To Complain Or Not To Complain? - That Is The Question
This is no doubt a topic that has cropped up all over the place between movie fans every where. If you are sitting in a movie theatre and there is a disturbance; whether it be people on their phones, talking loudly, being noisy with their food, baby’s crying or anything else of that nature; do you complain? Do you disturb your own viewing experience even more than it already has been and go complain to the management or do you just ignore it and hope they stop when the film starts?
I have had many of those aforementioned things happen to me, as I am sure most people have, but Saturday’s viewing of Beowulf (review) presented a first; a couple of annoying 14 year olds kept lighting a cigarette lighter all throughout the ads and trailers. Luckily they stopped when the movie started (and when more people took their seats) but take aside the fact that it’s a fire hazard and illegal it was a major disturbance to everyone around. And yet no one (me included) said something to them or to the management for reasons unknown. I’ve had a lot of disturbances in movie theatres over the years but never from a cigarette lighter.
So when anything disturbs you before or while watching a movie in a theatre do you complain? Or do you just hope it goes away? I wouldn’t blame you for either.
Shannon the Movie Moxie said
November 19 2007 @ 8:38 am
I’ve never seen anyone complain (nor done so myself) during the commercials or previews. I have however, moved seats if I was near a particularly noisy couple/group, even though a lot of people pipe down then the actual film starts.
I think part of why this happens is that the commercials and previews are so long (I’ve sat through 20+min on occasion), and people do all sorts of things that can be distruptive to the movie going experience be it being late, talking loudly, etc. I know a fair number of people that don’t ‘bother’ do even arrive on time or early as there is so much to sit through.
I’ve never seen someone use a lighter though - that is a new one for sure.
Dave Becker said
November 19 2007 @ 10:18 am
I’ve never complained either, but I did tell a couple of noisy teens to pipe down just as “300″ was starting. In truth, I usually don’t have a problem with noise during the commercials, or sometimes even the trailers. But once the movie begins, it’s time to shut up.
I’ve actually been to movies where people from several different directions started yelling at some teens who wouldn’t stop talking. Of course, once you confront them, they either stop talking or leave the theater (which is a win/win situation, when you think about it).
Strangest experience: I was on vacation in Ocean City, NJ and took my wife to a showing of SNAKES ON A PLANE one night. Four teens came in and sat in front of us, and they started the wise-cracking right away. I was thinking about changing our seats, but didn’t. Of course, they didn’t stop when the movie started, but oddly enough, for THAT movie, their wisecracking actually added to the experience. In short, it made it kinda fun. I know it had something to do with the fact that it was SNAKES ON A PLANE, which isn’t a movie you’re going to take seriously, anyway. But I couldn’t help thinking that it wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun watching that film at home, on DVD, as it was that day with those four wise-a**es in front of us.
That said, I’d never allow myself to be in that situation again…unless, of course, I was in SNAKES ON A PLANE 2!