This Is Needed At Thai Cinemas

[britmaveric]

Only buy master copy knockoffs - somehow the buggers get hold of a studio copy. Not sure how, but me know ask!!!

[lomatopo]

In the U.K. there is a short feature between the ads and the trailers reminding the audience to switch off their phone.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They play a similar short here in Thailand. The current one has "Chicken Little" (a character from an upcoming animated feature) dancing to music when a cell phone rings loudly, and he get's hit by a "piece of the sky falling". (OT, What is that song?)

I go to the movie theatre here in Bangkok quite frequently, at least two times each week ("Harry Potter", "40-Year Old Virgin" this week) and in my limited experience I've found audiences here to be fine. I have never heard a phone ring in ~ 70 films here. I can't remember any audience members talking, except maybe some young children during "Robots", and I've never heard a mobile ring in a theatre here. I do see people switching them to silent mode before the film starts, and I did see one person talking ever so briefly, but could not really hear him. In Singapore and Hong Kong it is much, much worse. Many simultaneous conversations during a single film. In Singapore, I think a couple sitting next to each other would be more inclined to call each other than whisper during a film.

I go to EGV Grand, Metropolis, Sukhumvit, SF MBK, Emporium, House RCA, Apex Lido/Siam theatres primarily.

Currently the most annoying thing in a Thai movie theatre has got to be the AIS ad for ring melodies. It has animated characters, but what is totally inconcievable is the rap music they play at the end. It's American, I think, and is embarassingly profane and loud, "s*ck my d*ck", "&lt;deleted&gt;" repeated over and over. (There were young-ish kids in the Harry Potter screening who saw/heard this ad. Of course the previews for the Thai horror movies can be pretty shocking too!) I can't believe someone chose that music. (And I saw a similar thing on a Thai TV melodrama this week, a young woman is driving in her car listening to music and it is really profane American rap music.)

Edited November 25, 2005 by lomatopo

[DJ Pat]

Thai TV melodrama this week, a young woman is driving in her car listening to music and it is really profane American rap music.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's seen as 'trendy' you see, but it's plainly obvious that they can't understand the english lyrics.

[RDN]

I stopped buying them - got fed up with the sound quality, shaky camera, people coughing in the background and the outline of people's heads coming into camera shot.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

how can a film be enjoyed with all that going on anyway?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Er, that's why I stopped buying them.

Only buy master copy knockoffs - somehow the buggers get hold of a studio copy. Not sure how, but me know ask!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Er, that's what I thought I was buying.

[Insight]

... could all those parents of the lovely international school set- delightful as your spawn must be- remind them to SHUT THE ^$%& UP when the movie is playing ...

"Steven"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh christ, I hear ya on that

It seems to be all parents though, not just international school. All the way through Harry potter yesterday some kid wouldn't shut up, and the parents were making no obvious effort to keep him quiet. Drove me absolutely bloody nuts. Trouble here is, how can you request to silence him when the rest of the audience are thinking "awww, it's just a kid".

Haven't seen that AIS ad yet, but pretty sure I'll piss myself laughing when I do. It might even raise the bar on that uncensored "eff you, I don't want you back" tune being played in Emporium.

[Mighty Mouse]

Er, that's what I thought I was buying.

*whisper*

Don't buy 'em from the markets, street sellers or street stalls. Choose a video shop that sells legitimate DVD's in the front of the shop, and then sneak into the secret room at the back. First class quality movies sold at very attractive prices.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!

You didn't hear that from me.

[Sarpedon]

People should not have conversations whilst the film is on...its just plain rude! I have had some old woman sitting behind me put her stinking feet up onto my arm rest. I had to glare hard at her for several seconds before she removed the offending objects. She was obviously not Thai, Chinese or HK i think and god only knows what a Thai person would have done or thought.

I have also had a family with her kid watching a movie and throughout the film the did was running up and down the horizontal seat isles knocking into all the seats in front including mine. She did nothing to stop him so in the end i didnt want to make myself out to be the villan and just moved rows...

There is a certian etiquette to be observed in cinemas yet some people are completely oblivious to it.

[britmaveric]

Looked into mobile blockers - unfortunately hand units only have a 5m radius!

