Memorable theater experiences

[modage]

Holy Shit, modage, I can't even imagine how you felt. I doubt it, but did the corp. office get back to yet?

they emailed me asking for my phone number and address so they could contact me more directly, but i havent heard from them since.  my dad said i should try to sue the theatre for allowing this to go on, even after we had complained.  so i called around to a few lawyers who said that only if my girlfriend had been assaulted further AFTER they had been informed would the theatre be responsible.  that same lawyer also proceeded to tell me he doesnt go to the movies in philadelphia for that reason.  i said, so basically you dont go to the movies because you know that something like this will happen?  and he was like "yeah".  i was like, dont you think thats kind of fucked up?  he was like "oh i symphathize".  but wasnt about to do anything about it.  i figure my only chances at this point is finding a lawyer who still has ideals and is probably fresh out of law school.  otherwise everyone else is just looking for an open-and-shut case.

[Gloria]

I first have to say that the closest theater to me has 4 screens and they are small. The largest screen has gum stuck in the left corner of it and one of the other screens has a spot on it where someone tried to clean it and made it worse. The floor of the theater is always sticky and half the seats are broken.  This is my (unchosen) movie haven.

The most memorable moments in this theater are:

When I went to see Drive Me Crazy and they messed up the reels (my friends didn't even notice, the movie was that bad), so we saw the film in the wrong order. And, no, they wouldn't give us our money back.

During The Little Mermaid, the film went crazy and in the middle of "Kiss the Girl" the film burned up.  They had it running 10 min. later, but we missed the rest of the song.

Went to see Chicago and sat down only to be told that the movie wasn't working.  Yes, I got my money back

One good thing that happened in that theater is I got to see Finding Nemo with two friends of mine.  We were the only ones in the theater and we could laugh as loud and as hard as we wanted to.

When I finally get to go to a new theater, about 30 more miles away, the theater is packed and I'm loving it. Halfway through the movie, someone in the front is talking.  Someone gives them a 'shhhhhhh.'  The person in the front row stands up and says loudly "Who shushed me? Was it you?"  this woman was pointing at someone I couldn't see.  "You better not be shushing me.  I paid to be here too, ya know." Thankfully, the person sat down again and shut up. I was scared there was gonna be a brawl and I would miss the rest of the movie.

[MacGuffin]

During The Little Mermaid, the film went crazy and in the middle of "Kiss the Girl" the film burned up.  They had it running 10 min. later, but we missed the rest of the song.

That happened to me at "High Crimes"...and right at the ending when the killer is revealed. The entire audience was in an uproar. The theater gave us free movie passes, but there were some people out to lynch the projectionist. They were that angry. My friend and I didn't mind, we snuck into another movie, then went back to the same theater just to watch the ending. But you could see where they spliced out the burn because of the mismatched shots.

Another time was when I saw "Short Cuts" and the film broke right in the middle of the Julianne Moore bottomless scene.

[Jeremy Blackman]

During The Little Mermaid, the film went crazy and in the middle of "Kiss the Girl" the film burned up.  They had it running 10 min. later, but we missed the rest of the song.

That happened to me at "High Crimes"...and right at the ending when the killer is revealed.

Believe it or not, that happened to me the very last time I saw Magnolia in the theater. Swear to God. The end credits were rolling and a burning hole appeared on the screen. I told the concessions guy, who jumped over the rope barrier and sprinted into the theater.

[Ernie]

First of all, I will never bitch to anybody about any disruptions I have put up with at the movies after reading modernage's fucking situation...wow man....just wow. That is...not good. The most I've put up with is some talkative people amongst themselves. I don't think I've ever been spoken to directly...surely not mocked or taunted. That's not even right. I mean, not even considering what happened with your girlfriend or with the bad managment, it's worse than anything I've put up with. That scares me.

I had one relatively recently experience that was more funny and weird than annoying. When I saw Adaptation...right after a very awkward moment when Kaufman's agent is talking about fucking some girl or something...just all of a sudden, the film cut and this red strobe light turned on in the theatre and just started flashing very slowly. My honest initial reaction was that this was some interactive part of the film that Spike Jonze had intended for every audience that sees it. I guess I was a little spaced out that day. Anyway, there was no instruction at all at first, it was just silent...there was no announcement, there wasn't even like a siren or anything like that. It was fucking eerie. Finally some usher came down and led us outside and told us nothing about what had just happened. A bunch of old people (that were already pissed about the recent vulgar scene) demanded to know what was up...apparently some trainee almost lit the whole concessions place on fire with a popcorn machine. I know we got tickets but I don't think we ever used them. That's probably the weirdest thing I've ever went through in a theatre, it's not that great, I know...I'm still young though. There will be plenty of opportunities for weird situations.

