Cinema: Make or Break the movie?

[Mark]

I thought about this particularly after watching the latest Harry Potter film and with each film I see at the cinema. I have found that quite often a cinema can totally ruin the experience and actually leave you with a very negative feeling of the film.

Let's face it, you pay just short of £10 to sit in an uncomfortably cramped seat, with some berks great big head in front of you.

For instance, our most local cinema is one I simply refuse to go to. I am not paying that much money to have the absolute discomfort that it gives. I saw Spiderman 3 there and couldn't wait to get out because of how uncomfortable I was. That was without even taking into account how dire the film was. I also saw Dark Knight there for a second time. The first time I saw it in a much better Cinema. I still felt the same on the second viewing of The Dark Knight in the sense that I desperately could not wait to get out of the cinema, despite absolutely loving the film. Had I have seen it there the first time would that feeling of wanting to just get up and walk out changed my liking of the film? As I say, it certainly contributed to my disliking of Spiderman 3.

We normally visit one of three different cinemas to see anything and at best, we only go for the stuff we are really looking forward to and want to see. Only 1 of the three cinemas seems to be any real good though.

The one we saw Harry Potter had poor sound and the picture quality wasn't all that either.

So what I am getting at; does anybody else find that a cinema can totally change their opinion of a film?

 

[Ormerod]

I don't mind the cinemas, Vue can be fine with the spacious seating, and not too bad comfortwise.
It depends who's in the cinema at the time, it tends to be quirky people or generally chavs that distract me from my films.

 

[Mark]

Exactly, the people in a cinema is another great varient. The question being, if the irritating distractions are there whilst you are watching, can it spoil how you view a film.

Further to what I said before, I know a few films I saw in the cinema that I thought were pants at the cinema, yet when I watch them on DVD in the luxury of my own home, I actually enjoy them substantially more.

 

[nealbie]

And on the other hand you have films which undeniably are improved by being in a cinema. Last year for example I had the chance to go and see Jaws in the cinema for a special screening and it was amazing!

But yes, films can be ruined by a poor cinema, hence why I only watch at Vue, with huuuuge comfy seats. With their top of the range seating costing only £8!

 

[Ben]

Yep!

It's why I <3<3<3<3 the Imax in Waterloo. I want to see every film ever there.

 

[Ormerod]

To be honest, if I am distracted from a film, I'll try and re-watch the same film before I can determine my thoughts.

 

[kimahri]

The local cinema that I go to is fine. The seats are the right distance apart so you don't get mention berk's head and they arequite comfy and that's in the crappy screens. When I went to see POTCMC we were in the uber screen. It had mahoosiv chair with 2 cup holders and a table and tonnes of leg room.

However there is another cinema near me that is horrible. it's so small and cramped I could block out the picture by lifting my hand up.

So yeah. Depending on where you go it can make or break a movie.

 

[furie]

It's very subjective and difficult to say really Mark.

Generally, I much prefer the cinema, because I love the lack of distractions. The screen is so huge and the sound so loud, you don't miss much of what's going on, and you feel much more involved in the film.

On occasion, a massive screen is the only way to see a huge and mind blowing film.

The Dark Knight I found easier to watch at home as I could move about (I couldn't wait to get out of the film either), but it didn't really change my opinion of the film.

Oddly, the people in the cinema can add to a film as well as detract from it.

I went to see the first UK showing of The Exorcist (since its ban) in 1991. The cinema was full of highly charged horror fans like myself, really looking forward to seeing this highly regarded movie in such special circumstances (ie not a dodgy pirate import).

Within half an hour, the cinema was in hysterics. At first there was a shocked, stunned silence, but as people got over how dreadful the film was, and how undeserving of a ban - the mood lightened. It was like watching a Police Academy film, only the cinema laughed at The Exorcist

Really made a totally atrocious film an enjoyable experience.

When I went to see The Blaire Witch Project though, there was a couple behind us talking all the way through. They discussed what they were having for tea, what they were doing at the weekend, had they been to the doctor about this leg ailment? Oh, you have and they sent you to the hospital for tests? Four week's waiting for test - it's disgusting, etc.

