Weirdest Theater Experience Ever

[Rutabaga]

So I took my dad to see POTC today, and we both had the single strangest theater experience we've ever had. We always gripe and complain about unruly children, crying babies, things like that...but has anyone else here ever had their moviegoing experience upset by little old ladies?

:eek

So these 2 little old ladies come in with a little old man at least 5 to 10 minutes into the movie. You can't miss that they're there because they're nearly yelling at each to find seats. (I think it's safe to say that at least one of them had some amount of deafness going on.) Then one of them starts coming into the back row where we're sitting and proceeds to nearly walk right into my father's legs. I know theaters are dark, but we could see her clearly, and it was as if she had not a single clue that anyone was sitting in those chairs. Both my father and I immediately put our hands up to stop her and were like, "Watch it! There are people sitting here!" She kind of turns around, they start trying to figure out where to sit again, then here comes the other one doing almost the same exact thing as the first one, nearly walking right into my dad. They were all atwitter, and finally I said, "Jeez (or some word to that effect), do we just have to move down?" And we did, we shifted down 3 or 4 seats to give them room.

Then they sat there and talked for probably about 10-15 minutes before they finally calmed down, all in loud tones of voice. I swear, it was the first time I nearly got up to punch a little old lady. All my dad felt like doing was going over there and telling them that next time they come to a movie, they should arrive a few minutes early so they can see what the heck they're doing and where the heck they're going.

It was just so freaking WEIRD...anyone else ever experience anything like this with the older folks?

:eek

[Ryan Pode]

That's just... weird. I've never seen old people at the movies actually. That's probably because I usually go late at night.

[sirdizzy]

I use to run a theatre and we had one theatre that was pretty dark when the show got going (I mean we were a little bit of an older theatre having been around 25 years) and I always had old people coming out complaining how dark it was and how they were going to die trying to find a seat. We always kept flashlights at the podium and maybe once a month we would have to use them to escort an old person to their seats.

Once an old guy lost his wife and we ended up searching the theatre for 20 minutes looking for her, she ended up going to the restroom and when coming back went into the wrogn theatre

[Crystal]

Not really the same thing but.. Once two of my friends and I were at a theater and the previews were showing. We were discussing the trailers after they were over in a quiet voice, as was everyone around us. In fact, we were probably being more quiet that most people.

After maybe the second or third trailer, the guy behind us taps the back of my chair really hard and pretty much screams "Will you guys just shut up! We're trying to watch a movie here!". It's really unlike me but I was so stunned I just yelled back "No, we won't!". If we were really bothering him that badly, he could have at least asked us nicely.. but we weren't even doing anything "wrong".

He didn't say anything else and we just went on as before, and of course we stayed quiet during the movie.. Maybe he was upset because we didn't like a trailer or something. Who knows.

[Hartus Kenobi]

I've definitely had annoying people like that sit near me in a theater, but I don't recall it ever being old people. With the exception of arriving late and being loud while trying to find seats. But I'm forgiving about that.

[Laodice Laos]

Nope, old people and I generally just stick to our separate corners.

However I've had my share of showdowns with punk young'uns who think they are witty, misanthropic-chic gods. I dumped mountain dew on one.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I had some nuns sit next to me and talk during the first part of a movie. I couldn't really tell them to knock it off though. :uhoh

My worst experience with old people at the movies was at a showing of Attack of the Clones. It was a matinee, and this old guy who obviously was part deaf was explaining the movie/asking questions to his wife in a loud voice during the whole thing.

If I hadn't already seen it like three times I might have said something but instead I just stewed. :grumble

[sirdizzy]

Not really the same thing but.. Once two of my friends and I were at a theater and the previews were showing. We were discussing the trailers after they were over in a quiet voice, as was everyone around us. In fact, we were probably being more quiet that most people.

