Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Excessive talking during a film presentation

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Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 03-13-2004, 02:50 PM:

I hope you will forgive me for bringing up this topic again because I know it has been discussed many times before but I would like to know how some of you as a member of the audience would get some people to 'Shut Up" !. I saw "TWISTED" two weeks ago and sitting next to me was a couple who kept talking throughout the performance. The wife had the biggest mouth of the two and every time she opened her mouth, her husband would respond. They knew talking in a normal voice during a movie was not proper so these two idiots kept their conversation at a whisper but it was still very annoying as hell! The signature theatre I saw the movie does not show policy trailers that remind people to keep quiet during a performance but even if they did, these people would never keep their mouth shut. I would have moved but the show was almost a sell out and there were no good seats left. I remember a time when I took two good friends, a man and his wife who were about my age to see the Civil War film "GLORY" when it was first released and these friends rarely go to the movies. Warren who was very knowledgeable about the war felt compelled to talk and I just quietly asked him to refrain from talking until it was over and we can discuss the film when we went to dinner after the movie. He obliged and one of the first things I said to him at dinner was how sorry I was to ask him to keep quiet during the movie and informed him that the majority of people who go to movies do not appreciate other people talking during a film performance. He saw my point and I think I converted him to be well mannered film patron.

-Claude

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 03-13-2004, 02:55 PM:

When I sit in one of our theatres and there are annoying people, I ask them nicely if they couldn`t keep quiet. Even when you ask people nicely, they often get agressive. Then I simply call the box office and they send somebody in. These people are our customers, but they are destroying the movie experience for the other paying customers as well.

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 03-13-2004, 02:59 PM:

Any talking during a movie is excessive. At our theatre we warn offenders to shut up once, the second time we have to go into the auditorium they are asked to leave. No refunds or passes are given.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 03-13-2004, 03:30 PM:

Michael & Dustin,

I did go to a young usher once to complain about two kids talking during a performance and she went into the auditorium and told these two big mouth teenagers " "Will you stop taliking so THIS gentleman can enjoy the movie"? [Confused]

They ignored her and I just went to the boxoffice and asked for a refund which they reluctanly did. By the way, fingering unruly movie patrons can be dangerous. What will prevent them from waiting for you in the parking lot to assult you?

It is because of the experience I had during "THWISTED" and the above incident, I watch most of my movies now on DVD at home in peace and quiet with sound almost as good as our best theatres. I am now waiting for the day when large screen Plasma monitors come down in price so I no longer will need to go to a movie theatre anymore.

-Claude

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 03-13-2004, 04:24 PM:

Last night I saw "Touching the Void" as a local arthouse theater. Four people were talking very loudly at the beginning of it, and the ENTIRE audience of about 150 gave a near simultaneous "ahem" and they shut up. Of course this is an upscale theater attractive to the upscale people, most of whom do not put up with it.

however once at a showing of star trek nemesis, there was a couple that was cracking jokes through the movie. I went over to them and said "could you please be quiet, we all paid to see this movie and not listen to you". The guy told me to "Fuck off asshole, I paid to do whatever the hell I want".

I imediately got security and they removed him, explained that his behavior would get him arrested and not just expelled. He obliged and apologized to me and shut the hell up for the extent of the movie.

He even left before the lights came up. I don't think he wanted anyone to really get a chance to see his face so he scrammed.

I don't put up with it. I never have. If someone will not shut up, I will demand and get a refund from the theater and then I will promise that theater that I will do everything in my power to get as many people as possible to not ever go there again.

If a theater cannot properly silence idiots and jerks then they seem to attract even more of them. I however will get people to STOP going to that venue if at all possible. I reward good theaters that deal with it well, and punish ones that are only in this for the almighty dollar, damn the customers to hell!

Ciao

Dave

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 03-13-2004, 04:51 PM:

Dave,

By the time you had done all you can do to get theatre security to take care of excessive talkers at a movie, you would have missed at least 15 minutes of the film not to mention the couple of notches your blood pressure has risen during the unfortunate episode. I have noticed the area you see a movie can determine the type of audiance you can expect. Pacific's Kahala 16 and their Koko Marina theatres are in a rather upscale area of Honolulu and the people who attend movies at those theatres are very well mannered. The company's other theatre complex, the Kapolei 16 near me attracts a lot of people from the Waianae coast (West Oahu) and it is a rather undeveloped area of the island and many people living there are not very refined when it comes to having good manners. For this reason, there is a very good possibility of having a problem with a ill mannered person who feel he or she has paid for the right to talk during a movie. I no longer go to the Kapolei 16 because the managers have always turned a deaf ear to me everytime I complain. I now see most of my movies at Pacific;s competition, Signature's Highland and the Dole Cannery. It is a pity because Pacific does have better theatres than Signature but with the exception of my friend Alan Sakaida, their management personal is not very good when it comes to customer relation.

-Claude

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 03-13-2004, 04:53 PM:

We just tell them to shut the flock up. If they keep jabbering, we will invite them to leave.

