So there's me on the weekend - trying to soak in a truly engaging documentary about our soldiers fighting and dying in Afghanistan. And on two separate occasions, I find my concentration stymied by people who are quite clearly theatre jumpers. How do I know they were theatre jumpers? Well when you arrive thirty seconds from the start of the film and continually talk over the first five minutes of the movie, odds are you didn't just buy a ticket to a war doc. Even easier to spot are the two kids who came in 2/3 of the way into the movie (though at least they were quiet).
I doubt either of these clusters of theatre-jumping-young'ns read this space, but just in case they do, here are some helpful hints to making it a doubleheader while still respecting your fellow man...
- Pay For the Little Guy: Put some forethought into your larceny. If you know you're the sort to go two-for-one at the multiplex, at least have the forethought to buy a ticket for a smaller indie film. They truly need your cash - the big-budget studio picture doesn't.
- Stick the Landing: You might be finishing off one movie and making a mad dash for the next cinema door you see, but some of us have been in that darkened room from the beginning. Your ungallant entry might really shake the concentration of a paying customer who really wants to see the film. Slip in quietly...or better yet, if it seems like the film is already well on its way - don't slip in at all.
- Think About It: Do you really want to see that second film, or are you sneaking in "just because". The title and poster are outside the cinema door - rather than sneak in, get bored, and bumble out...take a second and decide if you wouldn't be better off with something more up your alley.
- Shut Up: Pretty simple really - if the film you snuck into wasn't your first choice, shut your pie hole. Some people came specifically to see it - and to hear it.
- It Takes Two: As much of a blind eye folks like me are willing to turn to these sorts of antics, don't get greedy. If you saw your movie - and a good chunk of a second movie - call it a day. Yes, you could feasibly spend an entire Saturday from 1pm to midnight jumping from screen to screen of a badly laid-out multiplex, but after a while you'll cross a barrier from skimming into full-on stealing.
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13 comments:
Amen! I do like to sometimes watch 2 movies but I actually follow your rules completely. I always pay to see smaller indi-films and then watch a big hollywood movie that Id like to see but dont want to pay for. (I dont know about Canada, but in NYC tickets cost 12.50...its incredibly expensive!). But Id never walk in late for a movie cause I hate not seeing the beginning. So when I do see two movies, I always plan ahead...not just randomly stumble into something...
I was once in a theatre lobby when a woman loudly expressed to her friend that she might try and sneak into another film…not realizing that theatre management was walking right them. Silly people, don’t they realize advance planning and subtly is important. Knowing the runtime of the films, and in which theatre they are located in, is essential. This way you can see both films in their entirety without attracting unwanted attention. It also helps if you avoid hitting the concession stand until after the first film is done. It helps you to blend in better.
I was only going to add to what CS said - synchronizing showtimes is, in my opinion, Rule #1, period. And not only that, but make sure you account for credits and trailers. Also, scout out the actual theater before you go to the first movie - where do you need to go when it's over, how far is it, line of sight of theater staff, etc.
I really like your small movie rule, though.
I've done this before and I always buy the ticket to the indie flick. When I saw Invention of Lying and Zombieland I knew Zombieland would make its money back.
And to echo the sentiments of the three posters ahead of me, you should always synchronize the times so that you don't interrupt the experience for 30-40 other people.
I've done this once, but it wasn't a two-for-one situation so much as one-for-the-other. In got dragged to some movie I really didn't want to see, and during the credits I snuck out and went to see Sidney White right when it started in the theatre next door. So there's that.
I never want to double-feature it, though, unless the first movie is a very...movie-type movie, y'know, the kind that makes you want to see more movies.
The indie flick rule is good. They should hang a sign in the theatres with all those rules. Just in case.
@ Ness... It's pretty ching-ching here in Toronto too. The bigger multiplexes are gouging us for $12.95 these days (even more for 3-D, yet another reason why I don't partake). Hey - didn't I see you on Mad Men??
@ CS... Know what's funny? There were days in the past when I planned a double feature and decided to do it all legit-like. Do you think anybody ever asked me for that second ticket??
@ Daniel... Thank you - I'm a big believer in it. And I'm with you; every fall there comes a weekend when I need to double-up to keep up with things. Such antics always come with a slight amount of planning.
@ Fitz... Or in the case of my RESTREPO screening this weekend, the measly 3 people who paid for their tickets.
@ Simon... My double features have varied in quality. From the bad-bad (EAGLE EYE & CHOKE) to the good-good JESSE JAMES & EASTERN PROMISES) to the "six of one" bad-good (THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE & AWAY WE GO)
Essentially, no matter how hard ya try - you'll never win ;em all.
I don't even really understand why people want to watch two movies in a row (or more). I think you should show some respect for a movie you have seen by allowing it to bounce around your brain for a little while, if you know what I mean? I like to go home and keep thinking about it until I don't. That usually requires more than 3 minutes...
Oh come on - I know that those kids read your fine blog! Don't judge a (stolen) book by its cover, ok? ;)
I've never theater-jumped. Ever. I also buy CDs and have never been to a torrent site (on purpose, anyway). I'm not a prude about most things, but thievery is thievery, even if it is easy and you feel like you might be paying too much. I guess that time I got caught shoplifting as a kid left a decent impression. I'm a good little boy. 0:)
Castor makes a good point, too.
@ Castor... Go to a film festival - you'll find you have to adapt to two or more films in a day in a hurry. My personal record is four in one day.
@ Fletch... You raise a good point. My only defense is that with the popularity of multiplexes, staffed by people who can barely be bothered to care, they just make it too easy.
Three films in a day is my record, but its not quite the same (1 DVD and 2 in the theatre).
I'm with you here Hatter - at the recent Edinburgh International Film Festival I saw four films in a day (http://castalavista.wordpress.com/2010/06/29/eiff-day-seven-restrepo-toy-story-3-jackboots-on-whitehall-monsters/) and it was a massively gruelling experience!
I've never Theatre Jumped either, I have too much fear of getting caught! Even though I go to a cinema where I pay a pretty minimal monthly fee for unlimited movies (meaning I could just go and get ten tickets for free in a day and have thus already technically paid for all tickets) I'd still be ridiculously nervous about just walking into another theatre.
I'm such a girl!
Man, after years of practice, I've got the art of theater-jumping down pat. Only time I've ever jumped into a movie late was from Walk the Line to The Squid and the Whale, and I felt like a complete ass for doing so (I actually think I paid for that second one, too). So weird to hear that theater-jumpers were talking in Restrepo, I usually shut the hell up for constant fear that I'll get caught. The real trick is to hit up Fandango and plan ahead, Ethan Hunt style. Awesome post, man.
@ Fitz... As mentioned before, during film festivals, I've gone as far as four in a day. Outside of film fetivals, my biggest indulgence came on the day where I saw 3 in total. For what it's worth, two out of three were bad.
@ Casta... (Welcome to the Matinee!) Oddly, it hasn't been an issue of bravery for me in ages. Perhaps it's because the multiplexes I frequent are laid out in such a way that almost encourages one to jump:
Half the cinemas are right up front, the rest are dotted past a T-junction. Customers only have to bottleneck past one ticket-taker to move about the entire rest of the theatre.
if they didn't want me to to jump, they should pay a few more kids minimum wage to man a few more doors.
@ Aiden... I'm with you. If I feel like there's too many things that I want to see, I'll check the times and map it all out. And you best believe that when I'm in that second showing, I'm on my best behaviour!
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