Memorable theater experiences

Started by rustinglass, October 01, 2003, 01:30:02 PM

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SoNowThen

How old were you, and where did you see it?
Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.

ElPandaRoyal

QuoteHow's Claudia looking these days?

Man, she's getting old  :cry:  but still, she has the charm and class, I think. But old...
Si

AK

Quote from: SoNowThenHow old were you, and where did you see it?

21 and unfortunatelly the first time i saw was in a theatre inside a mall (maybe that was the problem)

EL__SCORCHO

My best movie theater experiences were:

1) That movie with Brandon Frasier, School Ties...or school something when I was like 12 or 13, I can't remember. But it was great because I spent the entire night feeling up the girl next to me.

2) Pulp Fiction, just amazing. Went with 2 friends, and only 2 other people were in this huge theater so we basically had it all to ourselves. Then the movie started and I left all  :shock: .

SoNowThen

Quote from: AK
Quote from: SoNowThenHow old were you, and where did you see it?

21 and unfortunatelly the first time i saw was in a theatre inside a mall (maybe that was the problem)

Hey, yeah, me too (in a mall I mean). But it was a sneak preview crowd, so they were pretty good.

Well, at least you were a decent age. I was thinking if you were in your teens, and you saw such a beautiful film that nobody else responded to, it would be rough and pessimism-enhancing experience. At least when you're a little older, you can just say "fuck 'em, they missed out" with more conviction.   :wink:
Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.

Alethia

i wish i was older when i showed it to my friends then, only two of them liked it.  the others were offended or didnt understand it.

every single one of em loved boogie nights tho, so, theyre not that bad i guess....

smash

weird, all my friends liked Pulp Fiction...

but none of them liked Boogie Nights...they all thought the prosthetic penis was gross.  I'll make them watch it again...hopefully they'll get it next time  :lol:

Gamblour.

Most memorable theater experiences:

1. I saw my first ever Scorsese movie on my 14th birthday (though of course I had no idea who he was). My friends and I saw Bringing Out the Dead, and I always kinda liked it because I think I was justifying are reasons for paying money to see it, they all thought it was weird. But we're just kids, didn't know any better. I just remember the last shot with Cage and Arquette thinking, "This is the ending?" It's my favorite Scorsese movie now, though.

2. I remember seeing Independence Day and couldn't over how cool the sounds and special effects were. Once again, I was just a kid.

3. During Liar, Liar, I literally fell out of my seat from laughing so hard. Once again...

4. Recent experiences would be seeing Memento, that was my first glimpse at how cool movies could be on a technical level, that's when I really started to get into movies. Requiem revitalized and then Magnolia did later on.

Oh, and seeing Attack of the Clones at midnight, well that was just an eventful day for unsaid reasons.
WWPTAD?

AK

Quote from: SoNowThen
Well, at least you were a decent age. I was thinking if you were in your teens, and you saw such a beautiful film that nobody else responded to, it would be rough and pessimism-enhancing experience. At least when you're a little older, you can just say "fuck 'em, they missed out" with more conviction.   :wink:

And i think that if i was younger and had showed it to youngers who didn't get it wasn't going to be a big deal as it is for me now in Film School has to listen that Magnolia is bullshit and indulgent

SoNowThen

Quote from: AK
Quote from: SoNowThen
Well, at least you were a decent age. I was thinking if you were in your teens, and you saw such a beautiful film that nobody else responded to, it would be rough and pessimism-enhancing experience. At least when you're a little older, you can just say "fuck 'em, they missed out" with more conviction.   :wink:

And i think that if i was younger and had showed it to youngers who didn't get it wasn't going to be a big deal as it is for me now in Film School has to listen that Magnolia is bullshit and indulgent

Ahhh... film school, or as I call it: going to a class with 9 out of 10 people who have no business being in cinema.
Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.

Alexandro

Trainspotting. I saw it at a film festival on a very undergroundish artsy theatre. I used to go there a lot and there would never be anyone, usually the place was empty, but that day, I got there and saw the whole thing packed. There was a line going around the block and they had to make two extra showings for the evening...everyone was incredibly responsive to the movie...it was an instant classic...

Batman. That was huge. People were clapping in key moments as when the bat aerial ship or whatever is called positions on the moon silhuette...and when the Joker did something cool and funny...

Fantasia 2000 on the IMAX theatre at La Cité in Paris...do I have to say more?

Apocalypse Now Redux...I saw it on opening night with a packed theatre and it was amazing, just amazing...but then I saw it again like three weeks later, on LSD...one of the most intense movie going experiences of my life.

modage

alright i saw the heading and i couldnt resist.  this happened to me a few weeks ago in filthadelfia.  this is the letter i sent to the theatres corporate office when i got back.  its me trying to sound like a rational adult.  this is long, so probably nobodys gonna read it.

