Regal movie theaters to issue devices to tattle on troublemakers

As much as we love cellphones and movies around here, we usually remember to shut off our mobiles when we enter a movie theater. Apparently a lot of folks don't pick up on this common courtesy and regularly let their annoying ringtones go off right in the middle of the new blockbuster we just dropped a Hamilton to see in THX bliss. Regal Entertainment Group, the largest American movie theater company, is now issuing a small remote alerting device to "frequent customers" so they can rat on folks who are disrupting the show. About the size of a pager, the remote apparently comes with four buttons: one to alert managers about "a disruption in the audience," a second to point out faulty projection, a third to complain about the temperature, and a fourth for anything else. Apparently customers who get these special devices will receive a free bag of popcorn as payment for their "treachery" -- if you can call it that. We'd be the first to sign up in all reality since we've all but stopped going to movies because of the various annoyances and distraction. Oh, and you can't pause them or do an instant replay.

[Via Techdirt, thanks Steve]

[Jeremy T @ Dec 1st 2006 3:30AM]

It's about time! It's not that bad where I live but it's still annoying as hell!

[CB @ Dec 1st 2006 4:17AM]

It's me again, Theatre going in the UK has become 3rd class, just like the trains and buses, endless interruptions, kids breaking in the fire doors, running round the place, kicking your seat to get a reaction, I went to see LOTR2 and through the whole film the ushers were chasing kids with torches.
Since I got my Panny HD projector the films looked blurred at the cinema by comparison anyway, luckily they've opened a brand new Imax just 10 miles away and the chavs don't like the films...sweet.

[Jason @ Dec 1st 2006 10:50AM]

@ CB

That's crazy! I've never heard of such things going on in a theatre.

Maybe they should just set up a "sniper booth" next to the projector and knock off people who are being rude.

"Hello? Yea, I'm at the movies, let me call you..*POP *POP* Problem solved.

(yes, that was a joke..)

[Paula @ Dec 1st 2006 6:42AM]

I don't go to many movies any more. Between the price increase, the drop in average quality, and the fact that they charge me to enter then have full-blown COMMERCIALS before the movie just tips me over the edge.
They really make it hard to feel guilty when... ahem, "someone" uses Bittorrent for nefarious purposes.

[B1indspot @ Dec 4th 2006 11:23AM]

I despise the Commercials that they play before a movie...
They charge us more, and then they play commercials...
Look at all the money rake in from Advertisements...
Shouldn�t cause lower prices?


It truly does hurt the Quality of the Experience.

[holt @ Dec 1st 2006 7:45AM]

wouldn't it be easier to have a SMS number at the front by the screen.....you send an sms message and say there is a problem with kids or whoever in the back right side of the place

that way, anyone can send a comment during the movie to the manager?

[Andy @ Dec 1st 2006 9:05AM]

people texting during movies is annoying as hell too though. i hate when i'm trying to enjoy a movie and i see little screens popping open all over the place in front of me.

[mike r @ Dec 1st 2006 9:07AM]

Opening night of Little Miss Sunshine I was given one of these devices for the movie. I received a free movie pass for it. If I remember correctly the device was made by Motorola and felt pretty clunky... But I think it's a great idea. Hopefully they'll continue to give out free movie passes instead of popcorn.

[Big @ Dec 1st 2006 9:13AM]

Yea, thats great HOLT, use a cell phone to cut down cell phone use in the theatre...I'm sure they would get a lot of "prank" messages, from the very people they are trying to get rid of

[james @ Dec 1st 2006 9:20AM]

I'm more excited about the "reporting problems" button than the disruption option. There always seems to be soemthing wrong with the projection - screen alignment, audio, something. And Regal is the place I get up most often to complain about it.

[strider_mt2k @ Dec 1st 2006 9:25AM]

It's gotta be better than hitting someone with your shoe.

Which is all they really deserve.

[Gr1zz @ Dec 1st 2006 10:07AM]

Ill stick with my HDTV, sorry local cinema owner, my couch does not have lyce.

[altoidsmmm @ Dec 1st 2006 10:17AM]

I also received one of these from a regal theater(Washington DC Chinatown) about a month or two ago for a free movie pass when you return it.

Definitely a good idea. As I recall there were a few different buttons: one for bad picture, bad sound, and annoying person.

[Jeffrey Gordon @ Dec 1st 2006 10:43AM]

They have these at the AMC in Emeryville, CA. They don't give you a free movie, but you do get a free small popcorn.

[Tom @ Dec 1st 2006 12:09PM]

Going to the movies is still worth it for me. I go in, I sit down, watch some funny classic shows airing as the preshow while deciding what kind of beer and food to order. The movie starts, but only after a warning from Chuck Norris that he will strangle people if they are loud or have cell phones on. Then, I realize my beer is empty, so I order another on.

Whats that? That doesn't sound like your movie theater? Oh, right, most places are stuck with those evil chain theaters. I'll keep my Alamo Drafthouse over them.

[The Jeremy @ Dec 1st 2006 12:23PM]

Well, as a Crown Club Member, I hope they offer this to me the next time I go...probably next week.

[WedgeTalon @ Dec 1st 2006 1:10PM]

I was offered use of this device a couple weeks ago as part of the benefit of being a Crown Club member. It had an additional button to report piracy (hmmmm, subsidized by MPAA?). They gave me a free movie pass on the device's return.

Hopefully if knowledge of these devices becomes common, then I will have to suffer less annoying people in the theatres.

[Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Dec 1st 2006 9:47PM]

If only Michael Richards had this device on that fateful nite.....

[J @ Dec 2nd 2006 3:23PM]

LOL I DONT CARE WELL I AM 16 I GO TO THE MOVIES WITH MY FRIENDS ATLEAST TWICE A MONTH LOL AND WE ACT CRAZY SOMETIMES WHEN WE GO AND I DO TEXT SOMETIMES WHEN I AM AT THE MOVIES IF THE MOVIE SUXS AND I GOTTA SIT THROUGH IT SO I DONT WANT THEM TO ADAPT THAT THING CAUSE I WILL GO ALL OFF AND I KNOW MY FRIENDS WILL IF WE GET KICKED OUT.

[Ryan @ Dec 6th 2006 4:19PM]

I work at AMC (second largest theater chain behind Regal) and we have been testing this out in several markets for the past 6 months. Although the device is slightly different, it only has one button, Regal is not the first company to pioneer this tactic.

[PEZ @ Dec 10th 2006 4:44PM]

Aaah, now I am thinking it would be nice to pause the movie while I goes peepee.

I really think the theater companies need to use cellphone jamming wallpaper in their room construction. That would pretty much end people using phones in the theater. Then, when would have to use a SPECIAL Cellphone Room of Shame out in the lobby!