The worst experience inside the movie house! EVER!

[chino]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:05pm

I watched Dreamgirls last night. The movie was amazing, there is nothing negative I can say about it. Its fantastic. The movie, its direction, the shots, the performances did not fail me. But this is the worst experience I ever had in the movie

Note: Read the full content before reacting. If someone gets hurt, I am sorry. I just want to be honest and share my experience. Again, I am sorry.

I live in Philadelphia. I am dreading to see the show on its first day simply because of the kind of people I am watching it with. Like most of you might have known, its not released in most theatres. I wanted to see in on the first day since I cant wait any longer, I gambled. I decided to see the movie during its last full show schedule since I know that there will be less teenagers out, and since its a venue miles away, but I was wrong.

These are the loud, ignorant teenagers. And they filled the theatre with all their nasty attitude! The sad part, they were black. All the while, I thought this movie would lead them into understanding what a musical is, its the perfect material to reach out to them, I was wrong again. Every time the character would burst out into song, they would react in a violent manner, "not again," "oh no," "why are they singing," were some of the few reactions that filled the room, especially during the "Family" and the "It's All Over" scenes! Next, during the song sequence, they kept on talking all loud, the group of girls that were sitting beside me kept on telling stories that I cant even understand what they were saying. And the worst? They were singing the songs! Especially during "And I am Telling You" God! The girls behind me shouted out, "thats my song" and she kept on singing! Of course, some of the memebers of the audience who were so into the movie, kept on shouting shut up, and yes, it ruined the moment. After that, I felt that there was no way to stay inside to watch the next half of the movie, but my sister begged me to stay and told me to just focus on the movie, which I can not do because of theses people.

It was just frustrating, instead of leaving the theatre with memories of the movie, I left so pissed that I dont know how, or what I am supposed to do. Honestly I wanted to throw my big glass of soda on those girls who were behind me, but I should know better than that.

It was crazy.

Now, how can you possibly respect these kind of people? Am I exaggerating?

Once again, I am sorry if ever I hurt someone. It was not my intention do so. I was just frustrated.

I guess this is a valid reason to watch the movie again.

GOD BLESS!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:14pm

I've seen this film 4 times now. 3 times at the Ziegfeld and once on Christmas day. My 2nd time paying $25 for it, a group of women behind me started singing during AIATY and screaming out that it was indeed "Their song". Turns out most songs after that were "their song" also and the many people asking and telling them to shut up didn't stop them. That's just what you deal with going to the movies.

When I saw the DAWN OF THE DEAD remake, I was sitting in front of a few people who talked throughout the entire movie. Running commentary kind of talking. In a scene when Sarah Polley did something (I can't even remember what now) one of them said "White people are SO fvcking stupid. Stupid G0ddamned Crackers!" I turned around to just look at this person and was told to turn my "cracker ass around or else..." and than I was shown a knife. So....I stopped shushing people and even reacting to it that night.

[chino]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:17pm

Clearly my point.

How can they demand respect? It is evident that most of them cant give it.

God bless them.

[mateo]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:17pm

I'd get my money back.

I dont understand people who talk during films, and why everyone around them doesn't rally-up and tell them to be quiet (in exclamatory).

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:17pm

And by "them", who are you referring to?

[jimnysf]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:18pm

Last year I went to the first showing of "The Producers" in San Francisco. There was a bunch of teenage girls who ruined the movie for everyone in the theatre. They sang all the songs and screamed out the jokes before the actors did. They also made very loud comments about each scene and how they loved this or hated that. They did not shut up from the minute they sat down until the minute they left. Many people told them to shut up but they did not listen. These were very rude and obnoxious white girls.

