A letter to the UK cinema industry: This has to stop

February 12, 2012 By Noel Mellor In Articles

Last week I was moved by the words of Drew McWeeny who, in a piece written for HitFix, shared an empassioned open letter to what he called “the worst human being to ever sit in a theater.” It was easy to tell how this one incident was born of a growing frustration with how visiting the cinema is, for many of us, becoming more of a chore than the magical experience the marketers behind the major chains would have us believe. Incessant talkers and people with a lack of respect for others are ruining cinema – and I’m sick of it.

I for one have genuinely entertained the idea of giving up on cinema completely, cutting up my Cineworld card and focusing my film watching on the large TV and home entertainment system that sits in the corner of my living room, but it is a decision I have so far been unable to move forward with. Firstly, this is because of my commitments to this site and the 35mm Heroes Podcast – something I love doing and hope to always be a part of – but it is also because first and foremost, I love film and don’t see why I should have to.

As powerful as McWeeny’s words were, I decided it was time to take things one step further and get some answers. The letter you see below has been sent in the post and, where possible, by email to Rupert Gavin (CEO of Odeon & UCI Cinemas), Stephen Mark Wiener (CEO of Cineworld Cinemas), Tim Richards, Alan McNair and Steve Knibbs (CEO, Deputy CEO and COO of Vue Cinemas), Justin Ribbons (CEO of Empire Cinemas) and Karen Fox (GM of UK Theatres for Showcase Cinemas). I hope very much they will respond and, if they do, I will share their comments with you all.

Dear Sir/Madam

I write to you today on behalf of the readers of EatSleepLiveFilm.com and true fans of movies all over the world, to highlight a growing problem that has had many of us feeling increasingly angry and frustrated at what cinema has become. It’s a subject that has been the cause of lengthy debate on many a blog, podcast and message board over the last few years and is something I know ignites great fury within many people – and I think it’s time something were done to address it.

In almost every single movie screening I’ve been to in the last six months (save for those I’ve attended at my local arthouse cinema), I’ve been forced to endure the incessant commentary a certain breed of cinemagoer who feels it is their duty to behave inappropriately by talking during the film. These infuriating morons, one might think, would fall within the category of rowdy teenagers or rambunctious children. However, in my experience it is more often than not those who one would think might ‘know better’ that perpetrate these insufferable crimes.

On occasion, I’ve challenged these tedious malcontents, only to be met with blank confused faces and, on one occasion, the bare-faced insistence that I had imagined their 45-minute expositional audio track. At other times – as I did today during a showing of The Woman In Black (a film which I’m sure you’ll agree is very much reliant on a kind of tension that can only be created with silence) – I’ve sat back and said nothing. But regardless of which path I’ve been forced to take, I can say that in every instance my experience has consisted mainly of straining to concentrate while wondering what my best course of action might be – as opposed to enjoying the fruits of what your cinema can offer in exchange for my entrance fee.

Last week, Drew McWeeny of HitFix.com wrote a very potent article entitled ‘An open letter to the worst human being to ever sit in a theater’, which singled out one almost unbelievable incident at an AMC venue in Los Angeles. It discussed the shameless way in which one older lady, with no remorse or thought for anyone else around her, yelled, nattered and kicked her way through (ironically enough) This Means War. This genarated an incredible number of comments from people who have grown equally tired of this kind of behaviour and, as usual, spawned a great deal of debate. Of course, this extreme case took place far from our own British shores, but much of what McWeeny covered in his piece touched on the deep sense of irritation and powerlessness I and millions of others of people like suffer at the hands of these thoughtless, ignorant fools every day in your theatres.

Yours is an industry that prides itself on the ‘experience’ of the customer. But as the world of home cinema continues to evolve and more sections of the industry push towards things like premium video on demand and shorter spaces between theatrical and retail release dates, now is the time for you to stand up to protect the supposed magical experience that serves as a byline to the majority of your marketing campaigns. Lessons can certainly be learned from the zero tolerance policies of the Alamo Drafthouse cinemas over in Texas, which enforce the right for staff to eject those who flout the rules about no talking and texting. Unfortunately, at this point, I don’t see anyone even attempting to encourage such thought at any of the major UK chains.