    I went to your theatres tonite in Philadelphia at 40th and Walnut Street to see 2 films with my friend and girlfriend.  We had during the first film (the only one we ended up seeing any of), the absolute worst experience in a movie theatre of our entire lives.  I cannot even begin to describe what it was like sitting there in your theatre.  But I will try.
   
Since we had planned to see two films back to back, and knowing it was Friday, opening night for both films, we arrived about an hour early to make sure we got tickets.  When we arrived at around 7 o clock we were able to get tickets to the 8pm Once Upon A Time In Mexico and the 9:50 Cabin Fever.  Although we arrived an hour early, due to the assigned seats policy, we were told we had a choice between the very front or the very back, so we chose the back.  (Also, we had not been in a few months and were informed that now, there were no longer student discounts on Fridays nor Saturdays, and that the price for a ticket on the weekend was 10.00 and not 9.25.)  But, regardless we got our tickets and began to wait outside the theatre till the previous showing had ended.  

   We were eventually let in and took our seats in the next to last row in the back of the theatre.  As the theatre began to fill up the area around us began to fill up with a group of young black urban males and a few females.  During the previews, a group of teens behind us were talking loudly, one of them on their cell phone.  My girlfriend turned around to see who was making the noise, and was told "Don't turn around at me. The movie hasn't started yet."  She turned back around and did not say anything.  Then, someone behind us said "White people are already giving me shit."  Since it was only the previews, we tried to ignore it.  Hoping, that once the movie started the noise would calm down.  Unfortunately it was almost the opposite.

   After the movie started, during the first twenty minutes of the film we endured the loud talking of people in the row behind us, next to us and in front of us.  Laughing during silences in the film, and responding to any bits of action by stomping and shouting things like "oh shit!"  There were also two girls behind us at that point who were giggling loudly and incessantly through long stretches of this part as well.  My girlfriend had had enough, so she went to exit the row to inform the management of what was going on in their theatre.  on her way out of the row, one of the teens put his leg up in front of her as to not let her pass, said "Hey sexy, where you going", and attempted to touch her butt, although she managed to plow through the group anyway.  When she was outside the theatre, she informed the usher of what was going on. She also said that she did not want, for fear of any trouble, the usher to escort her in, but to come in later, listen for any noise, and handle the problem accordingly.  So she came back to her seat.  A minute later or so an usher came in for about 20 seconds and left without doing anything.  Then the noise got worse.

   After that, we heard the loud clanking of, what turned out to be a 40oz bottle of alcohol being passed around next to us.  In addition the sounds of a young child (in a Rated R movie), and more talking without any regard to the rest of the audience.  And finally not one, but two cell phone conversations.  The conversation next to us on the phone lasted no shorter than 5 minutes.  He did little to keep his voice down, raising it every time there were problems receiving him on the other end of the phone.  The entire time, sitting there trapped in our seats all I could think were that 1) I cant believe this is happening.  I really cannot believe it.  and 2) I cant believe no one ELSE has said anything to them either or gone to complain or leave!  Then, after no shorter than 5 minutes on the phone the phone rang in the seats directly behind us and someone else began a conversation, again doing little to keep his voice hushed or leave the theatre till the call was over.  Finally I couldn't even believe my frustration anymore, realizing I was probably halfway through the film, and had absolutely no idea what was going on because I hadn't seen any of it.  

   I walked out of the isle as none of the teens lifted their feet and finally reached the outside where a security guard and usher were present.  I was so furious with what had happened with my night of movies, I could hardly get out the words to explain what was going on.  But I did.  I told them what was going on, that I couldn't stand it any longer, and the security guard decided he would follow me back into the theatre as I made my final attempt at just getting over it and watching the film.  I pointed out the rows of people making the noise to the guard who stood by and said he would stand there to wait out the rest of the film.  

   When I returned to my seat, I was immediately taunted by a teen in the row in front of us, who told me to "Just go home.  You're mommys not here."  The noise now came in spurts in front, behind, and next to us in the forms of taunts.  And that was when I decided I had had enough, and that I just wanted to leave at this point and come back some other day for a matinee.  So I told my girlfriend and friend and we got up and left.  We were followed by one threatening teen who followed close behind us on the steps and said "What do you need a baby-sitter?  Do you think you can go and talk about my cousin like that?"  He then circled around my friend in the restroom and disappeared, but did not go back into the theatre.

