Over the past several months, the Mark Kermode podcast (the flagship movie review show on the BBC) has beenworking on a code of conduct for movie goers. It’s been put together by the hosts of the show with help and suggestions from listeners. Last week the code of conduct was laminated and immortalized within the studio. This week, the hosts (Simon and Mark) have put the rules to screen in a reenactment sort of fashion. The attempt will be made to get this into cinemas to play directly before the movie starts – which would be awesome. Of course if you’re a breaker of rule #7, you’ll have missed this important infomercial anyway.
For me personally, rule #3 is of the highest concern to me. Paper bags and winter coats in the theater annoy me to no end. So like Mark says, “No rustling of super high density rustle-o-matic, extra rustle bags.” Agreed! How bout you guys? Which rule is the most important and can you think of any that were left out?
I’ve seen the shoe removal behaviour at Press Screenings of films, several times, but never in a public screening. Weird.
Ha, I think I might have done it once or twice – sometimes I like to get extra comfy
I’d never do it in a packed cinema with my feet in any close proximity to anyone else other than who I came in with though.
Vaguely related, I noticed the other day that one of the local theatres was changing their popcorn bags because of complaints that they make too much noise. Earlier in the year the local Cinemark (now closed
) changed to cardbroad buckets because of similar complaints.
My local is starting to get worse for talking now. My Monsters screening was semi-ruined by some idiots clearly not appreciating the fact that the film wasn’t the OTT effects-fest that the title suggests.
I don’t have any tolerance for ignorant people at the movies. I have on numerous occasions gotten up from my seat, walked over to them, and asked them kindly to shut their mouths. It’s distracting for a moment, but it usually works – unless it is kids.
It varies by chain here, as I’m sure it does everywhere. The Arclight is quite good, rarely get anybody being overly distracting in there. AMC is like most multiplexes, fairly annoying. The rep cinemas are interesting in that they often have rowdier crowds, but it’s not annoying because they’re rowdy along with the movie (if the movie encourages it). I’m much less annoyed by people are in the spirit of the movie than people who are either bored and texting/talking or don’t get the movie (as in the Splice screening I saw where multiplex goers were clearly not ready for the transgressiveness of the film).
By far the worst theater going patrons are the older folks. I guess they can’t hear so well – which is why they have no problems rolling up popcorn bags loudly asking the person next to them, “what did that sign say?” or “who does she think is the murderer?”
And this goes back to my conversation with Kurt and Matt about audiences and how I prefer theaters with less people in them. Over and over again I stated that except in the case of comedies or midnight madness. Thinking about it a bit more, I’m starting to back pedal on that a bit. Not all comedies are better with more people. Part of what I hated about Juno was the crowd uproariously laughing at every little thing. I fucking hate that and it makes me dislike the movie. So no, more people in the theater is not a good thing.
Last nights rep screening of David Lynch’s Wild At Heart had maybe 100 or so folks in attendence clearly enjoying ever moment the film has to offer, seemed about right. The Bloor Cinema crowd is almost universally a good crowd to see a movie with…
I’m with Andrew – big festival audiences are generally awesome, but there’s nothing worse than a bunch of idiots laughing at the most inane things. The Simpsons movie was bad for that – most of the audience were laughing just as soon as Homer opened his mouth, but when there were any actually witty moments there were only a few giggles.
Andrew, totally agree about older people. It sounds terrible to say it, but I’ve started avoiding Laemmle and Landmark theatres mostly because they tend to attract older folks. You’d think it’d be the younger people who’d have no manners, but the opposite seems to be the case far too often.
As far as audiences at all – totally depends on the audience and the film. If the audience is a good one (one reason I tend to go to Cinefamily multiple times a week is they a fantastic regular audience), then I always prefer seeing things with an audience. David’s right about pointing out festival audiences, too – they’re usually great. (Except there’s always that one person who thinks they’re so smart or have some special connection to the director or something.) Multiplex audiences, yeah, I can take or leave ‘em.
When i saw Jackie Brown at the New Bev a few months ago, I can tell you for certain sure I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much as I did (it was second of a double feature and I was exhausted) if the theatre hadn’t been full of Tarantino fans stoked to see it.