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AMC Drops 'Texting Friendly' Theaters Idea (networkworld.com)
netbuzz writes: Stung by a ferocious backlash on social media, AMC Entertainment this morning took to Twitter to announce that it will not be experimenting with "texting friendly" movie theaters, a trial balloon floated only days ago by the company's boss. "NO TEXTING AT AMC. Won't happen. You spoke. We listened," the company said.That escalated quickly.
Pretty simple, really.
Yes, let's allow movie patrons to be bothered by other movie patrons. What's next a talking friendly theater? The only time when it was appropriate to text was my local theater special viewing/razzing of The Happening where the patrons were allowed to text their commentary that appeared on the screen like subtitles. For example during the wind scene the characters realized it was some sort of pollen spread by the wind and then the group was suddenly caught in a massive wind gust, someone texted: "You know now would be a good time to fart." It was immediately followed by "Who farted?"
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
Maybe I'm missing something. I thought the comments on yesterday's article were quite over the top. Why is it so bad to provide a service to someone who wants it? Nobody is forcing you to go to the auditoriums designated for phone-users.
Just because it's not something you personally like doesn't mean that someone else can't enjoy it.
(For reference, I'm not personally interested in the movie theater concept, so I don't care one way or another. But if this is something that some people want, why not? It hurts nobody.)
There is "no excuse" now. If you're so deranged you can't stop trifling with your phone for 90 minutes then stay out of the theater. And stop causing crippling, deadly wrecks too; I personally know three twenty somethings that have caused serious wrecks fucking with their phones.
Put it this way. If everyone was considerate, dialed the screen brightness all the way down, and set their phone to vibrate, then got up and left the viewing area of the theater to text or talk, that'd be one thing.
But, in general, people are self-centered ASSHOLES.
So we get Big Ben jangling out of a phone at 100 decibels.
Then a strobe light going up in the middle of a theater.
Followed by some asshat going "Yeah! YEAH! I'm at the movies right now! IN THE THEATER! No! I can't hear you! I'm IN THE THEATER!"
Fuck that noise...
"We can't tell 20 year olds to put away their phones..."
YES YOU FUCKING CAN!
For the prices being charged for admission, not to mention the CONCESSIONS, it's not a huge stretch to expect to be able to enjoy a movie uninterrupted by some jackass and their phone.
Seriously, that's the main reason movie theaters still exist! The provide a quiet, controlled environment for showing films!
If Phoneguy McDouchebag is constitutionally incapable of keeping his phone off for 90-120 minutes to watch a movie, he needs to GET THE FUCK OUT!
Not sure why the hell this is such a novel, or hard to grasp concept.
Allowing that sort of stuff to go on in a theater is basically removing the primary reason people still go to movie theaters!
It's actively destructive to the business model.
Because groups like Screening Room can charge you $50 (about the price of ticket and concessions for one person) to stream you a brand new movie on opening day.
So if someone's got a boss home theater setup, they can do Screening Room, invite a dozen friends and supply their own food.
The theater makes NO money. And the industry loses a dozen ticket sales. PER PERSON VIEWING.
I'm glad AMC listened and axed this so fast. Someone eventually elected to use their brain on this subject.
Better late than never...
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
People are used to pooping, too. They still leave the theater to do it.