Xander

I say block em. Doctors, firefighters, parents, whatever. If you're at a point in your job (on call, etc.) where you can't be unreachable for 2 or 3 hours, then don't go see a movie. Christ, my parents went to see movies when I was a kid. They didn't have cell phones. I survived, and so did all my siblings.

In a perfect world, everyone would have their cell phone on vibrate or silent and get up and leave the theater to answer it. If everyone did that, then I wouldn't be voting for blocking them. But since so many people in my theaters aren't doing that, fuck them. If you can't be without communication for 2 hours, don't go to a movie.

Jackskeleton

And you aren't being sensitive about this topic? Sorry, no river will be cried. The fact is that theater owners see that this move can potentially bring back those who have written off going to the theater for this very reason.

If the theater owners are pushing it then it has to be something they have researched as part of the problem.

It's not a matter of one or two blue lights coming on or even a space ship crashing into the theater. It's the issue that these elements take you out of watching a film when you are already paying a high price. The benefits of going to the movies have been declining with dvds being rushed out and the quality of experience you are getting in theaters. If this is one way to balance out and make it worth it to go to the movies then they want to push it.

Rival11

This thread needs a hug

joeblow69

Cell phones are not the problem. People are the problem. The public can not be expected to act civilized without constant supervision. There needs to be a security guard in every movie, and right before the show starts, there should be a spotlight put on him, with the announcement "This is your security guard Steve, who will be supervising this presentation. If anyone causes any type of disturbence during the film, Steve will escort you to the lobby."

People who are ejected from movies should have their personal info taken, and if they get ejected more than twice, they should be banned from the theater for a set number of days (or months).

Maybe then people will learn to behave, and leave their cells on vibrate, keep their damn mouths shut, stop kicking seats, keep their kids from running around like little demon spawn, etc...

Michael Ballack

This would happen on Earth 2. It's sort of sad but true the comment you made about the public can't behave without supervision. It's too bad that parents haven't taught their kids about manners and how you are supposed to act differently in public then when you are at home. Very sad.

cdollaz

Uh huh huh huh!

cdollaz

As long as people put them on vibrate and leave the theater, then that is fine. It is no different than some fat ass crawling over me to go to the bathroom or back to the concession line. The problem isn't cell phones, it's that there are a certain percentage of people who are selfish assholes and if you take away their phones, they have 10 other ways to annoy people.

If you want to stop annoying everyone, then addition to cell phones, the following should be banned from theaters:

Teenagers
Smelly people (bad breath or body odor)
Fat asses who invade others space
Small bladdered people
Tall people
Hungry people
People who arrive late to the theater
Etc.

riley_dude

As long as you dont shoot a load.

harpo787

Well, after reading 5 pages of it (got tired about half way thru the 5th, didn't bother with the 6th), I must say that I'm no fan of cell phone usage in the theater. Should cell phone blockers be legal in theaters? Sure. It should also be mandatory that they let you know this several times. At the ticket booth. On the screen with the slideshow ads. People who need to have their phones present (and functional) in theaters will simply stop frequenting that establishment. Theater owners will have to accept that loss for the luxury of having the blockers.

The little "debate" that carried on for a few pages between two folks got kind of redundant.
"Phones must be turned OFF"
"I silence mine."
"That's breaking the rule, it must be OFF"
"It's silent, who do I bother?"
"It's breaking the rule..." repeat infinitely.

It's probably safe to assume that theaters have different displays etc. in regards to cellphones. I know that in the few theaters that I frequent, it always says "SILENCE your phones" and "SILENCE is golden." That doesn't say "turn it off" to me. That is one way to make the phone silent, yes, but there are other ways.

However, there are those who, while their phones are silent/vibrate, when they check the # to see who's calling, they'll often hold their phone up. So there it is, illuminating the whole damn theater.

As it was previously stated, it all comes down to common courtesy.
1. SILENCE your phones. DON'T expose the LCD any longer than is absolutely necessary.
2. Yes, you do have to move your legs from time to time. I understand that. Please be considerate of the person in front of you. When I shift my legs around, I take about 30 seconds to uncross my legs and rearrange myself. Why so long? Because I'm making sure I don't hit the chair in front of me.
3. The food you consume is noisy. Paper and plastic bags make noise. Don't rustle the damn bag, just leave it open and grab your food.
4. When you eat, close your mouth when you begin to chew. This applies EXTRA to popcorn. Don't crunch out loud damn it. If you are unable to put your lips together before you begin to chew, you have TOO MUCH in your mouth.
5. Please try not to talk to the person you're with during the film. If you must, work out hand cues. Learn sign language. To hear your commentary during the film is NOT my idea of a good time.

