What Happened to Movie Theatre Etiquette?
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
A Minecraft Movie has done really well for itself, bursting the box office wide open with the best debut for a video game-related film ever (150 million dollars its opening weekend). It’s the number one film in the world right now. Having said that, with its fame comes infamy: an online viral sensation of turning A Minecraft Movie into something of a Generation Alpha Rocky Horror Picture Show. Packed audiences are seen in many a reel on social media throwing popcorn, screaming along to lines heard in A Minecraft Movie’s trailers (“Chicken jockey”, “Flint and steel”, “I… am Steve”, the list goes on), having standing ovations and spewing “Absolute cinema” (an online meme used to authentically — or ironically — celebrate a film or film moment), and far more. Some videos have captured audience members ripping their shirts off and twirling them in the air, patrons piggybacking each other, and even bringing in live animals (a chicken to celebrate the brief “Chicken jockey” sequence). There have been numerous police escorts, screenings being paused, and other forms of disciplinary action in response to these juvenile displays. That isn’t to say that every screening of A Minecraft Movie has been this disruptive, but there have clearly been enough examples that the news is reporting on this growing concern.
If you think that A Minecraft Movie is the only example of audiences misbehaving during a screening, then you are naive. Wicked drew a lot of attention last winter when patrons would belt the highest notes during screenings that were not sing-along specific. Oppenheimer saw many patrons videoing key moments, like the pivotal sequence where the atomic bomb is tested. The list goes on. The commonality is that all of these films were released after the pandemic: a sign that audiences have become comfortable in their living rooms or bedrooms and no longer care about behaving in public spaces. Of course, there are patrons who acted selfishly throughout the entire history of movie theatres, but the growing amount of disrespect only continues to grow. Along this toxic spread comes a complete lack of care as well. For instance, my screening of Better Man had a married couple and their ten-year-old son (who, frankly, probably shouldn’t have been watching Better Man at that age). The father and son talked the entire screening, with the son running between rows, kicking seats, showing at his parents from afar, and more. The father also continuously spat unpopped popcorn kernels on the floor. Despite the uptightness I have clearly expressed above, I am not one to get involved when someone is acting like an asshole in a screening, but this behaviour drew one or two shushes from me. They didn’t care. My entire experience was ruined, and I was too cowardly to get more abrasive (perhaps it was the presence of the child who didn’t know better, but his parents damn well did). Then again, why should I have to?
This is a public space. Actually, disregard that. This is a private public space: an owned building used communally for people to enjoy films in peace and quiet. Back in the day, if someone was talking during a film, you could tell them to stop; if they wouldn’t, you could safely get the theatre’s staff involved, and this would surely work. Now, places like Cineplex will tell you that there is nothing the staff can do to stop such a situation (part of the reason why I didn’t try asking a cinema usher to help during Better Man; as someone who works in a theatre myself, I know that there is only so much that can be done). Nonetheless, even though theatre behaviour worsens and these patrons act like it is their right to act however they want since they have bought a ticket, that is not the case. As evident by the police escorting shown in some widespread Minecraft videos, theatres have every right to throw you out by any means necessary should they choose (although having police escorts is quite a hyperbolic response, unless there’s more to the story I don’t know or this is meant to be an example for others to learn from).
An easy solution would be what Wicked and its distributive team did: create specific screenings where people can act however they want. With the Wicked sing-along screenings (not a new concept by any means, but a useful one here), those who wanted to sing during a film could go to these showtimes and perform their karaoke routines in unison. Audiences who wanted to just watch the film would be able to (hopefully) without these distractions. A Minecraft Movie could continue its massive theatrical run by making meme-only screenings, should they really want to encourage this behaviour, but at least it would ideally help bring the patrons who want to act out away from the screenings with families who want to watch and enjoy the film as it was meant to be seen. For the Gen Alphas who want to call me an old fart or as much fun as a scrotal cyst may be surprised to know that, yes, I do have fun. Again, screenings like this already exist. I have been to many screenings of Tommy Wiseau’s The Room, where you are encouraged to yell during the film, throw plastic spoons, and toss a football around (again, during the film). I’ve partaken in numerous events (mainly so-bad-they’re-good film screenings) where we can act like buffoons to our heart’s content. I won’t join any sing-alongs, not because I dislike musicals (I love many) but because I may murder people with my diabolical voice.
