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[helpful]

Last night I went to a movie and the people behind me were making so much noise eating their popcorn and candies (why do theatre concession stand sell everything in crinkly bags?) that I wondered if they realized they were in a public place (the movie had a very 'quiet' tenor to it that the noise of eating was very distracting). Secondly, one person in that row was obviously text messaging as the light from her phone and t her tapping on the phone was jarring.

This may date me, but I remember when there were ushers at the movie theatres and such behaviours would never be tolerated.

What suggestions do you have to deal with this. There weren't many empty seats in the theatre. Should I just grin and bear the noise. Talk to theatre staff? (There never seems to be a manager around). Write the theatre company.

This wasn't the first time I was peeved with my fellow movie watchers. I also feel the problem is getting worse.

PS In front of me was a guy whose cell phone silently notified him of a call, so he left the theatre to take it. That would the proper behaviour, wouldn't it?

[aandsdean]

Netflix and a nice home theater setup.  I used to go to movies all the time, but hardly ever do anymore because of the issues you mention.  I have no tolerance for swinish behavior, except from actual swine.

[hipgeek]

Netflix and a nice home theater setup.  I used to go to movies all the time, but hardly ever do anymore because of the issues you mention.  I have no tolerance for swinish behavior, except from actual swine.

Yes. I only watch movies at home or at the drive-in.  Swinish behavior occurs at the drive-in too but the car can afford a little cocoon of privacy.  Plus, drive-ins rule.

And I want this "I have no tolerance for swinish behavior, except from actual swine" to be my new sig line, with your permission, aandsdean.

[helpful]

I guess I prefer going out to a 'movie'. I am home way too much and prefer having a 'night out' in a big room with other people who enjoy watching movies. (I mostly go to art and foreign flicks).

Also, I think the behaviour at movie theatres come from how we watch movies on the small screen. There is more chatting when you watch at home; chatting which should be frowned upon in movie theatres as you are with strangers and not just friends.

[concordancia]

I have dealt with this by frequenting the local theater that I have no idea how they stay in business. This is actually a national chain, but don't think I have ever seen a room more than half full, and at that it is mostly other crumudgeons.

However, as others have mentioned, I reserve the theater experience for movies I expect to be visually stunning enough to require the theater screen. Unless I am in Atlanta, in which case I specifically choose the movie theaters that are going to have rowdy crowds interacting with the movie itself, like the one at North Dekalb Mall. It is a marvelous community experience, rather than the selfishness the OP describes.

On the other hand, if anyone has a way to get large groups of students to put away their $%^& phones in a darkened screening room, I am all ears.

[glowdart]

Try going to matinees during the last week that a film is running at your theatre.  No one will be there.  If there is someone annoying near you, then you can move with ease. 

[clean]

texting is one of my pet peeves.  I have gone to people who text and ask them to turn it off.  they are usually surprised that someone would notice.

I have also given up and sit in the first row of seats ... not the seats 'on the floor', but the the first seats up the stairs.

One friend was with me and kept texting, so we dont go to movies anymore.

What else can you do?

I did find a theater employee when there was a 4/5 year old that kept asking daddy a bunch of questions.  It didnt help that they showed up a good way into the show (probably sneaking in).  The usher talked to them and they left.

[see_wolf]

The theater I frequent announces (not a recorded message - a *real* live announcement) just before the movie begins that anyone seen texting or using their phone during the movie will be asked to leave.  And they will be watching from the projection booth.

They enforce it, as well.

Wish there was something they could do about noisy eaters.  Come on, people, close your mouths!  And WHY do you have to chew the ice from your soda???  Augh!

[aandsdean]

Netflix and a nice home theater setup.  I used to go to movies all the time, but hardly ever do anymore because of the issues you mention.  I have no tolerance for swinish behavior, except from actual swine.

Yes. I only watch movies at home or at the drive-in.  Swinish behavior occurs at the drive-in too but the car can afford a little cocoon of privacy.  Plus, drive-ins rule.

And I want this "I have no tolerance for swinish behavior, except from actual swine" to be my new sig line, with your permission, aandsdean.

It's yours; be my guest.

[concordancia]

They enforce it, as well.

Like this?

[merinoblue]

Helpful, this is one of my favourite hobby horses, and a good sign that I'm going to turn into a cranky old lady (maybe I've already become one.)

I love going to the cinema. It's one of the last communal experiences we have in our society, where you sit in a large room filled with strangers, and have a shared, emotional experience. Call me a flake, but I believe that we become connected to one another by going through that experience together, even if only for two hours. I think it is a humanizing experience, one of the few left that offers a sense of community and society beyond our increasingly atomized lives. It is my version of going to church, but more moving to me, because it's a different group of strangers every time, and not a familiar community that you see weekly. I absolutely love it.