Like the thousands of people I talk to online every day and the many visitors we have over at EatSleepLiveFilm.com, I live and breathe movies. However, at this stage I find myself in the paradoxical space of being a film lover who literally dreads going to the cinema. As much as I crave a cherished affection for the big screen experience, the one which I knew and loved many years ago, I find myself falling further and further out of love with it – and its breaking my heart.

So, with the greatest respect, I ask you to please put the minds of myself and the readers of EatSleepLiveFilm.com at ease by telling us where your company currently stands on this issue and perhaps answer some of our burning questions. Are your staff trained to deal properly with these disturbances? Do you operate any policies on ejecting people who are disruptive? And what will you do to help change this real problem for the sake of our sanity and the future of your industry?

I hope very much to hear from you soon and that you’ll take this opportunity to assure us that yours is a chain dedicated to do everything it can to rectify this scourge of our collective sanity.

Best Regards

Noel Mellor
Editor, EatSleepLiveFilm.com

Dudefozz

Really looking forward to seeing what they have to say.

Today while I was watching The Muppets a guy in his early 30′s who was there with his kids lasted no more than 10 minutes before taking out his phone and poceding to read something on it. After about 2 minutes of continual light been enmitied from his phone, I leaned over and said, loud enough for him to hear but not to loud as to disturbe others “dude! Phone!”

He promptly put his phone away and aside from his constant fiddling with his bag, not a peep was heard.

I personally take no umbridge with confronting these people, as long as it cause only minimal disturbance to other patrons.

But why should I!

Amanda

absolutely with you on all of this. In London there is a wide choice of places to see films, and as a result of the type of incidents you mention, I will always default to an independent where possible, just a different kind of cinema-goer with virtually zero risk of bother. I’m one for complaining and bringing it to the management’s attention, but then you’ve missed some of the film, disturbed other people around and you end up with less than a good film experience. What is even more difficult is low level noise and disruption and texting which leaves you distracted but borderline disturbed. My blood pressure rises even considering it. There must be a way of blocking phone signals in cinemas (and theatres) to make it not even possible to use the phone. Let’s try that!

http://www.facebook.com/mjbrooke Michael Brooke

The Renoir Cinema in Bloomsbury apparently doesn’t have a problem with mobile phones, because its architecture effectively means that it’s encased in an underground concrete bunker. Certainly, I’ve never had a problem there, but of course it’s statistically more likely to be one of those cinemas with better-behaved audiences to begin with.

http://www.filmrant.co.uk/ Noel Mellor

Cheers Marc. The phone thing is ridiculous and is another extention of what people now believe their ‘rights’ are.

I have the right to use my phone, I have the right to make you listen to me, I have the right to waste your money, I have the right to spoil your fun.

Unfortunately, in this country we don’t have the right to bare arms… or the right to bear arms. Both of which would be useful in silencing this type of moron.

http://twitter.com/littlestpicshow Mike P Williams

Nice letter, Noel. Nothing more infuriating than hearing some gimp chatter when you pay to go and see a film. I really hope they response because these disruptive people ruin it for everyone.

One example was when I saw the brilliant SENNA and, even though I sort of knew what happened at what point, some douche insisted on telling his mate what was about to happen. Massive prick. Yet when the person I was with turned round and glared, all they did was mumble some shit in retaliation.

The worse thing about some of these people is that sometimes when you ask/tell them to be quiet, they have the sheer nerve to argue back with you like they have a right.

I need to lie down.

http://www.filmrant.co.uk/ Noel Mellor

Thanks Mike. Absolutely, the woman I mentioned in the letter was a great example of someone who couldn’t believe I had the gall to speak up for my right to enjoy the film without interruption.