[Steve2]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:22pm

I think this is why big screen TVs and DVD players are so popular these days.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:24pm

Chino - I am so sorry that you could not enjoy the movie! But it seems that people of all ages and races simply have lost the ability to shut up during entertainment! It is so common to hear people talking during the overture at Broadway plays that I am no longer surprised by it. They talk at the opera before the curtain goes up. They talk at school performances when all us moms and dads are trying to enjoy the efforts of youngsters. They talk in church! They talk endlessly on cell phones while walking around in museums. There does not seem to be any understanding of simple polite silence in these venues. And trying to shush people up doesn't work! You just get hostility (with or without knives). I used to love going to movies - more and more, I will just wait till the DVD comes out and see it at home - but I miss the big screen. And movie theaters don't want to get involved in enforcement. Again, sorry that you could not have the experience you deserved!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:26pm

Why didn't you get the manager?

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:26pm

oh yeah? well the fire alarm went off when I saw the movie, at the exact moment that Jennifer started "And I Am Telling You..", and we had to evacuate.

[SDav 10495]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:35pm

I hate fire safety. In my day, fire alarms showed some respect.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:40pm

One of the local multiplexes has a super sensitive fire alarm system - it has gone off at least once during every one of the last 5 movies I've seen there. That sucks, but on the other hand I haven't paid for a ticket since the first episode - I always go the manager and complain and get a pass for the next time (and, in this case, the time after that and the time after that...)

[keen on kean]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:40pm

One of the local multiplexes has a super sensitive fire alarm system - it has gone off at least once during every one of the last 5 movies I've seen there. That sucks, but on the other hand I haven't paid for a ticket since the first episode - I always go the manager and complain and get a pass for the next time (and, in this case, the time after that and the time after that...)

[Marlothom]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:43pm

Chino, I had a thread about this when I went to see it during EW Screening in DC; I didn't mention races bec. I didnt want to be controversial, but indeed 85% of the audience members were African American; and 65% of the audience (could not tell what race) talked, sang, yelled, grunted, what-have-you during the movie. As I mentioned in the thread, i asked the women next to me to please be quiet and the reponse I got was "whatevah".




My Own Nightmare

Updated On: 12/26/06 at 11:43 PM

[AlanAntonio]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 11:52pm

How terrible, Chino! I think I know how irritated and frustrated you were. I just saw the movie at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York. I am not racist one bit, but the noisy and obviously ignorant people in the audience happened to be black, and they were ranting in ebonics. Yikes! I told them to shut up and went to the theater manager to complain.

[HumATune]

Posted: 12/27/06 at 12:54am

I'm sorry you guys had to deal with that. SO glad I live in a huge metropolitan area where I can easily avoid the masses by going to independent movie theaters. The nice thing about seeing the movie in San Francisco last week was that I was with a more “cultured” crowd, with people of all races. The $25 was worth it just for that.

I too, have had negative experiences with loud people in movie theaters from blacks in urban areas to whites in upper-middle class areas, and every other race in-between. It’s not really a race issue as much as it is an issue of people who have not learned manners or how to appreciate art, or at least to shut up if they don’t.

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/27/06 at 1:26am

I am an Afican American male. I grew up in a small town just outside of Philly (In Delaware County. Chino, you probably are familiar) I moved into the city in the early 80's. I wouldn't go to movies that were geared toward the young African American community. If anyone here lived in Philly at that time, you may recall the notorious fight that broke out during a showing of "Krush Groove". I now live in Denver and I rarely attend any movie. (I think the last movie I went to see was "RENT". On a weekday. Early) It is now not only African Americans but people of every race that are rude at the movies. I have been wanting to see "Dreamgirls" but I know schools are out. Even the early shows might be full. I was supposed to go on Christmas day, which would have been a good day to go early, but couldn't. So now I may just wait until next week after the kids go back to school. Problem is that next week I cannot go to an early show because of work. I have been to enough movie showings here in Denver where people are on their cell phones, talking, fighting, you name it that I signed up for Netflix! I now see most of the movies I want to see at home. I just got tired of having to complain to managers at the movie theaters. The nice thing here is that if things get really annoying, the theater will give out vouchers for a free movie as an apology. I have received about 3 of those vouchers!

[logan0215]

Posted: 12/27/06 at 1:36am

I'd be very careful of the use of "them" and "they" in each of your responses, I cringed a little reading the thread.