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 03-13-2004, 06:08 PM:

In 1981 or so, I saw CLASH OF THE TITANS at the (then) AMC Omni Theatres complex in Atlanta.

About 10 minutes into the movie, several locals started hooting and laughing and generally causing distractions. I went out and got an usher. He stood in the back of the theatre for about a minute. Then, he walked up to the group and told them to shut up. One of the 'patrons' stood up and said,"WHO complained?" The usher pointed at ME and said "HE DID!"

I was with 2 other friends. After the feature, we left. We had to walk about 3 blocks to our car. We were followed the whole way there by the people that were causing all the noise in the theatre.

I really expected trouble, but luckily, it didn't happen.

I never went back to the AMC Omni after that, or any other AMC theatre either.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 03-13-2004, 08:24 PM:

I can't believe these idiot ushers who point out the people who complained. When we get a complaint (which is rare), I always precede the complainer (who has told me where the noise is coming from) back into the auditorium, so when I'm telling the offenders to shut up, the complainer is getting back into their seat, so the idiots never notice who complained.

Even in a single screen, it is completely impossible to monitor the whole crowd all the time. I hate it when someone waits until AFTER the movie to tell me there were talkers. I'm more than happy to give a free pass to the complainer, but I'd much rather they complain during the movie and receive a pass, so that the REST of the crowd doesn't get their movie ruined for them.

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 03-13-2004, 10:06 PM:

Daydreaming...

How about a system of say, 3, microphones strategically located in the auditorium feeding a digital monitoring system which also gets a feed of all the audio channels. Taking into account time delays, room acoustics, etc. it would subtract movie sound and make allowances for ordinary crowd and candy wrapper noise isolating those who are talking. With multiple microphones the system could locate them give or take a seat. Beam a spotlight on them til they shut up.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 03-13-2004, 10:10 PM:

You know that sounded like a pretty idea right up until you suggest only using a spotlight. [evil]

If somebody is talking and the theatre staff don't where a uniform I just get up and kick people out myself.

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 03-13-2004, 10:40 PM:

How about some good ole' S.P.E.C.T.R.E. seats, with an usher assigned to "the red button" for the night? [evil]

AJG

Posted by John-Layton Jenkins (Member # 2080) on 03-14-2004, 02:13 PM:

I just saw Passion of Christ, for the second time, with my mother and her friend, which was their first time. Throughout the entire movie, a hispanic gentleman and his wife were reading the subtiles in Spanish to his/her mother. We were getting so pissed. If you cannot read the subtitles, what is the point of going to the movie?

Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 03-14-2004, 02:52 PM:

Oh, I've just about had it with going to the movies. People these days are rude and do not know how to act in public anymore. It's really sad.

And here in SF, this can be kind of a rough town. It's best not dare say anything to anyone making noise in a theatre, let alone the staff try to get involved. You can get stabbed or shot these days.

I read some of the other threads on here about theatre employees 'taking candy away from people' or 'arresting people for theatre hopping' and I'm blown away. Hah, even try any of those things here in SF and you will have a BIG problem on your hands.

I blame the violent video games, endless plethora of new media entertainment, lack of parenting, and HOLLYWOOD--> for producing and releasing such fast food crap at rapid fire, for the training of the movie going public to act this way. And since the DVD comes out after 2 months now, there is no respect patrons have for the movie house anymore. Going to the movies is not like it was in the 40's. It's just yet another venue of entertainment to throw away your money on these days. And since it's viewed as such, this is why people think they can talk and act a fool in the movie theatre now just like they do at home or on the streets.

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 03-14-2004, 03:49 PM:

Eric, you said customers are rude. Not only that, they are (some) a bunch of low-life filthy pigs!

Just yesterday, I noticed someone carved their name in the toilet paper case in the men's restroom. Then someone highlighted the name with fecal material, presumably with a piece of soiled toilet paper. [Mad]

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 03-14-2004, 05:00 PM:

Eric,

I used to enjoy going to the movies in San Francisco when I used to travel a lot and have noticed how great people behaved in movie theatres as recent as 1999 when I last visited your city and saw a movie. The only time I had a problem was when a couple who sat behind me at the AMC Kabuki Theatre during a performance of "JURASSIC PARK" continued to talk during the movie. After I could take it no longer, I turned and asked them politely if they could cease talking during the movie. After giving me a nasty look, they stopped talking and for some reason left about ten minutes later. Beside the AMC Kabuki, the theatres I frequented a lot were the Northpoint at Fisherman's Wharf, The Regency #1 & #2, Alhambra, Royal and The Coronet. I have also been to the Cinema 21 on Chestnut Street and the multplex theatres operated by United Artist next to the Regency Theatres on Van Ness Avenue. With the exceptioon of the Kabuki, the UA multiplex on Van Ness , all of the other theatres have closed and that is very sad.

-Claude

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 03-14-2004, 07:24 PM:

The UA plex on Van Ness is the Galaxy.

