| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Joe Blevins |
Posted - 01/11/2009 : 20:45:44
I don't know what it is. Maybe the social contract is breaking down. Maybe we need to have a nationwide seminar. Maybe there should be public service announcements or pamphlets sent in the mail.
The problem is simple: People do not know how to attend movies. They don't get it. They don't know how it works. You'd think that after a century of moviegoing, we as a human race would have this "going to the movies" thing down pat. But we don't. We really, really don't.
We arrive after the movie has started. We get up and walk around while the film is playing. We not only bring our phones with us into the theater (ringtone set at full blast), we make and receive calls during the running time of the motion picture that we (and others) have paid to see. We ask each other what is going on, plotwise. We point out items of interest to one another, like when a scene makes reference to an earlier scene or when we spot an actor we recognize from some other context.
And, above all, we talk. Talk and talk and talk. Our conversations begin during the coming attractions and continue right through the end credits. We have somehow gotten the impression that moviegoing is a social experience. Therefore it is weird and wrong to go to the movies alone. It is something done in groups. Of course, you have to bring at least one other person with you into the theater. After all, who would you talk to otherwise? You can't hold an entire movie-length conversation by yourself, now can you? Of course not! So when it's time to see a motion picture, gather up as many friends and relatives as you can find and bring them with you into the auditorium! If you're alone, what is there to do in a theater? Watch the movie? Who wants to do that?
AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!
It's gotten so bad that "being polite" in a theater now only means that you don't talk when the characters onscreen are actually talking. Apparently, there's some kind of unwritten rule that when the audio consists of only music and/or sound effects, it's okay to talk. And conversations in a foreign language do not count! If the characters onscreen are not actually speaking English, you are under no obligation to be quiet.
How did we get this point? Did we ever know how to attend movies? Did we forget or did we never know? The problem, I can assure you, is pandemic. Recently, I have had two moviegoing experiences marred by awful audience behavior. In the first, the audience members were largely teenagers. In the second, they were middle aged and older. NO AGE BRACKET KNOWS HOW TO ATTEND MOVIES! Nobody gets it. Young people talk. Old people talk. They all talk.
I am at my wit's end. And fortunately I am also at the end of this rant. Thank you for reading. And, seriously, don't talk at the movies. |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| randall |
Posted - 22/11/2009 : 22:29:00
quote:
Originally posted by duh 10mproper Username
I didn't know about the "We are Weird" article and subsequent firing. Sounds like something Ann Coulter would write.
Oh, it happened, he got fired, and for that exact reason. John Bloom was/is his real name. |
| duh |
Posted - 22/11/2009 : 07:27:55
quote:
Originally posted by silly
Finally, one of my favorite newspaper columns when I was in high school and college was "Joe Bob Goes to the Drive In," which had a bit of notoriety and he lost his job after mocking the "We Are the World" music video, and I lost track of him after that.
I used to enjoy Joe Bob's movie hosting on the USA network. That was when USA was really good and funny, with lots of B grade movie stuff, including the "UP! All Night!" chick, and Gilbert Gottfried taking a turn on Saturday. Because of Joe Bob, I'll always think of the original Willy Wonka film as a horror flick. One time for his horror movie show, Joe Bob featured it, and explained why the beloved children's film was truly a horror movie. And those shirts he wore were awesome.
I didn't know about the "We are Weird" article and subsequent firing. Sounds like something Ann Coulter would write. |
| MguyX |
Posted - 21/11/2009 : 16:48:14
quote:
Originally posted by Airbolt
Not quite as romantic but I went to see an open air screening of " The Great Escape ". Further back were a load of Bikers who were a little bit noisy but who was going to tell them off! Anyway they messed around until....the Steve McQueen Bike sequence. Then they behaved like a sports crowd. When Steve appeared they went " Yayyyy " and threw Beer Cans at each other. Whenever the Germans appeared there were catcalls, Bronx Cheers and inappropriate suggestions! So, of course , to the attempted jump which was accompanied by a gradually rising " ooowwwwahhhHHHHH " as McQueen tries and fails. When the Germans haul him off there is a chorus of jeers. I think they left after that!
*I'm getting all emotional* 
I would think it terribly uncomfortable to be straddling a bike while watching a movie. Sheesh! Bikers. I think they suffer from a self-fulfilling prophecy that mandates rude behavior lest they not be perceived as deserving to dart in and out of traffic whilst flippin the bird at machines much larger than them.  |
| Airbolt |
Posted - 21/11/2009 : 02:36:21
Not quite as romantic but I went to see an open air screening of " The Great Escape ". Further back were a load of Bikers who were a little bit noisy but who was going to tell them off! Anyway they messed around until....the Steve McQueen Bike sequence. Then they behaved like a sports crowd. When Steve appeared they went " Yayyyy " and threw Beer Cans at each other. Whenever the Germans appeared there were catcalls, Bronx Cheers and inappropriate suggestions! So, of course , to the attempted jump which was accompanied by a gradually rising " ooowwwwahhhHHHHH " as McQueen tries and fails. When the Germans haul him off there is a chorus of jeers. I think they left after that!
