comment #1

FilmTurtle says ...

The same damn thing happened at a SAG screening of "Vicky Christina Barcelona" about a month ago. There were a few people in the auditorium, one in my row, who were rolling in the aisles at every moderately amusing line; even stuff that wasn't meant to be overtly humorous. It was utterly bizarre.

comment #2

md'a says ...

This item is fairly ironic, since I know two people who were sitting near Mr. Wells during The Brothers Bloom and were annoyed by how audible he was in his lack of enjoyment, heaving repeated sighs and drumming his fingers impatiently.

comment #3

qdpsteve says ...

Well, Jim Emerson at Scanners has written that when he saw Fight Club for the first time, he could barely stop laughing through the whole thing. Although Emerson acknowledges he was in a deep depression at the time...

comment #4

mutinyco says ...

I recall reading once about a special screening that was held of Orson Wells' The Trial. I think it was in France, though I may be mistaken. Both Wells and Tony Perkins were in the audience and, apparently, the two of them were laughing throughout the movie -- meanwhile the rest of the audience sat stone-faced. The audience thought the movie was high art and was to be taken completely serious. But Wells and Perkins thought they'd created a dark comedy.

comment #5

MilkMan says ...

8 years old. Sherman Oaks GCC. I'm watching Arthur with my stepdad. The woman behind me, hippie-type, long black hair parted in the middle, is laughing at everything that everyone says in every scene of the movie from beginning to end, and every time she laughs she leans forward in her seat, double-clutching her torso. I finally turned around and shushed her. She said no. She said she was watching a funny movie and that if I didn't like it that I could leave. My mom didn't hear this because the hippie leaned in and whispered in my ear. It was the only time during the movie she was quiet.

comment #6

BurmaShave says ...

I have this problem in New York or DC, never in Virginia. I think a certain type of person goes to a certain type of movie and pretends its comic gold that the masses don't appreciate. The weirdest was THE DARJEELING LIMITED screening in Chelsea, which got more laughter than a suburban Apatow showing. That is the viewing that convinced me it was one of my favorite movies of last year though.

comment #7

scooterzz says ...

my first impulse when reading your post was that you were just doing your usual intolerance thing...and then i remembered i had the exact same experience at a screening of the hugely un-funny 'the women' last week...these two guys behind me giggled at every half-witted line they heard and it was making me crazy......
so, yeah....i think there are a lot of us parking in that garage....

comment #8

Roman says ...

I can top that. The worst movie I have ever seen theatrically was the godawful terrible MISERABLE FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT called "Monster-in-Law". Mere words cannot describe how much I loathed that garbage (why I sent trhrough is another story entirely and I won't get into it here) but I was surrounded by low intelligence idiots who were laughing at every scene.

I felt bad for humanity.

People were laughing at Bothers Bloom? Fine. Vicky Cristina Barcelona? More power to them.

Monster-in-cunt-law? I feel sad.

comment #9

William Goss says ...

Went to a midnight showing of Swing Vote, where a single other man had chosen that over The Mummy. Said man tossed off some half-hearted remark about how I had intruded on his 'private screening' and then proceeded to laugh uproariously throughout.

-"Dad, you're drunk!" "HO!"-

Speaking as someone who pretty much enjoyed that film, it's like this man was blissfully lacking in any sort of self-awareness filter. I was almost grateful to serve as witness to it; it'd be a pity to think that such a supremely awkward experience came this close to slipping off into the ether.

P.S. This same gent struts into Bangkok Dangerous last night and counts out the number of those seated aloud, and then going "So seven people have no lives!" Again, I couldn't quite tell whether or not he included himself among that number, but I do know that he's utterly, audibly captivated by the notion of Nic Cage holding a video camera in one hand while holding a gun in the other.

comment #10

BurmaShave says ...

The idea of a midnight opening show of BANGKOK DANGEROUS... jesus christ. Sorrow and pity.

comment #11

Devin Faraci says ...

I get not liking the movie. While I really like it, I can see how personal taste might keep you from getting into it.

I don't get hating it like this. It's almost clinically insane. It's a light film, completely inoffensive, not shot in an off-putting style, filled with personable and charismatic actors. Not liking it is one thing, but launching a take down mission? Jeff, get more fiber.

comment #12

Arran says ...

Hate to do a DZ and link to something completely unrelated to the topic at hand, but I thought Jeff might want to read this review of An American Carol. Especially since he's "called out" in it. Well, I assume he's the "Mr Wells" referred to.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/38199

Actually ON topic, even worse than the constant laughers are those who repeat lines that they've just heard on screen. Or occasionally describe aloud what they've just seen. Eg, when I saw Lost In Translation and Bill Murray was having problems with the Japanese shower, someone practically yelled "HA! THEY SHOWER'S TOO SMALL!"

Thanks a bunch.

comment #13

ScottMendelson says ...

Something similar happened when I saw the release of The Exorcist back in October 2000. It was a few college-age kids and high schoolers (I too was in college at the time), and they snickered at all of the scary and dramatically intense scenes.

