Movies and Clapping

[EeveeElectro]

the only time I experienced clapping at a movie was at the end of a Harry Potter one.
It's okay at the end but I don't understand it. Clapping is supposed to be your way of showing your appreciation to the people in the show, so no one apart from fellow movie goers hear it. Doesn't make sense to me. I clap at gigs/shows/theatre productions at the end because the people who have just entertained me are right there and I want them to know I enjoyed it.

Seems a bit rude and inconsiderate to be cheering over the dialogue especially to the point of other people not being able to hear.

I've had my fair share of fucktards near me in the cinema and it annoys me and runs the experience. A woman behind me screeching every ten minutes "What's that? What just happened? Omigawsshh what? what? I'm confused!!!"
A group of women taking pictures of themselves watching the Avengers then shouting "Where's Batman???" and people laughing loudly at parts that aren't meant to be funny.

They should be knocked out until the end if they're gonna disrupt so much!

 

[Icehearted]

If ever I applaud a film, it's at the conclusion. To clap and cheer in the middle of the movie seems rude and disruptive. If you dig the movie, and feel the need to clap and cheer, save it for when the credits roll. It's a movie, not a football game.

I'm going to show my age here.

I saw Rocky III with my stepfather and it was a packed house. I was probably about eight years old. I have very distinct memories about that experience, including how during the final match between Balboa and Lang, people were out of their seats shouting at the screen as if we were seeing a real match in the arena. There was shouting and cheering, and frankly it was great. Sometimes we go to movies and yes, silence and darkness (knock off the DAMNED TEXTING!) are needed to truly appreciate the film, but sometimes you're just there to see a great cheesy flick and have fun as a group.

I'm probably not explaining this very well, but in some cases it's actually better when people are being raucous and excited.

 

[debtcollector]

Just saw Cloud Atlas, and I applauded at its conclusion. Managed to get about half the theater to join me too.
If I clap at a movie it's once the credits start rolling.

 

[Something Amyss]

Seems a bit rude and inconsiderate to be cheering over the dialogue especially to the point of other people not being able to hear.

"stop enjoying it wrong!"

I'm going to show my age here.

I saw Rocky III with my stepfather and it was a packed house. I was probably about eight years old. I have very distinct memories about that experience, including how during the final match between Balboa and Lang, people were out of their seats shouting at the screen as if we were seeing a real match in the arena. There was shouting and cheering, and frankly it was great. Sometimes we go to movies and yes, silence and darkness (knock off the DAMNED TEXTING!) are needed to truly appreciate the film, but sometimes you're just there to see a great cheesy flick and have fun as a group.

I'm probably not explaining this very well, but in some cases it's actually better when people are being raucous and excited.

When I was younger, my father took me to see a bunch of older movies at various locales. A few theaters in Mass would still show things like Star Wars and the Wizard of Oz, and people would cheer and applaud big events even if they knew they were coming. It's awesome to watch dozens of people in the moment.

Actually, honestly, I found myself clapping my hands (once) when I was alone this morning, watchin the Avengers for the first time, when Iron Man shows up (not the first time, but avoiding spoilers here in case). It's just...A natural response at this point.

 

[camazotz]

What you're describing is fairly common with my experience at movie premieres...people go to premieres because they are social events, a big deal, often times local news stations have a camera there or something similar....it's the same reason people dress up for some movie events, or...I don't know....talk about them at all.

If people are clapping at certain scenes and events its a way of, as a group, recognizing the moments in the movie that do something that we, collectively, find enjoyable or rewarding, and expression of such makes it more significant. Like the people who said, "go see a comedy" suggested....sometimes, for people who are not misanthropic, this is quite satisfying.

If, however, you suffer from some variant of asperger's, are misanthropic, or have some other disorder or issue that makes emotional relations and an intuitive understanding of human interaction difficult to fathom....then I hope the many explanations provided here assist you in better understanding why this behavior occurs. To that I suggest avoiding movie premieres, and pointing out that there are some reasonably cheap big screen TVs you can buy for uninterrupted home viewing. Or, since I totally get your point (I regulary see movies by myself) do what I do and catch them on a Monday or Tuesday, on non-premiere nights, to satisfactory and usually uninterrupted viewing enjoyment.

 

[jollybarracuda]

People did clap at the "hulk smash" moment of the Avengers, but that was damn awesome, so i got that. And clapping at the end of a movie is an awesome thing to do, it's just a nice way of praising a movie even if no-one who actually made it is there to appreciate the applause. But clapping the middle of a movie is, for the most part, fairly annoying.

 

[EeveeElectro]

-snip-

People have different ways of enjoying things but when you're shouting and screaming over dialogue that could be important it's just plain inconsiderate.
If you're cheering in an action scene, I can understand because there's nothing to listen to and I suppose it's part of the experience.
You've got to think of others when there's an important plotline being explained in a movie. What if the person next to you is hard of hearing and you're screeching about the last scene?

 

[repeating integers]

Heaven forbid people be happy at a movie theater.

Or simply be social. There's a reason you go out to the movies. If you don't like that, maybe waiting for the DVD is better for you.

