AMC Entertainment CEO Open To Allowing Texting in Some Theaters

DocSavage said:
And for the record, I'm not against someone briefly responding to a text. It's when someone does so for over a minute that I start to get pissed off. If someone is a doctor, vet, a parent or whatever, they can quickly see what the message is about, reply, and then either continue watching the movie, leave, or finish the conversation out in the hallway. Not a big deal as long as people are considerate.
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Perfectly reasonable, but not possible if someone is illegally distrupting celluar communications.
 
Osirus said:
I expected this type of ignorant comment.

Plenty of places have volunteer fire depts and EMTs that are on call 24/7 and dont do it in shifts. Same with doctors and veterinarians who can be called in at any time.

But of course Im sure you think they should jus lt stay home all the time because you watching a stupid movie is more important.

Ordinary citizens dont have the right to play FCC and jam cell phones, its a crime and they should be punished for doing so.
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You are right - jammers aren't a solution, because an emergency can happen at any time. But FFS people have lost all sense of courtesy. Before cell phones, these people had pagers. In an emergency, they would see a page AND LEAVE to call work from a pay phone. There was no phone inside a theatre for calling your boss/wife/side chick/cousin/whatever. The same can be done with a phone. Keep your phone on vibe with a low brightness. You see an important number or name in a call / text. LEAVE the theatre immediately and then call/text back. Simple as that.
 
Who wants to be banned next for not being able to have a civilized conversation? You were warned.
 
DocSavage said:
That old man who shot someone for texting in a theater is my hero.
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Ah... Yes. John Wilkes Booth.

My kids (17 & 15) leave their phones in the car. I get pissed when my wife tries to use her phone at the movie. No phones at the theater.

I can't take a beer into the school, they can't bring a phone into the theater. Seriously, make some fucking rules and stick with it. It's not going to hurt them if they can't use their phone. Fuck it, cut their arms off at the elbow. It's easier and there will be less bitching.
 
Osirus said:
I expected this type of ignorant comment.

Plenty of places have volunteer fire depts and EMTs that are on call 24/7 and dont do it in shifts. Same with doctors and veterinarians who can be called in at any time.

But of course Im sure you think they should jus lt stay home all the time because you watching a stupid movie is more important.

Ordinary citizens dont have the right to play FCC and jam cell phones, its a crime and they should be punished for doing so.
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Sorry I'm going to call you out for false equivalency. someone texting through out a movie is not the same as someone in a movie that has to respond to an emergency.
 
And with that said, I will never go back to the movies. Home showing it is.
 
Osirus said:
I expected this type of ignorant comment.

Plenty of places have volunteer fire depts and EMTs that are on call 24/7 and dont do it in shifts. Same with doctors and veterinarians who can be called in at any time.

But of course Im sure you think they should jus lt stay home all the time because you watching a stupid movie is more important.

Ordinary citizens dont have the right to play FCC and jam cell phones, its a crime and they should be punished for doing so.
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And someone who needs to have access to their cellphone 24/7 can walk out of a movie, or lecture, or presentation, or whatever place they're at where they are expected to be polite an quiet and use their phone outside of the event. I am one of those people, I'm required to be available/on call 24/7 for my job and that means cellphone access. I walk outside to use my phone so please don't tell me those people have to sit in their seat and text and talk on their phones because of "reasons". Jammers are illegal in almost every state for good reason the issue here is common courtesy.
 
Any light in a theater is a distraction. I'm paying to watch a movie not see lights pop up in random places at random times and distract me.

Just watch....this is all a ploy to create "No Texting" viewings that they can jack up the price of the tickets so you wont be bothered by douchebags...
 
The fact that this is viewed as a necessity by someone is a sign that we have serious problems in today's world with cell phone addictions.
 
While cell phone jamming isn't exactly legal. Building a faraday cage around the theater would solve part of this problem.
 
HockeyJon said:
The fact that this is viewed as a necessity by someone is a sign that we have serious problems in today's world with cell phone addictions.
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I agree completely with the sentiment that it's an addiction. For myself, I feel like it's a burden. I work and respond to emergency calls, and that's probably why I feel that way. When I can, I'll leave the devices at home, for a 10-12 hour day. It's a liberating feeling.

When I'm on call I don't go to movies. Both out of courtesy, and because with my luck I'll just get seated and get a call. And if I am in a movie, I'd like it if people around me didn't use their phones. I don't agree with citizen jammers, since they aren't selective devices and could interfere with legitimate uses. Which I guess leaves us with more selective devices, like ushers with flashlights or old men with guns. But if theatres just permit phone use, I guess I'm done with the theatre.
 