My point isn’t that people cannot have fun. I am not the fun police. It’s that the cinema used to be a sacred place to see a film early and experience it in complete darkness and silence: a unifying moment between us and strangers — whom we respect — as we see that highly anticipated film for the first time. It’s a special experience that may be on its way out because of the continued allowance of bullshit. Not only are patrons not being discouraged for acting this way (outside of a couple of aforementioned police escorts), but their acts are almost being rewarded. Vice-president of film at Cineplex Robert Cousins essentially gave the go-ahead for patrons to record reels during films because societal norms are changing. What a load of dog shit. Back in the day, just texting on your bright-ass phone’s screen would have you being warned of being removed. Now, we can bust our smartphones out to record whatever we want? What about the legal ramifications? Should the film and theatre industries begin to change their own laws just to satisfy some cretins who cannot keep off of their phones for two damn hours? Must we all bend to the social media influencer who shouldn’t be your point-of-contact as to what to watch? Now, this is rich coming from a film critic, so go ahead and stop reading if I have struck a nerve. At least I’m not recording many reels during a film and ruining it for everyone else because “I nEeD cOnTenT fOr My FoLloWeRs!!!!!”.
I don’t view me as being hypocritical because I am delivering an opinion that you can follow or completely dismiss. That is your prerogative. What you aren’t given is a chance to watch a film as intended because someone who loves the smell of their own farts must make reels during films. Not only is this annoying for those within the theatre, but now critical moments in a film are being spoiled early for the world to see, especially since social media algorithms will push whatever it feels like right to the top of your feed; you don’t even have the opportunity to ignore these spoilers now, unless you see a new film the day it opens. Even then, many influencers are being worshiped and are given access to films early, so they may be spoiling films that aren’t even out yet. As long as Cineplex and other companies get free publicity, though, that’s all that matters, right? This is indicative of the bigger problem, and it’s clear in all of the other grievances I have moaned about this whole article. Theatre chains aren’t doing more to stop this problem, because they need this bullshit.
Not only are viral memes and “challenges” bringing people to theatres, but telling them to stop would lose much needed business after the pandemic, the multiple industry strikes, and during yet another God damn recession. It’s no secret that film is in a tricky place right now and needs all the money that it can get. Films are also tossed onto streaming services way too quickly ever since the pandemic made streaming a solution when no one was allowed to go to public spaces. Cineplex and company have to just grin-and-bare the lack of respect, and I wonder if they realize that it won’t be just for the interim if they are allowing this now. This will set the precedent as to what theatres will be like from this point on unless this selfishness is cracked down on now.
Again, my words won’t reach those who don’t care what I have to say, because I’m apparently a mean-old boomer who doesn’t like to enjoy life (I’m only thirty five, for the record), but I will try anyway, on behalf of all film lovers.
A movie theatre isn’t your living room. It isn’t your bedroom. It isn’t yours.
It is ours.
It is meant for all to respect one another for a short period of time as we watch a brand new film or a cinematheque screening of a beloved classic.
If the screening has a set list of rules where you can scream, shout, joke, or toss harmless objects, then so be it.
Otherwise, the rules are set in stone. Once the film starts, just let the film wash over you.
If you aren’t enjoying the film and must fidget with your phone, leave.
No one needs the bright light of your phone blasting their retinas while the rest of the room is as dark as possible.
No one needs to hear your ringtone, your chatter, or your “this is my protagonist” moment to make a joke out loud that no one asked for.
When you want to toss popcorn for a reel, consider the staff member making minimum wage who has to clean this shit up in as little time as possible because theatres are forced to squash as many screenings together as possible to make up for lost profits.
When you keep your phone on to text or to record, consider the patrons who are respectfully not going on their phones as to not bother others who are now being distracted by your addiction to being chronically online or on your device.
When you shout, talk, scream, or allow children to misbehave in screenings they shouldn’t even be in (consider your child, first off), consider those who maybe don’t have a lot of money in this economy and have saved up to enjoy this one film that is now being ruined by your lack of care.
We watch films specifically in theatres not just because we love cinema, but to get away from all that bothers us in the world. This isn’t a playground for you to act a fool.
We’re lucky we still even have movie theatres. Many are closing all around us. We have to enjoy the experience as it remains, not tarnish it to get hits online or reenact our living room experience which will remain once theatres are extinct.
Clap and cheer when moments excite you, even if it is a chicken jockey. Don’t throw food, run through aisles, and start playing kazoos just because Jack Black said the line.
Film theatres are methods of escapism, not enablement.
Fucking behave.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.