Talking in the theater is a huge faux pa for some, especially western Europeans. I have learned this reading opinions online, as well as witnessing the unspoken rules of public manners when I studied there. Now, I understand the public transit talking moratorium. I think it might be a little too harsh, but I’ve seen what happens on a New York City subway when you have no such decorum. Listening to 8 city kids dance and scream like nobody is around them is beyond annoying. People on public transit would all prefer to be alone, so I think it’s appropriate to treat them as such.
But theaters, or the cinema as some may call it, have antiquated rules for manners, in my opinion. I do realize my opinion is polarizing because I’ve seen how my movie-watching technique is warmly accepted by some and staunchly opposed by others. I am a movie talker and I have no intention to restrain myself. When I’m home, I paused the movie semi-frequently to talk about the movie and I encourage others to do the same. I find the discussion about the movie is as engaging and enjoyable as the movie itself. Debate and commentary can make a bad movie a good experience and also improve the perception or analysis for others, provided what’s pointed out is actually insightful. I think watching a film is like enjoying a professionally prepared meal with an expert wine pairing. I might taste notes in the wine otherwise ignored, if not pointed out by others. I might disagree with an ingredient decision and have a fun debate with others at the table. Comparisons might be made that alter my perspective of the dish. I think art should be critiqued, because it’s fun.
But some see movies as an escape from reality, not a piece of art to be analyzed. They watch a film like one rides a roller coaster. They want to feel what the characters feel and be engrossed in the story, separated from self-awareness. They don’t want to exist for 2 hours. They may be open to discussion once they come back from their dream-like experience, but never want their immersion to be interrupted.
I can’t do that and frankly, I don’t really want to. I want to be polite, but I also know what I like. My issue with theaters comes down to the our modern movie ecosystem. Going to the theater has somewhat died since Covid. Most films are now released for streaming and some are released for streaming alongside theaters. Even movies that are theatrical releases can be found easily online through pirating. So why is the expectation that everybody’s privacy should be top priority when patrons are paying money to travel to a public place to watch a film?
I understand when cinemas showed moving picture shows in 1920 that people didn’t have movie experiences at home. And in this situation, many patrons might want to experience the movie in socially manufactured solitude. So it was polite to shut up and not alert others of your presence. But that’s not the case anymore. You can take an edible, buy a nice sound bar and a big cheap smart TV, and have a solitary movie experience at home with no interruptions quite easily. Yet people still get in their cars, drive to a theater full of 100 people and shush them quiet.
I wish those of that mindset could have experienced what I consider the peak of the cinematic experience: Paranormal Activity. While these movies weren’t Oscar-winners by any stretch, they were fun and very popular in the early 2010s. And when they were in theaters, the seats were packed with people ready to talk and scream. People were yelling at the characters, people were laughing at other audience members, popcorn was being thrown. And it was incredible to enjoy a film as a part of an audience, not as a single person trying to mentally partition themself off from the rest of the world.