Cinema Etiquette

indough

the only thing that really annoys me about going to the cinema is the fact that most people there automatically turn into some sort of black hole for whatever greasy food crosses their path. for once i would love to be able to watch a movie on the big screen without it descending into feeding time at the zoo

krudler

I go during the day for some films, night time for some big audience pleasing blockbuster like the Avengers, I like to see the audience reactions for stuff like that, something thats smaller scale or something like say, The Descendants, I'd go to and hope I was the only one there to just enjoy the film without interuption.

the purple tin

The people who misbehave in the cinema aren't there to be entertained by the film, they get entertained by knowing that they are spoiling other peoples enjoyment of the film.

krudler

same as comedy hecklers, cnuts.

Here's an idea...

Next time someone annoys you in a film, leave, and ask for a refund and explain why. If enough people do it, cinemas would have to take action as it's costing them.

johnny_ultimate

I do hate that tension in the air when something's wrong - technical or social - and everyone in the cinema is waiting for everyone else in the cinema to do something about it

e_e

DrumSteve wrote: »

I found the cinema much more enjoyable since I started to tell people to shut up when they start talking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzxfivZF9Yk

krudler

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I do hate that tension in the air when something's wrong - technical or social - and everyone in the cinema is waiting for everyone else in the cinema to do something about it

films being in the wrong aspect at the beginning is something that drives me nuts, I cant understand how people dont notice, I'd usually give em a minute or two to fix it and then go say something

Antar Bolaeisk

PCPhoto wrote: »

staff are too afraid to do anything about these types of people - and to be honest there is a high chance of a staff member getting hurt or the business suffering from multiple broken windows if you do anything.

We goto Liffey Valley (its either that or Mullingar - its between them for the nearest cinema)...but if you want to find a fantastic cinema without scum/interruptions ...goto Rathmines...Swan cinema !!

What can you do, you can't physically touch them (especially if they're younger as then you're a perv). You can try and shut them up but run the risk of them deciding to make more of a nuisance of themselves in retaliation. Trying to remove them from the cinema can be almost impossible.

peter1892

I've had to tell someone to STFU in the IFI, although admittedly its much more of a problem in the multiplexes...

Anyway, these two have the right idea
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/markkermode/2010/12/the_moviegoers_code_of_conduct.html

The Mad Hatter

Bullseye1 wrote: »

I have to say our cinema is pretty good. I haven't had a bad experience yet. I did walk out of the Savoy once and asked for a refund, which I got.

Slightly OT, but I do find it often pays to get annoyed. I saw Hugo in 3D in the Savoy (before I completely swore off 3D films) and the 3D glasses they had were flimsy kids' ones clearly brought in for another film. So I went out to the counter to complain and they apologised profusely and gave me a free packet of M&Ms:D

d@rk l0rd

I do think cinema etiquette is a thing of the past. Worst experience I had was in Cineworld the week the latest Mission Impossible opened. It was like a zoo. Teenagers throwing stuff at each other, using phones, shouting at each other.
Awful. Have never gone back to Cineworld since then. Too many skangers and idiots.

People arriving late is very annoying but cinemas are partly to blame for this with the ever increasing amount of time wasted showing ads and trailers. Half an hour in some cases.

People using phones is another annoyance. And people talking, eating noisily and rustling wrappers and crisp packets and eating smelly food. People seem to forget that they're not in their front rooms!

I try to go to the cinema during off peak times now and never at the weekend and always alone. At least if it's quiet I can move if I'm near someone annoying.
If it's so bad I'll leave, complain and request a refund.

I don't see why cinemas can't have someone there to tell people to shush or switch off their phones (not just texting but actually having phone conversations), or even better why don't any cinemas have signal blockers?

I find multiplexes the worst, a lot of them are in really rough areas, the staff don't care. Cineworld is the absolute worst. :eek:

Sad Professor

A pet hate of mine is people arriving into the cinema late when the film has already started, and instead of taking the nearest convenient seat, they proceed to get an entire row to stand up so they can get to a seat in middle. I remember seeing A Separation in the IFI last year when this happened and some people started to get extremely hostile when the third or fourth wave of latecomers arrived. The IFI claim they don't allow late admissions, but I regularly see people wandering in after the film has started. The fact that sometimes there's 20 minutes of ads/trailers and other times none doesn't help matters, but people should have a bit of respect for those who got there on time.

