Opinion: Are you a bad moviegoer?

WRITTEN BY SCOTT BROWN | STAFF WRITER

Do you ever go to see a movie just to relax and someone around you ends up being obnoxious?

I definitely have experienced that in the many, many times I have gone to the theater to see a film. This happened to me most recently when I was seeing “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” for the first time.

Two guys sitting right behind me talked out loud throughout the entire movie. They behaved like they were in their living room, which, obviously, they were not. During that same screening, three girls who were sitting next to me were on their phones during most of the movie and whispering and laughing to each during most of the second and third acts. Both of these cases are likely extremely annoying to other film buffs like me who see a trip to the cinema as an almost spiritual experience. As there may be some people on this campus who are like the groups I described, I’ve compiled a list of theater etiquette you should follow whenever you go to see a film.

1. Be Quiet: Don’t talk during the film. It annoys everyone around you if you are talking out loud while the movie’s going. People are trying to focus on what is happening on screen, and your side discussions take their attention away from what is happening on screen and place it onto your random conversation. If you want to talk during the trailers, that’s fine, because all trailers are online anyway, but once the film starts, BE QUIET.
2. Put your phones away: This one should be obvious, but it’s not. Don’t use your phones in the theater. To be completely honest, I have broken this rule a couple of times myself; however, every time except for once, I was the only one in the theater. So if that’s the case, you’re fine. But, you probably won’t be the only one in the theater, so put your phone away and put in on silent. It’s okay to go off of the grid for a couple of hours.
3. Don’t put your feet up on the seat in front of you: This may not seem like a big deal, but it is. More than likely, if you put your feet up on the seat in front of you, you are blocking part of the screen for the person behind. You may also hit the person sitting in front on the head, giving them a concussion causing them to charge you with assault and have you sent to jail, not that I would know from any personal experience. Anyway, don’t put your feet up on the seat in front of you; it’s annoying.
4. Be Quiet: Yes, I’m putting this twice because it is important. DO NOT TALK. If you need to say something, whisper it as quietly as possible to your friend sitting next to you, and keep it to one sentence or a few words. That’s it. No more. Be quiet. No one really cares what you have to say during the movie, and no one wants to explain anything to you if you don’t understand. Just be quiet and help keep everyone sane.
5. Just don’t be a Jerk: This may seem like common sense, but it really isn’t. Some people think the world revolves around them, everyone should accommodate them, and they are entitled to do what they want because, like everyone else, they also paid for their ticket. Don’t be that person. Be aware of the people around you, and if you are doing something that annoys someone and they ask you to stop, just do it. It makes life easier for everyone involved and makes the theater-going experience better overall.

These are the five, technically four, basic rules you should follow whenever you go to a theater to see a film. Doing so will not only improve your experience, it will also make the theater-going experience better for everyone involved.

Photo by pixababy.com