How to mind your movie manners

[thebrokenforum]

In the darkness of a movie theatre, the tension is palpable.

It isn't just because of the suspenseful exchanges between characters in Funny Games, Michael Haneke's disturbing thriller about a family terrorized at their vacation home by two boyish serial killers.

There is almost as much tension in the audience. "Tsk, tsk, tsk!" a moviegoer loudly mutters -- over and over again.

Instead of asking for a refund, she continues to voice her disapproval.

An hour into the movie, I have had enough. Turning around, I quietly snap: "Madam, you really need to stop doing that."

From a few rows back another patron yells at her: "Please be quiet!"

It's a familiar experience -- rude patrons whose misbehaviour is degrading the movie-going experience.

This social ill is not only an annoyance for moviegoers. It's a growing concern for movie-theatre owners eager to stem flagging attendance in a time of increasingly popular home-theatre systems, rising gas prices, mediocre movies, and the shrinking gap between a film's theatrical and DVD release.

Is there any moviegoer who hasn't been annoyed by noisy popcorn-munchers, gossiping teenagers, crying babies, snoring patrons, compulsive seat-kickers, morons with laser pointers or loudmouths who insist on providing a running commentary?

Didn't think so.

Donna Keyes, 48, has endured plenty.

One of the worst was when the Victoria movie buff and a friend had to listen to two guys behind them noisily digging into their popcorn.

"For an hour they sounded like they were on a construction site excavating boulders," she said. "We finally gave them a look and moved four rows closer to the screen, but the view was crappy. Honestly, I felt like I was going to have an aneurysm."

Another time she and a co-worker went to see Hairspray. Eight teenagers sat behind them and chatted incessantly "about stuff not even related to the movie" before being told by a staffer to be quiet or leave.

To her astonishment, the noisemakers preferred to leave.

The biggest annoyances? You guessed it -- inconsiderate cellphone users and text-messagers who ruin the moment with distracting lights, beeps, supposedly "silent" vibrators or the blare of the latest Nickelback ringtone.

"It's generational," says industry analyst Howard Lichtman, president of Toronto-based The Lightning Group. "A decade ago, it was the advent of cellphones in movie theatres. The modern equivalent for the millennial generation is text-messaging."

The worst offenders, adds Odeon manager Pierre Gauthier, are girls aged 11 to 14, who not only send each other text messages mid-movie, but often expect in-and-out privileges, as if the theatre were a nightclub.

"They do it all the time. The girls will come in and then want to go out and maybe have a smoke or meet their friends."

At a Sex and the City screening, Donna, a 19-year-old texter, says she can't see what the fuss is about. "I text my friends after I go to bed at night. Why wouldn't I do it during a movie?" she says.

"It's better than chatting during the movie," adds Whitney Buczkowski, 20.

Whitney's sister, Chelsea, offers her own theory as to why patrons object. "Is it maybe because those people are jealous that they aren't getting any messages?"

Saphire LaBelle, 25, says that while she likes to be courteous, texting can be irresistible. "It makes you feel like you're sitting in the basement with your friends."

In the U.S., the National Association of Theatre Owners has sought permission to block cellphone signals in theatres to avoid the problem. In Canada, the theatre chains haven't tried.

Why is there such a lack of respect at the movie house these days?

University of Victoria professor Kim Blank says it reflects the consumer mindset of a full generation of movie buffs accustomed to renting and watching movies -- one unfortunately imported to the multiplex.

"Cocooned in their rec room with a bunch of pals, viewing anarchy ruled: You could wolf down food, make phone calls, and express every dumb thought that crossed your sugar-laden frontal lobes," the pop-culture expert says.

Gauthier urges patrons to tell him about any problems sooner rather than later so staff can discreetly deal with it. He hates hearing filmgoers say how great a movie was after it's over, and then lament how a rude patron ruined it.

"They'll tattle when they're leaving because they don't want to miss part of the movie or they're afraid to go back into a dark theatre, thinking they'll get roughed up," he says. "It's frustrating."

ETIQUETTE TIPS FOR MOVIEGOERS

"Oh, come on now people, do you not know this?"

Canada's queen of etiquette laughs as she ponders the persistent problem of bad movie-theatre manners.

"I call them McManners," says Louise Fox, owner of Toronto-based The Etiquette Ladies. "It's all about fast and quick and easy. People are really busy today and there are more opportunities for rudeness."

"Young people in particular are self-centred and always have been, but kids today are ruder than they ever were."

What many don't realize, she says, is that "multi-tasking" -- text-messaging while watching movies, for example, or carrying on a conversation with someone while you're listening to your iPod -- is rude.

