Many years ago, before I was 17 years old (my God, that was a long time ago, how depressing), I wanted to see "Eddie Murphy: Raw," a movie he did that was actually a concert film. I'd seen his live performance when he was touring, it was at the James L. Knight Center in Downtown Miami. Still, even though I'd already seen the live performance, I wanted to see the movie, so I went with a couple of friends to the movie theater in Main Street, Miami Lakes. Everyone in the small group was under 17, so we couldn't buy a ticket for an R-rated movie. Instead, we bought the tickets for another movie, I believe it was "Harry and the Hendersons." We bought the tickets, then we snuck into the auditorium playing "Eddie Murphy: Raw." Within the first few seconds of the movie, a huge usher walked up to where we were sitting and asked to see our ticket stubs. We were caught. Before that, I remember a few times when I'd be in a movie theater, resting my feet on the chair in front of me, and an usher would tell me to take my feet off the chair.
But that was then.
Now you have people talking nonstop during a movie, there are people with their beepers going off, people talking on their cell phones, loud groups of adolescents (under 17) watching R-rated movies without adult supervision, crying babies... what the hell happened??? Have movie theaters stopped hiring ushers? It's gotten so bad, maybe they should forget about ushers and hire bouncers! It's ridiculous now!
Over the years, movie theaters have gotten much more sophisticated. They're pouring money into state of the art sound systems, stadium seating, more kinds of food at the concession stands, and the best idea of all, day care. I think it's a fantastic concept. A movie theater with a day care so that adults who can't get a babysitter (as well as the rest of the people in the theater) can watch a movie in peace without having to deal with a screaming baby. A wonderful idea, if it was only used more often. I still hear the crying babies in theaters that offer day care.
The thing is, it seems that with all the money going to all these things, they had to make a few cutbacks, and part of that is no longer hiring ushers. I could be wrong as to the reason, but I'm certain that most theaters (at least the ones in South Florida) don't hire ushers. If they do, I sure as hell don't see 'em.
The moviegoing experience has gotten more and more unpleasant over the years, and it's entirely because of the few inconsiderate assholes who go. They don't care how loud they are, who they're annoying, or anything like that. I propose that from now on, if you go watch a movie, and there are loud people who disrupt your enjoyment of the movie, ask for your money back. If enough people do it, maybe in time the movie theaters will do something to stop these assholes from ruining your trip to the movies.