bring back ushers (movie)

Bring back cinema ushers to keep an eye on manners'
By GWYNETH REES - More by this author »

Last updated at 23:49pm on 13th July 2007

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=468300&in_page_id=1770

Anyone who has sat in front of a teenager playing with his mobile or rustling popcorn will mourn the demise of cinema ushers.

But if film fans have their way, they could soon be making a comeback.

A growing frustration with bad manners has been revealed by focus groups organised by the UK Film Council. They want ushers to help return the cinema to a sanctuary of courtesy, decency and respect.

David Steele, head of the council's statistical unit, said: "People don't seem to believe they should stay quiet any more and many regular cinemagoers think it is time for the return of ushers. They say we need a cinema police."

At one time, no picture house was complete without its ushers and usherettes. They wore dark clothes and checked tickets before showing the audience to their seats with a torch beam.

They would stand at the back during the film and could put a stop to unruly behaviour, while an usherette - known as the girl with the tray - sold ice cream and soft drinks during the interval.

But the advent of multi-screen complexes in the 1980s has seen their numbers dwindle - although they are often still found in independent cinemas.

It could be that the call for their reinstatement comes largely from the increasing numbers of older men and women who go to the cinema.

The number of over-45s in the audience has doubled in a decade - from 19 to 38 million.

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I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

I hope this idea catches on again over here in the states! Right now my fiancee and I do NETFLIX so that we can see more indie films and also be able to snack on whatever we want and pause to use the facilities. One of the main reasons why we do NETFLIX is because we'd rather pay $2.50 for a movie vs. $20 for the both of us and because there are so many rude people in the theaters here!

I'll second that!

The last movie I went to see was the first X- Men flick. I think that was back in 1998. I originally stopped going because the price of a ticket went up to $10.50, in my area.

Out here in the middle of Hell, USA, we have dollar theaters, but they're infested with gangbangers.

Yeah, bring back the ushers, but make sure they're armed.

sprogless Wrote:
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> Out here in the middle of Hell, USA, we have
> dollar theaters, but they're infested with
> gangbangers.
>
> Yeah, bring back the ushers, but make sure they're
> armed.

Tell me about it! If big brats do not respect their teachers, they sure as hell are not going to obey an usher in a theater who tells the craplings to be quiet or sit properly. A gun in their faces is all they understand. I also do not go to movie theaters. Haven't in a long time...

many years ago, we had a 3 screen cinema, and the ushers could stop the film, if there was too much noise. and no one would see it, until the offending people was pushed to leave. perhaps the uk we have a different stance of law and order. but there was very few badly behaved people, and once the entire audience KNEW the offending parties, (they usually did a announcment and turned on the lights). they were shamed into leaving.

*********************************************************************************************************************************
I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

"Anyone who has sat in front of a teenager playing with his mobile or rustling popcorn will mourn the demise of cinema ushers. "
Okay, I understand that it can disrupt the viewing pleasure of other patrons to have your lit up cell phone out and beeping away. However, rustling popcorn? Seriously? Is there a way to eat popcorn quietly? I went to a pretty full theater without getting popcorn once. The sound of everyone chewing and rustling their popcorn somehow got the idea in my head that it sounded like rats gnawing the walls. I always get a "loud" snack just so I can drown out the sound of everyone eating and don't have to deal with that mental imagery.

some people eat loudly on purpose, and just crumbling the paper bag, can be loud in of itself.. there is a level where loud can be annoying, but thats subjective

*********************************************************************************************************************************
I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

I'm just saying that I believe it is impossible to eat popcorn without crunching or rustling...It sure is yummy though.

i cant eat popcorn, a certain rustling is ok, but.. enough to burst the eardrums is slightly too loud lol

*********************************************************************************************************************************
I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

I always fall asleep in the theatre so we don't go too often. LOL Besides, we like to wait until they come out on DVD.

That way, we can lounge around in our underwear or PJ's, sit on our own comfortable couches, eat whatever we want, take breaks and spend the evening with the pets.

One movie going experience I'd like to recommend to folks who enjoy the outdoors is your local drive in (if it still exists), generally you get TWO movies for less than $10, and can bring in snacks pretty easy if you keep them under wraps. Not that I recommend sneaking in snacks, the drive in makes most of it's money on concessions. Anyway, yes, there are generally children there, but in my experience the parents keep them pretty close. Anyway, I think they're fun, my betrothed and I go to one at least a couple times every summer to watch some mildly crappy films that we wouldn't pay full price to see, but know will be entertaining.