An Evening at the Movies

GLH and I went to see a movie this evening. Our first since moving here, mostly because we just haven't had time.

But GLH really wanted to see Spiderman 3 and he finally wore me down.

I first checked out where it was playing in English. Then I tried to purchase our tickets online. Unfortunately, once you get to that screen the website gives you 180 seconds to finish your purchase. My German skills are getting better, but it shut down on me twice while I was still trying to translate the darn thing.

So we decided to take our chances in person.

We arrived at the theater to purchase the tickets and were shown a seating chart. Because, of course, there is assigned seating in Swiss movie theaters. You wouldn't want people just going in and seating themselves anywhere they wished. That would be chaos!

Once we got into the theater we found our seats. Others filed in. By the time the movie started, most everyone was sitting tightly packed into one of three rows. Even though only a quarter of the theater was full.

Perhaps this assigned seating bit doesn't work so well after all! I mean, I like people all well and good. In theory. But I would rather not sit right next to complete strangers in a movie theater.

After the movie started, we moved to different seats. There was no one in them and no one else sitting around those seats. I was surprised that no one else also adjusted so they would have more room. The other people in the theater seemed surprised that we moved and were obviously sitting in seats that were not assigned to us!

By the way, I must not forget to mention -- absolutely no one came in late. That's right, folks, the entire audience was on time to the movie. No stumbling about in the dark. No whispered apologies as someone steps on your toes to get to a seat.

Then we had another surprise. Although the previews were over and the opening credits had finished, there was still a great deal of chatter going on in the theater. I waited for someone to start shushing and asking others to be quiet, but it never came. Then I realized that pretty much everyone else was talking. Apparently talking during movies is perfectly acceptable here.

But we settled in and went with the flow. We even were able to mostly ignore the chatter. Then, in the middle of a scene. Indeed, in the middle of a sentence, the film shut down. The lights came up and a message on the screen recommended we go get ice cream.

It was an intermission! In a two hour movie!

About half the audience left. And the message must have worked because many of them did indeed return with ice cream.

The remainder of the movie finished without incident. Well, except for me laughing at inappropriate places because the plot and dialogue were over-the-top melodramatic and the acting was terrible. But I feel no guilt. If they can talk throughout the movie, then I can laugh loudly at "touching scenes."

When the movie finished, the lights came up. Everyone looked around their seats for their trash and carried it out. Anything that could be recycled was duly placed in the appropriate recycling bin. Garbage was neatly thrown away. The theater was left in immaculate condition.

Weird experience all around.