She texted, we kicked her out

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M

Meier

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As many of you know, I really can't abide people who talk during a movie. A couple of years ago I was accosted in the Village parking lot by a patron who was warned for talking in a movie. I've nearly come to blows more than a few times over the years with rude customers over the same issue. When we adopted our strict no talking policy back in 1997 we knew we were going to alienate some of our patrons. That was the plan. If you can't change your behavior and be quiet (or unilluminated) during a movie, then we don't want you at our venue. Follow our rules, or get the hell out and don't come back until you can.

Recently, we had a situation where a customer persisted in texting in the theater despite two warnings to stop. Our policy at that point is to eject the customer without a refund, which is exactly what went down that night.  Luckily, this former patron was so incensed at being kicked out, she quickly called the office and left us the raw ingredients for our latest "Don't Talk or Text" PSA. You can check it out below, or come to the Alamo this weekend where the video will be playing before all of our R-rated movies.

Ma'am, you may be free to text in all the other theaters in the Magnited States of America, but here at our "little crappy ass theater," you are not. Why you may ask? Well, we actually do give a f*$k.

Sincerely,

Tim League
founder/CEO
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
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http://drafthouse.com/blog/entry/she_texted._we_kicked_her_out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1L3eeC2lJZs
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/07/the-ridiculist-texting-at-the-movies/

Click the Youtube video at the link -- its NSFW due to language but they also have a censored version.

The Alamo and the cool shit Harry/AICN does there is pretty much reason enough to live in Austin. Heading over tonight for dinner and X-Men.

Edit: Added a link from the 6/7/11 episode of AC360 where his nightly "RidicuList" feature focuses on texting at movies. Poor "Drunk Girl."
 
Argh, I saw this linked on Facebook but haven't been able to read it yet due to server errors.
 
Man, I embrace this soooo much. I wish we had these types of theaters in Cincinnati. Its pretty much impossible to go see a movie without having the strong desire to beat the crap out of someone 15 minutes in for being obnoxious, loud, inconsiderate, and rude.
 
Whats the big deal about texting in a theater? I've had to whip out my phone a few times while watching movies and spend 10 secs to text someone real quick. Does that really bother people? Heck, I even try to shield the phone from everyone around me so no one will even see my trying to text.
 
tycoonheart said:
Whats the big deal about texting in a theater? I've had to whip out my phone a few times while watching movies and spend 10 secs to text someone real quick. Does that really bother people? Heck, I even try to shield the phone from everyone around me so no one will even see my trying to text.
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Yes, yes it does.

Its not like they did this out of hand either. They play a PSA before the movie, and they also give at least one warning before tossing you.
 
tycoonheart said:
Whats the big deal about texting in a theater? I've had to whip out my phone a few times while watching movies and spend 10 secs to text someone real quick. Does that really bother people? Heck, I even try to shield the phone from everyone around me so no one will even see my trying to text.
Click to expand...

The light from the screen is a distraction.
 
tycoonheart said:
Whats the big deal about texting in a theater? I've had to whip out my phone a few times while watching movies and spend 10 secs to text someone real quick. Does that really bother people? Heck, I even try to shield the phone from everyone around me so no one will even see my trying to text.
Click to expand...

Watch the movie at home if you want to text. The rummaging through your pocket to get to your phone + backlight is distracting to other paying customers. Show some respect.
 
DE UNITYD STEETS OF MERICA

someone needs to make her live in russia for a week so she can appreciate the freedom more
 
tycoonheart said:
Whats the big deal about texting in a theater? I've had to whip out my phone a few times while watching movies and spend 10 secs to text someone real quick. Does that really bother people? Heck, I even try to shield the phone from everyone around me so no one will even see my trying to text.
Click to expand...
What was so important that you HAD to text?
 
tycoonheart said:
Whats the big deal about texting in a theater? I've had to whip out my phone a few times while watching movies and spend 10 secs to text someone real quick. Does that really bother people? Heck, I even try to shield the phone from everyone around me so no one will even see my trying to text.
Click to expand...
So just go to other theaters.
 
Forearms said:
Watch the movie at home if you want to text. The rummaging through your pocket to get to your phone + backlight is distracting to other paying customers. Show some respect.
Click to expand...
on the opposite side you can argue stay at home if you don't want to see people doing things on their own free time. It's one thing to talk above a whisper and a whole other thing to text while your phone is on silent.
 
tycoonheart said:
Whats the big deal about texting in a theater? I've had to whip out my phone a few times while watching movies and spend 10 secs to text someone real quick. Does that really bother people? Heck, I even try to shield the phone from everyone around me so no one will even see my trying to text.
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It's annoying. Do you think we can't see your phone lighting up?

If you need to whip out your phone a few times during a movie, you're doing it wrong.

You should not turn on your phone during a movie. If you have to text or call or whatever, take it outside.
 
tycoonheart said:
Whats the big deal about texting in a theater? I've had to whip out my phone a few times while watching movies and spend 10 secs to text someone real quick. Does that really bother people? Heck, I even try to shield the phone from everyone around me so no one will even see my trying to text.
Click to expand...