[Gamblour.]

My honest initial reaction was that this was some interactive part of the film that Spike Jonze had intended for every audience that sees it. I guess I was a little spaced out that day.

What an unusual thought, but I might've easily come to the same conclusion.

I've never really had a bad theater experience (knock on wood) and hopefully I'll never have one as bad as modernage. I tend to find the more, I guess, "artistic" part of town to see movies. The small theaters that play the limited releases that none of the 16 plus screeners show. They tend to be nice.

[Ernie]

I've never really had a bad theater experience (knock on wood) and hopefully I'll never have one as bad as modernage. I tend to find the more, I guess, "artistic" part of town to see movies. The small theaters that play the limited releases that none of the 16 plus screeners show. They tend to be nice.

Oh yea, I've never had a bad experience at my art theatre, not one. And I've gone there many times over the past two years. I mean, not only has everybody kept quiet...it's all yuppies, college kids, and senior citizens...but the sound and picture have never even been askew either, it's great. I mean, the people can be annoying before and after the movie with how arrogant they are but at least they're good during the movie. I'm always more at ease going to that theatre cause it's a much more comfortable atmosphere. I mean, I love the commercial theatres (always will) but there is a certain amount of anxiety going into certain films at those theatres (the popular ones mainly)...you never know what kind of people are going to be there. Especially at the dollar theatre...ugh.

[modage]

I've never really had a bad theater experience (knock on wood) and hopefully I'll never have one as bad as modernage. I tend to find the more, I guess, "artistic" part of town to see movies. The small theaters that play the limited releases that none of the 16 plus screeners show. They tend to be nice.

unfortunately philadelphia doesnt have an artistic part of town.  it all sucks.  the theatre i went to where that happened i thought was the "nicer" part of town.  10 dollar tickets, assigned seats and like a fancy bar in the lobby, i thought i would be okay.  it had been the only (non-arthouse) theatre in the city that i still thought was okay.  i was wrong about that.  so usually whenever i want to see a "regular" movie, i have to drive about 40 minutes outside of the city deep into the suburbs just to see a fucking flick.  i tried seeing them in the suburbs "just outside" the city about 20 min.  but abandoned that one too, cause it way too close.  
excerpt from the matrix preview before x2:  "ooooh.  he matrix.  he fly.  he bad."  etc.  before myself "SHUT UP."  
so the arthouse theatres are great, but unfortunately when a mainstream movie like kill bill comes out i have to plan a whole day around getting out to a theatre.

[Weak2ndAct]

Another funny experience: back home, a brand spanking new 12 screen theatre was erected solely for the purpose of showing dollar movies.  I would venture out there for all day marathons with friends.  But what made the place interesting was that it was... um, an 'urban' area (that sounds incredibly racist I know, but it's true-- we were the only whiteboys there).  At one show of Three Kings, a woman stood up in the back during the middle of the movie and started yelling about the government and republicans-- totally out of nowhere.  Several huge guys stood up in front us and yelled 'bitch!  shut the fuck up!'  She yelled at the guys, other chimed in, and when one of them chased after her, she bolted out of the theatre.  Applause erupted and the movie resumed quite peacefully.

[Derek237]

Best theatre experience ever: The Exorcist (VYNS, of course). After every demonic scene when the movie went quiet someone would suddenly yell out, "Oh my God." in a funny way. But the real great part was at the end when Damien finally grabs Reagan and punches her. Everyone was laughing and cheering, it was just the greatest thing ever. I think it might've been Halloween or Devil's Night, too. Not sure. But it was definatley October.

[Pedro]

Another funny experience: back home, a brand spanking new 12 screen theatre was erected solely for the purpose of showing dollar movies.  I would venture out there for all day marathons with friends.  But what made the place interesting was that it was... um, an 'urban' area (that sounds incredibly racist I know, but it's true-- we were the only whiteboys there).  At one show of Three Kings, a woman stood up in the back during the middle of the movie and started yelling about the government and republicans-- totally out of nowhere.  Several huge guys stood up in front us and yelled 'bitch!  shut the fuck up!'  She yelled at the guys, other chimed in, and when one of them chased after her, she bolted out of the theatre.  Applause erupted and the movie resumed quite peacefully.

hahaha.  Man, I wish I could have some of the experiences you people here have had...except for themodernage's...eww.

