Talking during a film

[Harpo Speaks]

Something akin to the Bystander Effect I reckon. Plus not wanting to miss three minutes of the film.

[Mini]

What about cult screenings or all-nighters? Personally I don't want to hear some prick's interjections during a Nightmare on Elm Street marathon (which is why I'm glad Johnny Depp doesn't appear on the DVD commentary), but I get that these events are held for a certain amount of drinking and joining in. And I'm obviously not talking about Rocky Horror or The Room. I went to the Evil Dead trilogy at the Prince Charles and there was a group "participating" throughout. Their first comment elicited a laugh from the crowd, which they took as an invitation to never shut up. Until someone turned around and punched one of them right in the face. I'd have started with a verbal warning (maybe he had and I just hadn't heard), but to be honest I was very pleased.

[Wet Blanket]

Why didn't you complain to the staff? This is what we have to do. You will miss three minutes of the film though.

The thing is, some seventeen-year-old sixth former on minimum wage is probably as loath to get into an argument with a troublesome patron as anyone else.

[Josef K]

I find people eating food during the film more annoying. At least when people are yakking it's generally acceptable to tell them to shut up.
Crunching your way through a film is seen as acceptable and you'd be the dickhead if you told them to stop gurgling a £7 tub of popcorn.

Once I detect someone eating loudly that's it, the film is ruined. I'll find myself angrily listening out and anticipating a crunch. Cunts, the lot of them.

[MoonDust]

Mrs MoonDust talks in films all the time, and TV shows, though only when we're at home. Never in the cinema. Still a bit annoying though, especially if I'm watching something I haven't seen before so end up missing some dialogue. Then she tuts and huffs if I gently tell her to shush as I'm trying to follow what's going on.

She often does it too at really quiet moments in films, which although makes sense from the point of view of not wanting to interrupt, still can spoil the experience because the silence can add to the suspense or drama.

Some times you can also tell that a film goes quiet for a reason, and it's obvious something is going to be said, and she'll talk and miss it.

One example is when we were watching Pride, and the quite touching scene where Bill Nighy is making sandwiches with Imelda Staunton in silence, then out of nowhere blurts out to his life-long friend "I'm gay..." and she's like "I know". Well, Mrs MoonDust was silent all through that scene, but then literally just as Bill said "I'm gay" she said something, completely missing the moment. Had to tell her what he said.

I love her and all but watching stuff with her can be irksome at times.

[jobotic]

Jesus lighten up. They're just films. If you want to watch it in silence get the DVD and shut the curtains. And put your phone on silent when you go on Facebook.

[MoonDust]

As to kids in films it annoys me when just because something is a 12A, that gives people license to bring in their sprogs who are too young to enjoy the film not really aimed at them and therefore get bored and start being loud. Not blaming the kids here, but the parents should be told to leave if the film they're going to see isn't for kids. Dunkirk is a 12A, but you wouldn't take a 4 year old to watch it with you, even though you could. I've seen people actually do this in other 12A films.

Get a baby sitter or stay at home!

[Vodka Margarine]

People's irritation factor with noisy twats will be heightened at the cinema because it's an expensive business these days. They haven't spent north of a tenner to hear the fascinating opinions of Andy from Orpington, or Gemma's well important phonecall. If you've parted with money on something you want to enjoy, you are entitled to not have your experience ruined by inconsiderate people.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Jesus lighten up. They're just films.

Sometimes they're more than that though, sometimes I want / need to escape from the horrors of reality and submerge myself in another world for a couple of hours, which is spoilt if someone rambles throughout them. Plus in London if you add in tickets it's often £20 a trip, which is a fuck load of money for me personally, and so not something I get to enjoy doing often.

[Twed]

It's not so much the low-level mumbling that annoys me, but the social tension. Knowing that somebody is doing something socially inappropriate and that you might have to witness somebody chastise them awkwardly, or even be expected by society to chastise them awkwardly yourself due to being the nearest person makes the experience tense and unpleasant.

I told some kids off in the cinema once. It was horrible. I wouldn't have done it if they were just talking, but they were bored and started making hooting noises. I told them to cut it out, one of the kids stared at me like he wanted to square up to me, and I told him to stop staring (firmly). I felt terrible. They were so dejected, and it is against my values to be that shitty figure of authority that crushes hijinks. Kids need hijinks. I hated myself, at age 24, being a fucking schoolteacher.

On the way out some teen girls pointed at me and said I was awesome though.

[Wet Blanket]

Jesus lighten up. They're just films. If you want to watch it in silence get the DVD and shut the curtains. And put your phone on silent when you go on Facebook.

I don't think the onus on altering their behaviour should be on the people who want to quietly absorb themselves in the film, considering that's ostensibly how you're supposed to behave in a cinema. It's the phone waving and talking cinemagoers who could just as easily have the same experience at home.

