Cold Mountain is one of my favorite books. After reading it two years ago, I was thrilled to hear that a movie was in the works. The casting of Nicole Kidman and Jude Law seemed perfect. It would be a quality movie and I planned to see it under the best circumstances.
I waited for the holidays to pass so the theater would be fairly empty and the audience quiet. Jan. 6 at 1:15 p.m. I went to the Veterans AMC. The day was here!
Another woman chose that performance, too. She brought her toddler. Somehow she thought her little one would be quiet for three hours. It didn't happen. Within minutes of the feature's start, the child began shrieking and the noise continued for 20 minutes.
I finally went to the service counter and complained. At that point the young mom left the theater with her child.
She never should have been there.
Theater management has the responsibility to provide an optimum atmosphere for movie viewing. I paid the same ticket price that the young mother did, as did the other people at that movie. Allowing adults to bring babies into theaters shows little regard for the audience as a whole. This was not a children's movie!
I raised three children and I know what to expect from little ones. Toddlers, especially, will not be quiet for three hours. Adults need to have good judgment, but this doesn't always happen. Move theater management must deal with this situation.
The most positive thing would be to operate "quiet rooms," as exist in many churches. These rooms would be reserved for families. Adults could sit there with children and enjoy the movie but not interfere with other patrons. Or they could schedule special young family performances.
If movie complexes can't make these changes, adults should not be allowed to bring babies and toddlers into anything but G-rated movies.
-- Kathy Whalen, Town 'N Country
[Last modified January 22, 2004, 11:29:42]