-Aaron

Posted by John Carpenter (Member # 1488) on 03-14-2004, 08:28 PM:

John-Layton Jenkins said:

quote:
Throughout the entire movie, a hispanic gentleman and his wife were reading the subtiles in Spanish to his/her mother. We were getting so pissed. If you cannot read the subtitles, what is the point of going to the movie?

The exact thing happened to me last week at the Muvico 21 in Orlando. Only thing was a father was reading it in Spanish to 4 kids!!! Everybody was pissed but he was clueless about it. Add the fact that after the film was over he told his "kids" that they were going to go and see another movie for free... Course I had to go and make sure their Customer Service Desk knew [evil]

At least at my theatre when a customer complains, I explain to them that I will let them go in a few minutes ahead of me and then I will go in and take care of the problem so the offender does not know who complained. One chance to quiet down and then the are removed.

Posted by Trevor Bailey (Member # 75) on 03-14-2004, 10:40 PM:

John, I used to do something similar at the theaters I managed. I tired to be sure that all of the staff knew the policy for noise complaints:

1.Get a general description from the complainant of who and where.

2.Have the complainant return to their seat and inform them a staff member will monitor the auditorium in five minutes.

3.Staff member enters the auditorium and stands at the rear and attempts to "catch them in the act".

4.Only if the staff member can verify the talking should they approach the offenders and inform them of theater policy: "Sir/Ma'am, we strive to provide an enjoyable experience for all of our guests, so please be quiet during the film. If you don't think that will be possible, let's go the box office now for a refund."

Most adults got the hint...but many Friday night teens got the boot because they just were not raised to have manners.

Posted by Pravin Ratnam (Member # 1417) on 03-15-2004, 12:08 AM:

What's amazing is the number of people who still use cellphones during movies. In fact, I saw one moron checking his cell for messages during the "DO NOT USE CELL PHONES" announcement. This is what I do to cellphone users. I pick up any stray popcorn kernel on the ground and fire it at the person's head. So far, I have done it twice, and I have not been caught. The idiot was not taking the hint when a bunch of us randomly made our disapproval vocally obvious through words or grunts.

If someone keeps talking behind me, I usually just sit up straight blocking their view( I am a tall guy and I usually slouch a bit when sitting in non stadium theaters).

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 03-15-2004, 12:38 AM:

There should be a requirement that each house have a 6'4", 235 pound "bouncer" named Bubba on staff to take care of such issues...

>>> Phil

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 03-15-2004, 03:41 PM:

Phil,

I'm 6'4", 300lbs and my name is Ian. I don't smile much and have an evil looking goatee. It doesn't help, people still disrespect me.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 03-15-2004, 03:54 PM:

This could be the reason Ian.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 03-15-2004, 04:18 PM:

There have been times when I would pick up my cel phone when I see a "Do not use cel phone" reminders' in a policy trailer but only to turn if off if I had forgot to do it earlier when I entered the theatre. I forgot to turn off my phone once during a movie and a call came through. Thank God, I never allow my phone to ring without vibrating first. When it did, I quietly answered the phone and told the person who called that I was in a movie theatre and would call him back immediately after the movie. The cel phone was immediately turned off after that call.

-Claude

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 03-19-2004, 01:02 PM:

The old Filmore East knew what to do. The house was patrolled by 6 burly football player types as ushers. Any patron who was dumb enough to cause a disturbance, the usher who first sees it would hold his flashlight high in the air and aim it at the perp's face, wiggling it back and forth so as to catch the eye of each of the other ushers. As each saw the other's raised flashlight, they in turn turned raise theirs shining it on the perp, wiggling them back and forth on the guy's face. If the unfortunate chap didn't cease and desist, all of a sudden all six would keep their lights on him and decend upon the seat location, pulling him up and out of it by his shirt or jacket and, lifting him a foot off the ground, would wisk him out of the theatre. It was so well coordinated that it happened in almost the blink of an eye. One minute the guy was acting like an ass, there was a flash of light and movement and then he was gone! Any audience seeing this just once during a show became very docile, to say the least.

As for chatty, noisey, celphone carrying patrons? No problem; we have a simple policy -- we hose them down with the fire hose. [Wink]

Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 03-19-2004, 01:15 PM:

*Preparing myself for the barrage of concerned responses*

The best solution would be to have an usher carry a gun loaded with blanks. You tell the customer once, politely, to be quiet. If they so much as question you or argue that they "Paid to do whatever they want" just explain to them that YOU can make noise in a theater too, and fire a few rounds into the air. Then ask if they would like a pass to come back another time. [Smile]

Possible consequences would be:
1. A customer(s) carrying a similar weapon loaded with live ammunition.

2. The usher themselves loading the "deterrent" with live ammunition.

3. The legal consequences of the policy.

That's about all.

=TMP=

Posted by Pravin Ratnam (Member # 1417) on 03-20-2004, 11:32 AM:

Tom, I wouldn't be surprised if the Scary Movie scene with the cell phone lady in the theater was based on your reaction to an obnoxious moviegoer.
[evil]