So, I am devout about the experience of going to movie theatres and the other-wordliness of immersing yourself in  a film on the big screen.  And I hate patrons who behave inconsiderately.

The direct approach has worked for me with people texting or checking their email, all but once. If the person is checking their cell phone, I'll ask them if they would please turn it off.

Talkers, especially couples, are the biggest problem. Why is it that the older the movie patron, the more entitled they feel to carry on a loud monologue, as if they're home alone in their living room? At least young people have the decency to be shamed when you turn to them and ask them to please not talk, or when you shush them. Not so the older couples. Shushing is ineffective. Venomous looks are ineffective. Once or twice, I've resorted to loudly saying, "Would you please shut up?"  That's fighting rudeness with rudeness, I know, but it's so incredibly inconsiderate of them, and I think it's far kinder than me dumping my popcorn over their head. But it turns out that doesn't work, either.

So what works, then? I haven't tried this, but I learned the hard way that when a patron is disturbing your experience of the film, the correct thing to do is to leave your seat, go find the manager, and explain the problem.* It is the manager's job to talk to the patron and resolve the problem. If it can't be resolved, then the theatre owes you a free ticket or a refund. I haven't done this yet because, who wants to miss part of their film to resolve a problem? But I'm so tired of the aggravation of trying to shush talkers or put up with them, that I am more willing to try this the next time it happens.

*The film was Match Point. I had difficulty watching the first 5 minutes, because 4 teenage girls walked in late and stood in front of me, talking loudly, while trying to find seats together in the full theatre. (I was sitting in the top-left corner in the last row, above the stairs).  There were two empty seats beside me, but they didn't want them. Then a couple in their 30s entered the theatre. I waved them up towards the two seats beside me. They sat down, then the man started checking his email messages. After 10 minutes of his bright cell light, I had had enough. I leaned towards the couple, and said, "Would you please turn that off."  They both glared at me, and the woman sitting next to me said in a dead ringer nasal Catherine Keener voice, "No wonder you're alone."  Then they both laughed.  I sat there frozen, fighting off a powerful desire to reach over and pull her hair out of her head very hard until tears came to her eyes and her painful squeals filled the theatre. I knew, however, that was the wrong thing to do, because it would immediately make her the victim and me the villain. So I sat through the entire film, fuming about the tyranny of couples towards single people. After the film ended, I went to the manager and complained. That's when I learned I should have gone to him to fix the problem.

[dr_alcott]

They enforce it, as well.

Like this?

I was going to post this too, Concordancia!

During the school year, my husband and I like to attend Friday afternoon matinees. Tickets are cheaper, the crowds are smaller, and we don't have to pay a sitter because the kids are in school. Also, the average age of the school-year weekday matinee crowd is about 65, and they generally remember how to behave in a movie theater.

(One exception: years ago, two senior women sitting a few rows behind us were chatting so much, and so loudly, that my husband turned around and asked them to please be quiet. Their response? "Oh, shut up!" Seniors these days . . . )

[concordancia]

They enforce it, as well.

Like this?

I was going to post this too, Concordancia!

During the school year, my husband and I like to attend Friday afternoon matinees. Tickets are cheaper, the crowds are smaller, and we don't have to pay a sitter because the kids are in school. Also, the average age of the school-year weekday matinee crowd is about 65, and they generally remember how to behave in a movie theater.

(One exception: years ago, two senior women sitting a few rows behind us were chatting so much, and so loudly, that my husband turned around and asked them to please be quiet. Their response? "Oh, shut up!" Seniors these days . . . )

Ticket prices in our area have shot up to $10 Thursday through Sunday, so after recovering from shock the last time we went to the movies, we have decided that we will be doing midweek matinees. These are not even really afternoon matinees - the matinee price pretty much only applies to the earliest showing.

[geonerd]

LarryC posted this link a few months ago. There are theaters that take a stand against bad theater behavior.

[yemaya]

They enforce it, as well.

Like this?

I was going to post this too, Concordancia!

During the school year, my husband and I like to attend Friday afternoon matinees. Tickets are cheaper, the crowds are smaller, and we don't have to pay a sitter because the kids are in school. Also, the average age of the school-year weekday matinee crowd is about 65, and they generally remember how to behave in a movie theater.

(One exception: years ago, two senior women sitting a few rows behind us were chatting so much, and so loudly, that my husband turned around and asked them to please be quiet. Their response? "Oh, shut up!" Seniors these days . . . )

My experience is that it is usually a group of 65+ women who exhibit the rudest and most entitled behavior as far as talking through movies.  But seniors in general are pretty bad.

I've never met a theatre manager who is willing to deal with rude patrons.  It's one of the reasons I rarely go to the theatre anymore.