As for technical glitches, I remember being at the first screening of ROTK on release day and the sound started to go out during the Battle of Pelennor Fields - right at the start when the Rohirrim charge - and it kept going out throughout the battle. I've never been so pissed off during a screening.

Faith+1

Sad Professor wrote: »

As for technical glitches, I remember being at the first screening of ROTK on release day and the sound started to go out during the Battle of Pelennor Fields - right at the start when the Rohirrim charge - and it kept going out throughout the battle. I've never been so pissed off during a screening.

Nerd!!!!!!!!! :P

johnny_ultimate

Oh I've had some infuriating tech incidences. My two worst, both in the IFI.

1. Le Havre a month or two ago, when the film would just shut down every few minutes, and then boot up again around thirty seconds later. Kept going for half the film almost.

2. Arrietty where the film shut down half way though. They got it working again, but only the dub after watching the first half in Japanese. Now there I was genuinely tempted to walk out but I suffered through it at that point, after the projectionist had one or two false starts restarting at the wrong scene. Reminded me how much I hate dubs. Still, was the only screening in Ireland as far as I know that was actually even partially Japanese. Success?

kryogen

So....................................... The Pact? Worth checking out or?

Deus Ex Machina

spurious wrote: »

The Lighthouse in Dublin is not a real habitat of theirs - the name is probably too long.

I had one of my most aggravating experiences of my life there, cinema or non-cinema related. While watching the fantastic "Of Gods and Men" a bulbous moron in the front row decided to hum along with the Swan Lake music which accompanies a particularly emotive part of the film. He was just sitting there, humming loudly apparently oblivious to the fact that there was a cinema full of people behind him who were being pulled out of the film by his desire to start humming idly. He continued to hum it for a while afterwards, despite being shushed by some of the people closer to him. I was seconds from hurling my shoe at the back of his head.

Thwip!

Only time its ever happened to me was in Liffey Valley. Honest to god someone threw a shoe....a feckin shoe. Funnily the guy who was hit with it decided to poor his drink and the melted cheese from his food in it and then left it in the bin for him before going out and makin a complaint.

Otherwise i go at off peak times, usually by myself as i'm deferrin frm college for this year so its harder to get friends together for it. though stuff like premieres we get together for

Though would love a projector setup of my own :P

Awful_Bliss

It's unfortunate people don't have the decency to behave like civilised people in cinemas. The last movie I saw in the cinema was 'Kill List' some time last year. That was in the Screen and because of the film and venue I expected a 'decent' sort for that. That had been my first time in over a year.

The time before that was when I saw 'Inception' in Dun Laoghaire. Everything from people giving their thoughts as to what's going to happen out loud, text alerts going off, people arriving late, loud whispering etc drove me berserk. I swore I'd just download or wait till the movie was on TV in the future.

Not much one can do to stop moronic behaviour in the cinema. Wasn't there a thing to block mobile phone signals going to introduced in cinemas at one time??

SirDelboy18

Went to see Snow White and the Huntsman with my two younger brothers last week. There were about 4 groups of two people and another large group. This woman went with about 4-5 children, one of whom felt the need to comment on literally every single thing that happened. And she didn't whisper.

After a while I got up, walked back to the mother and said:

" I appreciate that you have young children with you, but we have paid money just like you to see this and I would appreciate if ye could stop talking as we are trying to enjoy the film."
Twice she interrupted me saying "we are too(trying to enjoy it)".

It actually puts me on edge somewhat, and I can't enjoy the movie after. I go there expecting complete peace and relaxation - it is one of the only places where I get genuine relief, and to have to get confrontational bothers me.

In this same cinema I had to walk out of Moneyball 20 minutes in and complain. In fairness, my complaint was dealt with instantly.

This isn't taking into account the smaller things that I would usually let slide. I can understand someone having a small whisper once or twice, but lets not push it.

The next time it happens, I am going to get up, walk out and ask to speak to the manager and ask for a refund. I won't be going back if I have to do it.

event

d@rk l0rd wrote: »

or even better why don't any cinemas have signal blockers?