|
| ChocolateLady |
Posted - 11/11/2009 : 09:56:52
quote:
Originally posted by randXll
quote:
Originally posted by silly
Since you asked, some randomish drive in memories:
I took my girlfriend on a date to see Flashdance at a nearby drive in (the one in my hometown had become a parking lot by this time). I wanted to NOT watch the movie but since she grew up in Pittsburgh every couple minutes she would be like "LOOK!!! I used to go there!" so we, er, watched the movie. She later married me and to this day Flashdance has been special for us.
The best drive-in story ever! Congrats to you and your good lady!
Seconded!
|
| silly |
Posted - 11/11/2009 : 04:01:23
quote:
Originally posted by randXll
The best drive-in story ever! Congrats to you and your good lady!
 |
| randall |
Posted - 10/11/2009 : 22:01:45
quote:
Originally posted by silly
Since you asked, some randomish drive in memories:
I took my girlfriend on a date to see Flashdance at a nearby drive in (the one in my hometown had become a parking lot by this time). I wanted to NOT watch the movie but since she grew up in Pittsburgh every couple minutes she would be like "LOOK!!! I used to go there!" so we, er, watched the movie. She later married me and to this day Flashdance has been special for us.
The best drive-in story ever! Congrats to you and your good lady! |
| MguyX |
Posted - 05/11/2009 : 21:36:57
That Joe Bob is my kinda fella! |
| silly |
Posted - 05/11/2009 : 16:11:01
Since you asked, some randomish drive in memories:
We had one in our town and I remember seeing several movies there with my parents (we would make a giant bowl of popcorn and bring blankets and pillows). Some of the movies I can recall with them: M*A*S*H, Bullitt, Skyjacked, French Connection.
Later this same theater went through changes and had "dollar night", and we would still stuff the trunk w/ kids (I had a 72 Buick that was built like a battleship, it could comfortably seat about 9 teens WITHOUT using the trunk). I remember seeing Heavy Metal and the like.
I took my girlfriend on a date to see Flashdance at a nearby drive in (the one in my hometown had become a parking lot by this time). I wanted to NOT watch the movie but since she grew up in Pittsburgh every couple minutes she would be like "LOOK!!! I used to go there!" so we, er, watched the movie. She later married me and to this day Flashdance has been special for us.
The Texas Stadium drive in (where the Dallas Cowboys used to play up until last year, they wanted to make money off the massive parking lot the other 350 days of the year) played Deep Throat and The Devil in Miss Jones as a double feature for the longest time, and Debbie Does Dallas was a favorite, too. Since it was on a major freeway there were accidents some nights  .
Finally, one of my favorite newspaper columns when I was in high school and college was "Joe Bob Goes to the Drive In," which had a bit of notoriety and he lost his job after mocking the "We Are the World" music video, and I lost track of him after that.
"Remember, without eternal vigilence, it could happen here."
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| MguyX |
Posted - 05/11/2009 : 05:46:55
quote:
Originally posted by duh 10mproper Username
The most exciting part of going to drive in movie theaters was attempting to sneak as many people in as possible without paying. Cheap fun.
I remember that too! When I was a kid, I would lay down on the floorboard in the back while my sisters drove through! I think we saved $1.25, but it was fun. |
| thefoxboy |
Posted - 05/11/2009 : 05:02:14
quote:
Originally posted by duh 10mproper Username
The most exciting part of going to drive in movie theaters was attempting to sneak as many people in as possible without paying. Cheap fun.
A lot easier these days with the rear seats folding down into the boot space or trunk or whatever you call it in your part of the world. 
Last time I went to a drive in...1989 I think, the owners had to come and wake my girlfriend and I up at the end.
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| Sean |
Posted - 05/11/2009 : 04:21:02
Never been to a drive-in. I'm not aware that there ever has been one in NZ.  |
| duh |
Posted - 05/11/2009 : 04:09:24
The most exciting part of going to drive in movie theaters was attempting to sneak as many people in as possible without paying. Cheap fun. |
| MguyX |
Posted - 04/11/2009 : 22:12:02
I remember when there were porn drive-ins! 
The only drive in movies I remember going to was "The Exorcist" (because I nearly jumped into the back seat at the first projectile vomit scene), and "Crusin'" (which i didn't see because i was making out with my girlfriend in the back seat -- oh the irony of making out with a girl during an essentially gay film). |
| thefoxboy |
Posted - 04/11/2009 : 22:05:15
We still have a couple of drive-ins in Melbourne.
Infact 2012 will be showing at one next week.
I remember as kids we would ride our bikes to the local drive-in, only when it was a porn movie
Boys will be boys. |
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