It was as if she had no concept of why anyone wouldn’t want to pay £8 to listen to her deepest thoughts on the subject of Martin Scorsese’s Hugo – rather than take the much less interesting option of hearing the actual dialogue.

http://twitter.com/iamluca Luca Massaro

Spot on, and fair play to formally writing to the senior execs in the cinema world, however I doubt it will be on their priority of tasks to address any time soon.

The thing is, just like someone playing loud music through their headphones on public transport, the only way to get them to stop and show some manners is through impact, i.e.: telling them and letting them know they’re disturbing everyone.

Like Dudefozz stated below, I also take a firm approach in cinemas, particularly if it’s a film that really deserves a silent viewing i.e.: ‘The woman in black’ as you stated.

No one else is gonna do it for you (maybe in IMAX, London where they have strict BFI attendees or in industry screenings), so therefore take action yourself.

It’s a shame you are choosing not to attend the cinema anymore, because without being cliche, a cinema is a completely different experience where you have to pay to experience moments and emotions that you cannot experience from your own living room. But I completely understand your frustration and I hope you get a response from said senior execs.

Luca (@iamluca)
Head of Social Media (Target MCG) – Film and Video Games Industry

http://www.filmrant.co.uk/ Noel Mellor

Thanks Luca, I certainly hope so too and I’m hoping they will see this type of thing as a chance to prove they truly do believe in the cinematic experience which, as you say, has the ability to be incredible when done well.

I know some blame will be placed at the door of diminishing takings – despite a record year for the UK box office in 2011 – but I think it could be argued that many now choose to illegally download films as a way of avoiding these types of situations.

Sad, I know, but I think this is where we are now.

http://twitter.com/scAIRcrows scAIRcrows

To chime in on this – I absolutely dread going to the cinema because of this. GUARANTEED I will encounter some sort of problem. Now – I’ve tried all sorts and the most distressing experience I had was when watching Paranormal Activity 3 at the Vue at London Westfield.

Countless times I’ve approached the talkers directly but have since taken the tack to not bother with that and go to a member of staff – if only to make this issue apparent to the cinemas.

Now, on this occasion the cinema actually had a member of staff in the screen at the time who was stood at the very front watching the film rather than monitoring the screen. Because he was oblivious to what was going or chose not to do anything about it, I left the screen and asked for the manager. I explained the problem to him and the fact that the member of staff in the screen was clearly not positioned to correctly monitor the screen.

The manager said that he would come in to the screen with me and speak to the people talking directly (I’d told him that they were sitting directly in front of us). I went back to my seat and he chose not to follow through with what he’d promised mere seconds earlier.

Understandably, I was extremely annoyed by this but thought that I’d just take it up with them after the film had finished. So, when it did, I asked to speak to him again and when he arrived, asked him why he didn’t do anything despite saying to me that he would. He said it was for my own benefit, to minimise disruption for me. Which clearly made no sense and was obvious that he’d just said that to get rid of me at the time. I was offered a refund and free tickets which I did take.

I was still annoyed by this blatant disregard for their customers and emailed customer services, laying the above out in more detail with the names of everyone involved (I made a point of taking these down).

The response I got back was that they’d given me free tickets so there was nothing they were willing to add to this complaint as if I was seeking further compensation. To be clear, I’ve complained once before after the film had finished as I didn’t find the talking so disruptive but thought I’d raise it just as something they might want to act on in the future. I was offered a refund this time too but I refused it on the grounds that I’d seen the whole film and I guess, in a way, wantonly getting refunds takes money away from the filmmakers so I’m not doing this for a free ride. I even made that clear when writing that initial email.

I’ve also had an experience in the same cinema where one of the staff members on this screen duty ended up TALKING to his friends in the cinema.

The biggest problem I think is that they don’t care because I guess 99% of people watching a film find it annoying but don’t actually say anything. My experience is that refunds are given quite freely upon complaints being made – as I’ve said earlier, I do think taking these without strong reason is damaging but I implore anyone that has reason to complain, to do so. Don’t just speak to the person talking – speak to the staff, ask to speak to the manager. If they realise this is costing them in refunds, they might actually think of some way to combat it. Just always make the cinema itself aware of the issue.

http://www.filmrant.co.uk/ Noel Mellor

Blimey. The fact that you’ve seen cinema staff behaving like this makes me feel a bit sick to be honest. I used to work for the Odeon and a big part of getting the job was proving that you truly loved cinema – these people obviously don’t.

