WORST Theater Experience EVER

[Nunyerbiz]

I've had a couple of interesting ones. Neither of them really directly involved me, nor were they particularly horrible experiences... just memorable I guess.

I'm fairly certain this first one happened during opening night of the "Special Edition" re-release of "A New Hope"... but it's been a long time. Anyways, typical setup. There were four teenagers/young 20 somethings sitting about 6 or 7 rows ahead of me. It was the first row of the "Stadium" seating and they had their legs up on the railings and everything. They were making noise, lauhging, you know the drill. Anyways, Mr.300lb Star Wars fan decided he had enough, got up from somewhere behind me, walked all the down to the first row, grabbed Teenager #1, physically lifted him out of his seat and yelled "SHUT THE FUCK UP!". He then proceeded to throw said teenager down into his seat with a not-so-gentle force. The entire theater erupted in cheers and once that died down you could have heard a pin drop in that place if it weren't for Lucas shitting all over our ears with THX overload. Greatest part of the whole situation: Mr. 300lb Star Wars fan was dressed in full Jedi robes. "Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they."

The other "bad" experience was when a shopilifter at the neighboring Best Buy decided to fill his trenchcoat with CD's and then duck into the theater to hide. (I had worked part time at this Best Buy at one point, and this was a not unheard of tactic on the shoplifters part)Anyways, four cops show up in the theater, two blocking the exits as the other two worked row to row asking for everyone's ticket. They never stopped the movie or made any announcement or anything. Just two cops walking row to row blocking the screen and shining flashlights everywhere. As far as I know, they never found the shoplifter.. at least it didnt appear as if he ducked into our theater. Everybody got credit for two free tickets for the trouble... having worked at the Best Buy next door, I was fairly certain of what was going on... Altho I'm sure a lot of people were freaked the hell out.

[gammer]

This is part of the reason why I don't go to theaters any more (the other part is the cost of the tickets).

With home entertainment being so much better now and more comfortable, it makes no sense (in my mind) to go to a theater, pay too much for tickets and have to put up with people yappin over the movie.

[BF]

I have a really great story about teens in the theater that I'll pass along in a few minutes that you guys might enjoy.

[Pak-Man]

This is part of the reason why I don't go to theaters any more (the other part is the cost of the tickets).

With home entertainment being so much better now and more comfortable, it makes no sense (in my mind) to go to a theater, pay too much for tickets and have to put up with people yappin over the movie.

Well there's still the EXPERIENCE of seeing a movie with the faceless masses. Not to get all "Year at the Movies" (Which is a fascinating read and very relevant to this thread, if anybody here's not geeked out enough to have read it yet) but when you view a movie in a huge group, it's more enjoyable. Yeah, you'll get the occasional annoyance from some guy in the theatre, but the jokes are a hundred times funnier when everyone's laughing with you, and there's something about the immersion and the tangible excitement in the air that makes it a better viewing experience overall. I'm more likely to have a soft spot for a movie if I've seen it in a theatre first. This is why I can forgive Daredevil, and why I was able to sit through Elektra. :^)

[sarcasm_made_Easy]

yeah i agree pakky, Theres something about go to something opening day that makes it an event instead of just another movie.  Like spiderman 3 or harry potter if you like it when you go you get to be one of the fans.  Its more fun that way.

[J-Proof]

yeah i agree pakky, Theres something about go to something opening day that makes it an event instead of just another movie.  Like spiderman 3 or harry potter if you like it when you go you get to be one of the fans.  Its more fun that way.

Certain movies are meant to be ruckusy, and it's great to see fans acting out Rocky Horror, or Pirates before a movie starts - but what I liked about say....the Star Wars premiere was that everyone respected the fact that they were there together enough to be QUIET until Anakin accidentally blew up the droid spacecommand thingamo....

[sarcasm_made_Easy]

I went to star trek first contact ( i am a nerd get over it:)  ) opening night.  The people there were too nerdy even for me.  It was worse to because my friend who came with me didnt really like star trek so he was really weirded out.  These people clapped at the first shot of the opening credits, at the first engage line, and all sorts of stupid one liners. 

Worf: assimilate this
crowd claps
sarcasm resists urge to kill everyone in the room

seriously that was one of the worst lines in cinema history why were those idiots clapping??

[mrbasehart]

Crowds aren't like that at all over here.  No one claps or cheers during the movie.  I applauded a movie once, I believe.  The sequence in Miss Congeniality when Sandra Bullock finishes her makeover and walks out in the tight dress.   

[sarcasm_made_Easy]

it only happened then

[Rude]

...

I got sucked into the whole Hostel thing, as in "That movie Hostel is supposed to be really gory and sick, everyone says so." Which is funny, 'cuz i rarely buy into the hype of any movie... especially horror films. Supposedly there had been stories of people actually passing out during the film because it was so intense.

But anyway, it was my buddy's birthday so we went to opening night and got stuck in the second row from the very front. Quite awhile after the film had started this couple cruises into the theater and sits in front of us. At the first scene of torture, the guy takes a look behind him... stands up, then falls forward onto the floor shaking or something. His "girlfriend" then screams out "Help! Somebody help him! Oh my God, help!"

It was the fakest scene i've ever witnessed. Nobody lifted a finger 'cuz nobody was buying it. Then the "paramedics" came in and took the guy outta' the theater. It was the worst promotional stunt i've ever seen. Sad part is that it was more entertaining than the actual film~

-Rude

[sarcasm_made_Easy]

Here is something to remember, the fastest way to get a man out of a seizure is to punch him repeatedly in the face. 

[mrbasehart]

We had a few people pass out for Saw III.  You just cart them out into the lobby and give them some water, a refund and nice smile as you wave them goodbye.   

[davo]

my worst experience in memory is seeing the matrix with a bunch of friends..and it was 2 of my FRIENDS who did the annoying!!

here i am seeing one of the single best sci-fi films ever made, and they just couldn't get over the fact that keanu reeves was in it.  they kept making fun of him, and when lost it during the "whoa" line and just wouldn't stop.

i didn't talk to them after the movie. i'm still friends with one of them... 

[J-Proof]

my worst experience in memory is seeing the matrix with a bunch of friends..and it was 2 of my FRIENDS who did the annoying!!

here i am seeing one of the single best sci-fi films ever made, and they just couldn't get over the fact that keanu reeves was in it.  they kept making fun of him, and when lost it during the "whoa" line and just wouldn't stop.

i didn't talk to them after the movie. i'm still friends with one of them... 

Omg - matrix was a horrible experience, all three of em. Get every emo kid in the world in one spot wearing the same clothing and you're destined for trouble.

[sarcasm_made_Easy]

Omg - matrix was a horrible experience, all three of em. Get every emo kid in the world in one spot wearing the same clothing and you're destined for trouble

Not when your a bigger guy who is very loud and bossy.  youll find annoy goth kids try to avoid you.