After maybe the second or third trailer, the guy behind us taps the back of my chair really hard and pretty much screams "Will you guys just shut up! We're trying to watch a movie here!". It's really unlike me but I was so stunned I just yelled back "No, we won't!". If we were really bothering him that badly, he could have at least asked us nicely.. but we weren't even doing anything "wrong".

He didn't say anything else and we just went on as before, and of course we stayed quiet during the movie.. Maybe he was upset because we didn't like a trailer or something. Who knows.


you were in the wrong more than him, I think he could have handled it better but I can not even begin to think of how many movies I have had ruined by people who refuse to shut up in the movie. I normally don't mind people talking in the trailers if they are quite and respectful like you were, the idiots screaming out at them does bother me and I normally won't tell people to shut up until the movie has started and they continue to talk. But the thing is with most of these idiots who have shut up problems in a movie asking them nicely to be quiet never works you have to yell at them. And your reaction would have only caused me to be more volitaile then before. But then again like I said I don't your talking would have bothered me since it was low and not meant to be intrusive, me and wife do the same sometimes whisper to each other during a movie but always a whisper.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Dude, they were talking during the trailers. :rolleyes

I hate talking during a movie but I tolerate it during the trailers.

[Razielle Alastor]

Dude, they were talking during the trailers. :rolleyes

I hate talking during a movie but I tolerate it during the trailers.

Yeah agreed.

We went to the dollar theater the other day and it was a good 15-20 minutes into the movie when these people came in. Now, yeah it was the dollar theater, yeah it was during the day and yeah it was a kids movie, but..


I have no problems keeping my 2 very hyper, very high strung, very loud kids quiet. They know that if they talk during a movie, they don't go the movies anymore. End of story, but I digress..

Anyways, these people were like 8-10 strong, I think 2 Mom's and a fleet of kids. The theater wasn't packed. There were seats everywhere. They stopped right next to the row we were in, and ARGUED back and forth with the kids who wanted to sit in the front row. The Mom's did not, but instead of just putting the "Mom foot" forward and telling them to hush and sit, they continued to bicker back and forth with their kids, completely not in control of the situation. for a good long while, right next to my seat. At which point I sat straight up, turned around and locked my most hateful STHU stare on both Mom's.

They promptly sat.


Right behind me.... But they did shut up. :D

Don't even get me started about the drunk guy, it was another time and not such a nice story. :lol

[Dasquian Belargic]

The only people I have ever had problems with at the cinema are kids. Occasionally, you get a group who feel the need to chip in "witty" comments throughout the film, or just sit casually chatting. In that kind of situation, I just shout 'shut up' and they do. Then again it does seem, from stories like this and others that I have read over time, that the British movie-going public is much more subdued and reserved than our American counterparts.

[Razielle Alastor]

Then again it does seem, from stories like this and others that I have read over time, that the British movie-going public is much more subdued and reserved than our American counterparts.

Does not surprise me.

[Mu Satach]

I had a guy come in and sit in front and to the left of me and start text messaging someone. The bright blue glow was really painful all during the trailers, but I didn't say anything because I thought for sure he would stop once the movie started. Nope. :(

I finally had to lean forward and tell him that the light was shining right into my eyes. He was polite and moved so he covered up the glow, but always struck me as really really odd.

Who wants to text message when you've just paid bucks to see a movie?

[sirdizzy]

I don't understand cell phones in movies to begin with, is it so hard to turn your life off for two hours and enjoy a peaceful movie. Is it so hard to eat dinner without being interupted by a phone, I use to remember people getting mad about telemarkers during dinner but now they bring their phones. Is it so hard to drive home or to the store or next door without your phone. I mean 5-7 years ago you lived and breathed without a cell phone and you did just fine but now most people would shrivel up in die if they were parted from their cell phone for more than an hour or two.

It drives my wife crazy, I just won't know where I left my cell phone when i get home its just not that important to me, it'll be in a different room or upstairs and when I finally go find it and check it I'll have like 20 missed calls.