Also, cinema chains will be very quick to tell people whenever the subject of ticket prices comes up that they, in fact, make most of their money from the concessions stall. So frankly, I personally would take any offer of a free ticket as a very hollow victory.

If you think about it, they are effectively saying, there’s nothing we can do about it, but be sure and come back to us soon – probably for more of the same. Its a bit like buying a faulty product and returning it to the store, only to be told that they won’t fix it but you are welcome to come back and buy more broken things in the future.

http://twitter.com/Discuss_Cinema Kurt Brookes

Brilliant Noel, sheer brilliance. Having been a former employee of UGC, now Cineworld, we were encouraged to politely ask nuisance customers to be quite. If the pleads of a bespectacled 18 year old usher fell on deaf ears, they usually listened to the brick shit-house onsite security guard who was nowhere near as polite. After that, being physically removed was the only option and I saw it used many times.

In the ten years since then, I’ve had to tell people countless times to be quite in an auditorium; once to a man who couldn’t understand how Jodie Foster couldn’t hear him in Panic Room, I threatened to eat a teenagers mobile phone unless he turned it off in King Kong and shushing a gang of yoofs watching Equilibrium resulted in a real life punch up.

Though I have a ferocious use of words in my blog posts and Twitter feed, I’m a fairly timid guy in public, so it takes a lot of me to pluck up the courage to tell someone to keep it down, especially due to the fact I’ve been punched in the face for the privilege. Whilst people shouldn’t talk during a film, it’s our duty as cinema lovers to let staff know if someone is ruining it for everyone else instead of just sitting there tutting.

http://www.filmrant.co.uk/ Noel Mellor

Cheers!

I think many of us feel like that Kurt. I’m sure none of us like confrontation, but we are forced to stand up and do something from time to time. Not only does this mean we spend a long period of time silently brewing and missing the film, but we also put ourselves at great risk by getting involved.

Security guards or ‘bouncers’ of some sort might seem like a silly idea to some, but I genuinely think that kind of deterrent is what is needed.

Rumpleproofskin

And that is why the future of cinema will be at home.

http://www.filmrant.co.uk/ Noel Mellor

As I say, at this point, I’d be happy with that. Unfortunately, universal release dates still seem like something of a pipe dream and even if they were to become a reality I think the price would be huge.

I think the cinema industry will be keen to protect itself, but if something isn’t done they will lose the many of us who go to the movies to actually watch films – rather than chat with our friends.

http://www.facebook.com/md.lachlan Md Lachlan

Couldn’t agree more. I don’t watch films at our multiplex anymore as I can be fairly sure that, if I go to see anything mass market, it’s going to finish in a fight with a teenager.
http://www.pcass.co.uk Andrew Shaw

Beautifully put, Noel. I make a point of seeing films during the afternoon, if circumstances allow it, because I just cannot stand the idea of sharing a movie with a gaggle of wankers. If you catch a movie with a great audience, there’s nothing better than the communal experience but the last time I had that was during the Day of the Dead marathon at Leeds Film Festival.

Unless you know the audience is there to enjoy themselves and really appreciate film, there’s always the chance that people just wandered in out of the cold, bored and looking for something to do for a few hours; no idea what the film they are seeing is about but feeling incredibly entitled when it fails to meet their bizarre expectations.

Have you considered starting a petition or some form of letter writing campaign, just to give the people in power an idea of how far reaching this frustration is?
http://twitter.com/JoeScaramanga Joe Scaramanga

Couldn’t agree more with any of this. I only go to the cinema about once a year now, as I’ve got so fed with spending half the film turning round and telling people to shut up.
It’s not restricted to multiplexes either.

I’ve had screenings at the Curzon, Shaftsbury Avenue (an ‘arthouse’ cinema) and recently the beloved Prince Charles cinema ruined by numpties talking incessantly all the way through (and no, it wasn’t one of there audience-participation events).