I doubt you've really had to.

on the opposite side you can argue stay at home if you don't want to see people doing things on their own free time. It's one thing to talk above a whisper and a whole other thing to text while your phone is on silent.
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Let's pretend we lived in a world where cellphones didn't exist.
(Let's call that world "1992".)
Instead, this odd little fad popped up where people would bring tiny little flashlights to movie theaters and turn them on for a couple of seconds a few times during the movie. Would it be totally out of line to discourage that practice in a movie theater?
 
tycoonheart said:
Whats the big deal about texting in a theater? I've had to whip out my phone a few times while watching movies and spend 10 secs to text someone real quick. Does that really bother people? Heck, I even try to shield the phone from everyone around me so no one will even see my trying to text.
Click to expand...

The bright light is extremely distracting, especially for me due to the prescription on my glasses. Shut the fucking thing off and enjoy the movie.
 
tycoonheart said:
Whats the big deal about texting in a theater? I've had to whip out my phone a few times while watching movies and spend 10 secs to text someone real quick. Does that really bother people? Heck, I even try to shield the phone from everyone around me so no one will even see my trying to text.
Click to expand...

Oh, wow. Thanks.





Everyone hates you.
 
I don't think I've ever been bothered by someone around me pulling out his/her cellphone to text during a movie as much as some of you here seem to have been bothered. If I'm engrossed in a movie, a cellphone light won't come close to distracting me.

To each his own, I suppose.
 
tycoonheart said:
Whats the big deal about texting in a theater? I've had to whip out my phone a few times while watching movies and spend 10 secs to text someone real quick. Does that really bother people? Heck, I even try to shield the phone from everyone around me so no one will even see my trying to text.
Click to expand...

Try this at your house... At night, turn off all the lights in your house, and leave your TV on while standing a bit far from it... Watch the TV for 15-30 minutes, then bust out your phone and turn it on at the brightest setting, but don't use it or focus on it.

Seriously. Try that then come back to us.
 
tycoonheart said:
Whats the big deal about texting in a theater? I've had to whip out my phone a few times while watching movies and spend 10 secs to text someone real quick. Does that really bother people? Heck, I even try to shield the phone from everyone around me so no one will even see my trying to text.
Click to expand...


yeah i dont see the big deal either. shit happens.

although it was funny when i missed the text icon and hit my lightsaber app icon by accident.
 
I don't mind a cellphone's backlight in the cinema, but I do mind people who can't survive 2 hours without texting. I really really do.
 
levious said:
are beer and food not actually served in the theater?
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Seriously man.

The motherfucker next to me crunching on his nacho laden chips is probably far more distracting than cell phone light could ever be.
 
On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the most belligerent possible voice mail ever, that's like a 3.

I like the Alamo Draft House, but this really falls flat. They reaaaallly had to dress that voice mail up with text to make it appear remotely amusing. And texting in the movies ranks pretty low on both the list of movie theater annoyances and antisocial texting behavior. So it's really hard to want to pile on to this woman too much.
 
tycoonheart said:
Seriously man.

The motherfucker next to me crunching on his nacho laden chips is probably far more distracting than cell phone light could ever be.
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Keep justifyin' being rude with "oh yeah well someone does x that's worse." Really it's helping your cause.
 
tycoonheart said:
Whats the big deal about texting in a theater? I've had to whip out my phone a few times while watching movies and spend 10 secs to text someone real quick. Does that really bother people? Heck, I even try to shield the phone from everyone around me so no one will even see my trying to text.
Click to expand...

Worse than Hitler.
 
levious said:
are beer and food not actually served in the theater?
Click to expand...

I've actually never been distracted by the food and drinks.

(the waiters do get a little distracting sometimes though)
 
tycoonheart said:
Seriously man.

The motherfucker next to me crunching on his nacho laden chips is probably far more distracting than cell phone light could ever be.
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How about the guy breathing so loud you'd think he just ran a marathon?
 
tycoonheart said:
I don't think I've ever been bothered by someone around me pulling out his/her cellphone to text during a movie as much as some of you here seem to have been bothered. If I'm engrossed in a movie, a cellphone light won't come close to distracting me.

To each his own, I suppose.
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It's annoying, phones are

talking to each other is

Unnecessary ridiculous loud laughter is

Teenagers

People are terrible.
 
"I was using my phone to fin my seat!"

*10 seconds later*

"I text in ALL the movie theaters!"

But I thought you said you were using your phone to find your seat? lol
 
Devolution said:
Keep justifyin' being rude with "oh yeah well someone does x that's worse." Really it's helping your cause.
Click to expand...


I asked because I've never been to this place, but I can't imagine other drafthouses making a big deal about texting when it gets rather noisy from the whole drinking and dining setting to begin with.


Zoe said:
I've actually never been distracted by the food and drinks.

(the waiters do get a little distracting sometimes though)
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I would think so, I'm all for quiet nazis in most theaters, but I never thought it got like this in drafthouses...
 
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