Cinema snacks!!!

The annoying sounds of other people crunching crisps and popcorn, straw-slurping drinks, crackling sweet wrappers and continuous whispered chattering are the reasons I won't go to the cinema at all any more. When we did used to go on occasion (when there was a film I really wanted to see), I always used to say to my husband before we went in: "I hope we don't get the popcorn crunchers and people with crackling sweet wrappers near us', but sure as eggs, just as the film was about to start, what began as a single sweet being unwrapped accompanied by a bit of whispering as the crackling packet was passed along the row, the inevitable cacophony of cinema noise soon began to grow and was off and running in no time at all and it drove me mad! I came to the conclusion it must have been the negative vibes I put out when I entered that drew them to me like magnets. When we were young, the delicious ice cream in cardboard tubs we bought from smiling ladies with their torchlit trays during the interval was always such a heavenly way to enjoy a delicious snack between films. It must be hell on earth nowadays if the previous posts and comments are anything to go by!

So I'm not the only one to fall asleep. I slept during most of Les Miserables in London.

DH wouldn't have let me get away with snoring though.

Oh dear, Farmnanjulie. I once fell asleep in a play about Tommy Cooper’s life after a long, hot day sightseeing in London. Someone (it could have been Robson or Jerome) walked to the front of the stage in a fez and uttered the immortal words “Just like that”, to a burst of applause. And I was gone, waking briefly at the interval for my ice cream, and whenever DH nudged and nipped me (yes, nipped , because, and I quote, “these tickets cost sixty quid each”). I never was a Tommy Cooper fan.

I must confess I love the nachos and cheese dip at the cinema,and always get it,the cinema is a real treat now and the nibbles add to it,! When seeing phantom and Les miserables in London ,people bring their drinks from the bar and have chocolates.
I saw a Andre Rieu in Maasstrich concert last week ,three glorious hours! and had my nachos as usual,I always take my own soft drink ,as I do not like those huge buckets of drink full of cheap ice!
If you have not seen these concerts on the big scene,go they are amazing!
My worst experience of cinema ,was with my late mum and auntie ,the film was a English patient,and they had a bag of revels each and sat each side of me,my mum would take a revel out and announce the flavour,ie,honeycomb! Toffee! That nasty coffee one! Then my aunt did the same and kept swapping flavours In front of me,nudging me to ask my mum if she wanted to swap three nasty coffee ones ,for one of those flat chocolate ones!!!!!

When at last the bloody things were eaten, and we started watching the film,I was nudged by my aunt , saying what on earth is this film about! Followed by who is he? Who is she ? Is he the same man in bandages,why are they going backwards! Or I haven't a clue what's going on!
AAAAHhhhh!

Now my worst theatre experience was seeing The merchant of Venice with Dustman Hoffman playing Shylock,I was three rows from the front,when a American lady sitting next to me fell asleep on my shoulder,and started snoring!
The whole play came to a stop,and Dustin came to the front of the stage and stood staring at us!!!!
I kept trying to wake her ,and when she did ,woke with a very loud "WHAT"!,and told me loudly she was tired because she has toured ,the tower of London, Trafalgar Square and so on.
I wanted to disappear into to the seat!
Sorry for going of topic! Food in cinemas! The prices are ridiculous! But I do like to take some nibbles in with me!

My local cinema is a wonderful old fashioned theatre, I believe the only "back projection" cinema left in the country. It still has intervals and on certain days a very large old fashioned organ comes up from under the stage and you are treated to a short concert. There are coat hooks down each side of the cinema and you can buy popcorn, drinks, sweets, tea, coffee and ice cream at reasonable prices. Our friends are amazed when they come to visit!

Theatres in the 1930s used to provide tea trays during the matinees, the actors complained about the rattling of china!

We have had to move seats to get away from the noise of chomping and paper rustling. I dont believe there is less disposable income nowadays. When we were young you only had enough money to choose between a (small) tub of icecream or a (tiny) bag of butterkist.

