I'm curious because I've seen quite a few various posts saying that people applauded during and/or at the end of films. The stranger thing is that they state it like it's a common occurance.

Personally, if someone applauds during or after a film I hope they receive an intense ridiculing.

Outside of special occassions (ie. the cast/crew/caterer is in the audience and it's deserved), does the audience at your local cinema complex clap during a film?

I also am a firm believer that people should no clap at a god damn theatre unless it's a premiere and you know the creator, director, actor, etc. that had something to do with the film is there watching it with you.

I see this happen at the end of movies, but not often and certainly not normally. When I have seen audiences clap, it was either at after a great movie with an inspirational ending or a general crowd pleaser. Usually, 3-4 films a year I see at a theater ends with mass audience applause, so I find it nothing to be upset about. Of course, if it was the norm where I lived, I would likely feel differently.

No, it's not a common occurance. Usually just for big events like Star Wars or LOTR. I think a few people clapped at the end of Batman Begins opening night. I never feel comfortable when people clap after a movie though. It's like......do they think the cast can hear their claps? lol, I dunno. I kinda think of claps as an aural way of showing gratitude or respect but that's kinda impossible to convey that to the correct people while in a theater. Unless, as stated, the cast or director is in the building itself.

I also get annoyed when people clap in church.

ya'll are kidding right? you guys actually get uptight if an audience claps?

To me that's a sign that a really good movie got a positive response and that's a good thing. When I saw a Midnight showing of Batman Begins the audience was primarily Batman fans. They clapped throughout the movie and clapped and cheered when it was done.

and what does the OP mean "your audience"? Every audience is different and you never know how they'll respond.

I get uppity about a lot of things giant, you asking that very question, for example, angers me to no end

I was wondering about this myself. The only movie in my entire life where someone has clapped was Independence Day. Most of the time they are in such a hurry to get out of there they don't have time to clap.

I almost clapped at the end of War of The Worlds since I was just glad it was over.

Never. Actually the only time i remember notable applause was at the original Charlie's Angels movie. Don't ask me why.

People have been applauding after a movie with more regularity nowadays it seems. I'm trying to remember one movie that I've seen in the theater post-Episode I where the crowd hasn't broken out in applause, and I'm having a hard time doing it.

Even at the end of FF yesterday the audience went crazy with the clapping. Sons of bitches woke me up.

Not often, but I've been in audiences that will clap for the beginning or ending of an "event" movie. Or a rousing cheer for the death of a bad guy. It's just a way of letting everyone else know that you enjoyed it or that you're excited. I've seen the opposite too. At the end of Darkman, the entire audience booed loudly.

The last time I remember the whole audience clapping was the original Empire Strikes Back when Luke brings down the AT-AT.

I've heard some smattering of applause a few times.

Once in a blue moon I'll hear a few people clapping, but nothing I would call even close to a majority of the moviegoers. 99% just up and leave.

The last time I remember cheering/clapping at a film was in Pulp Fiction during the scene where Butch returned to rescue Marcellus from Zed and Maynard in the pawn shop.

Not really. A few people clapped at the end of Batman Begins. The only time I really remember a good portion of the audience clapping at the end of a film was when RotK ended on Trilogy Tuesday, but I was not one of them (and neither were the other seven people that I went w/).

Normally, no. But for "event" movies, especially in the summer, yes.

I try not to go to movies when fuckos feel the need to clap, cheer, read/sing along.

I mean, I won't say I sit there totally quiet. Most times a doh!, gasp!, niiiiice!, oh shit! may slip out under my breath but I ain't standing and applauding and cheering. If I wanna do that, I go to the privacy of my home and put on a game or dvd. This is why I don't bother veiwng films on opening weekends.

It happens in my neck of the woods, but rarely, and when a movie really deserves it. But usually it's only a handful of people in the theater. The last movie I saw where a TON of people applauded was STAR TREK VI...but that was opening day, so the theater was probably packed with Trekkies...err...Trekkers.

I think the last HUGE applause I heard from a good 75% of the crowd was from INDIANA JONES & THE LAST CRUSADE. Heck, I even clapped at the end of that one.

Believe it or not, people don't get as loud as they used to in the theater...well, today they get loud because they AREN'T watching the movie...back in the 70's and 80's people got loud because they were INTO the movie. I remember seeing ROCKY II on opening day and people were actually up out of there seats yelling at Balboa to get up during that last round. Actually, I think going to see films was much more fun back then...less teenagers and parents using the theater as a "babysitter" and more people who came to a movie because they actually WANTED to see the movie.

No, I've only seen it happen a couple times. Namely midnight showings of Star Wars and LOTR.

Most people clapped at the end of "March of the Penquins" when I saw it this past weekend.

I was surprised at the turnout...decent sized theater, and quite full.

Twice in the past year actually.

There was an abundance of clapping at the end of The Incredibles and War of the Worlds. Both pretty deserving flicks.

...though I always feel the urge to shout out "They can't hear you!" during the applause.

Depends. If I see a film where the audience is largely what I call the "geriatric Francophile crowd", they almost always applaud.

The audiences seem to clap all the time around here. I've had my audience go wild and cheer over the THX noise, not to mention the end of the movie. That theater had great sound though...which is the only plausible reason why xXx got massive applause twice during the film.

Nonetheless, if the movie doesn't blow, applause is fairly normal, no matter what size the audience. I heard applause for Land of the Dead when there were like 20 people in there.

Never! Well, on 2 occasions! When I saw the re-release of Star Wars and ESB, the audience clapped after each. Other than that, I've never heard an audience clap after a film. I've heard audiences mumble, laugh, and even ooh and ahh. I've even heard them cheer on rare occasion. But other than that, audiences at my theater are usually silent except during funny moments or comedies.

So when I hear someone try and slam an upcoming film by saying the audience didn't react to the trailer, I think so what.

Yes, and it drives me fucking insane. THIS IS NOT LIVE THEATER OR A CONCERT. WHO IS ACCEPTING YOUR CLAPPING? NOBODY. DON'T DO IT. IT MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE A DUMBASS. DO YOU CLAP WHEN WATCHING TV? NO.

There have only been a few instances that I have been where it's acceptable to clap, such as...

Example One: When I saw the world premiere of The Devil's Rejects, Rob Zombie was in attendence and before the film he told everyone that he just wanted them to go apeshit when they saw his name. Not only did the crowd applaud during the opening and closing credits, the entire theater was clapping and having a blast during the other 90 minutes of the film.

Example Two: Other films that I saw at CineVegas 2005 that have not as much importance as The Devil's Rejects did where the cast and crew were in attendence.

Example Three: The first Serenity special advance preview which had Joss Whedon and Summer Glau in attendence.

Example Four: A "promotional screening" of Clerks (to pimp the Clerks: X DVD) which had Kevin Smith, Scott Mosier, and Brian O'Halloran in attendence.

Example Five: CineVegas 2004.

However, it seems to me, every film I see with a big group of people, they will clap at the end of the movie. War of the Worlds, Batman Begins, Star Wars, and so on and so on... seriously... I can see if you're hootering and hollering during the film (which is a sign of the fact that you're having a good time), but clapping at the end? Seriously, who gives a shit unless somebody involved with the film is at the theater at the time?

Aside from ROTS, this hasn't happened to me often outside of summer movies. Probably the longest applause I've seen at the end of a movie was about a two minute standing ovation at the end of Fahrenheit 9/11 last year.

The first time I remember applause in a movie theater was when Vader turned on the emperor in ROTJ. Another instance when I was young was when Rocky first started to gain the upper hand against Drago in Rocky IV; I think that was more of an illustration of the times as opposed to a real reason to mark out though.