I did once complain to the staff afterwards, at an Odeon. They told me I should have gone and told them during the film. Whilst is ort of see their point, it also means I have to miss 10 minutes of a film I’ve paid to watch in peace, to complain about some ill mannered tosser who seems to enjoy paying £10 to talk through a film.
They offered me free tickets as compensation, which I later discovered were only valid for a week, and I couldn’t use for evening screenings!

I may be lucky in that I’m quite a large chap, but I have managaed to shut some people up. It may not be much use to a gang of tool carrying 16 year olds (I’m sure many remember the story of a mother who had bleach poured over her after telling some youths to shut up at the cinema), but even if they do shut up, the experience is already ruined.
DukeMitchell

Well done sir. I hope you receive some productive responses.

I go to the cinema roughly 50 times a year, the vast majority to my local Cineworld. I’d say there’s roughly a 10% chance I’ll experience annoying behaviour from fellow audience members. The odd comment is no big deal but persistent talking really gets on my nerves. Usually I’ll give people time to settle down and stop of their own accord but if it continues a comment has to be made. Mostly a firm but polite ‘could you keep the noise down’ works but in the last six months I have noticed a rise in verbally aggressive responses. I believe cinema chains should strongly emphasize that disruptive behaviour will not be tolerated and then back it up with action.

This is the third piece I’ve read on this subject in as many weeks so clearly there’s trouble brewing. I fear that if nothing is done soon real movie lovers will be joining Noel in a mass cinema exodus.
still advance

Great piece that I totally agree with, though I’m doubtful cinema chains will act on this.

I get tired of having to ask people to stop talking in cinemas but the most recent problem I’ve found is people who keep checking their phones but don’t think this is disturbing to other people. They are the ones who take offence and get more aggressive. People seem to have gotten so used to talking or being on their phones (I dont understand people who think it’s okay to make or take calls on their phones during a film!) at home watching a dvd that they dont seem to know how to behave in a cinema. Cinemas should have roofing that stops all phone reception. Or just more attendants to tell people to be quiet, though I imagine that’s more than their job’s worth. Overall though, it seems part of a wider problem of people thinking they should be allowed to talk everywhere, whether it’s the library (my local library definitely isnt a silent place to read/work anymore), cinema, or wherever (I was really surprised watching The Artist that everyone stayed quiet). But I don’t understand why people bother to pay to watch a film without actually bothering to properly watch it – I do wonder if Cineworld cards (I have one myself) make it easy for a lot of people to just sit in the cinema without wanting to really watch it properly.

Obviously, I could just go only to the Curzon all the time but it’s not cheap!

Here’s an old article on ‘cinema rage’ that I like –
http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/1996/10/5110-strictlypersonal/#more-60373

http://www.filmrant.co.uk/ Noel Mellor

Fantastic. Thanks for the comment and link…This is a story that could run and run, but it would be nice if someone else didn’t have to write another of these articles in 12 months time!

still advance

Hopefully not, but I doubt anything will be done about annoying talkers or people using their phones – I think this kind of problem is seen as something for elitist cinema buffs (even Danny Leigh in an interview last year said that cinema is a ‘trashy medium’ so there’s no point in expecting people not to talk), or just plain dated (I love the place but I’m still wary of seeing certain films at the PCC due to people talking through old classics that I wanted to see on the big screen). People seem to be thinking about their phones all the time, and going to see a play or a film doesnt divert them, it just seems to make them more anxious that something is taking away valuable phone time. Unless its reinforced that everyone should switch off their phones, I think it would be okay if each cinema had a little section purely for people who want to use their phones, preferably right at the back (maybe they could have a ‘commentary’ section for people that want to talk throughout as well). But I dont see why roofing that bars reception or something similar cant be employed in cinemas, unless they’re all worried customers will desert them. Maybe start a petition or facebook group for this!