   Outside, the security guard informed us that my girlfriend had been sexually assaulted and was calling the police and that he wanted her to point out who had done it.  We hadn't planned on kicking anybody out, making a scene or having any of this done.  At this point, we just wanted our $60 back for the 6 tickets we had bought that night, so we could come some other time during the day and see the film.  He insisted, and called the police anyway.  When they arrived we told them we were uncomfortable with them dragging anybody out to be identified by us, since we don't want to make trouble with anyone who could potentially follow us outside the theatre.  We felt extremely uncomfortable and were told to wait outside the theatre.  I asked the security guard if we could wait somewhere else, and he said "No, we needed to be there to point them out." Again, I suppose.  Our friend, Aaron who lives a few blocks away from the neighborhood, was so uncomfortable with the situation he wanted to leave right then.

   The police arrived and were asking us what had happened.  When we
told them, they said that these were theatre issues, besides the sexual assault.  We asked if they could be ejected for bringing in their own alcohol and drinking that, since they were quite obviously underage.  The police said that the theatre served alcohol and there was nothing they could do about it.  When the manager corrected him and said it was not permitted in the theatre.  They were pretty insistent on going in there and getting this group so the whole group of police (4 or 5) went in.  We were now standing right outside the theatre directly in, what if any would become harms way.  We again, told the manager we only wanted our refunds and asked if we could wait somewhere else.  He told us that we couldn't, and that we had to wait there.  He would issue the refund after the police issue had been sorted out.  Another manager was told to issue our ticket refunds, and so we followed him to the front of the building.  We were all too glad to get away from the entrance to the theatre.  

   Once up front we were approached by the security guard who told us that when the group was approached and asked only to be "spoken with outside," they all got up and left the theatre.  The police let them leave, and they presumably did so.  There would be no questioning, no sexual assault charges, and no punishment whatsoever.  The manager, gave us our refund amount in cash with the exception of one ticket which was a voucher.  He did not, however, tell us he was sorry for what had happened.  That it was unusual.  That if we came back, it would not happen again.  Nothing.  In fact, when informing the manager at all of what had happened, he seemed to treat us as more of a nuisance than anyone to care about.  At the front counter we met 4 other people who we asked what their refunds were for.  They told us, someone had their 5 year old kid in their theatre, and was on their cell phone talking loudly.  We said, "Once Upon A Time In Mexico?!" They said "No, Cabin Fever."  We couldn't believe they had had the exact same experience in a different theatre.  

   This experience has been, without question, the absolute worst movie theatre experience I've ever had.  The security guard meant well, and tried to remedy the situation.  But the theatre staff, who had been informed shortly after the start of the film by my girlfriend did little to nothing to help us out besides ultimately refunding our tickets.  That doesn't begin to measure up to the inconvenience of the evening.  We had been anticipating the films tonight for a while, paid for the transportation to get to the theatre, and expected to have a nice time.  Which, I think I am entitled when I am paying $10 for a movie ticket.  The bar in the lobby and assigned seats may make the place seem ritzy, but do little to the movie experience when you have to put up with that.  I'm still so frustrated about this whole thing, with our night wasted, and it now nearly midnight I can hardly believe this ordeal.  I am having a really hard time telling myself I ever need to come back to this theatre.  I have been multiple times in the past and thought, with its slick appearance, that you wouldn't have to put up with this type of behavior apparent in the cities lesser theaters.  But now, I realize, without a staff that keeps an eye on the patrons inside the theatre, it's no different.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

Pedro

Oh shit, man.  That sounds terrible.  I've yet to have something like that happen to me

MacGuffin

Holy Shit, modage, I can't even imagine how you felt. I doubt it, but did the corp. office get back to yet?
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

SoNowThen

I'm glad you wrote to the theatre, modern. We need to start saying something.

Like I've said before, I've had such shit experiences that I rarely go anymore, and only to movies I know will be unpopular. Like the two flicks you saw, I've been dying to see those. But I knew the kind of crowds that I hate would be there, so I'm waiting 'til dvd. Unfortunate, yes, but I don't have the time or money to waste on this shit anymore.

The bad thing is, teenagers can be the biggest assholes, but usually if you get up and tell them to shut up (if you're over 20) they most of the time do. It's the middle age couples now that are starting to get to me, as they think that they can have a fucking ongoing whisper-conversation the WHOLE movie. I almost felt bad when I had to yell at a frail woman in her 40's to "SHUT UP" during the opening off PDL, but I wanted to set a precedent. It probably ruined the first third of the movie for her. What can you do?

Like I emailed to Ebert answer-man column, I'd like to see theatres put in bouncers to police noisey folks. They should firmly establish a "make noise, you're out" policy.
Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.