Have you been to a movie theatre lately? We prefer to go the VIP theatre route. Although it’s more expensive it’s also much more comfortable and people tend to behave better, overall. Even though there’s bar service, we haven’t had any candy-bag-rattlers, screen back-talkers or other disruptions while in VIP.
Years ago, there were reminders to mind your manners. Oh sure, they run ads on the screen that tell you to turn off your phone and shut your pie hole but it doesn’t seem to be as effective as what I remember from my youth. A real live staff member would stand in front of the screen and tell you, essentially, that if you ruined the movie for anyone you would be shown the door. Oh, and there’s a special on popcorn!
A newsletter I subscribe to unearthed some old time movie-theatre posters that patrons couldn’t help but see as they queued up for the latest talkie.
Even a baseball cap can cause consternation for those in the seats behind the wearer.
That’s all well and good but now, when the management is a pimply-faced teenager wearing a badge that says Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is his favourite film, you might not get a lot of satisfaction.
I always seem to sit near the old birds who want to discuss what other film they saw an actor in, whether they’ve been to the city where a scene is taking place and what detailed ailment is keeping Martha from joining them that night. I try very hard to ignore them but it’s made even more difficult now with my hearing aids, because they turn up audience dialogue to the same level as what’s coming from the sound system. Hearing aids can’t tell that one conversation is necessary while the other is annoying.
It’s always been my theory that home movie viewing has ruined the theatre experience because people forget they’re not in their own living rooms. However, these old posters from the US Library of Congress prove me wrong. People have always needed to be reminded how to behave in public!