Sarah

Funny you should mention Curzon and The Artist! Seeing that film there was an incredibly frustrating one for me because I expected a lot better from the audience: Constant commentary from a group that continued, albeit more quietly, even after I asked them to be quiet, and obnoxious popcorn-eating right behind me and my partner’s heads. I don’t think this man actually realised how loud he was being, but the SO he came with could have surely said something rather than the strangers in front?!

Noel: Really support this letter! Thanks for giving vocalisation to our infuriation!

Scott Rudicil

A-frakkin’-men.
Jamie-Lee

I went to a special screening last night at The Flicker Club where I sat infront of a famous British actor. Sadly, he decided on a running commentary thoughout and really started to annoy me. I usually get people chucked out for this but is there a courtesy code for screen stars? Please advise.

http://www.filmrant.co.uk/ Noel Mellor

Name and shame Jamie-Lee, name and shame! This person needs to be outed for this appalling behaviour!!

(I’m kidding, but tell me in secret some time )

Paul S

Noel, completely agree with you on everything – recently I’m finding I’m not enjoying most movies as I’m subconsciously on-guard watching for the idiots who cannot live without their mobile phones for the length of a movie. As a Cineworld Unlimited patron I’ve seen the behaviour in the cinema gradually deteriorate over the past few years.

I used to just throw a Minstrel or Malteser at their heads if in front of me but that’s now become a waste of my lovely chocolate so my wife and I quite readily get up or tell someone nearby to turn their phone off.
Paul S

On Friday night (The Vow) the couple to our left got treated to a verbal from the guy behind purely cos the couple had asked him to stop kicking the back of their seats.

I had 2 girls sit next to me and I could pretty much guess before the movie started that they couldn’t live without their life-support devices.
Every 10 minutes she had to flick her phone on to see if she had a message – this was actually one of the few occasions I elected to remain quiet – I felt as it was to my side and not in front I would rather watch the movie than feel uncomfortable sitting next to someone having told them about it! I shouldn’t be put in this position though in the first place

http://www.filmrant.co.uk/ Noel Mellor

Totally mate, the number of times I’ve nearly walked out of a cinema as I’d rather leave and miss the movie than feel awkward and ready to lose my patience I cannot even count.

I happen to have worked for a client that employs technology within their building that renders all mobile phone signals dead as soon as you walk in. So no-one can send or receive phone calls or text messages…

WHY can’t this type of technology be introduced in cinemas??

http://likesthequiet.livejournal.com/ CG

Unfortunately, it is illegal to jam communication signals in the UK. Otherwise I’m sure cinemas would. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_jammer

http://www.filmrant.co.uk/ Noel Mellor

I’m now out of the office until Tuesday 28th February, any copy team queries can be directed to kelly.pentland@mecglobal.com.
Alternatively, I will respoond to any other requests on my return

Thanks

Noel

http://www.facebook.com/people/Kevin-Kirkpatrick/569910377 Kevin Kirkpatrick

There’s no doubt that these problems need to be fixed. Without reading all of them, I’m sure all of these comments agree with your position and have horror stories of their own. I wanted to share one slightly differently recently. Sitting in a theater, preparing to take in Tintin 3D, a mother and her two small children sat directly behind me. I knew I was in trouble and just dreaded the lights fading. However, I overheard the mother address her children with, “Remember your movie manners. No talking. No kicking the seat in front of you.” She even made them repeat it back to her. It was one of the greatest things imaginable. Not a peep out of the children the entire movie.

Of course, this was also the showing where a woman with a breathing apparatus that hissed every two and a half seconds sat in front of me, making me yearn for hearing loss, so by no means was it perfect. Either way, the mother behind deserved to be recognized and hailed.
Beateher

