To Find this Woman in the Cinema Rude

[LessMissAbs]

Me and my friend were watching a film in the cinema tonight. She doesn't wear a watch and must have been checking her phone for the time - its a habit of hers to do this, or to ask people the time. I was sitting next to her and I didn't notice it.

There was an empty seat to her other side between her and a woman. The woman suddenly boomed out in the middle of the film, "If you want to play your phone, you can go outside and do it instead of in here".

It was mortifying, and she interrupted the film for me. I was really embarrassed for my friend, but we didn't say anything.

At the end of the film, as we were standing up to leave, I said to the woman "I don't really care if you were disturbed by a light during the film or not, I don't want to have to the film interrupted by your booming voice". She then started arguing back (she said something like "Oh you'd like to be a cheeky one, wouldn't you, and some other stuff) but we turned our backs towards her and her husband so that she was talking to ourselves, put on our coats and left.

Kind of ruined the film for both of us. Normally I find going to the cinema relaxing!

TheHeadlessLady whilst I completely agree with what you say I would be interested in finding out if those who can't be parted from their phones behave like this or think it's OK to behave like at other events.

PrimalLass by behave I meant check/use your phone.

Exactly what I was thinking Caitlin what part of 'turn your phone off' is hard to understand - its simple off means off shesh is it really beyond some people and if it is wtaf.

As for saying its wanky being immersed in the film - dur thats what movies are for to take you out if real life and escape to take you to another place where you don't even notice the time pass by and where you feel the emotions and empathy for the characters.

If anyone is into gaming then they will have noticed that over the past few years games are longer about how many points you get etc. its moved beyond that to immerse the player in the game, make the player believe in the virtual game world so that the player starts believing and thinking they are in this world and making decisions in the game based on how they would if it was real life - Skyrim is a good point of reference on this. That is why some people can play for hours without even realising it.

Caitlin, that's an interesting point. I find it incomprehensible that people will walk round galleries or sit at cafe/dinner tables texting or Facebooking away, but now you mention it I wonder if they are the same people that think it's OK to get their phones out at the cinema.

I guess at events where you are looking at a screen/stage, and it's dark (cinema, theatre) phones are more annoying than in normally lit venues.

Well I have checked my phone in my bag and I plan on doing it again if I need to.

It's not disturbed anybody yet.

You have my full support harold

Yanbu

I didn't mean it was wanky to be immersed in a film, but I think it is to talk about it. Along the same lines as why I was rubbish at doing my literature degree - just read a book FFS rather than analysing it.

I remember a long forum fight about whether it is ok to use someone else's shampoo when you are visiting them. This is along the same lines for me - not something I can get worked up about.

You're posting enough about it to suggest otherwise.

Reminds me of Black Mirror. Has everyone seen this episode? It's thrilling and chilling in equal measure. Very prescient and a fable for our times.

Black Mirror

Littlemiss I can think of so many moments in films where immersed is exactly the right word.

You're posting enough about it to suggest otherwise.

Whether someone checks their phone or uses my shampoo is not something I can get upset about.

And I am meant to be working so am looking for any excuse.

What is anti-social is how bloody loud Odeon Dunfermline had the volume today - I had to press my ears to stop the sound vibrating. And I was in the aisle seat, which is practically spot-lit, so really not dark at all.

Well apart from exceptional circumstances like awaiting a call about transplant/having to leave quickly because of child with additional needs, no one should be using their phones during the main feature.

I really can't stand it when people don't think a rule applies to them.

So it's OK to be immersed in a film but not to talk about it? On a thread of which one of the subjects is how people experience a film?

I would like to invite you all to the cinema with me next week where I will poke my phone in my bag and of this disturbs any of you I will give you thorin oakenshield all tied up.

Who's in?

Discussing something isn't the same as "getting worked up". Giving a toss isn't the same as "getting worked up". Thinking isn't always "overthinking".

Primal

But I agree about the noise levels in cinemas. Too loud. Maybe they've cranked it up because people are less good at sitting still and being quiet.

Reminds me of

Don't you think you're expecting too much of the illuminators TheHeadlessLadyofCannock?

Let's make the thread more inclusive so that they can get what's being discussed:

I like film. You illuminate. Disturb me. I smash.

Good point.

One really good way to get kids to shut the hell up and listen in school is to talk quietly so they have to concentrate.

Harold, chuck us a hobbit!

True, YouTheCat.

Primal I went to the cinema recently for the first time in ages and I could not believe the volume level! It was uncomfortably loud for me

Perhaps the silent film devotees would care to suggest how someone in the position of me during the film, immersed and enjoying it, completely unaware of this supposed vast, occasional flicker of light similar to the sun emanating from my my friend's phone, should avoid having her film going experience disturbed by a loud ranting woman?

I would understand if she had been constantly on the phone throughout the film, texting or checking it. But whatever she was doing with it must have been pretty occasional, since I didn't notice any movement from her at all, other than to eat her popcorn.

An yes, the volume of the film was a bit too loud to be comfortable, but the ranting woman still easily drowned it out.

LessMisAbs

She said one thing, interrupted you once. You were disturbed because you were stewed up about it.

If she hadn't said anything, your friend would have continued.

I agree she was a bit rude and a kinder approach might not have put your back up. But do you agree that this is disturbing to lots of people?

Oh now Brian was ranting?