Lord of the Rings....err Seats

[OneFinger]

Only in Utah would the cops be called to the "Lord of the Rings" movie. Here's the story from KSL-TV.

 

Utah County Woman Responds to Seat-Saving Fiasco

Dec. 23, 2003

Sam Penrod reporting

 

Molly Dean, Escorted From Theater: "To call the cops on somebody over this...I was shocked."

 

A Utah County woman responds to charges of disorderly conduct, when she got physical after movie theater ushers filled two seats she was saving for her children.

 

The dispute over two saved seats turned into a big enough deal that police were dispatched to the American Fork theater in the middle of the new Lord of the Rings movie.

 

The incident is stirring a debate, and everybody seems to have an opinion about saving seats at the movies.

 

A popular movie. A crowded theater. And two saved seats.

 

It's something we can all relate to.

 

But opinions are mixed about what happened here Thursday night and who is right and who is wrong.

 

Lord of the Rings the Return of the King chronicles numerous battles in the last chapter of the successful trilogy.

 

But the battle Thursday's moviegoers remember at this theater is the one over seats.

 

Molly Dean, Escorted From Theater: "I think the mother bear came out in me. "

 

Molly Dean bought nine tickets for her family to see the movie.

 

Two children weren't there when the previews started to roll--so theater ushers seated two theater guests in the chairs she was saving.

 

Moments later her children with their tickets in hand arrived.

 

Molly Dean, Escorted From Theater: "I said to the lady, my family is here will you please move, we all want to sit together, and I can't believe that you would sit in the middle of us, and she said no she wasn't going to move until the manager told her she had to."

 

That's when Dean admits to losing her temper and pulling on the coat of one of the women. The police were eventually called.

 

Talk radio took on the seat saving issue and the phones were ringing off the hook.

 

Witnesses to the live theater drama, and the boyfriend of the theater guest who was roughed up, were among those who called in.

 

"Peter KSL Radio Caller: "My girlfriend stated it was very vigorous and she pulled on her coat twice and pulled her out of the seat."

 

"Emily KSL Radio Caller: "The theater gave her plenty of time for her son to get there. She was rude to the people who were told to sit in the seats."

 

"David KSL Radio Caller: "Her family still isn't there and there are people who still don't have seats, her tickets should be null and void."

 

Cinemark's spokesperson defends the theater manager's decision to call police, who described Dean as being very argumentative.

 

Dean says she only wanted an enjoyable night with her family and was only standing up for what she believes were her rights.

[scudman]

Don't you just love America? Don't these people know we have a constitutional right to save seats?

 

Makes all that Iraqi War and terror alert nonsense pale in comparison. THIS is something to get passionate about!x(

[jimbeaux]

Of course in the scheme of things, this is a very unimportant issue, BUT, while I can understand saving seats for people who want to stop off at the restroom or concession stand, I think saving seats for people who haven't even shown up yet is a bit much. Even worse are the inconsiderate fucks who pile their coats on seats and then stare ahead oblivious to patrons trying to find places to rest their weary asses. Don't you just want to rip their heads off? Or the creeps who leave an empty seat on each side of them so that you have to split up from your party. The best revenge is to just talk over them at every opportunity. Someone should teach an etiquette course for beginning filmgoers.

[OneFinger]

>Even worse are the inconsiderate fucks who pile their coats on seats and then stare ahead oblivious to patrons trying to find places to rest their weary asses.

 

In the talk radio discussion of this issue, one man claimed he intentionally buys two tickets so he can have a spare seat. (Seems like a waste of money to me.)

 

Another point that has since come out is that the theatre actually set up folding chair seats. Seems they intentionally over-sold the movie. This is a trick that the airlines routinely use to ensure full planes. Is it acceptable for a movie theatre to over-sell?

 

In Europe, they actually sell individually-assigned seats. Think that would work in our culture?

[jimbeaux]

>In Europe, they actually sell individually-assigned seats.

>Think that would work in our culture?

 

They do that at selected theaters in New York right now. I just encountered it the other day. The tickets were $13.99 for reserved assigned seats. I'd rather stand!

;(

[JamesK840]

LA as well. There are actually several out here, the closest is the Arclight. If it wasn't still so far from me I'd go there exclusively! It's not the assigned seats that I like (though not having any need to wait like cattle in the stockade to get your seat is nice) it's that people paying $11-$14 for a ticket are much less likely to be assholes and do things like not turn off their phone then talk on it when it inevitably rings, chatter with friends, or hiss their displeasure with a movie.

 

Best part about the Arclight? Walking distance from the lovely/infamous Spotlight Club...

[+ Lucky]

Certain folks reserve the whole front row at the Gaiety for show after show, many times leaving the seats empty (held by a jacket) for long periods.