Nightmare at the Movies

You sit down in a crowded movie theatre. You've paid your money. You've been anticipating this movie and you can't wait for it to begin. The previews are finally over and you settle into your seat when...

A cell phone rings.

It's not your cell phone. It belongs to the guy next to you. How do you know this? Because he actually answers the phone. And then proceeds to talk. All the while, you are trying to concentrate on the movie!

Finally, he hangs up. But, unfortunately, the "nightmare at the movies" has begun. As the couple behind you begin a running commentary on the entire movie, the teen in front of you begins texting. While it's true that she's not saying a word, that bright little screen can be very distracting.

What do you do?

However, this kind of behavior from some moviegoers isn't all that new... Even back in the 1920s, during the heyday of silent films, they had problems! Okay, so they didn't have cell phones back then. But, they did have to deal with different issues.

Since silent films are, well, silent. No sound means no dialogue. Okay, there was a little dialogue, but it was all on title cards. Nothing audible. Still, moviegoers complained about the patron who decided they would read each title as it came on screen.

In fact, in Kansas City, the theatre owners thought this was such a problem that they asked a young Walt Disney -- before the days of Mickey -- to create short cartoons to address this issue. Disney created several of his Laugh-O-Grams to feature a comical professor who would slam a mallet on the head of title readers; or would release a trapdoor that would chute them to the street.

Do you have any nightmare stories that you've endured at the movies? Share your experiences in the comments below...