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Definitely some interesting conversations going on. Keep it coming. I really enjoy seeing people's experiences at their local theater.

I've found that the older audiences are the best to watch a movie at. Albeit, I don't normally go to movies that attract a younger audience (I'm 26), but most younger people don't care about the Coens or P.T. Anderson or foreign cinema.

I've worked at more than 4 Regal Cinemas over 5 years and now going to a theater is like dental work. I asked an usher to ask some hoodlums who were intentionally walking underneath the screen during a showing of "1408" to sit down. He followed me in, asked them to sit and because they were right by the door, essentially pointed me out to the guys. They showed their appreciation for my dissatisfaction by following me to my car and physically assaulting me. That wouldn't have happened at home.

From the people talking on their cell phones during a showing to the kids to the people sitting in front of you with the Bluetooth cell phone headset on with the blue LED light - it's all too much for way too much money. I love the theatrical experience, or at least what I remember of it, but the best theaters are the ones that grab the patrons by the balls (metaphorically) and not the other way around.

Yes, it's all about the movie, it's so much about the movie that I don't want my first cinematic experience of something that could one day be a classic like "There Will Be Blood" or "No Country for Old Men" be ruined by some guy who's trying to squeeze a showing in between some calls or a mother that doesn't care to stop her child from crying thinking the sound of the movie would drown the kid out. It doesn't.

The future of cinema is getting back to the basics. Who gives a damn about digital 3D if Susie Homemaker has her triplets in back of you carrying the beat of the soundtrack with their feet against your seat?

What the heck is a scallie?

becs wrote:

What the heck is a scallie?

evidently, its short for "scallywag" and is used like the word "hooligan"...

ps.
armed with google, you can be full of useless knowledge too!

sorry my, northern UK slang still kicking in. A scally (in its singular term) is a hoodlum/ ruffian/ naughty person up to no good. It comes from the word scallwag, as in "why you young scallywag you, come back with my blueberry pie!"

Frisky, Im sorry you got assaulted leaving the cinema, but it just seems example of todays society. It also highlights why I would pay more for a better cinematic experience. I would not get such an occassion at my local Rialto, because they are mostly an older audience (quite often pensioners - I hope im still like that at 65!). Its the youth of today (man I sound old!!) that are ruining cinema experiences in the multiplexes, and they are the reason I avoid going to them unless if its a blockbuster (as my Rialto doesn't show blockbusters) is released.

I agree we should be getting back to basics with cinema, but if this way gets rid of those kind of problems, I'll happily pay more and get a much better experience from it.

Old people are funny. I went to go see "The Queen" (duh? what was I expecting) in the middle of the day.

I was the first one in the theater. About 10 minutes later, this old couple comes and sits right behind me. THERE WAS A WHOLE THEATER AND THEY SIT BEHIND ME! Throughout the movie, the woman is asking questions, "Who is that?" They eventually had to get those headphones so they can hear it up close, and I can hear the static of it going on behind me. And the woman kept asking "What movie is this?"

Well, a more fun crowd are the midnight showing crowd for superhero movies. Those are always fun with people shouting at the screen.

Well, a more fun crowd are the midnight showing crowd for superhero movies. Those are always fun with people shouting at the screen.

Were you being sarcastic or do you actualy enjoy this? I despise, loathe, detest, fill in any other word that means to express utter hatred for, people that yell at the screen.

geezer9687 wrote:

Well, a more fun crowd are the midnight showing crowd for superhero movies. Those are always fun with people shouting at the screen.

Were you being sarcastic or do you actualy enjoy this? I despise, loathe, detest, fill in any other word that means to express utter hatred for, people that yell at the screen.

Unless it's encouraged, ala MST3K.

For example, it should be allowed for people to shout "Mitchell!" every time you see Joe Don Baker onscreen (Walking Tall, Congo, Strange Wilderness and of course, Mitchell and Final Justice).

geezer9687 wrote:

Well, a more fun crowd are the midnight showing crowd for superhero movies. Those are always fun with people shouting at the screen.

Were you being sarcastic or do you actualy enjoy this? I despise, loathe, detest, fill in any other word that means to express utter hatred for, people that yell at the screen.

I can see why my response would be misconstrued as sarcasm. I actually do enjoy the midnight showing crowd.

