Don't text during a movie at the Alamo, or else...

[LizzieMaine]

I'm in the process of making such a "policy trailer" for our theatre -- showing me acting out each obnoxious violation of protocol using vintage-era devices. The "No Phone Conversations" title will be followed by a shot of me pulling an upright telephone from under my jacket and yakking it up. For "No Text Messaging," I'll be banging away on a portable typewriter, for "No Portable Music Devices" I'll have a Philco cathedral radio in my lap, and for "No Outside Food and Drink" I'll ostentatiously pour myself a bowl of cornflakes and milk and munch away on it.

I dunno if this will do any good, but perhaps a comedy approach will be more understandable to the patrons than me having to go into the auditorium with a flashlight and shooshing people.

 

[scottyrocks]

One basic problem is that many people seem to confuse a right with a privilege.

 

[Dan'l]

^^^
It might work if "drunk girl" doesn't show up.

I think it's a great policy and if more theatres adopted similar ones then going out to the movies might be enjoyable again (might be, depending of the quality of the movie). I really don't go very often because I don't like the distractions all around.
Have you ever noticed how loud a small plastic wrapper is when one is slowing (trying to be quiet) opening a peice of candy?

I hope someone that knows drunk girl sees ACs report and points it out to her. Of course, then AC would get a nasty text.

 

[Gingerella72]

MAGNITED STATES :rofl: Tears came down my face as I watched that...... so funny.


I agree though. They should be banned in theaters. I like Lizzie's idea a lot, but I think Drappa is right. They want to be heard

These are the same types of people who continue to talk on their cell phone once in a bathroom stall attending to their, um....business. shakeshead

 

[rue]

These are the same types of people who continue to talk on their cell phone once in a bathroom stall attending to their, um....business. shakeshead

Now that is just wrong on soooooooo many levels :eeek:

 

[Shangas]

Given the number of cell phone conversations I have witnessed while individuals are actively using the ladies room, I highly doubt it.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Lounge...I rest my case.

 

[Drappa]

Isn't that how people accidentally drop their phones in toilets? I bet there's thousands of insurance claims for that...

 

[LaMedicine]

LizzieMaine's idea sounds fun but I'm also wondering if the younger generation will actually get what all the vintage devices stand for.

I believe there are devices/systems that interfere with reception of cell phone signals. A lot of the theatres here have them. I've noticed that in many multipurpose halls, cell phone reception is possible only in the lobbies, and the antenna disappears as soon as entering the halls themselves. I've also noticed it theaters (both movies and stage performance) as well.

 

[sheeplady]

Isn't that how people accidentally drop their phones in toilets? I bet there's thousands of insurance claims for that...

I actually heard somebody drop their cell phone in the toilet once. Or I would assume it was their cell phone.

Person comes into bathroom: Yak, yak, yak...
Person goes into stall: Yak, yak, yak....
Clunk.
Swearing.

Luckily I was drying my hands and able to leave right after that because I could barely contain my laughter. I think part of me was also afraid they'd ask me to pass them my phone under the stall door so they could finish their conversation.

I can't imagine how the call back to that person went. "Yeah... I went through a tunnel..."

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I've done that before. I was cleaning my toilet and it was in my shirt pocket and fell out!

People talk on their phones in the bathroom at work all the time, I don't get it.

Also, if you want to text at a movie, at least sit in the back row, so the light's not disturbing anyone.

Isn't that how people accidentally drop their phones in toilets? I bet there's thousands of insurance claims for that...

 

[Drappa]

I've dropped my phone in tea and beer before. Both times I needed a new phone.
I think making public spaces like concert venues etc non-cell friendly sounds like a great idea! It never occurred to me before that they do this on purpose, but that would eliminate the problem.

 

[Edward]

Once saw a guy drop his phone out of a shirt pocket into the Camden Canal. He was reaching out over the water from the bank at the time, trying to pull a swan's tail. Karma in action. What was beautiful was it happened as if in slow motion - he did not have time to grab the phone, but plenty of time to watch it drop. Hilarious.

