A Tragedy of Manners at the Movies

By RICHARD SANDOMIR
Published: June 5, 1992

Anarchy reigns at the local multiplex. People talk with impunity. They comment. They narrate. They respond. They exhort. They laugh too hard and sigh too heavily. They slurp sodas, munch on four-course box lunches, jingle their pocket change and crinkle cellophane candy wrappers. These cultural criminals view silence as an opportunity to gossip about their friends, provide their very own dialogue or introduce actors as they appear on screen. [more ...]

A version of this article appeared in print on June 5, 1992, on page C1 of the New York edition.

In a letter to the editor, Matthew Cohen of New Haven, wrote on June 13, 1992:

... The "sensuality of a true theatrical experience that occurs when a community of cooperative viewers join in a darkened room where the only light comes off a silver screen" is a central myth of film critics. However, a community of viewers is also constituted by a shared aural environment -- gasps, groans, muttered comments and even occasional shouts.

Movie theaters have always been noisy. One of the original reasons for adding musical soundtracks to silent films was to drown out the sound of the projector. Many movies, such as "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," "Batman" and "New Jack City," are meaningful to the degree that they evoke reactions from the audience. [more ...]