Comments on: Tonight’s “Don’t Talk” Adrenaline Rush

By: Ed in Athens

Ed in Athens — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:57:34 +0000

Holy crap! Total Tim League badassery of the most perfect order. Well played and well said. And I’m grateful that guy wasn’t any further bent toward lunacy.

By: Reclamações sobre ir ao cinemas no Brasil | Ambrosia

Reclamações sobre ir ao cinemas no Brasil | Ambrosia — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:16:08 +0000

[...] como, um dos cinemas no qual Quentin Tarantino gosta de apresentar seus filmes em primeira mão, apresentou sua reclamação sobre a baixa qualidade do público que se encontra nos [...]

By: Nick

Nick — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:13:23 +0000

Thank you for this! What a great example of when a business does not need to apologize. Society is falling apart, & it’s people like that who are ruining not only movies, but life for all of us. Everyone thinks they can do whatever they want, with no regard for others. It’s wrong.

I’d love to address Justin’s question, as my local cinema-pub experiences this exact problem. In general, you go to an audience-participation movie with the knowledge that there will be talking. But there is participation, and there is being a douche. Every month we have MST3K style movie night. Problem is, there is a group of regulars who just chat loudly through the entire movie about completely unrelated things. Even when you have a screening like RHPS, there is a time to talk, and a time to shut up. If you’re not behaving appropriately for the setting, you should stay home.

More people need to learn how to be a part of society.

By: Justin

Justin — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 01:24:09 +0000

So what happens at this place when a movie like New Moon is shown? I mean that’s a movie that was made to be fun while watching it! Or what about if they have a showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show?

By: Peter D

Peter D — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 23:08:41 +0000

I add my virtual voice to the praise. I raise a glass to you sir. Slainte! Happy Hogmanay! from sunny Glasgow

By: FrankRizzo

FrankRizzo — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:11:52 +0000

It’s kind of surprising to me how commonplace this problem of people talking during movies in the theater seems to be. I feel like I’m lucky in that I’m usually able to focus on the movie and tune out the talkers, but I know that these rude idiots really bother a lot of people. A lot of Americans seem to have a huge problem with understanding that they don’t live in a bubble where no one matters but themselves, and many of them get belligerent and violent when someone writes them a reality check. When I went to Star Trek this past summer, two guys were chatting away in the row behind me until a theater employee stuck his head out of the projection window and told them that if they wanted to talk they needed to take it outside. So from that point until the end of the movie, these two shitheads sat there bitching to each other about getting scolded by a theater employee. It was actually pretty funny. I guess what I’m trying to say is that the problem goes deeper than just a few clueless morons who can’t keep their mouths shut for an hour and a half; American society has enabled many of us to be rude, inconsiderate, selfish assholes who think that the only person we have to think about is ourselves and fuck anyone else, because they’re just in our way. I’m just glad to see that someone has the guts to stand up to these idiots even if it means not selling a couple extra tickets that night. Tim, thank you for being an example to business owners everywhere by showing them how to think long term and not kowtowing to these jackasses simply because they have a couple bucks in their pockets.

By: NavySailor

NavySailor — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 02:59:00 +0000

Heard about the Drafthouse through many film sites, and I think it is watermark for theaters worldwide. Sorry about your window dude, but that guy was more than just the kind you don’t want in your theater. You don’t want him around anywhere…period. Though, I live and am stationed in Japan now, and they have a church like respect at theaters here, which I love. It doesn’t matter what theater I go to, they all shut the fuck up the minute the lights dim. Of course, all theaters here are reserved seating, and utilize ushers. Take note America!!!

By: Angelo

Angelo — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:36:30 +0000

Dude, that’s great. I HATE talking in theaters. It’s the only thing that can really get my temper going anymore in life.

I know I’m going to end up in a fight because I keep telling people to stop talking in theaters, and usually people are not nice to me about it. I saw “The Road” last weekend and told this really annoying, mid-30s couple to stop talking, and the guy laughed and said, “That’s funny’. I about wanted to jump over the aisle when he said that, but he was pretty quiet the rest of the movie.

I’ve literally yelled at people to shut the fuck up, and have gotten a “Fuck you!” in response. That was in a packed house for “The Hurt Locker” where everyone was totally quiet except for three teenagers behind me.

What gets me in both instances was they were talking about such stupid things. Each time, these people were just narrating what was on screen to their friend or girlfriend. Are the people around you so stupid that they need things narrated to them?

I managed a theater and saw this problem in EVERY SINGLE SHOW. People would be belligerent about me warning them, and when I kicked people out, usually they would be practically ready to fight me.

I’ve just about given up watching movies in theaters. I really can’t stand it. And having worked in a theater for 18 months, I know that most management and employees there don’t care. My coworkers almost never backed me up when I kicked people out. It made me feel like crap. I live in DC, but I would love to live in Austin just to have the Drafthouse there. The only place I can tolerate going to see movies is a place called the Cinema Drafthouse here, which also is a full restaurant inside. Somehow, when people talk in those shows, it seems much less obnoxious, probably because of the casual environment.

I would really like to run a theater someday just to kick out talkers. Maybe I’ll get to go to the Drafthouse someday, or better yet, have a movie I make play there.