That said I think it's verging into the neurotic to get upset about rustling sweet bags or popcorn munching. 

[Twed]

That said I think it's verging into the neurotic to get upset about rustling sweet bags or popcorn munching.

I know it's bullshit media science, but the idea of Misophonia where certain sounds connect directly to the anger centres of the brain is a good way of explaining how that feels for some of us. It's not a conscious, active thing we choose to be annoyed by due to rationality.

[hermitical]

Jesus lighten up. They're just films. If you want to watch it in silence get the DVD and shut the curtains. And put your phone on silent when you go on Facebook.

"Stop talking, for fuck's sake"

[Sin Agog]

It's not so much the low-level mumbling that annoys me, but the social tension. Knowing that somebody is doing something socially inappropriate and that you might have to witness somebody chastise them awkwardly, or even be expected by society to chastise them awkwardly yourself due to being the nearest person makes the experience tense and unpleasant.

I told some kids off in the cinema once. It was horrible. I wouldn't have done it if they were just talking, but they were bored and started making hooting noises. I told them to cut it out, one of the kids stared at me like he wanted to square up to me, and I told him to stop staring (firmly). I felt terrible. They were so dejected, and it is against my values to be that shitty figure of authority that crushes hijinks. Kids need hijinks. I hated myself, at age 24, being a fucking schoolteacher.

On the way out some teen girls pointed at me and said I was awesome though.

I remember thinking when I noticed some eleven, twelve year olds had sneaked into my screening of Apocalypto, "I'd 100% have snuck into this at their age if I had my friends with me spurring me on." They were being perfectly quiet; they just wanted the experience of sneaking into an 18 action movie (a rite of passage much harder to fulfill now than in the '80s/'90s).  When I noticed some prissy schweinhund had gone off to tell on them, I told them to quickly duck down below the seats near to me before they got caught.  But the snifferhound BBFC plant and his new usher friend systematically went from seat to seat until they found them.  Was so disappointed for them, even if Apocalypto is pretty hardcore for a general release film.

[jobotic]

Sometimes they're more than that though, sometimes I want / need to escape from the horrors of reality and submerge myself in another world for a couple of hours, which is spoilt if someone rambles throughout them. Plus in London if you add in tickets it's often £20 a trip, which is a fuck load of money for me personally, and so not something I get to enjoy doing often.

Yeah i was joking. I agree. I would only go the cinema to watch a film with the kids now, and that's rare as it's so expensive. There's a film society near me who put on films in a room above a cinema, cheap, good films and you get a glass of wine. And no talking in the filmy bits.

[Brundle-Fly]

I went to see a special screening of Quadrophenia (1979) when they released the silver anniversary DVD of it in 2000. It was only a low key affair at the Prince Charles: none of the actors who were in it were there but the director Franc Roddam and some of the old production crew had turned up to see the film on the big screen in all its glory. In fact, the place was half empty until unfortunately, a large group of pissed up aging mods piled into the auditorium and made a right royal racket throughout most of the film. They were shouting out lines before they were said, singing like a football mob to most of the musical numbers, chanted "We are the mods" in the "We are the mods" bit. To be honest, it was fun at first but not after twenty minutes. I remember looking over at Roddam throwing his hands in the air in silent dismay.

They were told to pipe down eventually but the damage was done. I bumped into Roddam in the foyer afterwards and we commiserated about the disruption. He didn't seem too vexed saying we might as well have switched off the film and gone to the pub with them for an actual authentic mod experience.

[Replies From View]

I told them to quickly duck down below the seats near to me before they got caught. 

"Get your head down here!  Put this magic sausage in your mouth!  Quick!!"

[madhair60]

Christ, that plugging in the phone thing. I would have smashed it to pieces. I would have raped the phone. There, I said it. I can't take it back. I would put my fucking dick in that phone.

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Someone answered their phone during a horror movie when I was an early teen, and I genuinely don't think I've ever been as angry in my life. I think my future wife could cheat on me and I still wouldn't be as angry.

I didn't say anything though. Scared, innit.

Wasn't Scream was it?

[Twed]

I remember thinking when I noticed some eleven, twelve year olds had sneaked into my screening of Apocalypto, "I'd 100% have snuck into this at their age if I had my friends with me spurring me on." They were being perfectly quiet; they just wanted the experience of sneaking into an 18 action movie (a rite of passage much harder to fulfill now than in the '80s/'90s).  When I noticed some prissy schweinhund had gone off to tell on them, I told them to quickly duck down below the seats near to me before they got caught.  But the snifferhound BBFC plant and his new usher friend systematically went from seat to seat until they found them.  Was so disappointed for them, even if Apocalypto is pretty hardcore for a general release film.

I feel like you've restored balanced to the universe and I can finally leave Limbo knowing that my uncharacteristic behaviour has been negated by your actions.

That sounds sarcastic, but isn't.