I am an avid cinema goer. Last year I went to the cinema 148 times, each time I paid nothing as I go to loads of free preview screenings, have cinema vouchers and win tickets to previews or premieres. I have been to almost every cinema in London and a few outside London. There is only a handful screenings among these where I can hand on heart say that no one talked or took a phone out. One notable exception was a screening of The Artist where everyone sat as still as a mouse, and last weekend a members’ screening of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close at the Picturehouse Greenwich, where everyone was extremely quiet and incredibly well-behaved. People are usually better behaved at premieres but I attended the premiere of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel last week and I had a guy next to me who was using his phone constantly until I firmly told him how distracting that was. He then moved a seat over and covered the phone up a bit more – but no way did he stop using it. It doesn’t matter whether a film is free or a paid for screening, the audience is usually without any consideration as to how smelly their nachos are, how bright the light from their phone or how loud the chatter to their friends. And it’s not always the younger generation either. Screenings put on by The Telegraph Film Club are frequented by the older generation and they don’t seem to have any concept how loud their stage whispering is. I had one elderly gentleman next to me the other day who couldn’t stop telling his wife the plot, in between noisily unwrapping sweets and generally fidgeting about. Wherever I can, I do say something or attempt to shush people, but sometimes they sit too far away (while still being annoying) to address properly.

I am sad to say that most cinema ushers are entirely useless. They come in once or twice during a film, walk up the stairs, turn around and exit again. Otherwise they are nowhere to be seen on the entire floor so it would take me about 10 minutes to find one to talk to in the first place. I did it once, as some people just wouldn’t shut up and were extremely disturbing, but the girl I finally found only quickly spoke to them, then went out again. No attempt of ejecting the ejits was made, and the situation did not change. I was furious. Why can we not have ushers or security guards who stay during the entire film and make sure people have their phones switched off and are quiet? I went to a press screening of This Means War at the Empire Leicester Square recently and they collected everyone’s phones as they wanted to avoid piracy. It was great. Of course you still got the annoying talkers but they ought to do that at every screening, and if you cannot live with your phone for the duration of a movie, you should stay at home. Simple as that.
James McDonald

That was a stunningly well written piece Noel, kudos. I also agree with you 100%. Inevitably, what this all means is that I may one day be killed by someone I called out for being a douchebag who’s ruining my experience. It’s a serious thing,
http://moviewaffle.blogspot.com/ The Movie Waffler

During The Woman In Black some asshole answered his phone a total of three times, each time getting up out of his seat and conducting a full conversation in the aisle. Unfortunately he was at the back of the theatre and I was down the front otherwise I would have unleashed hell. It really pissed me off that out of the hundred people sitting near him nobody said a word. Sadly I don’t think this is an issue confined to cinemagoing, in everyday life people seem to have less respect for their fellow man. There are issues that cinema chains need to seriously fix though. I have a membership with a large cinema chain and it’s one of the most badly run businesses I’ve encountered. The place is so understaffed that you have to get there at least a half hour early (in the morning) because they only have one person manning the ticket counter. They’ve gone digital which means they don’t employ projectionists anymore so almost every screening on it’s opening day has a projection issue. This means leaving the auditorium, tracking down a staff member, waiting for the manager and then trying to explain to them what “aspect ratio” means. I had to conduct a letter-writing campaign to stop them showing “The Artist” in 1.85:1. Their lights are on a timer and frequently they come on during the final scene of a movie.
At home I have a 50″ 1080p Plasma, a blu-ray player and 5.1 surround sound system, but like yourself it’s my love of films and my website that keep me going back.

Hannah

That sounds like a Cineworld? Or at least like my local one! Suppose it could describe any multiplex nowadays…

http://themoviewaffler.co.nr/ The Movie Waffler

You’re spot on.

Greg

Dear All,

Enough is enough. I am tired of complaining and having my cinematic experience ruined by a very vocal (and obnoxious) minority…I have created an online petition to the British Cinema Industry in general asking them to:
A) Develop a strategy for effectively dealing with nuisance customers;
B) Take steps to effectively enforce this strategy.
Furthermore, I have pledged to boycott any cinema chain which has not done so by the 1st of November, 2012. I am tired of being robbed of my cinema experience, and I trust that many of you are as well.

Please join me by adding your name to the online petition below:
http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/cinemanuisance

(P.S. This petition was created on the 2nd of April at 21:15, and may not be available for another 4 hours – Please try again if you have any difficulties).

Greg