BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Free Rants

SolarSystem · October 30, 2013 6:02 am

Well, it's probably not all that 'exciting' just reading about it, but it drove me up the wall. Two times in a row we had people sitting right behind us who were constantly talking about the movie while we were watching it... I mean, I also love to talk about movies, but not while I'm watching them! And in one of those cases they were not only talking about what was going on on screen, the guy was also translating most of the dialogue to the girl. I mean, come on...! That's almost as bad as... popcorn.

besleybean · October 30, 2013 6:42 am

Am I just lucky I've never suffered this?!
But then I don't go to the cinema that much.
I would have to say something to people, if they did this to me!

ancientsgate · October 30, 2013 9:24 am

besleybean wrote:
Am I just lucky I've never suffered this?! But then I don't go to the cinema that much. I would have to say something to people, if they did this to me!

This reminds me of the time a friend and I went to see Brokeback Mountain, when it first came out in 2005. Before it was even released, the movie was the subject of a lot of speculation and "chat", since it had that gay cowboy storyline. It's a beautiful movie, both to look at and to contemplate (angst, a very unusual romance, etc), and although most of us sitting in the theater watching two men kiss and have sex and long for each other had never seen such a thing in a movie before, most people were respectful and quiet. But of course.... there always has to be one or two who titter and carry on like 11-year-olds. My friend and I were unlucky enough to have two of them sitting right in front of us--- two middle-aged women who were old enough to know better, whispering and chatting and giggling, even during the most poignant parts of the movie. Finally my friend had had it, so she kicked the back of one of their seats and said loudly, "If you want to talk, why don't you go out to the lobby?" Apparently the women had the good graces to actually be embarrassed-- there was nary a peep out of them again during the whole movie. Good for my friend to speak up like that-- I just sat there like a dummy and didn't dare say anything. I agree, bb. We really should confront people when they're loud and obnoxious, or at least go get an usher and complain and make him or her do it.

SolarSystem · October 30, 2013 10:26 am

ancientsgate, your friend was totally right to say something to those women.
The problem is, you never know how these people will react. When I'm watching some kind of blockbuster-action-movie, I almost expect that there will be people in the audience who don't know how to behave. Honestly, I would never say a word to them in order to calm them down. I used to do this, but it usually got even worse afterwards. It obviously gives them an extra incentive when they realise that they can piss off other people.
As for those two occasions I mentioned above, I did indeed ask them to be quiet or go outside and have their little conversation there. And both times they were far more quiet afterwards...

ancientsgate · October 30, 2013 10:40 am

SolarSystem wrote:
ancientsgate, your friend was totally right to say something to those women.
The problem is, you never know how these people will react.....

Yes, that is a concern of mine. Here in the US, you never know who's carrying, and god knows there are a lot of people who are, shall we say, walking around less than sober. Lots of attitude out there, lots of people whose middle name is Entitled. Speaking up can be risky, IMO.

My "cure" for this is to go to the first show of the day, especially if it's an R movie or if it's a summer flick that's of the action-adventure genre. Going to an 11:30 AM showing, even on a weekend, my husband and I will be practically alone in the theater, and we can sit and watch in peace.

Last edited by ancientsgate (October 30, 2013 10:41 am)

SolarSystem · October 30, 2013 11:12 am

ancientsgate wrote:
My "cure" for this is to go to the first show of the day, especially if it's an R movie or if it's a summer flick that's of the action-adventure genre. Going to an 11:30 AM showing, even on a weekend, my husband and I will be practically alone in the theater, and we can sit and watch in peace.

Ha, almost the same here! We prefer to go to screenings in the early afternoon. It's not always possible, but whenever it is, we absolutely avoid going in the evenings.

Schmiezi · October 30, 2013 11:48 am

Isn't it terrible how decent nice people like us avoid certain places at certain times because of stupid annoying people like those?

SolarSystem · October 30, 2013 12:42 pm

Schmiezi, I sometimes ask myself if maybe I'm just oversensitive about this (or if maybe I'm just getting too old? )...?
I wish I could just ignore it, but I've discovered that I've even begun to scan the people in the foyer, asking myself 'are they going to watch the same movie as we do?'. Isn't that just... annoying? I mean, I'm annoyed by myself for doing that, but I can't help it. I just hate it when I can't watch a movie in total silence. Popcorn should be prohibited, as well.

Schmiezi · October 30, 2013 1:07 pm

Solar, think we are about the same age so you are NOT GETTING TOO OLD!