[greenman]

I feel like the Prince Charles is one of those places that's awkwardly ambiguous about exactly how it wants its audience to behave what with all the sing along type deals and whathaveyou. Realistically with Blue Velvet you were likely dealing with (1) a group where only one of them was especially interested in the film on hand and (2) people whose prior experience with the venue was one of those more noisy shows..

Surely the example with Blue Velvet is clear? lip synching only using your lit up phone as a mike stand in.

[colacentral]

That said I think it's verging into the neurotic to get upset about rustling sweet bags or popcorn munching.

It depends on the degree of rustling and the sound level of the film. Of you're going to struggle to open your pack of fruit pastels, either do it before the film starts or during a noisy scene. If it's just general eating sounds, then yeah, you're entitled to do that.

I don't know why people feel like they absolutely have to open their packets, or rustle around the bottom to get the very last one out, or anything like that - they can't just wait an hour, or a few minutes, to eat those revels? They're either animals with no self-control, have no regard for others, or don't really get the point of actually watching a film properly.

[colacentral]

I've had someone answer their phone too, right in front of me (these people always have a ringtone switched on too.) She answered it, said at full volume "I can't talk, we're in the cinema." I was pretty livid but assumed it was an accident and let it go. Ten minutes later her phone rang again, and she answered it again in the same way - "We're in the cinema." Your phone switches off you massive cunt!

[greenman]

The great advantage of being self employed and being able to go to daytime cinema showings with its generally empty, that and imagining your a mad dictator.

[touchingcloth]

Cinemas should put up a message to be quiet during the screening of the films, and make sure mobile phones are turned off. And they should warn or eject anyone who doesn't abide by this, and it shouldn't be up to a customer to sort out the problem, you should be able to tell a member of staff. Unfortunately all of this is unlikely as teenagers make up a majority of their custom base, and they are the ones who like talking and using their mobile phones, and cinemas want their custom so will allow their behaviour to continue if it keeps them coming back. A lot of teenagers go to films they aren't even that interested in, with all their mates, because they have little else to do. And then they muck about, the little cunts.

I'm not one for confrontation, so in the past I've left a screen under the pretence of going for a slash. before dobbing in noisy cunts to staff, complete with a row number. Sometimes it can spiral into multiple kills when a kid who feels wronged grasses up everyone else they have heard make a peep of sound, or when I pull out my kitchen knife and make multiple kills.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I've had someone answer their phone too, right in front of me (these people always have a ringtone switched on too.) She answered it, said at full volume "I can't talk, we're in the cinema." I was pretty livid but assumed it was an accident and let it go. Ten minutes later her phone rang again, and she answered it again in the same way - "We're in the cinema." Your phone switches off you massive cunt!

I often go to the cinema when I'm on call.

Put the fucker on silent though, mind.

[The Masked Unit]

Anything beyond silently breathing in a cinema, the theatre etc is a cunts game which should result in a lifetime ban from any public place.

[touchingcloth]

I must confess to frequently being overcome with the urge to shout "that's gotta hurt!" every time anything painful happens on screen in the cinema. There was a good bit in Dunkirk where someone copped a bomb straight to the face that had me biting my tongue.

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Anything beyond silently breathing in a cinema, the theatre etc is a cunts game which should result in a lifetime ban from any public place.

Just thinking Darth Vadar probably didn't get to sit through many movies at the cinema.

[hewantstolurkatad]

I'm as good as gold with conversation and mobile phones in the cinema but I did get told off for trying to strategically eat some Maltesers. It wasn't the act of eating itself, more the means in which I was attempting to. There were probably two or three stragglers left rolling around at the bottom, so the situation required for me to push my hand into the packet juuuust a little further. Unfortunately this created a very mild rustling noise, lasting no longer than a second. A man sitting in the adjacent section of seats suddenly leaned over and hissed at me to be quiet, his face almost contorted with hatred and contempt. Being nice, I whispered my profuse apologies but I just remember sinking into my seat for the next fifteen minutes absolutely crimson and dumbfounded, staring ahead at the film but not really taking any of it in. Fucking hell, I've turned into one of THOSE people. Then a little later, lo and behold, several more people a lot closer to him started merrily rustling their big packets of stuff and the disingenuous prick didn't even bat an eyelid. I'll take that injustice to my grave and I no longer eat anything, anywhere, at all.

There's a fair chance you were underestimating how annoying your attempts at eating the Maltesers quietly was. Like, a super quiet but near constantly mild rustling sound is gonna aggravate someone more than a quick reach in to pull out a bunch of them. If you were making those kinds of noises throughout and then they got increasingly loud and increasingly drawn out as you were getting near the bottom, I can see it royally pissing someone off.

That being said, it wouldn't bother me much and the notion of telling off someone for trying to be quiet (even if they're failing spectacularly) would never even enter my head.