I saw the movie on Christmas night as well, in a very ethnically driven audience. For the most part everyone in the theater was respectful, and even so during the musical numbers it was loud enough to drown any talking out.

A few breaks in mood were when people laughed as a result of the transition into music (like when Effie is in Curtis' office) but then later got comments like "Mhmm girl" which I actually enjoyed.

I liked seeing the movie in a theater filled with people who rushed out on the first day to see it, and clearly understood many of the struggles the characters were experiencing. We had a standing O after AIATY and during the credits, even though only half full, the theater errupted into applause when J.Hud's "curtain" credit came up.

[AnythingCanHappen]

Posted: 12/27/06 at 1:40am

I absolutely hate, and yes, hate, not 'dislike' but hate, anyone who talks during a movie or a production. I paid my money to hear the people on stage/screen to talk, not the stooge behind me.

[MrBundles]

Posted: 12/27/06 at 1:45am

i know exactly what you mean chino....no matter when I go, it it full of LOUD 14ish year olds who think they are hot sh*t. I know everyone does at that age, but it's really annoying when I am trying to enjoy myself. I had a similar experience at Dreamgirls, but it ended when I turned around and said "I'll buy the DVD when I want to listen to the commentary."

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 12/27/06 at 3:14am

During Dreamgirls I had Mr. Obvious behind me. When they showed the shot of Effie at the doctor's office he was like "I bet she's pregnant" and then when they showed Magic later he was like "See I told you". He had several other comments like this throughout the movie.

And today I went to see The Departed in the cheap theatres and the guy sitting beside me was wearing a puffy winter vest, and kept scratching the synthetic fibers making a loud sound...then he kept zipping and unzipping his pocket. He was oblivious to my dirty looks and I was so close to leaining over and asking him if he needed help fixing his zipper. Truth be told, had I nicely informed him that his scratching and zipper were annoying he would have probably been embaressed and apologetic, but 2 hours of pent up rage lead to irrational thoughts.

I have to say I have been one of those annoying movie theatre people. My best friends DRAGGED me to 2 Fast 2 Furious for some godforsaken reason. The movie was so laughably bad and Paul walker saying "bro" or "man" was starting to drive me nuts. So I started keeping a talley out loud...like a drinking game. Well the people around me started catching on...except instead of getting mad, they all joined in. It was pretty funny...But I'm sure for the few (...VERY...few) people who were enjoying it, they hated me.

Akiva

[CaTheatreGirl]

Posted: 12/27/06 at 4:11am

I guess I was lucky today when I saw Dreamgirls. The theater wasn't full because in this town, most young people flock to the horror, blood and gore movies instead. Those in attendance for Dreamgirls were respectful and enjoyed the movie immensely, even applauding after the more powerful songs. It was a pleasant experience and I'd return to see the movie again.
Updated On: 12/27/06 at 04:11 AM

[Joshua488]

Posted: 12/27/06 at 4:36am

When I saw "The Departed" at AMC in Times Square, someone lit a joint during the film. Classy.

I saw "Dreamgirls" earlier tonight and people were sighing and whatnot when people would start singing again. Obviously, these people didn't realize it was a musical. They just heard 'Beyoncé' and 'movie' and came to see it. My sister came with me and she said that a girl behind her was singing "Listen" along with Beyoncé. I am so glad I didn't hear her; otherwise, something would have gone down in that theatre.

[EmieMarie]

Posted: 12/27/06 at 6:17am

Know who suck? little kids
I was dragged along to see Ice Age with my friend on the opening day, My hair was being pulled the whole time by this two year old behind me

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 12/27/06 at 7:34am

I am having the complete opposite experience of you guys. The theater I went to was completely packed. 98% were African American and the other 2% were white (me and my wife included).

This is the first time I have gone to a movie where it was complete silence from start to finish (unless someone clapped, which happened a few times and of course the laugher at points). One time a cell phone went off and I thought it was going to be a mass flogging. So far, this is my favorite experience at the movies.