Yeah, get all your texting done while you are driving TO the movies. That is the decent thing to do. Also, as someone mentioned that is a good time to drink those beers before going into the $20 popcorn and soda theater.
 
We all agree that cell phone jammers are bad and the FCC cracks down on them, but what about alternatives, such as the Stingrays police departments use? One could be modified to just drop the annoying people's connections. Or is that only legal for government use?

edit: Nevermind. Hotels are getting in trouble doing the same thing to wifi.
 
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Hence why theaters need to become extinct as the dodo bird did.

I watch my movies at home. Just a much nicer and cheaper experience.
 
HardUp4HardWare said:
Yeah, get all your texting done while you are driving TO the movies. That is the decent thing to do. Also, as someone mentioned that is a good time to drink those beers before going into the $20 popcorn and soda theater.
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My local theater has $11 32oz Blue Moon. Not too bad for a movie theater IMO considering most places charge $4-7 for a beer these days. I choose to drink at the movies :D
 
DocSavage said:
We all agree that cell phone jammers are bad and the FCC cracks down on them, but what about alternatives, such as the Stingrays police departments use? One could be modified to just drop the annoying people's connections. Or is that only legal for government use?
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I'm not that knowledgeable about the technology used in a Stingray, but I don't think it could be used effectively in this case unless you knew the IMSI/ESN of the offending party. You couldn't possibly know this (make people turn that info over at ticket purchase? Haha) which leaves you with the option of doing nothing, or forcing all the phones to drop their connections. Pretty much the same end result as a jammer, just a different path getting there.
 
doz said:
My local theater has $11 32oz Blue Moon. Not too bad for a movie theater IMO considering most places charge $4-7 for a beer these days. I choose to drink at the movies :D
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That's not bad at all, but the farts from the Blue Moon are going to be hell the next day.
 
Jammers aren't the solution, let alone a possibility. Honestly, I wish they would take a "zero tolerance" stance, staff ushers to watch, and anyone that texts, answers the phone, or even looks at it in the theater is escorted out with no refund and put on a theater blacklist so they aren't allowed back, ever. Doesn't matter the situation (except possibly where they need to contact the police). If you are a firefighter, doctor, police officer... you can get up and leave the theater before pulling your phone/pager/whatever out of your pocket to even look at it. That's what I do when I'm on call. As soon as the lights dim or trailers start, phone goes to vibrate and in my pocket and doesn't come out until I walk through the doors of the theater, no matter what.

If movie theaters just throw up their hands and start allowing texts/phone calls/etc. during movies.. I'll wait for the BluRay and watch it at home even without a fancy home theater. Of course I find myself going to the theater/grill places more anyways. Usually less crowded, more space due to the tables, and nicer/quieter patrons.. even the ones with kids. I've watched parents let their kids run up and down the stairs/aisles at the regular movie theaters, but never at places like Studio Movie Grill, Star Cinema Grill, etc., plus everything is a lot quieter and no obnoxious groups of teenagers either.
 
Instead of this pie-in-the-sky chatter about jammers, faraday cages, and Stingray devices how about everyone find a young person (or older if you deem it necessary) in your life and and explain to them the general rudeness of cellphones in a theater. Have it be a frank and honest talk, and encourage them to pass it along to their peers.

You know - actually _do_ something at the source.
 
Movie theaters need to go away, we should be able to stream the movies at home and on release. Monitors and televisions are able to provide better visuals than projectors and a proper audio setup at home will also be superior.
 
modi123 said:
Instead of this pie-in-the-sky chatter about jammers, faraday cages, and Stingray devices how about everyone find a young person (or older if you deem it necessary) in your life and and explain to them the general rudeness of cellphones in a theater. Have it be a frank and honest talk, and encourage them to pass it along to their peers.

You know - actually _do_ something at the source.
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That sounds good for people you know, but would you recommend this with strangers? What if they don't listen? What if they get pissed and wait outside the theater with weapons for when you leave?
 
DocSavage said:
That sounds good for people you know, but would you recommend this with strangers? What if they don't listen? What if they get pissed and wait outside the theater with weapons for when you leave?
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I had the understanding every American was armed to the teeth. After all, an armed society is a polite society. ;)
 
DocSavage said:
That sounds good for people you know, but would you recommend this with strangers? What if they don't listen? What if they get pissed and wait outside the theater with weapons for when you leave?
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Well, they made a mistake if they bring a knife to a gun fight. If they have a gun they better kill me with the first shot or I'm going to be pissed.
 