Could you imagine if this was a standard elsewhere?

"Why are people so damn loud at a rock concert?"

Can't speak for my fellow brits, but the reason I go out to the movies is because of the freakin' huge-ass screen and epic sound system. Plus that indefinable feel of going out to the movies, which is just inherently more exciting than getting it on DVD.

Like I said, you just don't make any noise over here that isn't laughing at a funny moment. I can't see the point, myself - it benefits nobody, and the whole "you're enjoying it wrong!" sarcastic defence doesn't work because in this case your enjoyment comes at the expense of other people's.

 

[DrBonBon]

I've only seen people, myself included, clap in the middle of a film at film festivals.
I remember this scene getting a standing ovation from everyone:

 

[RedDeadFred]

Clapping during the movie is disruptive and annoying but I don't understand how some of the people in this thread are getting pissy about people clapping at the end. Sure, the director isn't there but obviously these people just wanted to express their enjoyment. If this bothers you that much, you probably should avoid public places altogether because this is nothing compared to the annoyances that can occur from just wandering a mall for an hour.

 

[GLo Jones]

I'm not American, so the concept is alien to me.

You'll never see me cheer and applaud while watching something alone, so you'd DEFINITELY never see me do it where it's going to disrupt the viewing of others.

 

[Bestival]

This only ever happened to me in German cinemas. Those people clapped at everything though... like the fucking pre-movie TRAILERS! What the hell, who is that even for...

 

[Something Amyss]

People have different ways of enjoying things but when you're shouting and screaming over dialogue that could be important it's just plain inconsiderate.

What if the dialogue is worth cheering for? This happens in more than just action scenes, you know. Some characters get their best dialogue in these sorts of scenes.

You've got to think of others when there's an important plotline being explained in a movie. What if the person next to you is hard of hearing and you're screeching about the last scene?

And what if they have tinnitus? Maybe the movie should be played at about 15 decibels to reduce the chances of of problems related to that.

Hard of hearing people already have issues seeing movies in theaters, and often focused around dialogue. If you wish to be considerate to the HoH community, you might wish to be more understanding of their actual issues, rather than trotting them out for your convenience.

.

Like I said, you just don't make any noise over here that isn't laughing at a funny moment. I can't see the point, myself - it benefits nobody, and the whole "you're enjoying it wrong!" sarcastic defence doesn't work because in this case your enjoyment comes at the expense of other people's.

It's not really sarcasm. I've already explained how it can be an issue of enjoyment, and at this point, you're asking others to curb their enjoyment for your benefit, which really isn't any different.

I'm certainly not going to hold myself to British standards. This is America. We go to the movie theaters to eat 50 pound drums of popcorn and gallons of soda and then throw the packing on the floor, dammit. USA! USA!

 

[repeating integers]

It's not really sarcasm. I've already explained how it can be an issue of enjoyment, and at this point, you're asking others to curb their enjoyment for your benefit, which really isn't any different.

I'm certainly not going to hold myself to British standards. This is America. We go to the movie theaters to eat 50 pound drums of popcorn and gallons of soda and then throw the packing on the floor, dammit. USA! USA!

Then I do suppose I shall verily be forced to simply look down on your indecent and most improper practices from atop the great pillar of Big Ben. Through my most exquisite monocle, of course.

 

[EeveeElectro]

-le snip-

I used HoH people as an example because I couldn't really think of anything else. But people like me have a hard time watching things when people all around me are shouting or talking, it's difficult to concentrate, and all the other people it would annoy.

I'll put this disagreement down to our countries, different ways of life and all.[footnote] For example, we barely tip our pizza delivery drivers (or tip much at all, really apart from restaurants) apparently some people in America consider this to be terrible?
Also our TV. We can have bare bum showing and no one cares but apparently that's pretty badly frowned on across the pond. Tis just difference in cultures I suppose.[/footnote]

Come to the UK and start cheering through a movie and expect a bucket of popcorn rammed up your arse. I think Americans are just happier and more enthusiastic. Just assuming you're American because I'm trying to do 4 things at once here so I can't be bothered checking your account so sorry if you get offended.

 

[Saltarius]

The one time people clapped was when we saw the Avengers when the Hulk punched the spacewhale.

It was a worthy moment in my opinion.

 

[Compatriot Block]

If they clap long enough that I miss even a single line of dialogue, I get disproportionately upset.

Remember when Legolas kills the oliphaunt in Return of the King and "surfs" down its trunk? I saw the movie THREE TIMES before I heard Gimli's response line. All I heard was WOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[DrBonBon]

They could start putting mandatory subtitles to all films. That way people can still laugh,clap,fart etc. and nobody misses any dialogue.

 

[Sean Steele]

I never clap for a movie, clapping at a performance is a way to show the cast and crew that you appreciate their work. At a movie (or at least all the ones I've ever seen) no one from that film is present in the room with me they are on screen, and cannot see or hear me clapping so I never clap.

 

[DugMachine]

I've only ever clapped at the end of LotR: Return of the King. Man do I love that movie.

Clapping mid movie seems disruptive to me.