IMO it should be understood that you can watch a movie in (relative) silence, without people talking. But more and more people don't know or don't care how to behave. So what we all SHOULD do is to tell them to be quiet. Instead, we wonder if it will really silence them, if they will get mad at us, if they could be dangerous ... and in the end we adapt to it by going to the cinema earlier or later.

Schmiezi · October 30, 2013 2:10 pm

Oh, I feel a lot like ranting myself today, I'm in a bad mood. But I'm not a ranting person (and I think the mood is mainly caused by hormones), so let me sum up everything that is good instead. Maybe my mood will get better!
- Today is the last day of my 12 day holiday trip on the lovely island of Amrum. The weather was unusually nice most of the time. During the storm on Monday we were perfectly save and had electrricity most of the time.
- The friend I'm staying at is wonderful. She cooks for me, leaves me alone when I want to write, comes with me when I want to go to the beach, waches Sherlock and Firefly with me whenever we can.
- Now I'm looking forward to coming home tomorrow. I've missed Hubby, and Ive been missed.
- AND I will be ABLE to go home tomorrow as planned, something that was not clear this morning, due to the damage caused by the storm.
- My writing goes well. The first three people who've read the first chaper like it, and so do I.

On the whole life is pretty good right now. YAY.

...
...
...

Hormones suck!

Harriet · October 30, 2013 2:36 pm

Well, at least you know your bad mood is just a bad mood...
I like your "anti-rant", and I hope and hope that you will feel better soon

FluteLocked · October 30, 2013 2:40 pm

SolarSystem wrote:
Well, it's probably not all that 'exciting' just reading about it, but it drove me up the wall. Two times in a row we had people sitting right behind us who were constantly talking about the movie while we were watching it... I mean, I also love to talk about movies, but not while I'm watching them! And in one of those cases they were not only talking about what was going on on screen, the guy was also translating most of the dialogue to the girl. I mean, come on...! That's almost as bad as... popcorn.

Okey....I can understand that they were annoying you...!

Mattlocked · October 30, 2013 3:40 pm

Nice way of getting rid of your bad mood, Schmiezi! I use it sometimes, too - and just did it some minutes ago.
Drove home from a bad day at work. Had pain in my back again. But then I thought: Hey, I CAN drive home! "Home" is a quite old house, but still our own house, and I can drive in my favourite, own car. And I can afford the fuel. So what I am complaining about!??

And I like popcorn, btw.....

Harriet · October 30, 2013 3:41 pm

Get better, Mattlocked!

Schmiezi · October 30, 2013 3:44 pm

That's the right attitude, Matt!

tobeornot221b · October 30, 2013 3:45 pm

Mattlocked wrote:
And I like popcorn, btw.....

Yes, I like that rustling noise your popcorn bag provides when it's jumping up and down in your shaking hand.

Mattlocked · October 30, 2013 3:47 pm

Thanks.
Well, I think I can blame the hormones, too. But it's not pregnancy. Let's call it.... hm... "the opposite". Oh, I'm getting old........

Mattlocked · October 30, 2013 3:48 pm

tobeornot221b wrote:
Mattlocked wrote:
And I like popcorn, btw.....
Yes, I like that rustling noise your popcorn bag provides when it's jumping up and down in your shaking hand.

I have NO idea what you're talking about!

ancientsgate · October 30, 2013 3:53 pm

Schmiezi wrote:
Isn't it terrible how decent nice people like us avoid certain places at certain times because of stupid annoying people like those?

Yes, but it seems to be a fact of life.

The other annoying thing that goes on in movie theaters is people looking at their stupid phones all during the movie, texting, etc. For god's sake, why do they spend 10+ bucks to see a movie and spend the whole time staring at the blue glow of their phone screen? Sooooo annoying to anyone sitting around them.

ancientsgate · October 30, 2013 3:55 pm

SolarSystem wrote:
Schmiezi, I sometimes ask myself if maybe I'm just oversensitive about this (or if maybe I'm just getting too old? )...?
I wish I could just ignore it, but I've discovered that I've even begun to scan the people in the foyer, asking myself 'are they going to watch the same movie as we do?'. Isn't that just... annoying? I mean, I'm annoyed by myself for doing that, but I can't help it. I just hate it when I can't watch a movie in total silence. Popcorn should be prohibited, as well.

Well, yeah, probably a lot of us are getting....o-l-d. lololol I know I am. Hey, I'm someone's grandmother, so needless to say, I don't fit into the "scene". God forbid, I don't even WANT to fit into the scene. More and more these days, I just wait for whatever I want to see to come out on DVD, and then I can rent the thing from NetFlix and watch it in the peace and quiet of my own house. Hey, I can make popcorn, too. *smile*