Movie theater rudeness - what would you do ??

[Jolie Rouge]

Dear Miss Manners,

I would like your advice regarding movie etiquette, or the lack of it. It is now not uncommon for people to make and receive cell phone calls during a movie.

When my husband (after a woman had received her second call) politely asked her to please either turn the phone off, or to take the call in the lobby, as it was disturbing to the other movie-goers, he was told to "@#$^* off."

Yesterday, the man behind me was kicking my seat from behind. I quietly told him that perhaps he was not aware that he was disturbing me, and his response was to kick even harder and more frequently. I fear that movie personnel are unable or unwilling to help. Should we just suffer in silence? Or shall I stop going to the movies altogether?



Gentle Reader,

Suffering in silence would be all right. Isn't that what movies are for? But you should not have to suffer in audience noisiness, especially the kind produced by strings of punctuation marks.

Thank goodness for the video, is all Miss Manners can say. Video rentals did not kill off public movie showings any more than television or radio did, because the movies also served as social outings, but rudeness is doing the job. Unless theater managers resolve to supervise behavior and maintain standards, she doubts that they will be able to maintain their business.


First I would complain to the managment.

If they refuse to take care of it, I would return to my seat, and then; because I am a bit obnoxious -- I would have stood up and VERY LOUDLY asked her to put up the phone or for the man to quit kicking my seat.


Once, we took Matthew to a matinee of 101 Dalmations, he was about two years old, and simlpy would not be still, kept kicking the kid in front of us ect. The kid, who was about 12, turned around and shot Matthew a dirty look but that was about it. After the movie, because he had been such a good sport about it, and I did feel really bad, I stopped him and gave him the price of the movie with my apology.

[Jolie Rouge]

LOL well, we took Matthew when He was an infant and would sleep; didn't take him from about eight months on; took him to the ONE movie when he was two -- and last summer we went....

I'd rather rent.

[Xica]

It depends on the movie. If I were going to a movie geared towards children, I'd expect there to be noise and a lot of movement FROM THE CHILDREN. I don't expect adults to be on the phone while people around them are trying to watch a movie they paid to watch. Yes, the person on the phone paid too but it does not give them the right to interrupt another person's movie experience.

I would have moved if there were other seats. If not, then I would have complained to the management. If the management refuses to ask the person to quiet down, then I'd ask for (demand) my money back.

[Ladytiger]

We also took advantage of the drive-ins then. That way, DD could sleep, we could watch the movie.
VCRs were just coming out at that time. It was $5 to rent movies, for that money, we could go to the drive-in and see three movies.

[NINK]

we usually buy our movies on dvd but on occasion we do want to see it as soon as it comes out, like x-me x-men 2 and incredible hulk. i take my baby to movies all the time but i have well behaved children most of the time, if my baby were to cry i would leave and take her to the lobby or bathroom until she settled down. i wish others were that conciderate. if some lady cussed at me that way i would make the manager of the place force her to leave and if he wouldn't i'd call the cops. i don't play around, she'd be lucky if i wasn't carring a taser and fry ehr butt. i do not apreciate rude or inconciderate people and i don't let people walk all over me.

[justme23]

I hate rudeness at a movie more than anything... I mean, it costs a freakin fortune to go to the movies now (granted we do pay more, we are fortunate to live a block from a dinner theatre and it costs us 40 dollars for the movie and dinner)... but, I've found that most ppl are embarressed by their cells ringing and, unless an obnoxious kid, will turn it off rather than answer it. My worst experience was when we were at this dinner theatre one night and some guy (someone dressed very nicely and appeared as if he was not raised this way) comes in, pulls his socks and shoes off and puts his bare feet up on the table not 2 feet from me. I was LIVID to say the least. The tables are more like bars, so this was a SHARED table and here I was trying to eat w/ some mongrels feet in my face. I HATE feet... so to have them put in my face, much less on a freakin dinner table seriously grossed me out. I shot him a look I'm sure he didn't soon forget and then I immediatley called the manager who moved him and happilly washed the table w/ bleach AND refunded our money... it is located in an upscale suburb in Dallas and they DO take care of customers but I seriously could not believe that someone would do this... I mean, come on... PPL WERE EATING... PPL EAT ON THAT TABLE... YOUR BARE FARKING FEET... yuck...

