Movies in Today's World

[InzeladunMaster]

What is with people in movie theatres? I went to see "The Omen" and virtually everyone in the theatre was talking. Some were standing in the isles talking to people seated in the centre in the middle of the movie! Cell phones were blaring (and being answered) and a couple a few seats down were more occupied with text-messaging than they were with the movie (personally, I think cell-phones rank right up there with the worst inventions of mankind, but that is a different rant). One girl had to get up and race out of the theatre every fifteen or twenty minutes to answer a call (at least she waited until she was almost out of sight before answering - a few just answered in their seats).

Why do people pay to see a movie if they won't stop talking to their neighbour or won't get off the damn phone? Is it just me, or are people just ruder than they used to be? It is getting so that I don't even want to see movies in the theatre anymore.

 

[thormagni]

Why do people pay to see a movie if they won't stop talking to their neighbour or won't get off the damn phone? Is it just me, or are people just ruder than they used to be? It is getting so that I don't even want to see movies in the theatre anymore.

I was just griping about this at work the other day. The movie industry complains that piracy is killing their business, but I am pretty sure it is the horrible environment seeing a movie has become that is doing them in. Especially now that films are released on DVD only a few months after they hit the theater. Why would anyone pay $50 for two or three tickets, a popcorn, two sodas and a $1 box of candy, just so they can sit in the movie theater and have the whole experience ruined for them? I'd much rather watch the film on my TV in my quiet house, with a pause and rewind button.

I do think Saturday nights are the absolute worst though. That is when the people without any imagination or love for movies come out on dates because they can't think of anything else to do. For them, the movie is all about the social experience and has very little to do with the film itself. It is a place to see people and to be seen.

Along the same lines though, for teenagers, where is there for them to go and be social for two hours on a Saturday night? The police and business owners have done such a thorough job of denying them any use of public spaces that their only option is to pay that high premium just to have a place to sit and talk for a couple of hours. Otherwise they could go to a restaurant, which now will throw them out as soon as they finish eating...

I think the only hope for movie theaters is to institute a "quiet theater" for the movie-lovers. In that theater, if you make a peep or disrupt the film, you are thrown out. And in the "regular theater" you just sit there for two hours gabbing and no one cares.

 

[Grimhelm]

I have a solution! What if we just beam the movie directly to their cell phones?

 

[InzeladunMaster]

I was just griping about this at work the other day. The movie industry complains that piracy is killing their business, but I am pretty sure it is the horrible environment seeing a movie has become that is doing them in. Especially now that films are released on DVD only a few months after they hit the theater. Why would anyone pay $50 for two or three tickets, a popcorn, two sodas and a $1 box of candy, just so they can sit in the movie theater and have the whole experience ruined for them? I'd much rather watch the film on my TV in my quiet house, with a pause and rewind button.

You should write something about this in the paper. Well said. The viewing environment sucks!

I don't know why movies come out on DVD so fast. I remember when a movie took about two years to come out on TV (in case the theatre wanted to rerelease the film IIRC), and when VHS was invented, it took nearly that long to come out on tape. Now barely a month passes for some films.

(On a side note, I had to laugh when I went into Circuit City the other day - they have a preview DVD of "Click." It reminded me of "Space Balls", where Col. Sanders proclaims to Dark Helmet that due to advances in technology, movies are now released on video before the movie is even finished!)

I do think Saturday nights are the absolute worst though. That is when the people without any imagination or love for movies come out on dates because they can't think of anything else to do. For them, the movie is all about the social experience and has very little to do with the film itself. It is a place to see people and to be seen.

I am looking forward to having my Friday nights free in the future.

Along the same lines though, for teenagers, where is there for them to go and be social for two hours on a Saturday night? The police and business owners have done such a thorough job of denying them any use of public spaces that their only option is to pay that high premium just to have a place to sit and talk for a couple of hours. Otherwise they could go to a restaurant, which now will throw them out as soon as they finish eating...

