to the side. So, whenever someone came down the aisle on the left of us, they were right in front of us blocking our view. :mad: It is sooo annoying because here you are (you come on time and everything) your into the movie, and then these bozo late-comers come in and block your view because they can't find a seat. :rolleyes: It completely ruins the movie everytime you get interupted by some bozo blocking you view. I'm sorry, I can't stand late-comers, and plus, they make a lot of racket especially when there's like a whole family and the keep whispering: "Can you find a seat? Where you wanna sit?" Yadda yadda...... And.....these people whisper loud. It's like, "Dude.....we can still hear you?" If you plan on seeing a movie, then plan ahead, and try to get there at LEAST on time, and show some courtesy. Leave the house a half-hour earlier if you have to. I also wish that there was a rule that if you are late for the movie, then you shouldn't even be allowed in, or you have to wait for the next showtime. :p

As for cellphones........well in the theater I was at there is a written rule that all cellphones must be shut off. So, I didn't hear any go off.

And as for kids acting up.........there was only this little boy who started crying, but because the poor little guy got scared at the part when Nemo got captured. I guess that part of the was a little loud, and frightened him. But, the parents, immediately took the kid outside. Though, people understood why the little boy was crying, and were more sympathetic toward the boy. It was really no big deal. :shrug:

[fanficgoddess]

well, i can't say i ever experianced a rude audience. there was this one time this guy was kicking the back of my seat but i asked him politely to stop and he did. i also rember whe ni went to see "good burger" with a friend i noticed a couple makeing out. luckily they were in the back and they weren't bothering anyone.

[Samurai Karasu]

well, i can't say i ever experianced a rude audience. there was this one time this guy was kicking the back of my seat but i asked him politely to stop and he did. i also rember whe ni went to see "good burger" with a friend i noticed a couple makeing out. luckily they were in the back and they weren't bothering anyone.


You don't exactly go to a movie like good burger to watch it in my opinion. (sorry it was just really disappointing)

[HellCat]

When I went to see Godzilla, there was an annoying kid behind me. Everytime ANY kind of lizard appeared on screen, he shouted "Look, it's Godzilla!"

With Monsters, Inc there was a kid acting as if he was having a conversation with the movie *Mike* "Can you tell me where he went wrong?" *kid, loudly* "Yep!"

Second time I saw Attack of the Clones, there were three boys with the feet up on the chairs in front of them who felt we wanted to hear their opinion on everything in the film. Everytime an alien appeared "*laughing* What the hell is that?"