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The Average Movie Theater Has Hundreds of Screens
theodp writes "The "average" movie theater reportedly has a capacity of 200-300 people. Which, thanks to the wonder of mobile devices, means that it also has hundreds of screens. And — thanks to Facebook, Twitter, and texting — hundreds of potential annoyances. Which prompts NY film critic David Edelstein to ask: How Should We Treat Texters and Talkers at Movie Theaters? 'Has our culture become so private that no one knows how to behave anymore in public?' Edelstein wonders. 'Is selfishness the rule rather than exception? Are people who say, "Shut up and turn off your phone" today's version of "You kids get off my lawn"?' Jason Bailey argues that the only way to solve movie theaters' talking and texting problem is to give in to it, perhaps with anything-goes phone-friendly talk-amongst-yourselves screenings in the seven and eight o'clock hours coupled with no-tolerance shows later in the evening. Any other ideas?" You could always throw it.
I've never seen it either, in 50+ years of life in three states. The theater I normally go to has a warning at the beginning that they will throw you out. Given that I have never seen anyone with a phone screen on there, I can only presume they mean it.
This is a trivial problem to deal with - for the theater management. They will quickly get a reputation of not tolerating that kind of idiocy, and as they do, for every texting asshole they lose as a customer, they'll pick up two or three who will drive the extra distance to get to a theater that enforces their rules. If it's a problem in the first place.
So is some dickhead is bothering your movie experience, complain to the manager. Immediately. Demand they either enforce their rules (and they have them) or give you your money back. And if they don't, make it clear they've lost a customer, and anybody else who you can tell about it.
If it's a problem in the first place. I've never seen it.
>"'Has our culture become so private that no one knows how to behave anymore in public?"
Yes it has. A large percent of the population are very rude regarding phones. And the younger the generation, the more rude.
>"If someone is bothered by a phone screen's brightness during a movie, it sounds like they aren't paying attention to the right screen."
And that is just a typical "everyone is like me" attitude. Just because it doesn't bother YOU doesn't mean it doesn't bother anyone else. This is one of the biggest issues with society- many people are simply unable to imagine that other people are more or less sensitive/annoyed by things. Even worse are the people who simply don't care that what they do annoys others because the world revolves around their own selfishness.
The entire movie theater industry is dead.
Even if cell phones were eliminated (which in my experience have been more or less a non-issue in theaters) you've still got the fact that its $8 for a ticket and then $5 for a popcorn, $5 for a soda, $5 for a box of Junior Mints... Its simply too expensive for the 2 hours of (possible) enjoyment, especially when a couple of months later you can watch the movie on Netflix or pay $1 for it at Redbox. It used to be you could offset this by the fact that you were getting a higher quality picture and sound, but anymore a HDTV and surround sound are pretty common. 3D is simply a gimmick, its fun for a movie or two but doesn't really add much to the experience. I mean, other than for a midnight premiere, does anyone actually go to the movies anymore?
Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
No no no. People still need the ability to call 911.
Pretty sure we there was a time, not long ago where we were able to go out without constant ability to dial 911. If there is an emergency then you can easily go to the counter and have the staff call.
Why? Did the world change so that now you need 200 phones able to call 911 immediately as opposed to walking out of the theater like everyone did before cell phones? Or were we in a pre-civilized barbaric society before cell phones removed all need for social manners? Yes, person next to you has a heart attack; stop the movie, turn on the lights, turn off the phone jammer; and simultaneously with using the phone ask if there's a doctor in the audience. Don't use a remote 911 possibility as an excuse to be an asshat, you're just answering the phone because you're addicted to it.
I have actually been at a movie premier, full theater, movie is actually running and past the opening credits, when the guy in front of me gets a phone call. After lots of shushing he says loudly enough for everyone to hear "I have to go, I'm in the middle of Star Trek". There is no possible way that the phone call can be that important. If someone is actually worried about some incredibly vital call, they should stay home and sit staring at the phone.
No no no. People still need the ability to call 911.
Leave the theater and call. The ability to call 911 from anywhere is not guaranteed, nor is it a right. But if it makes you feel better, they can put emergency hard line phones on the end of every row.
The ushers should escort the phone users from the theater. Stop the movie first and turn up lights so that everyone can see who it is and provide sufficient negative reinforcement. If you don't let the puppy pee on the carpet, then why not use the rolled up newspaper on the mentally incontinent as well?
The current generation is taught through the education system a great deal about their rights, but very little about their responsibilities.
Consequently we get a very inward-focused generation with a false sense of self-entitlement and, rudeness in general.
"Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
We have that. We call those places, "Movie theaters". People need to learn manners.
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