I personally appreciate the CEO of AMC letting me know outright they don't need my patronage so I''ll do just exactly that.
 
DocSavage said:
That sounds good for people you know, but would you recommend this with strangers? What if they don't listen? What if they get pissed and wait outside the theater with weapons for when you leave?
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Woah, woah, woah. Let's pump the brakes there Soul Asylum before we have a full on run away train.

It's just a simple, easy to implement, grassroots idea. No one said you need to accost strangers, and certainly no one is spinning the idea out into an absurd armed confrontation. It's simply talk to those young'ins (or adults) in your circle. Maybe no one ever told them differently so they just acted selfishly and oblivious by default. Maybe there's a reason. Any ways you can chat with them on public etiquette, give them a solid foundation on 'why', and just ask they pass it on. Hopefully they do and it spreads by word of mouth. Swift and brutal methods to radically shift a large attitude isn't needed when, really, just a small degree or two increase in ambient intelligence goes a long way.

You won't stop them all, but maybe you can help change a few and make a few others think before they do something rude.
 
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In the words of Ron Burgundy - "Well. That escalated quickly."

We have a few theater's that serve booze and food around here. Go there if you want to text, it's more social. Otherwise it's really an issue of respect. Respect the fact that many people there are paying good money to go watch a movie uninterrupted, don't be an asshole, and keep the phone in the pocket.

I strongly disagree with this gentlemen, but I'm sure it'd be good for business. He also let me know to avoid AMC theaters which will be full of kids live tweeting the movie. I hadn't been to a stadium show in years and was shocked at the phones replacing lighters at the GnR show..............
 
All theaters should adopt Alamo Drafthouse policies:

1. If you show up late, you will be barred from entering with no refund.
2. If you use your phone while in the theater, you will be kicked out with no refund.
3. If you talk, you will be kicked out with no refund.
 
If they make a separate viewing available for people that want to text, I would be ok with this. If you get caught texting in a non-texting cinema, I'd image you will have many angry people taking over to remove the offenders.
I don't see many movies in a given year. When I do, I want to enjoy it. The last several movies I've watched have had well-behaved audiences.
The last Captain America movies was a bad experience. My wife and I had some teenagers sitting close to us that had apparently already seen the movie. They kept quoting it. They ignored several STFUs from us. Best I could do was tell them thanks for ruining the movie on the way out. I wanted to do so much more, but oh well - I had to deal with it.
As has been said by others, I'd be willing to pay money to stream movies to my house. I have a projector in my basement with a decent sound system. No texting. I can pause to use the restroom. Many, many advantages.
 
THUMPer said:
AMC is owned by a Chinese company. One of many US companies. Sad
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Some companies perform poorly when owned by another US-based company. Then when a Chinese company takes over, they improve almost as if by magic. (Not true of all companies; only some. And in some cases the reverse phenomenon may also occur.)
 
Texting, talking, being an all around asshole. Reasons why I won't do theaters anymore outside of a weekday matinee. Too many people think the theater is their living room.
 
Either catch a clue and deal with it like this:



Or people will deal with it like this:



Seriously, this fucking douchebag has NO business running a theater chain.

For what they're charging for tickets (not to mention CONCENSIONS!), the very LEAST they can do is tell the little shits to turn then off or GTFO.

If this stands, people need to patronize any other theater chain BUT AMC.

Then they can go the way of General Cinemas, Lowes and Clearview Cinemas.
 
Osirus said:
And anyone using one should face criminal charges.

There are plenty of people out there with a legitimate need to keep a cell phone on them that supercedes your desire to enjoy a movie.
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No. It means that if they're so tethered to their phone they should be considerate enough not to burden fellow patrons.
 
well let the cell phone idiots run the theater and well see attendance drop like a stone. I for one won't go to any movie theater that would allow this......
 
Osirus said:
Its possible to watch a movie while keeping a cell phone in your pocket.

Your ignorance is astounding.

And none of this justifies violating federal law and FCC regulations.
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Yes. Unfortunately most people are assholes whom it never occurs to that MAYBE if they turned down the screen brightness, switched the ringer to vibrate, and got out of the theater to actually take a call, more draconian policies would NOT be required.

Nope. A call comes in.
First we get this:


Then we get this:


Then the stupid cocksucker faux-whispering at the top of their lungs.

HELLO! HELLO! GIMME A SEC! I'M IN A THE-A-TER! YEAH! A THE-A-TER!
 
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