Other people crunching crisps, crunching sweet wrappers and ripping open packets in the cinema is a nightmare for me.
It completely spoils the film, and people do it at the most poignant quiet moments too. Why do these people go to the cinema? Are they complete morons?
I happen to like going to see films, but feel increasingly restricted to small art house cinemas..but sometimes even these aren’t immune!

That's ok polly I'm sure I have repeated what has already been said on numerous occasions!!

Maybe all this chomping at the cinema is the reason why the soundtrack is so loud these days.

On the rare occasion I go, I invariably spend a lot of the time with my fingers in my ears!

£28 here for one adult and 2 children when I took my GDs a few weeks ago then a drink and sweets as well. Well over £30 altogether, so I can't afford that very often.

Went to our local little theatre a few years ago for a matinee and at the end of our fairly empty row was an elderly lady with an entire picnic including a flask of tea which she balanced on the step beside her. ??

People can't seem to go anywhere now without snacking/grazing. By coincidence I took my granddaughter to the cinema yesterday and she did have some sweets and a drink chosen in a shop before we went but I made sure she didn't have noisy wrappers. The thing that amazed me though was the price to see the film, £17.50 for one adult and one child or maybe you'll all tell me I'm behind the times.

Sorry JenniferE -I see you have already said that!
I do think it is an American influence and it does put us off going to the cinema these days. The most we ever had as children was a small packet of sweets eg wine gums at the pictures' .But also in restaurants portion sizes are getting bigger and bigger and wine glasses (even the 'small' ones) seem to be twice the size they used to be.
I also find that many young childten are constantly snacking between meals and in the evening these days. All young mums seem to have a bag full of snacks for children whenever they go out! I don't remember doing that.
Agree with MawBroon that going to our local Errol Flynn cinema (with spacious leg room, no pop corn or coke but a glass of wine or cup of coffee ) is much more enjoyable for us oldies!

Do not know if cinema pop corn has changed much recently, but 10 years ago I worked next to a small but elegant cinema albeit part of a large well known chain. In the foyer was one of those 'freshly popped' type pop corn counters. Trouble was we saw the 'freshly popped' pop corn delivered cold in huge plastic bags the size of dust bins once a week of the back of the lorry that also delivered the drinks!!

And people wonder why there is a rise in obesity!

We go to the cinema most weeks and do take in sweets as a treat, (it’s the only time we eat sweets). However we buy them in the supermarket and transfer them to the plastic bags that you use for fruit in the supermarket, that way there is no rustling of sweet papers etc. But I do agree the smell of hot dogs and popcorn etc. can be pretty horrible!

American influence.

Went to the cinema yesterday afternoon with DH. Hardly any other people there and yet when the adverts came on another couple came and sat down right next to us - the majority of the seats were empty!. They then proceeded to chat, play with phones and then one of them went out and brought in the nachos - needless to say we moved. Later they had their feet up on the seats in front of them as did a group of teenagers a few rows in front and they had an adult with them. Words fail me...

Well this is another example of why we have such an obesity crisis at the moment.

So many people seem unable to go 2 or 3 hours without stuffing their faces, and then, no doubt, bleat about how they can't lose weight.

How did we get to this current situation where there are just SO many of these greedy creatures around these days?

Austerity? I don't think so.

When I go to that cinema with my grandchildren which isn't often I will treat them to a children's Mic, popcorn drink sweets etc, but I think the price of this is now ridiculous so will be taking our own in .however went I go with friends I just take my own bottle of water in with me.

The profit the cinemas makes on selling food and drink, must be absolutely huge. They probably make more on that than ticket sales. So while people will buy, they won't stop doing it, unfortunately.

Errol Flynn Filmhouse, Maw? I go there, wonder if it's the same one? I usually have GT or a prosecco.

On the other hand, people who take food to the opera should be publicly flogged

Totally agree. We visit the cinema many times a year and I can safely say that we have purchased around four drinks in all that time. We don’t sit at home watching a film and eat snacks at the same time, so why do it at the cinema?
But saying that, we never visit with little ones so probably that helps!