By: junal

junal — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:28:04 +0000

i just saw this and think that your policy is amazing. i really wish that you (or someone with your movie going sensibilities) would open a theater here in Pennsylvania.

keep up the great work, i only read great things about the Draft House

By: MattG

MattG — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:17:05 +0000

I love you for this policy. If more theater owners would adopt this kind of attitude, going to the movies would be something I would do every weekend instead of the first showing on Sunday morning when all the assholes are still asleep. Don’t ever change. Look forward to spending my money at your establishment.

By: Pete

Pete — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:17:33 +0000

That’s my boy!!!

By: Jon Bolden

Jon Bolden — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:01:36 +0000

This is a wonderful story. I’ve been discussing customer expectations recently with a friend who works in customer service management. We both noticed that customer expectations have grown into absurdity so that a person feels entitled to ANYTHING from a business. I assume his anger was just embarrassment coupled with insecurity. This is the backlash against unreasonable demands that the country needs. After all, we’re all consumers and producers.

By: Angel

Angel — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:45:57 +0000

Good to hear management in at least one movie theater does something about the rude, selfish, inconsiderate asshats who don’t know the first thing about decorum or just basic common decent behavior. A pity I don’t live in Austin, or I would consider taking another chance at going to a movie theater. I pretty much gave up on the experience after one movie theater too many where talkers were just allowed to roam by the management with nothing to be done. I pretty much refuse to go to a movie theater any longer. Have been doing it for years ; I think Lord of the Rings trilogy were the last movies I saw in a movie, and I have not returned since (that should give you an idea how long it has been). I am no rush to return either. Between cellphone talkers, just plain loud talking people, and the mofos who take little children to movies that are age inappropriate, not worth it. But I am glad to hear that somewhere, someone finally stands up for the common folk who just want to watch their movie in peace.

Good luck.

By: El Culo Negro

El Culo Negro — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:09:35 +0000

Bravo Tim! We went to watch Inglorious Basterds on opening night at the Ritz and ended up sitting next to the loudest bitches on the planet. It fucking sucks! I can’t stand these vapid, Ed Hardy wearing, peanut heads who think The Alamo is Lavaca Street Bar on dollar Tecate night. Take your ass somewhere else. And seriously people…all of you “involved parties” who have had their “eyes opened” by the experience need disappear forever. Or Better yet take your Affliction wearin’, UFC watchin’ , latent homosexual, frat boy, steroid rage to the Galaxy Highland and see how far ya get with it.

By: Amen

Amen — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:17:45 +0000

The last two posts before this one say it all. Case closed. Good triumphs over evil.

By: Village Idiot

Village Idiot — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:49:27 +0000

Chris says “we were working the situation out”.

What is there to “work out”? Somebody said “don’t talk” and the situation was over. I don’t understand why saying “don’t talk” would wound your ego enough to still be upset about it 2 hours later. How did this hurt you, even if the waiter got the wrong person, what’s the big deal? Oh poor poor baby, a waiter said be quiet, what a horrible thing for you to endure.

Please, you and all your friends stay far far away from the Alamo. You should instead spend the money on therapy to work out your self entitlement issues.

By: Karrie League

Karrie League — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:46:54 +0000

The revisionist history here, courtesy of Chris, is pretty amazing.
To set the record straight, they talked all the way through the trailers. Tim got up the moment the film started and stood in the aisle watching them. A waiter approached and they spoke to the waiter. The waiter left, and they continued talking. Tim sat back down, raised a flag and waited for it to be picked up. The whole time, they were talking. By the time they were shushed, it was probably 6-7 min. into the movie. There may have been other people talking to their right, but that was much further away, and we didn’t hear it.
Afterwards, having no idea of any drama happening, we talked to one of the managers for a while about nothing in particular, then went out to our car. We had just started the engine when this guy comes jogging out across the parking lot, hailing us. He was alone and there was no-one else anywhere in visual range. Tim didn’t have the chance to be either professional or unprofessional, because the guy didn’t give him a chance to say anything over his ranting. Realizing that conversation was useless, Tim then just rolled up his window, provoking the punching.
Thanks to everyone for all their support, and I hope everyone will continue to raise flags to eliminate the loudmouth talkers from the Alamo.

By: Paul Riddell

Paul Riddell — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:40:14 +0000

While I have nothing but respect for the treatment of this entitlement brat (and I live in Dallas, so you can’t go to a movie in this town without having to listen the entire time to the nickering and neighing of some dangerously inbred Highland Park dolt who couldn’t spell his alma mater’s initials, the ones on the front of his sweatshirt, if you spotted him the “S” and the “M” and gave him three chances on the “U”), what I really love is the alleged testimony from the guys who claim to have been there at the time. Ain’t it amazing how 300 people in a theater can cheer when one of these loudmouths throws a tantrum in a public place and leaves in a snit, swearing “I’m never coming here again!” at the top of his lungs, and the only people who saw “what really went on” happened to be his frat brothers?

By: Yakov Smirnoff

Yakov Smirnoff — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:37:15 +0000

In Soviet Russia, car windshield punches you for being shushed during movie!

By: Jon

Jon — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:17:21 +0000

And this is exactly why my fam and I will continue to visit, time and time again. Thanks for the great post, and for the actions backing it up!