But the absolute worst was on the Thursday night opening screening of Snakes On A Plane. I had seen actually seen the film a few days prior so this was just because my eventual wife wanted to see it. Point being, it was a packed screening of the kids and geeks, and stereotypical demo groups for an opening night of Snakes On A Plane. And they laughed at every single thing, no matter how serious or dramatic it was supposed to be. The main thug beats an federal prosecutor to death with a baseball bat while telling him he's going to kill his kids next? HILARIOUS! The snakes attacking random passengers? Uproarious! The doomed flight attendant softly weeping as she realized that she was going to die, and counseling herself with the knowledge that she had saved a few lives? Gut-bustingly hysterical! This audience was completely unable to take anything in the movie at dramatic face value. Because they knew going in that the movie was somewhat campy and occasionally tongue and cheek, they insisted on finding every single beat of the movie to be the funniest punchline of all time. It was kinda creepy.

comment #14

William Goss says ...

Burma: Can't vouch six - well, five - of those other guys (ended up being a dozen total), but I was there on the job. Chances are, you have your price as well.

http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/review-bangkok-dangerous/

comment #15

eoguy says ...

I found the same with Lars and the Real Girl. There were some people that couldn't get past the whole "doll" concept of the movie, nor the fact that the film wasn't playing it for jokes. They laughed throughout, almost until the final scene.

comment #16

Jack Price says ...

Seeing Punch Drunk Love in that type of forced-laughter environment was quite possibly the worst experience I've ever had in a theater. Every time some fucking invalid erupted into raucous belly laughter at Barry's expense or blurted out "omigod, what is WRONG with him?!", I couldn't help but imagine beating all their collective faces in Pan's Labyrinth-style until their strident laughter turned to moronic, incomprehensible gurgling.

However, by the time these cackling morons began clapping after Luis Guzman fell out of his chair, my rage suddenly subsided. I was left with the sobering realization that none of them really had a sense of humor that was their own, or even a sense of who they were at heart.

They only laughed because that's what they were supposed to do. Basically, if Adam Sandler was starring, then it had to be a comedy, and if they weren't laughing, then something was deeply, fundamentally wrong with them. And to not laugh meant to not fit in, and to stand apart from the rest would be the worst punishment of all.

Bottom line: these people had no more idea how to differentiate between what was funny from dramatic than Jeff Bridges' Starman character. It was one of the most disheartening displays of social anxiety I've seen.

So yeah, I guess you could say I have a tendency to get a little edgy around certain audiences as well...

comment #17

TheJeff says ...

I find the boorish behavior described by Mr. D'Angelo to be much more obnoxious. Especially since we all know it was done solely to get attention.

comment #18

Josh Massey says ...

Honestly, this happens a lot more at festivals and screenings. People think, "Oh, the writer/director/actors are probably in here, I'm going to really show my approval!" I'm sure it's often not that conscious.

comment #19

plastiqueelephant says ...

um, i think i'm one of those people. actually kinda sorry it really bothers you cudmudgeons. but i'd just rather see the best in a film, enjoy it than be miserable and bored. actually, not sorry at all. get over it.

comment #20

arturobandini2 says ...

I went to a pre-release screening of A CHRISTMAS STORY in college. Only about ten people there, and some big slob had to sit directly behind me and laugh his fool head off at every line. After a while, people started laughing at *him*. When it was over, they turned on the lights and asked him to stand up. It was director Bob Clark.

comment #21

Pinko Punko says ...

Comedies are much tougher to watch because of exactly this. Action films can be bad if the crowd is too "ooh ahh", but usually they get drowned out by the soundtrack, which is the only benefit to films that are kind of overdone on the sound. You can feel like you aren't in a crowd of imbeciles. Even though you are, because you are likely watching Transformers.

comment #22

ScottMendelson says ...

My friend and I went to the midnight screening of Return Of The King back in December 2003. Anyway, the crowd was obviously pumped and they were applauding wildly at every crowd pleasing moment. It got so silly that when the King of Gondor died in battle, several people started applauding out of habit and/or mockery. Maybe it was because it was about 2am in the morning at that point, but I found it hysterical at the time.

comment #23

Spacelamb says ...

When I saw American Beauty a woman started laughing in derision at the plastic bag scene. Aside from her the cinema was deathly silent (I didn't love the movie but that scene was heartbreaking) and you could feel the tension building because her laughter was very high pitched and she just wouldn't stop. Someone near me hissed to their date that they wished she would "just shut the fuck up!". When I think of that movie, or even see a photo of Wes Bentley, I always remember how she ruined that moment for hundreds of people.

comment #24

bachelorcool says ...

Try watching a comedy in our local multiplex in Wales. The audience sits there, stony-faced throughout, then when it's over, come out and say that was the funniest thing they've ever seen.

comment #25

Josh Massey says ...

"When I saw American Beauty a woman started laughing in derision at the plastic bag scene."

I want to find that woman and marry her.

comment #26

The Hoyk says ...