It didn't ruin the film (0/10 it couldn't get any lower), but it would have done if the film had been any good. Turning around and telling them to shut up was the only positive outcome of that particular cinema trip (5:20 p.m. showing at UCI in Telford).

So, I don't really mind too much, it's rare I find anyone ruin the film for me. Then again, I am very laid back generally and can shut people out

 

[A-Kid]

Crawley is an awesome cinema. Its a good american style cinema. I.e. surrounded by TGI, MaccyDs, Pizza Slut, funky lights...

The seats are comfy, good view of the 60ft wide screen with the stadium seating. Great leg room. Digital picture. SDD sound thing is an improvement. The sound is crazy loud.

So it improves the experince greatly.

Though the floor is sticker than a porn mags pages...

and Crawley is Bagdad, basically.

 

[Ollie]

First of all it depends on how good the film is. If it's good then everyone watches it and enjoys it. But if it's not that good then people get distracted and loose interest in the film. The cinema can also play a big part. The one local to me is great. The rows are all raised well so you don't ever have someones head in the way and all the seats have plenty of room. The only downside is that the seats don't flip up which makes it awkward when someone wants to get past. On the otherhand, the cinema near my Dads in Wimbledon is horrible. Although you pay more and it's got more screens the seats are crammed together and it's usually full of all sorts of people you don't want to share a screen with such as noisy children, loud mouthed chavs, phones going off etc. And every film I've seen there I've not enjoyed that much (may just be coincidence though).

 

[bob_3_]

There's a great cinema in Liverpool, where the seats recline and there a nice bar before you go in, it's also quieter than the Odeon, and while it only has 4 screens it tends to pick the best of the new releases to show. AND it's cheaper, AND it does Orange wednesdays.

When i went to see Harry Potter yesterday it was BOILING (in an Odeon), so hot in fact that they gave us free cinema tickets at the end to stop us complaining, so I guess in the end it wasn't so bad, bit of a sweat pit though. But it didn't ruin the film, once you were into it.

It's nice to see a film with a big audience though, if they're all into it, it makes the jokes funnier and the shocking parts more shocking, coz the whole room has the atmosphere. But yeah, you do get a few twerps sometimes that can completely ruin it for you =(.

 

[Steven]

Crawley is an awesome cinema. Its a good american style cinema. I.e. surrounded by TGI, MaccyDs, Pizza Slut, funky lights...

The seats are comfy, good view of the 60ft wide screen with the stadium seating. Great leg room. Digital picture. SDD sound thing is an improvement. The sound is crazy loud.

So it improves the experince greatly.

Though the floor is sticker than a porn mags pages...

and Crawley is Bagdad, basically.

As my local cinema is Crawley I have this to say. It makes a movie for me though mobiles can sometimes be annoying. Yes it is a great cinema but it was originally a Virgin cinema hence the stadium seating in all 15 screens. They are constantly renovating under Ciniworld and they have the unlimited pass so as many movies at I want for 13.99 a month.

What more could you ask for? If anything does go wrong there are always free tickets for the right reasons. Heating can be a pain in the winter though.

Crawley is Bagdad though hah! It may be rough but there is a LOT worse out there trust me. Crawley is a mild town compared to some.

Also sound is starting to go screwy but they keep ontop of it there but new speakers will be installed after every screen gets the digital and 3d projector treatment!.

In my eyes 100% improves the experience.

 

[peep]

I agree that where you see it etc can make the film better or worse. Being the cinema nut that I am I have been to most in Central London and I tend to see particular films in certain screens. For example, I made sure that I saw Transformers 2 in screen 11 at the Vue at the o2. Why? Because it is the biggest widescreen in the UK, digital projector, awesome sound system and plenty of spacious seating. It was also cheaper than to see it at the very awesome Odeon in Leicester Square (Ben can concur that the Odeon in Leicester square is amazing ).