I think its against the law cos it blocks out beepers for firemen etc

Duggy747

When I saw the 1st Transformers movie a 6ft, 1000 pound woman sat in front of me litteraly blocking the entire screen. All I could see was the 2 corners of the screen. (My row and her row were on the same level)

The fact that the screen was more or less empty and she had entire rows to choose seats from but decided to plonk herself in front of me.

Anyways, I had to move a few seats to the left where a random guy sat beside me. Again, a near empty screen and he chooses to sit beside me. It wasn't a big deal though....

...until the laughing started. It wasn't his over-zealous roar of a laugh that was disturbing but the fact that he kept looking at me to see my reaction while putting his head inches away from me at every single "funny" moment.

Then there were a bunch of knacker kids down a few rows who didn't know how to sit and sat on their seats with the cushion raised up.

So I had a guy laughing into my face and silhouettes of little knackers in the bottom left of my vision for 2 and a half hours. Horrible.

Popcorn tasted like dried out flies, too.

ArphaRima

the only thing that really annoys me about going to the cinema is the fact that most people there automatically turn into some sort of black hole for whatever greasy food crosses their path. for once i would love to be able to watch a movie on the big screen without it descending into feeding time at the zoo

Nachos with cheese and jalapenos are the only reason the UCI/ODEON cinemas ever get my custom. Amazing, amazing filth.

krudler

one of the most bizarre experiences I've ever had in a cinema was going to see The Departed on a wet monday afternoon, being the only person in the screen to begin with, this guy arrived and in an empty cinema with well over 200 seats sat RIGHT BESIDE ME. I got up and muttered about getting a drink and moved someplace else, freak.

Tayleur

Iv found Movies@Swords to be fine. The odd minor incident over the years but 9 out of 10 times there are no problems.

leakyboots

Dunno how long ye'd last before going postal over in cinemas in America lads

e_e

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Oh I've had some infuriating tech incidences. My two worst, both in the IFI.

1. Le Havre a month or two ago, when the film would just shut down every few minutes, and then boot up again around thirty seconds later. Kept going for half the film almost.

2. Arrietty where the film shut down half way though. They got it working again, but only the dub after watching the first half in Japanese. Now there I was genuinely tempted to walk out but I suffered through it at that point, after the projectionist had one or two false starts restarting at the wrong scene. Reminded me how much I hate dubs. Still, was the only screening in Ireland as far as I know that was actually even partially Japanese. Success?

As much as I don't like to put down a small independent cinema, the only time I've had shockingly bad technical problems were in The Screen.

1. Kill List starting about 15 minutes late and then when it did come on there was no sound. Meaning they had to play back the first five minutes (they actually begun to think that it was silent on purpose! :rolleyes: ) multiple times until it eventually worked.
2. Being in a near empty screening of Black Dynamite and the film being about as quiet as my TV at mid volume. Meaning I was straining to hear what was being said and the film's brilliant soundtrack was pretty much lost on me.
3. The "classic" screenings there consisting of terrible picture (in the case of Big Lebowski and Dawn of the Dead white lines across the top of the screen proving it was just a DVD and not even a particularly good looking one at that) and the aforementioned sound problems. Killing all immersion with films I happen to love. :mad:

e_e

leakyboots wrote: »

Dunno how long ye'd last before going postal over in cinemas in America lads

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_9UtZnNk80

Phoenix Park

krudler wrote: »

one of the most bizarre experiences I've ever had in a cinema was going to see The Departed on a wet monday afternoon, being the only person in the screen to begin with, this guy arrived and in an empty cinema with well over 200 seats sat RIGHT BESIDE ME. I got up and muttered about getting a drink and moved someplace else, freak.

Reminds me of this wet Monday afternoon years ago when i went to see The Departed, hadn't spoken to a human being in weeks, must have been 200 empty seats but there was one other poor soul there, all i wanted was a bit of small talk, anything to take the pain away, i sat beside him....and he got up and left, muttering something about going for a drink. I quietly sobbed my way through the rest of the film....

GastroBoy

Ever since a Mexican couple behind me decided to provide a running commentary to "The Descendants", I leave any movie I want to see in the cinema to pretty much the last week its there. Barely anyone but yourself in the theatre, bliss:D