Why do I still go to the theater? I guess because it's habit. Also, the above listed items don't happen TOO often, but when they do, they seem EXTRA loud.

RayChuang

...I think the best solution is NOT the use of active blockers, for the reason I cited in my earlier message.

The use of passive blockers (e.g., metal mesh shielding built into the screening room walls) are vastly preferable, and combined with strong warnings all over the theater about cellphones and pagers not working inside screening rooms should mean the least inconvenience as far as everyone is concerned.

Duder

kenbuzz

Here's a novel solution.... why not block phones/pagers in specific theatres within a multiplex and allow them in others? If a flick was showing on two or more screens, moviegoers could choose either the "Phone" or "No Phone" screen. All the teens would go to one, I would go to the other.

awmurray

That couldn't really work since it would effectively double the number of required screens currently used.

But I really like the idea of all the teeny boppers going into a separate theater...

SMB-IL

I just spent a good portion of my lunch hour reading this thread hoping to find a good reason why people even need to have a cell phone in their possession in the theatre and couldn't. Cell phones are a gift AND a curse. As many have said previously in this thread -- 10-15 years ago there were no to very few cell phones and people were fine. Emergency? You found out about it when you got home. People lived and people died and the world goes 'round.... It's a convenience, NOT a necessity! Two years ago, I dropped my home landline in favor of a cell line only and I still leave my phone in the car when I go into a theatre.

This is a HOT topic for me because it's yet another item on the list of selfish me, me, me, me, me things that ignorant assholes have become used to having that they think they just can't live without! Well, this and talking and crunching and crinkling and whispering and kicking -- Ugh! It takes a 20 mule team to get me to a theatre anymore....

BravesMG

Not to throw more gas on the fire, but in all three of my local theaters it does state that cell phones must be turned off. I agree that if that rule can't be followed then I think it is somewhat disrespectful to the other customers in the audience. Even if the phone is silent, I would assume that they would still have to check their phone to see who is calling and determine if it is a true emergency, or just a normal call. But then again, what do I know, I actually do always follow the speed limit and I know I'm pissing off everybody else on the highway.

I still think it's reasonable for one showing a week to be adults only. I would bet based on the response that it would expand, especially on weekends.

Michael Corvin

That is what I was thinking. Maybe test it, block out on Fri-Sat, the prime nights and the other nights, when the kiddies aren't out, Sun-Thurs. - no blockage.

Or maybe block during the first week of a films run, and let it go after that.

Jackskeleton

One of the reasons I love arclight. They have a 21+ showings. You can drink in there and with a crowd over 21 you elimate the yapping teens.

Goldblum

Not little Timmy.

DRG

Don't forget inconsiderate parents (with their uncontrolled poorly behaved children, or babies too young to know better)... which have probably annoyed me more than all those other factors combined.

And the "People who arrive late to the theater" annoys me mainly when its some idiot who yells out to his buddies so he can find them. I also want to smack the people who show up 20 minutes late for a big blockbuster on opening night, and then loudly complain they can't find seats together.

One time we actually had people show up 20 minutes late (the actual movie had even started) with the nerve to ask us if we would move from our really good seats (that we showed up a half hour BEFORE showtime to get)... there were three of us, with an extra seat beside us, and there was four of them... to these terrible three seats in the corner of the front row (that nobody sits at because you honestly are looking at the screen at a 45 degree angle). Then they had the gall to call us nasty names when we refused.

Sorry, kinda getting off topic here...

Hokeyboy

I hate people.

nodeerforamonth

I agree 1000%. Once this starts happening, I will start to go to the theaters again!

I got a free ticket to see King Kong and I REFUSE to use it to go to the theater because of the babies screaming, people talking (not whispering, TALKING), & the cell phones going off. I'll wait 3 months for the DVD.

mikehunt

turn the theater into http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage

fumanstan

Why don't you just wait a month after the crowds thin out?

mikehunt

my best cell phone theater story is from one os fhte Scary Movie movies.
the scene where the chick gets murdered for talking on her cell phone in the theater.
there was some dumb loud bitch on her cell phone during that scene

Patman

Sometimes the film leaves the theater after 2-3 week run. Also, I'd rather not see a worn out print in the smallest shoebox of the multiplex for "old" films.