Agreed with midnight crowds being fun. Last year for Harry Potter, I set the projector on a one-minute timer, then walked downstairs, up to the front of the theater, and as soon as I saw the bulb kick on (which is about 5 seconds before the lights go down and the movie actually starts), pulled out my phone, pointed it up at the booth and pretended to click. People cheered. Probably mostly because it was Harry Potter, but still.

In Dublin, I either go to the arthouse cinema (crap seats, pretentious crowd, but no scumbags) or a 17-screen Cineplex. The latter normally charges 10 Euro ($14), but I go on Sunday mornings before noon, when tickets cost 6 (about $8). But because there's so little staff I usually sneak into another film afterwards. I call it Screen-Hopping.

But the main reason I like going to the cinema at 11am on Sundays is because of the crowd. You rarely get scumbags ruining the experience. The worst you get is a group of immigrants trying to explain the movie to each other, but a quick shush will keep them quiet. Like Frisky, I'm sick of having my cinematic experience ruined by asshole ragamuffins or self-centred dolts who text and take calls during the movie.

NSpannaus wrote:

becs wrote:

What the heck is a scallie?

evidently, its short for "scallywag" and is used like the word "hooligan"...

ps.
armed with google, you can be full of useless knowledge too!

That makes no sense.. scallywag = pirate... your theatres are filled with pirates? Or maybe aussies are just all pirates eh? i dunno..

becs wrote:

NSpannaus wrote:

becs wrote:

What the heck is a scallie?

evidently, its short for "scallywag" and is used like the word "hooligan"...

ps.
armed with google, you can be full of useless knowledge too!

That makes no sense.. scallywag = pirate... your theatres are filled with pirates? Or maybe aussies are just all pirates eh? i dunno..

erm, Im from NZ, although I know that term from when I was in the UK, dunno if Aussies have the same vocabulary though.... Quite often though my multiplexes are filled with 'pirates', at least modern day ones, that try to steal your stuff when your concentrating on a movie. There should be some sort of vetting process to get into cinemas. Dunno how, but there should be one.

I get annoyed when I go to a theater and its 8 dollars a ticket for frickin matinee. So, for me, that 35 dollar bs is out. maybe for those people who can still afford to spend 35 bucks to watch a movie in such an environment. But most of us have real world problems to deal with. Mainly. BILLS. And gas isn't getting any cheaper.
So lucky me. I work at a theater. Which means I screen 99% of the movies we get when they come in. So I don't really have most of the problems regular movie goers do.
Though don't get me wrong. If the movie is good enough I will sit in a crowded a$$ theater with a bunch of retards and not even care. I've done it for plenty of movies and still will.
So even if I didn't work at a theater and before I did. I go for the cheapest seats, mainly because that's all I can afford. And I don't see the need to pay twenty extra bucks to see the same movie with less people. My opinion. Save the twenty bucks. Wait for DVD. And buy the dam thing. But thats just my opinion.

I could hardly say Im rolling in it cRAzY, but I am willing to pay that amount every once in a while for a movie I really wanna see in peace. I have bills to pay, a mortgage, and Im pretty much the only earner in the household. But movies are what I love, and I make allowances for me to go see movies I wanna see. If this means saving up for a month or so, then so be it.

We are quite anal but we have envelopes for each thing that needs paying for each month such as bills, petrol etc, and those envelopes include one for the cinema. Its our one treat that we try to go see something each week, and Im willing to save for something worth the luxury. Its not like I go out drinking or smoke, which consume most peoples money, so I spend my money on what I wanna spend.

No. I am waaaaay too cheap to pay 40 bucks for a movie. The tight ass in me just could not do it.

And Becs beat me to asking SS what the heck a scallie was. I guess it makes sense to a limey.

My annoying story during a movie was at the opening night of The Blair Witch Project. About halfway through the movie a baby starts crying. And by crying I mean screaming bloody murder. The kid couldn't have been more than 4-6 months old. I took this for about 2 minutes, stood up, turned around to face the wailing infant and SCREAMED (swipe to see the stream of profanity which I covered to protect the virginal ears here)

"Would you shut that fucking kid up you inconsiderate cunt! We are watching a horror movie and you bring a fucking infant! Are you fucking retarded?!?!"

About 30 seconds later she left the theater with the kid. Needless to say I received some clapping and "yeahs" as well as a few "what an assholes". But I felt much better and we got to watch the rest of the movie in relative quiet.

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