If I see someone in the audience with their mobile on and they are using it for texting or whatever I will say something, it really really annoys me and distracts me from the film. So something like that I suppose could tarnish my view of the film a bit.

There are also the amazing screenings where it's all fans. For example I went to a Grindhouse special screening at a 'grindhouse' cinema in London. The screening was full of fans of Tarantino and Rodriguez and the atmosphere was electric, will probably never experience something like that again. The audience laugh and cheer and everyone is just more hyped and excited compared to a normal screening. Great fun.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

No.. Buy your ticket on cheap day over here where it's only $4, and then buy candy at the cheap store and smuggle it in. So overall I usually only end up spending maybe $7 to see movies in the theatre, and hey, even if the movie sucks, it's not like I blew too much money on it, and our theatres are pretty good as well.. The only incident I ever had was when the sound when out in a crappier one a little while back. Still, we got free passes to come back.

 

[Emmett]

They only time I've found were a certain cinema has affected my enjoyed/opinion of a film is when you get stuck behind a bunch of scumbags or people who never shut up. I would either end up nervous or get so annoyed, that my concentration would go out the window and I wouldn't be able to take the film in.

Regarding seat comfort, screen size, sound etc, if the film is good then I don't really mind where I watch it. Most of the films I watch are at a small cinema in Dublin which specialises in foreign films and the screen is awful, the sound is from 2 large speakers and the seats are awful but I still enjoy the whole experience the same as if I was in a modern cinema.

 

[mrclam]

I like seeing comedies in cinema - as the audience reaction adds to the comedy. At home, comedies tend to work less.

Action films are great on the big screen.


What I dont like however - is unconfy seats, especially on long films.

And teenagers who INSIST ON PULLING OUT THEIR $%#$%ING CELLPHONES during the movie - so you see a distracting white light out of the corner of your eye, pulling you out of the movie experience and back into the cinema.

If you're one of those people (and judging by the average age of this forum, a lot of you are), then let it be known that clammy doesnt like you. And you almost ruined "up!" for me.

One of these days you'll get me in a bad mood and i'll come and smash yer beloved phone which you cant go for more than 90 mins without - to pieces.

 

[furie]

then buy candy at the cheap store and smuggle it in.

Live a bit more dangerously Tay!

I once smuggled in an entire KFC family meal (for six of us) in to see Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers!

I can imagine the guys taking the tickets.

"Do you smell KFC?"
"Yeah, who **** brings KFC to the cinema?"
"I'm looking but I don't see anyone with KFC"
"Maybe we've been standing in the popcorn fumes too long?"
"Reckon that's an industrial injury?"
"Too right, let's go home!"

It was a long film, you needed sustenance!

 

[nadroJ]

^I smuggled in a large pizza from Pizza Hut

I find it very annoying when people won't shut up, and usually end up doing it myself.

I also hate when they leave the doors to the actual screen open, it's some psycological I think but it means I find it very hard to relax.

On the whole my two local cinemas are pretty decent in the way of comfort and pricing, and I do prefer seeing films in the cinema rather than at home. Like furie said, it makes you concentrate on the film a whole lot more.

 

[John91]

My local cinema is absolutely awful, screen is rubbish and I start squirming after about half an hour due to the terrible seat. That's why i've started going to crawley every 3 months, for a half decent cinema, and to catch up on what i've missed. **** you Odeon!

 

[divvie_dave]

There is one Cinema (Bedford Cineworld) which I don't like, and that is just for the sound quality there. So I avoid that one, unless i REALLLLLY want a pizza hut before or after the film.

Other than that, all the cinemas I have ever been to have been awesome. On top of that, I never pay more than £3 to see a film, and half the time its actually free. SO i don't have much space for complaint.

I have my own little "spots" in my local cinemas where i know its comfy. Just over the starwell means there is know one in front of you, and you can put your feet up. Sitting at the front of the second section of seats, means you can stretch your legs. And also, if all else fails, the edge of an isle.

I've only had one bad experience at the cinema, and that was with National Tresure at the bedford cineworld. And it was becuase it was like listening to the film through some little tinny speakers.