I went to the movies the other day with my wife and 2 friends. We arrived a bit late, so I asked this couple who had an open seat next to them if they could move down one ...
Here’s a question about seating etiquette at the movie theater…
My wife and I went to the movies this weekend. We got to the theater early so we could pick just the right seats: an upper row, right in the middle.
A few minutes before the movie started, a guy came to our row and asked if we could move down one seat so he could fit all four of the people in his group. There was an empty seat next to me, so we moved down one seat. There were plenty of seats in the closer rows, but we didn’t want to be rude and make a scene by telling him to sit in another row.
The question is this: should we have moved? Like I said, we arrived at the theater specifically so we could pick the seats we wanted. Or should we be polite and move when a group of 4 (or 5 or 6) comes in late and wants to sit together. Why didn’t they arrive just as early so they could get all their seats together?
I don’t think it is wrong to ask- however, you are within your rights to say no.
I personally always get an aisle seat, since I have to get up often during the movie. I don’t want to skoot over for that reason, and don’t relish sitting in the center or crawling over strangers.
I went to the movies the other day with my wife and 2 friends. We arrived a bit late, so I asked this couple who had an open seat next to them if they could move down one ...
did they?
my brother, his partner and myself had 3 season tickets at AAMI stadium for Port Power home games one seat in from the aisle, the bloke on the end rarely came so we often moved up one to let the group of 10 next to us have an extra seat for a friend who sat a row back otherwise, or to put a bag on.
we had to wait to see if the seat holder was coming or not.
he was an odd one who never spoke much, if he came late he seemed quite put off someone was in HIS seat even though we just moved saying sorry, you were not here so I just was making use of it, never really understood his issue (didn’t say much, just looked grumpy) as we simply shifted back, the extra bloke climbing back into his seat behind, he’d only come to about 3 games so why waste it if he is not there?
now MY seat is empty btw, I never renewed my season ticket after a few years, my brother and his partner rarely go either though they have seats so some other people ALWAYS sit there and when they do go, they usually just sit elsewhere nearby as it is pretty empty at Port games!
Theatres are a waste of money. Volume is never loud enough to overcome someone’s misplaced or over-dramatized laughter. People bring toddlers and/or infants into them, oblivious to the fact that they are too young to sit quietly for more than 15 minutes. Teens come to talk to each other instead of watching the feature. And on and on.
For the cost of 2 adult tickets one can usually own a copy of the flick if one is willing to wait 90 to 120 days.
Kendall
Damn! I feel sorry for you, having no arthouse cinema run by enthusiasts where you live.
Theatres are a waste of money. Volume is never loud enough to overcome someone’s misplaced or over-dramatized laughter. People bring toddlers and/or infants into them, oblivious to the fact that they are too young to sit quietly for more than 15 minutes. Teens come to talk to each other instead of watching the feature. And on and on.
For the cost of 2 adult tickets one can usually own a copy of the flick if one is willing to wait 90 to 120 days.
Kendall
Damn! I feel sorry for you, having no arthouse cinema run by enthusiasts where you live.
We live in a rural area, with the nearest theatre 15 miles away, and it is a newly converted mega-plex. Besides that, the equipment I have at home makes for a better experience than the theatres anyway.
Damn! I feel sorry for you, having no arthouse cinema run by enthusiasts where you live.
We live in a rural area, with the nearest theatre 15 miles away, and it is a newly converted mega-plex.
It could be worse. I live in the middle of nowhere, with only one theatre (eleven screens) within a hundred mile drive. (That’s not counting the one 5 miles away that has one screen and has been showing the same movie since 1984.)
Damn! I feel sorry for you, having no arthouse cinema run by enthusiasts where you live.
We live in a rural area, with the nearest theatre 15 miles away, and it is a newly converted mega-plex.
It could be worse. I live in the middle of nowhere, with only one theatre (eleven screens) within a hundred mile drive. (That’s not counting the one 5 miles away that has one screen and has been showing the same movie since 1984.)
It could be ever worser. I live in a small country town that has the only cinema within hundred k’s. It’s got a wooden floor, pedastal fans every few rows, terrible sound, and canvas deckchair seats (or plastic chairs up the back). Many a time I’ve watched a movie creep slowly up the screen till it hits the ceiling.
edit: although on the bright side, we all turn up with neck pillows or pillows and blankets during winter, and smuggle lollies in via our handbags.
Actually, I don’t consider the fact that the nearest theatre is nowhere near a problem… hollyweird has so little that is of interest to me. For the few flicks that they actually to make look interesting, I’m perfectly content to wait the decreasingly long times between theatrical release and Wal*mart release.
we’re the same way now. We’d rather wait till blu ray (either rent or buy). More comfortable at home, cheaper at home, you can pause to run to the loo at home - prefer home viewing to cinemas.
Not to mention that the 3D addicted daughter can pause the “latest & greatest” 3D effects and dissect them down to the most minute detail… I just wish she’d wait until we’ve managed to watch the movie through the first time…
Actually, I don’t consider the fact that the nearest theatre is nowhere near a problem… hollyweird has so little that is of interest to me. For the few flicks that they actually to make look interesting, I’m perfectly content to wait the decreasingly long times between theatrical release and Wal*mart release.
Kendall
And that’s why I love Arthouse cinemas. They allow me to discover independent and foreign films off the Hollywood mainstream I would never have come across otherwise in a nice atmosphere.
Sorry I’m late, I was irresistibly drawn to this thread as I am a cinephile. My wife and I often go out to films. I cannot fathom being asked to move and saying yes. We choose our seats with care, usually four or five rows back… at the rail in a well designed stadium theater, dead center. That is the optimal viewing position and generally best aurally as well.
The idea is to have the screen fill your field of view so that your eyes have to follow the action on-screen, makes for a more immersive experience. Most people instinctively seek out some view akin to what they are used to watching at home. Frankly if I wanted to watch TV I’d have just stayed at home.
Now, if I’ve put this much thought into where I’m going to sit, imagine how resistant I am to shifting around an auditorium. I sympathize, but really “no” is easy to say if you realize that you came to a movie to be pleased, not to please others. Otherwise someone would be paying you!