I'm reminded of Albert Brooks' admonition at the beginning of the concert that opens his criminally underrated album COMEDY MINUS ONE (paraphrasing):

"There's a truck outside, there's microphones here, this show is being taped. You don't have to worry about anything, be yourselves, laugh when you want...just don't announce your laughter. You know, you've been there before I'm sure...'HA HA HA! Said Bill Johnson of Phoenix!'"

comment #27

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

eoguy - are we ever supposed to "get used" to the idea of not laughing at a guy with a plastic doll? That concept is kind of creepy in and of itself.

I'm sorry, but laughing seems like an entirely appopriate reaction through that entire movie. I haven't even seen it.

comment #28

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

Jack - PDL is an awkward indie comedy, so I don't really see how awkward laughter is out of the question. Normal reaction. Even I had a couple such moments with that movie.

Perhaps your high-strung self needs to stay at home within your padded walls and watch movies on your Playskool DVD where nobody can get hurt. Not even you.

comment #29

Gordie Lachance says ...

plastiqueelephant- judging by your punctuation and spelling errors, I KNOW you're one of those people. My condolences.

I was on jury duty one day, sitting in the pool room (reading), and they wheeled in a big tv to entertain the illiterates, who then spent the day HOWLING at everything from The View to re-runs of bad sit coms from the 1980's.

I pray I'm never on trial for anything.

comment #30

TheCahuengaKid says ...

Hey bachelorcool - No need to travel to Wales.
Just attend any theater in Glendale.
They never laugh at anything either!

comment #31

PerfectTommy says ...

I admit to laughing at Deberah Winger's death when I saw "Terms of Enderment". I kind of felt bad about it, but the elbow pokes from the girl I was with and the shushes from those around me just made me laugh more.

On a related tagent, Ruthie Stein is a far better critic writer than lead critic, Mick LaSalle. As a SFC subscriber, I wouldn't mind a change there. (Peter Hartlaub is also a better writer, but I enjoy his snarky takes on B-movies so I'm not sure I want to see him promoted.)

comment #32

sprocketville says ...

Number of years ago my wife and I go to a local mid-day show of a Woody Allen film. Very Hot summer day.

Theater probably holds 500 -600 people with an audience at that presentation of not more than 20, spread around the house.
A good 15 minutes into the film I hear a noise behind me and turn to see a rather large woman coming down the aisle, a huge popcorn and drink in tow.

There's not another human near us for possibly 5-6 rows, and no one in our row. The woman enters our row (we're center) and sits to my left. Not down the row to my left, but directly to my left, as if she's with us. Eats and drinks her way into oblivion while every minute or so pulling on and snapping her bra straps into place. She's sweating like a pig.

And then falls asleep. And starts to snore. Around 20 minutes into her siesta something amusing occurs on screen and all 20 people laugh in unison, which wakes her, spilling her drink and popcorn. She turns to me as says "what happened?" I wasn't about to give the whole lead up to the laugh, and just explained what had occurred on screen, which was meaningless.

Within another ten minutes she's back asleep and getting way to cozy at my left. Another laugh wakes her again. This time she's annoyed. Gets up. Moves to a back corner.

Apparently she came in to get out of the heat and sleep. Should probably have selected a drama rather than a comedy and had a good rest. In this case, the entire audience was with it, less one.

comment #33

Rodrigo says ...

The worst was two weeks ago during a matinee of "Hamlet 2," to which my friends and I went completely stoned -- the only state in which the dumb antics on screen could have been wholly enjoyable -- and were apparently smoked under the table by the drama club girls in front of us. These teens weren't just giggly; they were led by a certain leader-of-the-pack hyena who burst into uproarious, presumably marijuana-aided hysterics each time Steve Coogan appeared on screen (inexplicably) in roller skates, and they nearly ruined the already half unpleasant moviegoing experience altogether. Instead of brushing the unfunny stuff off as passable whatever, the drama club's fitful, frequent bouts of uncontrollable laughter only highlighted the movie's inconsistencies and weaknesses.

comment #34

KC says ...

I'll admit to having rolled my eyes at people who shit their pants laughing at (what I see as) minorly amusing details in Wes Anderson movies, for example, but I can also admit that it is at its heart stupid and irrational behavior. I find myself el oh elling in the privacy of my own home straight through the similarly oh so quirky antics of a typical episode of Flight of the Conchords and I'm certainly not putting on a show of "oh I get it" for anyone when I'm watching a DVD alone in my pyjamas.

And if what we're mad at is not people who we suspect of playing up their natural reaction so that the rest of the audience knows that they got a joke, but just people who are unselfconsciously enjoying a movie too loudly for your personal tastes then god you people are joyless fucks. Nothing worse than an audience laughing at a comedy huh

comment #35

Richardson says ...

You know, it's one thing to complain at people laughing at a drama. I do that, if it's a bad movie, but I understand people complaining. If anybody asked me to stop laughing at 'MIssion to Mars' or 'Hearts in Atlantis' or 'Remember the Titans' or 'Catwoman'.

But if you're going to a comedy, you have to accept that people are going to laugh, and they may even laugh harder than you, or laugh at things you don't think are funny. This is exactly the same thing as complaining about kids in the theater when you go to see a matinee of a kids movie. If you don't want to see it with people laughing, wait for video.

comment #36

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