[tiffany21]

you know what bugs me is when you sit behind someone or next to someone who does nothing but talk talk talk and they don't know when to shut up. :rolleyes:

[NINK]

i am always destined to have the lady with the huge aquanet hair or the man with the afro sit directly in front of me, can they not see i am 5'2" tall?

the last time i almost thought i was going to get away with out them coming, but as the movie was just about to start, there comes mrs. aquanet, right in front of me. i said out loud "what kept you?" i doubt she heard me i was saying it to my hubby and he thought it was quite funny since he knows that always happens to me, he's 6'4" on the other hand and doesn't have such problems.

[Danny]

The very first thing I would do would be to try and assess the kind of person doing the annoying. I would not waste my time with someone who is not likely to stop whatever they were doing at my request and I would not risk further problems with someone who has a poor attitude to start with. I never say anything to someone over 300 pounds in a motorcycle jacket. If I do say something - I ask politely and smile when I speak. If possible - I change seats. If it is totally intolerable - I speak to management and request the refund of my ticket so I might see the movie when I might enjoy it. Nothing is to be gained by starting a fight over something rooted in ignorance.
God bless DVD's!!! And satellite TV!!

[Sha]

I am including an article about what happened in our towns movie theater! I think that some people just need to be forbidden from the movies! I barely go to the movies! I love my satellite and DVD rentals! lol!

Here is the article..

August 08, 2003
'Matrix mayhem' suspect issued restraining order

Adam Zepeda, the man accused of attacking and injuring two teen-agers inside the Cinema 10 in Manteca while watching Matrix: Reloaded, was ordered by a San Joaquin Superior Court judge to stay away from his alleged victims.

Zepeda, a former Manteca police officer and San Joaquin Sheriff's deputy, was given the restraining order by Superior Court Judge Franklin M. Stevenson during his arraignment Tuesday. The thrice-divorced father of four pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of child abuse and one felony count of battery causing serious bodily injury.

A pre-preliminary hearing has been set for Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 8:30 a.m. in Manteca Superior Court.

During his brief appearance in court, the judge mentioned the names of each of Zepeda's alleged victims and their birth dates.

"Do you know who that individual is?" Stevenson asked Zepeda after each mentioning the names of the two 14-year-old best friends.

"No, your honor," answered Zepeda in a clear and loud voice.

In the audience were three of Zepeda's three children who were reportedly with him in the movie theater during the attack. The parents of the two alleged victims were also present. The parents of the boy who sustained a broken right-hand pinky and a cut lip during the attack left the courtroom without talking to reporters. The parents of the other boy who suffered scratches on his chest and complained of pain in his neck as a result of the alleged attack said they "don't have anything to say."

Zepeda was represented by his attorney, S. Dean Ruiz of Hakeem, Ellis & Marengo law office in Stockton.

Ruiz declined to comment on the case because their office had just received the discovery materials and have not had time to review them, he said. They'll need to read the police report to see if there are any "inaccuracies" in the report, he added.

Ruiz also declined to comment on the case because he said he didn't want to see the matter litigated through the news media, noting the extensive media coverage that has already been devoted to the incident that has been dubbed "the Matrix mayhem."

As for Zepeda's plans to file a counter lawsuit against a number of individuals including the families of his two alleged victims, Ruiz said none of that has been filed.

"It's premature for that type of action anyway until the facts come out," Ruiz said.

In an interview with the Manteca Bulletin in July, Zepeda maintained his innocence and charged that the real victims were his children.

"The victims of this (incident) were my children. They were hit by objects in the head (thrown by the two teen-agers), that's why we left (the theater)," he said.