[pete]

I think Almost Famous was the best time I've ever had watching a film.  I was with my godparents and this one girl and it was just on the last legs of its second run.  We were in the theater all by ourselves almost, and no one knew much of what the film was about.  Man, it was amazing just sitting in the stadium seats, the four of us, and watching magic.  I got a lot of goosebumps, over everything.  I remember getting the DVD that year and just watching the shit out of the DVD.

[GoneSavage]

Return of the Jedi, 1983 -- My first theatre memory and probably my first memory period.  I was almost four and so excited to be going to the movies with my dad.  I don't think I will ever again feel the pure overwhelming joy I felt while watching that movie that day.  I went back several times and reportedly had the movie memorized after two viewings. 

Chasing Amy, 1997 -- The new Kevin Smith movie was coming out and I was not going to wait and hope that the "art" theatre in town would get it.  We drove 75 miles to see it in Schaumburg, IL.  I was a Smith fanatic at this time.  Seeing Clerks the previous year had ignited a new found love for the movies and opened a world of indie films.  We made this feel like an event and it was a great day.

Star Wars, 1997 -- Seeing Star Wars on the big screen brought me back to childhood.  My days as a kid were spent obsessing over Star Wars and now to see it as a "young adult" was truly magic.  Despite the fact that Lucas messed with a few of my favorite parts, the sheer experience of seeing that film up there the way it was meant to be seen completely outweighed my problems with it.  The Star Destroyer, my god...

Boogie Nights, 1998 -- I saw this on a one-screen arthouse theatre in my college town called The Egyptian.  I had seen Hard Eight but didn't know who made it and was pleasantly surprised, after being captivated with Boogie Nights, that it was the same filmmaker.  I loved the style, the music, the characters, the everything.  Great fun and it didn't even matter that the sound cut out at the tense blowjob scene.

There's Something About Mary, 1998 -- First date with a girl who I'd end up dating for 4 years.  She had already seen it and suggested it.  I wasn't much of a screwball comedy guy at the time but I went and laughed like crazy.  I don't know if I had ever laughed so hard in a theatre before.  It was a great time and a beginning to a new phase of my life. 

Eyes Wide Shut, 1999 -- Seeing a new Kubrick film on the big screen, you can't beat that feeling.

Magnolia, 1999 -- I've been reading up on PTA for a bit now.  Still didn't know what to expect by this, the small amount of reviews I've allowed myself to skim through have been very mixed.  Needless to say, I was wide-eyed the entire running time and completely immersed in every moment.  My companion said that people were walking out.  I certainly didn't notice.  It was all I could talk about for weeks after.  Oddly enough, I only saw it in the theatre once.



Nice thread, thanks.

[squints]

the two most recent best have to be Adaptation and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. In my small little oklahoma town we had two theaters...the AMC which was under construction for an entire summer and the shitty Cinema Twin. It just so happened that the Twin played two incredibly great movies while they were the only theater in town and i was the only one (of two, the two being the girl i went with) in the fucking theater. Having an entire theater to yourself to see two great Charlie kaufman movies? awesome. I was in tears at the end of Adaptation and I didn't care because no one else was in the fucking place.

[Myxo]

Alright, here we go. A fun little trip down memorable theater experiences lane..

Mulholland Drive:
The smoking hot girl in our office asks ME out on a first date. Because back then I was a total pussy and wouldn't ask her. Let's do dinner and dessert I suggest. And what movie do I take her to? I later find out that she's not a big movie fan. So this had to be like nails on a chalkboard for her. Naomi Watts masturbation sequence? Yeah, AWKWARD!

Crimson Peak:
This is a recent memorable movie experience story. My wife went into labor and texted me just as the credits were rolling. I was with a couple of her friends while she stayed home. I had to hustle out of the theater but couldn't explain to anyone why. And then drive 80 mph home. Not the best movie. But it's forever connected to my son now.

The Matrix:
Saw it 5 or 6 times before my theater pulled it. This was before all of my friends were married and moved away. All of us were in our early 20s, hanging out together every weekend. I still remember the first time I saw it, that opening sequence where Moss goes bullet time on those cops. I think I seriously said "holy shit" out loud. LOL! It was that cool. Nobody was doing that stuff at the time.

Magnolia:
I'm sure most of us have it on our list. I saw it once by myself and then dragged 2 more friends and saw it 2 more times with them individually. It affected me that much. It still seems like PTA's "Ok Computer" film. I don't know that he'll be remembered for anything better.

Nightmare on Elm Street 6: Freddy's Dead:
So I'm 15 years old but don't get carded buying my ticket. Saw it in 3D by myself! Totally burned into my memory. My mom would later find out I saw it with this horrified look on her face. I love horror films.