I was at the LOTR:The Return of the King. I adore these movies. I adore Viggo. So some guy is talking, talking, talking behind me, not even about the movie, but anything but.
I am fairly mild-mannered these days but I can have a temper worthy of a redhead. I put up with it for some time, and then he started talking during one of the quiet scenes, and I turned around and hissed:
“I have been waiting a WHOLE YEAR to watch this movie and not to hear YOU talk. Would you kindly SHUT THE HELL UP?”
Suddenly everybody around me was telling him to be quiet. I thought I had embarrased the hell out of my SO who is normally a very quiet, serious person, but even he told me he was grateful, although he laughed at seeing my temper whip out again.
The guy was quiet except for one snort when Frodo got stabbed by Shelob, and he left early.
I’ve only had the occasion to use this strategy once, but I was once at a movie a few rows in front of some 16 or 17 year old girls who were blathering on loudly with some really stupid observations about the movie.
After a short while, I got up and sat down right next to them. I thought I might have to escalate my violation of their personal comfort zone, but sitting next to them was enough to shut them up.
I’m looking forward to testing it out again, preferrably after having had a big Mexican dinner and a healthy glass of milk.
Just in case you were confused about your parental role models here, I’d say your dad is a passive aggressive asshole who chose to behave like a child instead of actually confronting a problem.
If he acts like this in other aspects of life, don’t be like him.
No there isn’t.
There is absolutely no difference whatsoever.
People pay money and go to a movie to hear IT not someone else’s comments, no matter how funny they think they may be. Doesn’t matter if the movie is Schindler’s List or See Spot Run II. If you can’t keep your mouth shut during a movie, wait till it hits DVD.
You should be ashamed at yourself for talking during the movie and then acting like a criminal. You’re guilty of assault. That you’d even admit to this behavior astounds me.
There were some really, really obnoxious people in the theater when we saw Pirates of the Carribean. I think they snuck beer in, and they were talking loud, dropping cans, and being generally irritating. They guy right in front of me hollered a “shut up” at them, and one guy came charging up the stairs, looking for the person who said it. He looked ready to fight, so no one moved. He went away. Not long after, someone went out and got some managers and ushers, and the people were removed. The audience applauded.
I was thinking about this the other day, and I wondered what I’d do if I were in the same situation again. The best option I could come up with is flashing my badge and telling them to sit their asses back down. In the dark of a movie theater, they wouldn’t see that it says “Assistant County Attorney” instead of “Police Officer”…
The temptation really is great. I usually don’t carry my OPM badge around with me when I’m not working, and I’d get in serious trouble (that is, fired) if it were found out I used it in such a way, but I’ve definitely been in situations where I’ve wanted to do the exact same thing.
Mine look more like FBI from a distance. Really fun when I do cold-call interviews at residences. “Mom the FBI’s at the door! And they say Mr. Smith next door is getting arrested!” Kids, gotta love how they piece 2 and 2 together into 5.
Wait…a black man who drinks, smokes weed AND is loud and obnoxious in a movie theater? I can’t believe that’s a true story!
adhemar - You’re obviously proud enough of what you did to share it with us. I’m curious what you would have done if Askia and his hommies got in your face instead of some middle-aged housewife.
I haven’t experienced anythig beyond the simple “shushing” which seemed to do the trick. I did see an old woman go to town on some other lady with her cane because she took her seat. That was pretty funny.
Unfortunately, this is Cafe Society, so I can’t tell you what I think of you, adhemar, but your actions were reprehensible. I hope we never meet in real life.
The worst of these situations I ever encountered was a concert last year, not a movie. There were two girls in front of me that stood up as soon as the headliner band came in, and didn’t sit back down. I put up with it for two songs, and then politely asked them to sit so that we could all see. They sat down, but got up before the next song was even over.
I finally told them that I paid good money for my seat so that I could sit in it, and if they wanted to stand, they should head for the front or side and not block our view. They said they paid good money for their seats, too, and they could do whatever they damned well pleased. There were about ten of us that never got a view of the stage that night, just so that those two idiots could stand up and wiggle instead of sitting down and wiggling.
And no, by the way, we weren’t on the main floor, this wasn’t a mosh pit or a dance floor, and it wasn’t a dance band. They were the only ones standing in our whole section. We might as well have been sitting in the lobby or listening to the show on the radio.
Just wanted to comment as two people have commented on my dad’s behaviour. It was a long time ago, and I have never condoned it, not even to him. When he first told me about this, I was extremely embarrassed even though I wasn’t in the theatre, and some time had already passed since the incident happened.
The in my OP was for how I’d act much differently in the same situation. Hey, I’m the type who wouldn’t make a peep if someone repeatedly kicks the back of my seat.
I bought these and they help tremendously. But really all you need is the line on the back: “Remember this isn’t a video and this isn’t your living room!” I’ve used it before without the card and it’s funny enough that most people just sit in their bewilderment.
Wow, I’ve read so many complaints about teenagers and just young people in general.
My absolute worst experiences are always with older people, both men and women. There have been about 8-10 times when I have been trying to watch a movie, and older or quite elderly people will be chatting about nothing or commenting about the movie–loudly. Sometimes I think it might be a hearing loss thing, but that can’t always be the reason.
I usually say something like “Will you please whisper?” or I will say “Shh” or somebody else will say something and spare me the trouble.
The funny thing is, as someone else mentioned, the minute I say shh or whatever, other people join in. It’s like we’re all suffering in silence, waiting for someone to have the guts to do something.
If my husband is with me he cringes with embarrassment, but I am 50 years old myself and am not about to have an inconsiderate jerk spoil my theater-going experience.
I might know them, too, since I did criminal defense in Lubbock for a while, but I’m working in another county now. In a city surrounded by fields that are brown, if you get my drift.
It’s true! I did it! Used to do it all the time! I’m way too old to pull off being that obnoxious in public now, but when I was in my teens and early twenties…?
Actually, I try to remember this situation as often as possible not because I am proud of it but because I don’t ever want to repeat it. I don’t talk in movies at all now. I am sorry that you don’t want to meet me based on one stupid act, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
Watching Desperately Seeking Susan, at a packed cinema many moons ago, I had to crack a girl in the back of the head with a Kool Mint for carrying on and on with loud laughter during non-funny moments in the film. She was about 8 rows away. Twas an exellent throw.
Way back when, I went to see House (I know, I know, but I’m a horror junkie, and sometimes it doesn’t even matter if it’s good horror) and a couple of minutes into the movie, two late arrivals sit right behind me and my girlfriend. They start jabbering away, mostly about non-movie stuff.
I turned to them and said “I paid to hear the movie, not you talking.”
The guy of the couple said in a snotty tone “There’s plenty of other seats here.”
in my OP was for how I’d act much differently in the same situation. Hey, I’m the type who wouldn’t make a peep if someone repeatedly kicks the back of my seat.