These are the same types of people who continue to talk on their cell phone once in a bathroom stall attending to their, um....business. shakeshead

Don't laugh, that's male multi-tasking.

 

[IsaacRN]

I dont know if this has been posted but here is my rant:

Dont talk during a movie...PERIOD. Some cities are better than others. NYC is the worst of all the cities I have been to. These people just dont care.

Dont ask me to get up during the movie to get you something. That is why we arrive 30 minutes early so that we can get good seats and get ANYTHING you want. Be this friend of girlfriend.

Do not check texts in the movie, and furthermore, dont put your phone in the cup holder so that when you do get a silent call it turns on and blinds me.

Lastly, DO NOT answer the phone call. This falls in line with talking in the movie theater.

Heres one that irks me only because I have friends with newborns. Leave the children at home until they are age appropriate. I remember Inception, and having a baby just scream throughout the movie. One parent/friend I know said this... "Having a baby means no more movies unless you get a sitter of some sort. It goes with the territory"

Anywho..thats my movie rant

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

[video=youtube;hut3VRL5XRE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hut3VRL5XRE&feature=related[/video]

 

[Drappa]

^That's a bit out of order. Asking the guy to leave the lecture would have brought his point across without destroying someone's property.

 

[sheeplady]

My only concern about making places cell unfriendly is what about people who are on call? I would assume that doctors, healthcare professionals, and others who are "on call" do so with cell phones today. I guess this just means that you couldn't go to a movie or a play if you were on call. Suddenly I feel very sorry for single practicioners (like my doctor), who are basically on call the entire week.

I'd much rather see people stop using their cell phones inappropriately on their own, rather than restrict the rest of people that are respectful but might need to know about an incoming call.

That instructor shouldn't be teaching if he can't keep his temper. Honestly, most of the time when a cell phone goes off in class, students are incredibly embarrassed.

 

[rue]

I would guess that they would leave a number where they could be reached, like they used to do before we had cellphones? I'm just guessing......

 

[LaMedicine]

My only concern about making places cell unfriendly is what about people who are on call? I would assume that doctors, healthcare professionals, and others who are "on call" do so with cell phones today. I guess this just means that you couldn't go to a movie or a play if you were on call.

I'm one such person, actually. So far, from my experience, having the caller leave voice mail and checking and calling back while in the lobby during intermissions or immediately after the show has been fine. If for some reason, I'm going to be unreacheable directly for an extended period of time, I let the staff know when they can expect me to be able to get back in touch. At large medical conferences, there usually is a small side screen in the main rooms where requests for call backs are displayed, as well as strategically placed screens in various areas displaying the same requests. This works well enough, if one has left contact info for the staff back home.

 

[LizzieMaine]

All that would need to be done is to post a sign at the box office -- NO CELL RECEPTION INSIDE. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR NAME IF URGENT CALLS ARE EXPECTED, AND YOU WILL BE PAGED.

In the Era, the projectionist kept a blank glass slide in the booth, and if an emergency call was received he'd write on it with a grease pencil: DR JOSEPH BLOW -- PLEASE REPORT TO THE MANAGER'S OFFICE and slip it into the projector over the film for twenty seconds or so. There would be no significant disruption to the show, Dr. Blow would get his message, and everybody would be happy. All nice and civil.

Around here our audience is not the yap-and-text crowd -- bit when they do get calls they go into the lobby to take them. My main gripe is that they forget to keep their voices down, and I sometimes have to ask them to step out to the sidewalk to finish their conversation.

 

[sheeplady]

Ok, that seems reasonable. Since I'm not a person on call (and never will be), I don't know all the details. But I am glad to see that people can get in touch (and individuals' lives are not too disrupted). I really like the medical conference screens, that seems like a nice touch and somewhat reminiscent of putting the message into the film.