[SEAtramp]

As the above poster said, its not really that bad in Thailand. I can't remember any time where people are causing much of a disturbance. However with a little common sense it is possible to minimise these distractions. For example if you go to the cinema on a sunday afternoon you are going to have children of all ages and its going to be naturally busier. Here in Singapore I avoid the cinema on sundays as its maids day off and half the cinema consists of filipinas giggling to each other. Its also true that the cinema etiquite in Singapore is a lot worse. Last week some idiots decided to surprise someone by bringing in a birthday cake with lit candles on it and start singing happy birthday 10 minutes into the beginning of the excorcism of emily rose. What was more surprising was they couldnt understand why half the cinema told them to shut the ###### up. They then proceeded to giggle through the entire film. I have watched films that start at 1am and there has been 2 year olds present shrieking through the entire fim. A nation of cinematic idiots.

[DJ Pat]

A nation of cinematic idiots.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sounds like h*ll!!

[Buff-horns]

all thai cinema seats should be fitted with phones on the arms so they can make phonecalls whilst the movie is running . they could make a fortune from the phonecalls.

[BambinA]

This Is Needed At Thai Cinemas, Mobikle phone menace

i have free hand to slap bad manner people who has ringing

[DJ Pat]

This Is Needed At Thai Cinemas, Mobikle phone menace

i have free hand to slap bad manner people who has ringing

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't believe you!!!! You'd be far too polite....

[The_Moog]

You've perhaps not experienced the contrary....

People MAKING calls from the cinema.

As they press the buttons....

"beep, bleep, bip bip bip, beep, bip".

Then 'Hi i'm phoning from the cinema' - usually delivered in Cantonese.

[slorson]

you can get the cellphone Jammer/Blocker on this onlinestore: www.goyabox.com

they accepy paypal perment and shipping by DHL/UPS its fast!

[Tonto21]

I don't get it guys; I'm sure all the posts are from your own experiences of going to the cinema. But I don't see, or hear all this going on. I go to see a film, on average about once a month in Chiangmai, choices of two main stream cinemas, (I like airport plaza) great prices, seats……..never had a problem, and believe me, I can go 'Victor meldrew' in a heartbeat! Only problem I've found……it can get a bit cool on the tootsies, (don't wear sock with the sandals you see) Lucky me a!

Edited August 1, 2011 by Tonto21

[Berkshire]

I don't get it guys; I'm sure all the posts are from your own experiences of going to the cinema. But I don't see, or hear all this going on. I go to see a film, on average about once a month in Chiangmai, choices of two main stream cinemas, (I like airport plaza) great prices, seats……..never had a problem, and believe me, I can go 'Victor meldrew' in a heartbeat! Only problem I've found……it can get a bit cool on the tootsies, (don't wear sock with the sandals you see) Lucky me a!

Concur 100%. And this is not a "rose-tinted" or "Thai apologist" comment--it's based on reality. I'm an avid movie goer, going back to the day in the USA. Just went to see the latest Harry Potter movie last week at a Major Cineplex. In a packed movie theater, there was a point when I actually marveled at how a room full of people can be so quiet and well-behaved. This is pretty normal. There will always be the occasional movie goer who'll yap throughout the movie, or goof around with his/her cell phone. They can be farang or Thai. The talking through a movie, I found, to be more prevalent back in the US. This type of rudeness is definitely not a Thai-thing--it's an individual thing. But if you're predisposed to hating Thais, I suppose you'll believe what you want.

[alexpoker]

Gotta agree that here in Chiang Mai, Ive been to the movies many times and only once someone recieved a call, where they ended up whispering for 15 seconds before hanging up.

Chiang mai thais must be more decent I guess

[Stan42]

Slight detour: I never stand up when everyone does during the King's song. I also don't stand still when the anthem is played in public.

Sofar no arrests

[mca]

Slight detour: I never stand up when everyone does during the King's song.

Any particular reason why?

[Berkshire]

Slight detour: I never stand up when everyone does during the King's song.

Any particular reason why?

Yes, rather odd behavior. And not particularly bright. One of these days, somebody is going to take offense. Wonder if Stan's ever heard of the term "som num nai."