True, but I grew up in Columbus and I never had a problem finding things to do on Saturday night. I went to a friend's house and played games. I don't know why that is such a hard concept for today's people. And the couple that was so involved in text-messaging were adults... Sigh. Still, it is a good point, although when I hear people complain that there is nothing to do in Columbus, I have to ask - "What exactly do you want to do?" I never had a problem with that growing up. Oddly, few people who make that complaint to me can answer my question (a handful mention dancing, but that is about it).

I think the only hope for movie theaters is to institute a "quiet theater" for the movie-lovers. In that theater, if you make a peep or disrupt the film, you are thrown out. And in the "regular theater" you just sit there for two hours gabbing and no one cares.

Not a bad idea at all! I just hate going to the theatre anymore because of all the noise and interruptions.

 

[InzeladunMaster]

I have a solution! What if we just beam the movie directly to their cell phones?

I would not be surprised if that became normal - and I would be equally not surprised to see someone watching a movie on their cell phone while in the theatre watching the same movie!

I hate cell-phones. I hate them, I hate them, I hate them!

 

[Grimhelm]

I defended against having a cell phone for quite a while. Eventually it was my parents who bought me one so that they could keep in contact with me when they were watching the kids. I am still not fond of them.

This issue has been raised before, but I am still puzzling out our technology as it applies to communication and connectedness vs. non-connectedness to our fellow human beings. It brings up so many strange issues. One phenomenon I find interesting is the sudden confrontation with people and their otherwise private conversations suddenly made public...

 

[InzeladunMaster]

I defended against having a cell phone for quite a while. Eventually it was my parents who bought me one so that they could keep in contact with me when they were watching the kids. I am still not fond of them.

Yeah, but people used to get by just fine without them in the same situation. Still, eventually I am sure I will get one, too, and for similar reasons.

(Note - I am still resisting the monster-big-screen TVs... wow, talk about destroying the atmosphere of a home! Another rant for later, I guess.)

This issue has been raised before, but I am still puzzling out our technology as it applies to communication and connectedness vs. non-connectedness to our fellow human beings. It brings up so many strange issues. One phenomenon I find interesting is the sudden confrontation with people and their otherwise private conversations suddenly made public...

Yep - one of the girls answering over 13 (yes I counted) calls was arguing with a friend/boyfriend. I honestly don't know what I would have to talk about on a cell phone; some people never seem to have them off. If I needed to talk to someone I sure wouldn't go to a movie to do it! I would either get it taken care of, or post-pone dealing with it until after the movie.

I barely use the phone I have and could probably get along just fine without that one. A day does not go by when I don't have at least one student racing out of my classroom to answer the damn cell-phone. I find that disruptive and, short of confiscating them when they enter the classroom, there is no rule I can set that people will obey if they don't want to obey it. Same with movie theatres, I guess.

One can hardly stand in line at a grocery store (or other places where ques are common) without listening to people's private lives via their cell-phone conversations.

 

[Grimhelm]

Of course I agree that we got along fine without them. I am not really against the technology, though. I am mostly perturbed with stupidity and rudeness. Give Vincent Darlage a pick up truck and he is likely to use it conscientously and for functional tasks. Give the same truck to Billy Joe Bob Streeval and he is likely to tear off the muffler and put monster wheels on it so he can enjoy and flaunt the full powers of his stupidity and inadequacy.

In truth, our technology is simply advancing faster than the mean of our intellectual capacity to deal with it.

And here is an idea for big televisions (because I love watching movies on a big one). Draw a curtain over the set. You could do it tastefully. Or simply have it behind doors that are easy to shut. My sister drapes a colorful tapestry over hers when she doesn't watch it.

 

[InzeladunMaster]

Of course I agree that we got along fine without them. I am not really against the technology, though. I am mostly perturbed with stupidity and rudeness.... and flaunt the full powers of his stupidity and inadequacy. In truth, our technology is simply advancing faster than the mean of our intellectual capacity to deal with it.

Perfectly said!

 

[Fyrestryke]

When I goto the movies, I take my cell phone with me (mainly cause I don't wear a watch/and I don't want it to be seen in my unattended vehicle in the parking lot) and put it on full silent mode. Then, when I'm done watching the movie and I'm out of the theater, I check it to see if anyone called cause I wouldn't know if I'd actually turned it off.