To Stupidity and Beyond!

[cinema guy]

As a projectionist, I am normally completely isolated from customers. However, yesterday, I was indirectly exposed to their stupidity.

My walkie talkie goes:
"Code red, establish a recon position downstairs"

ahem.

It is a CW downstairs.

CW: bzzt "Hello projection."
Me: "Hello"
CW: "Is there a problem with Toy Story in screen 5?" bzzt
Me: "Not that I'm aware of."
I have only moments ago turned down the house lights in screen 5, cos our fancy schmancy digital projectors don't do it automatically, and it was ok then. But even so I do a quick about turn and walk quickly towards screen 5.

CW: "A guest is saying the film has just finished."
Me: stopping in my tracks, "No, it's just starting."
CW: "Ok, thanks." bzzt

I think for a second.
Me: "Toy Story has just finished in screen 6."

A minute or two later, I hear:
CW: "Can I have a manager to do a refund please."

Toy Story 3 is on in multiple screens. You guessed it. Despite tickets clearly showing which screen, despite a staff memeber directing our 'guests' to the correct screen, despite a display showing the name of the film and the time of the performance, our SCs went in to the wrong screen and sat through the last half hour of the film, came out, complained, and got a refund because the end of the film was now spoiled.

In the words of Mr Potato Head: "Did you all take stupid pills this morning?"

[Sapphire Silk]

If he's too stupid to realize he missed the opening credits, he's too stupid to live much less get a refund.

[Android Kaeli]

Okay, I'll admit that I've walked into another screen before but it was me reading the time wrong, and I quickly figured it out.

Moron.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

If he's too stupid to realize he missed the opening credits, he's too stupid to live much less get a refund.

I'm surprised he even found his way out of the house without a map. But then as Tater Salad says: Ya can't fix stupid.

[ExRetailDrone]

A long time ago, my friends and I went into a movie theatre and ended up seeing the last half hour or so of the film we were there to see. We didn't pay attention to our tickets since we got the time off of Yahoo! Movies, but the time listed on there must have been wrong, or the friend who looked it up had misread. Either way, it was our mistake for not paying better attention. After watching the end of the movie, we realized we didn't want to see the whole thing, so we just picked another movie and watched that instead. We didn't even think of asking for a refund, since it was our mistake. Perhaps we shouldn't have just went to another theatre, but the tickets cost the same regardless of the movie, since it was in the evening so neither one would have had matinee prices. Plus, the second movie we chose we were the only ones in the theatre, so at least they didn't have to play it for no one

[MoonCat]

our SCs went in to the wrong screen and sat through the last half hour of the film

So they couldn't tell the movie was pretty well advanced at the time they walked in?

See, this is why I insist on getting to the movie on time, even though I hate to sit through the previews....at least I know I've seen the beginning of the film...!

[LillFilly]

Gaaarrraabragagarble....*thunk!*

The stupidz killz me! I are ded now!

[chainedbarista]

ah yes; once again, sc stupidity is rewarded. how much you want to bet he/she'll do it again soon?

[Sapphire Silk]

So they couldn't tell the movie was pretty well advanced at the time they walked in?

See, this is why I insist on getting to the movie on time, even though I hate to sit through the previews....at least I know I've seen the beginning of the film...!

I love watching the previews! They're almost as much fun as watching the movie itself!

I hate missing the beginning of a movie. If I don't think I can get to the theatre in time, then I usually won't bother to go to that showing. Last time I cut it too close, I missed a good chunk of the beginning, and couldn't find where my friends were sitting because I don't see well in the dark.

[tropicsgoddess]

I hope to God that SC didn't get a refund for that ridiculous crap. Gah....the stupidity...IT BURNS!!!!

[Android Kaeli]

I love watching the previews! They're almost as much fun as watching the movie itself!

Seconded, I love the previews! I could easily watch a whole hour of them and pay for it, too.

[Ironclad Alibi]

When I was a kid, my parents hardly ever got us to the movies on time. So we always had to stay over to watch the beginning of the movie up to point where we came in. Can you even do that any more? It seems like the ushers chase everyone out when the movie is over.

[cinema guy]

No, you can't do that anymore. The Hollywood business is besed very much on maximising admissions and filling screens early in a film's run. So if a cinema has 200 seats, the ideal is to get 200 customers in each and every screening. Also cinemas like to provide clean environments for film viewers so everyone is ushered out at the end and the screen is swept. In fact, because of the sheer amount of rubbish and waste left by the suck-tomers, cleaning is an absolute neccesity.

My Dad tells of his first moviegoing experience, when he watched Dumbo. He loved it so much that he sat through it over and over, until his mum came to get him and had to drag him out.

Conversely my mum went to see Cinderella, went in 15 minutes before the end. Watched the end, and didn't realise she should stay to watch the film again, and so came out.

Both are stories from another age. And I imagine both would be young enough, that these days we would lambast the parents for allowing their kids into a cinema on their own.