A brief rant about audience etiquette

I forgot to say this in my last post…..

I was shocked at how rude the audience was at the Garbo films last night.  During THE TORRENT this one man’s cell phone rang.  He not only let it ring many times, but he ANSWERED IT and took the call right there in the theatre!  I lost my temper and took off after him, but my friend stopped me.  I seriously wanted to hurt him….although given my small stature I doubt I could have done too much damage.  I did scream, “No cell phones!” at him.

Then the couple sitting next to me kept laughing the entire time.  They thought every single thing was funny.  Garbo would just walk into a room and they would errupt in laughter.  It made me so mad! They had no respect for the film or the other audience members around them.  Maybe this is just my inner film geek speaking here, but when I go see a movie that was made in the 1920s, I look at it through 1920s eyes.  I don’t even attempt to compare it to things being made now in 2005.  It’s not fair to do that.  For example there is a flood scene in THE TORRENT and for 1926 this was a really groundbreaking special effect!  It is not fair to compare it to THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW for example and laugh at what an antique it is compared to that!  Their laughter really distracted me and was extremely uncalled for.  Then this man in front of my started belching….loudly I might add.  These old ladies started talking in the row behind me.

I wonder why audience behavior has gotten so bad.  I suspect maybe it is because of the home video DVD revolution.  People watch stuff in the privacy of their homes and I’m sure they think nothing of talking loudly, chatting on the cell phone or whatever.  I guess they just think this is acceptable in the public as well.

I’ve got news for them…..IT IS NOT!  I wish I could get some brass knuckles that say “SHUT THE” on one hand and “HELL UP” on the other.  Then I could walk up to rude audience members and explain to them the story of SHUT THE and HELL UP and how they are going to make quite an impression on their face….sort of like what Robert Mitchum did in NIGHT OF THE HUNTER.

I did call UCLA and personally ask the Archive to make a no talking and no cell phone announcement before the films in the future, which they did.  It’s a good thing too.  I’d hate to get kicked out of there for beating someone up….although you never know.  It still might happen.

First Comment:

1. Good points, Karie. I think you’re right on in your observations. And it’s audience behavior that’s increasingly keeping me out of theatres. And yet the management at most venues seem to take no effort to silence these savages. Hey, I don’t mind if there’s a little audience to screen interaction during “Foxy Brown” or “Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS”, but during a Garbo movie! Cretins. Good for you for standing up for yourself, Karie. Too bad your friend kept you from pounding that clod.

   Posted by Lucas on 05/04 at 05:30 AM