When I saw the Touch of Evil restoration, it was in a cinema that was also showing the re-release (in the UK at least) of the original version of Get Carter. A group in the row in front of us turned up in good time, but start muttering to themselves as the opening shot starts to roll. Eventually, one turns round and says, in a voice loud enough to be heard by the whole place, “We want Get Carter, is this Touch of Evil?” Slightly sarcastically, I indicate that it is - by now Chuck and Janet Leigh are almost at the border post. As they shuffle out, someone from the back with enough taste and presence of mind shouts “Don’t go, this is much better!” They went anyway.
A slight correction to the analogy: Going to a movie late seems as pointless as buying a book and starting to read it at Chapter 3.
I don’t think it is their intention to be late. I seriously doubt they actually enjoy missing the first 5 or 10 minutes of the movie. Usually, from my own experience, the people who are late or just about late are those in large groups, say 5+.
Trying to get a bunch of people anywhere on time is an adventure in itself. If you’re just gonna go with your SO, you either live with them, or the two of you are within a resonable driving distance, so very little planning is needed, since communication is relatively easy.
With a large group, however, you have to contend with varying work schedules, driving distances, family obligations, etc., etc… Maybe some people get off of work right before the movie starts, so there they are, rushing to the theater. Maybe to a theater they’ve never been to, so perhaps they take a wrong turn somewhere.
Anyway, I just empathize with them. I’ve been in that predicament all too often. Our gang goes to the movies about two times a month, and trying to coordinate our schedules is like pulling teeth. All of us get off at different times, we’re trying to work in dinner, and… well, it’s just a big mess.
As someone pointed out earlier, the published start times are when the commercials start, followed by (where I go) 6 previews and a commercial for the theatre. So people who come in 10 minutes after the movie starts are getting there 30 minutes after the start time.
Simple solution for getting a group there on time: Plan your trip so that you will arrive 30 minutes early if everything goes as planned. If things go as planned, you’re early, no harm done. If things go wrong, and you’re delayed, you have a large cushion.
I’ve never entered a movie theater after the movie started. If I’m going to miss the beginning, I just go at a different time. I realize this is not an option for most large groups, but the above solution I profferred is.
I hate when they ask “could you move down a few seats?”
The people described in the OP are rude, self centered, inconsiderate, and lazy.
I also hate the opening of the candy during the movie. Open it before it starts. You can’t hear the dialogue because some twit is trying to open his bag of sour patch kids and it’s making all kinds of racket.
It’s even better when, after they take 10 minutes to open the bag, they make disgusting noises while eating it. They sound like a heard of fucking (am I allowed ot use that here) cows chewing their cud.
Hmmmm, I guess this is why the last time I went to the move was in July. It’s a pity, because AFAIC, nothing is as good as a Sunday Matinee.
I thought cows only chew their cud after sex.
What really annoys me is people who get to the front of the ticket line without even knowing what movie they want to see or what time. Did you not see the marquee because you have detached retinas, or because you were too busy pinching your date’s ass?
I guess this is why over here (Sweden) you get a seat number on your ticket. There’s no messing then.
Mom and Dad drop the kids off so they can go to a party or get in a little sack-time.
Depending on the ages of the kids, you now have the additional problem of getting them to shut up or keep them from running up and down the aisles. We have only one theater in our small town and that is exactly what happens every weekend, so I try to go on weeknights when they hopefully are studying. One evening I finally got up and demanded a refund. Got it, too.
I realize this isn’t exactly following the thread, but it counts as interfering with my enjoyment of the film.
Thanks
Quasi