He also said, "I did not punch anyone. I did not assault anyone, I did not touch the kids. I did not. It's my children who were hit by what sounded like quarters. They were throwing them over my kids' head. They hit my 14-year-old. I asked them to stop but they continued."

During an interview the day after the June 16 incident, the two teen-agers, who were accompanied by the father of one of them, told the Bulletin their attacker allegedly got mad after a verbal interchange between his daughter and the two boys, so he got up and grabbed them both by the necks, jerking them forward and then slamming them against their seats while cussing at the same time. The two boys said Zepeda apparently got mad because they were laughing during the matinee showing of the movie.

By ROSE ALBANO RISSO

Staff reporter of the

Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin

[Char]

:( I read the 2 "incidents" at the beginning of the thread. This might make some people mad, but, the "jerks" who act like this didn't have parents "put them in their place" when they did stuff like this. My parents taught me better. Seems people today have no upbringing, no manners, and even less common sense. I respect ALL people, I also believe in treating others as you want them to treat you. But, I also have a temper. You know, some hag say that to MY hubby, well, she might be picking herself up off the floor. Sad part is, I could do it and not realize it for a few seconds. I am not mean...lol, takes a lot to get me that po'ed, but, I just have ZERO tollerance for people like that. I can over look stupidity, ignorance and other unhelpable human traits... but THAT kind of stuff is just plain meanness ! The hag with the phone, in reality, I would have knocked it out of her hand, then waited for HER next move. The guy kicking my seat from behind, well, I would tell him what a jerk he was, and just move... unless of course there were no other seats that I wanted, then, I would have went straight to the manager.

[Char]

:p ;) :cool: Ohhhh, nice one, I never thought about this one...


If they refuse to take care of it, I would return to my seat, and then; because I am a bit obnoxious -- I would have stood up and VERY LOUDLY asked her to put up the phone or for the man to quit kicking my seat.

[Danny]

Sorry - I thought I was in another thread......I need coffee I guess

[Jolie Rouge]

Hey, Danny - I take mine two and two please ...



BTW : POUNCE

[BigLyd1]

Originally posted by Danny
Sorry - I thought I was in another thread......I need coffee I guess

At least you didn't end up in a "girly" thread this time :p :D

[LindaL.]

I hate movie theatres to beginning with so I probaly wouldn't even be there for someone to be rude to me...lol. I used to go to the movies all the time but the thing that always bugged the crap out of me would be the one person who has that huge tub of popcorn who then choses to sit right behind me and manages to munch the night away. Uuughh I can stand the noises people make while eating. So gross...lol.

Anyways I rent all the new releases every tuesday (new release day) from Hollywood video. Hubby and I watch so many movies we disconnect cable since we always opted for new release over some random tv channel. On a side note we still get a ton of good shows on just the 12 free channels we get.

Alright way sidetracked...lol. OH yeah I also love the drive-in. Since you can control your environment!

[janelle]

We go during the week to avoid the crowds but during the summer kids come in groups and things can happen. But our movie theatre is very good at handling things. Once a bunch of kids came in a group and sat in front. They were getting pretty rowdy before the movie started and wouldn't settle down after the movie bagan. I saw a man get up and leave then two big guys came in, went down front and started talking to the kids to settle down. They did but one of the big guys stayed for awhile just to be sure they were going to remain settled. They did.

My brother says he can tell when society started falling apart. He was a rowdy kid but when he was young but if you mouthed off in public any adult could tell you where to get off and no one would interfere. Then other adults started to complain and the courts took it up to sue anyone who offended anyone. Now you can't look at kids sideways to make them tow the line. They can get away with anything now.

Who knows what really happened in that court case. But anyway I would advise people to get the manager to handle it first before things got our of hand. If management wouldn't do anything then leave and demand your money back. Those places won't have many customers.

[GeThang]

I have noticed quite frequently when I have gone to the movies that people talk as loud as they can, take cell phone calls, and kick your seat something awful. My best friend turned around and told someone to be quiet and all they did was talk louder. I know where everyone is coming from.