Theater Etiquette is Dead
By Jose Pereida
You're finally watching one of your most anticipated movies, but distractions are everywhere. There's loud talking two rows down, someone texting in the row below, and a blinding smartwatch next to you--each one running the experience. This is now the most common experience when you go to a movie theater, but there was a time when the entire audience practiced perfect theater etiquette.
My first movie theater memory was when I was a three year old, and my parents took me to see Ang Lee’s “Hulk” in 2003. I can remember running down the halls trying to rush back to my seat while watching “Hulk” jump through canyons. I was blown away by the size of the screen that allowed me to only focus on the stories and characters from all genres of film. From then on, the movie theater quickly became a safe space for me, where films allowed me to experience new lives and see the world through countless lenses
I have been an avid movie theater lover ever since then; it was always a safe space for me where I could bond with my family over the movies we watch. There are so many theater experiences that are part of my childhood and teenage years whether it is watching “Spider-Man 3”, “Avengers: Endgame” or “The Dark Knight” on opening day. These experiences cemented my love for cinema and set the standard for the respectful theater etiquette I expect today.
None of those movies were ever ruined by loud talking or texting. I am sure there were disruptions throughout my early experience, but it was not enough to turn me away from theaters. However, disruptions in theaters have significantly increased in recent years, and social media plays a large role in this shift by creating trends that involves taking photos of films in the middle of their runtime in the movie theater.
There is a post trending on the platform “X” (formerly Twitter) to post the “Wicked Part One” title card and so many people around the world are doing that. I follow people on Instagram that did that trend, and it would not bother me so much if the title card appeared in the first few minutes of the film. However, the title card does not appear until around the fifteen-minute mark in the film, which is too late to pull your phone out.
Throughout this year, I have had the highest number of theater disruptions ever. In May, while watching “Furiosa” there was a family that constantly played on their smartwatches. I know you might be thinking that I should say something, and I do but it never works. I walked over to the family and politely asked if they could stop playing with their watches and all I got was a blank stare and snickering among the entire family who continued to play with their watches afterwards. Their rude reaction has unfortunately become the norm in many theaters today.
A couple of months later, while watching “The Apprentice” in September, the theater only belonged to me and an older couple in the top row. About an hour into the film, the older couple's kids stomp into the theater, run upstairs, and yell. While watching “No Way Home” there was a drunk man yelling at the screen every minute into the film, completely ruining the highly anticipated film. Teens are always puffing their vapes in the middle of the theater thinking their sweater will cover up their smoke. These examples highlight the increasing lack of respect for theater etiquette, making it harder to enjoy a movie.
It has gotten out of hand lately, and I frankly did not know how to solve the situation until recently when a picture reminded me of a very brief memory. I used to go to "Edwards 22" in Ontario for ninety percent of my child and teen years. For a brief period of time, Edwards had a complaint control, which was a control where you could make a complaint. This was a simple but effective complaint control with buttons for reporting issues like sound, screen issues or audience behavior. An employee would immediately come and observe the theater for the problem or come directly to you. A similar system should be implemented in every theater to ensure that disruptions are addressed immediately.
Involving an employee ensures that disruptions are addressed quickly and effectively. I think implementing this type of control would decrease the amount of disruptions happening in the audience. I would use that control for a good cause, only using it to ensure my movie experience is perfect. It is also a quiet and non-disrupting way to complain about the theater without getting up from your seat, allowing pure fairness for all moviegoers. It is not fair to the entire audience to be disrupted and have their movie experience ruined because someone could not stop texting or talking.
The cost to go to the movies has also increased throughout the years, making it more expensive for families. The average ticket in 2004 was around six dollars, and now the average ticket costs about eleven dollars, with that price going up further with premium screens such as “IMAX”. To interrupt a movie where people have spent their hard-earned money to watch is simply a selfish act that wastes the audience money.
There is hope for movie theater lovers out there, but it takes a drive to get there, which is the art house theaters in Los Angeles. There are many theaters from “New Beverly,” “Egyptian” and to my favorite theater, “The Vista.” These are movie theaters owned by movie lovers that implement those three golden rules to perfection in their theaters by announcing them to the audience before each film. The entire audience does not talk or pull out any of their phones during the film. An employee is stationed at the theater and their job is to observe the audience for the entire film, immediately putting the disruption to an end.
Those theaters are like heaven to me, where I know I will be able to watch a great film with a great audience. However, it is unfortunate that I must drive all the way to Los Angeles to experience that, but it is worth the trip, and I advise people to visit those theaters for their unique selection and theater etiquette.
I do not have faith in theater etiquette being enforced better in chain theaters such as “Regal” and “AMC”. They have not taken a single action to help decline rude audience behavior, but they have made a unique popcorn bucket for each new film.Unless chain theaters take action, the decline of theater etiquette will continue. It's time for them to stop prioritizing popcorn buckets and start prioritizing the movie-going experience.