Such misbehaviour isn't necessarily ill-intentioned, she adds. Still, the reality is such rudeness can wreck another person's night out.

Who better than an etiquette guru to provide us with some dos-and-don'ts? Here's a sampling:

- Arrive early enough to buy your snack and find a seat before the movie starts.

- Turn off your cellphone, pager or other devices. Texting during a movie is rude.

- If you're late and the movie has started, take a seat close to the aisle.

- Don't talk during the movie.

- Laugh if the movie is funny, but if the picture is serious and you are just giggling at some private joke, it can be annoying to others.

- Slide into a row facing people and say, "Excuse me."

- If you are seated and someone is sliding past you to find a seat, make it easier for them by rising slightly out of your seat to let them pass.

- Don't rustle snack wrappers, slurp, or crunch loudly.

- Don't throw your trash on the floor. Put it in the garbage on the way out.

- Don't wiggle or fidget in your seat or kick the seat ahead of you.

- If you are wearing a hat, remove it.

http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/story.html?id=627544


I thought this was a great article. I can think of very, very few movies I've seen at the theater here where someone wasn't talking, talking on their phone, being obnoxious etc. etc. I went to one movie at Regency where the couple next to me fell asleep and started snoring!

People bring their babies and generally have little regard for other movie-goers. I've never been to a movie without any cellphones going off or some person text messaging during the whole movie. And I have been to almost all of the theaters in the city.

I usually try and catch an early film when I can but even at early films this happens. I have asked people to be quiet, to stop kicking the seat, to even shutting the hell up.It's been so bad a few times it's almost come to blows because of some moron defending his "right" to ruin the movie for everyone else. 


I've had numerous tickets refunded. It just sours the whole experience - so much so that a movie has to be really good for me to want to go any more and put up with people.

It's a familiar experience -- rude patrons whose misbehaviour is degrading the movie-going experience.

I'm curious about other people's experiences in the theaters here. I also think it's goofy that neither the town center nor the beaches has a nice, big time theater (AMC). But that's just me.

[Jason]

I agree with the writer of this article 100%

There are too many inconsiderate moviegoers these days that ruin the experience for everyone.  In addition to the writer's comments, I think that manners in this generation have been simply discarded completely and respect has seemingly become meaningless.  I know, I'm about to get deep, but I think that the root of all of that is the lack of discipline.  The snottly little brats that disrupt the movie experience for everyone simply get removed and suffer little to no consequense for their disrespectful behavior.  That's fine, but why doesn't the theatre add their name to a list that will deny their return?  Or if possible, have their parents contacted?

I'm curious about other people's experiences in the theaters here. I also think it's goofy that neither the town center nor the beaches has a nice, big time theater (AMC). But that's just me.

The Town Center likely doesn't have their own because Tinseltown is nearby.  Not sure why the beaches doesn't have one though.

[thebrokenforum]

It doesn't take much to ruin a movie experience and there are so many ways to do it these days. Simply getting movie passes as compensation doesn't do much for me because if I've had my movie ruined more than a few times I am not likely to return and shell out more hard earned money for the same result. I am looking for a theater to guarantee an enjoyable experience. If they are looking to draw more people in and compete with the HD and home theater crowd they need to look at some serious solutions. You can hardly rely on movie-goers, especially younger ones, to mind their own manners. 

I would think that a major multiplex at the town center could compete with tinsel town. But you're right, they are very close. That never stopped grocery chains or gas stations from doing the same thing though.

As for the beaches lack of a real movie theater...I am baffled by it. It's not like it wouldn't draw in business. The san pablo one was way outdated and small and the one on atlantic is pretty terrible, quality-wise. It would seem like a no-brainer to build a huge multi-plex theater...but then again, a lot of good ideas on MJ seem like no-brainers. 

This site seems to be picking up steam. I hope people with influence and connections are reading.

[BridgeTroll]

This is just one small indicator of the downward spiral of common courtesy, ethics, and common sense in this country.  There just doesnt seem to be much "common" any longer.  What used to be obvious bad behaivior or poor manners no longer is... The lines have been greyed out.  Everything is relative...

Im sure it is all for the better though...

[Lunican]

I saw a movie at Regency that was so rowdy that it was completely drowned out. They stopped the movie 3 times and the cops came in to get everyone under control.

[thebrokenforum]

It's ridiculous that cops had show up to restore order. Wow. Can't say I'm all that surprised though. I stopped going to Regency's movie theater a long time ago because of crap like that. I really like the theater at Universal's City Walk but nice as that place is I've had flicks ruined there as well.