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One thing I didn't understand when I visited the US is that people applaud in American cinemas. I don't understand why that's seen as appropriate.
by cyphar 9y ago
One thing I didn't understand when I visited the US is that people applaud in American cinemas. I don't understand why that's seen as appropriate.
- FeteCommuniste 9y agoWhere did you go? The only time I have heard applause at a movie is when the credits roll.
- kqr 9y agoYeah, but why? "Good job, projector. You shine ever so brightly among us. and you never missed the screen once during the whole movie!" Or perhaps the crowd applaud themselves for successfully going to the movies again. The possibilities are endless.
- Cyph0n 9y agoOr maybe the audience enjoyed the movie?
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- khedoros1 9y agoA social urge to show appreciation, even when the intended recipients couldn't ever possibly hear it. I've mostly seen it in cases where excitement was already high, like the first night of a highly-anticipated movie, where something exceptionally amusing just happened. People sometimes express emotion in ways that don't really make sense.
- allenu 9y agoI don't think it's any different from watching a sporting event and screaming and shouting when the team scores a goal. Even if you're all alone, you want to show appreciation.
- jjeaff 9y agoHave you ever cried because of a movie? If so, why?
- kqr 9y agoI'd argue crying is a much more primal respons than the somewhat arbitrary slap your open palms together to create a noise response.
- mgkimsal 9y agohaving lived here 40+ years, and seen many movies, I think I've seen/heard applause or cheering maybe... 2 or 3x? At the end of a fantastic movie, there may be cheering. Massive stunt that fools everyone - maybe. But cheering/applause at the cinema in the US is certainly not common.
- jjeaff 9y agoI'm going to go out on a limb and say that you have mostly lived in all white areas and or watched movies that appeal primarily to white audiences. Go watch a Tyler Perry movie or the recent black panther if you want to hear lots of clapping or cheering during a movie.
- trophycase 9y agoI'll never forget the first time I saw a movie in Atlanta...
- mgkimsal 9y agoIn the last 15 years yeah. Before that probably somewhat more mixed area, but possibly so on movie choices. I don't go to many 'summer blockbuster' sort of movies any more.
- magic_beans 9y agoDo you not live in a big city? Nearly every movie I see ends in applause. And when I saw Get Out... Standing ovation at the end.
- always_good 9y agoI've only experienced that during a movie in, say, the midnight premiere of a popular sequel where people are really giddy. But I've experienced that everywhere including Paris and Prague. I guess that's what you're referring to because it's hard to call applause during credits "inappropriate." Thought that's something I only experienced out of the States. It's just fun. We're social animals. Nice to just go along with it instead of being judgmental.
- dazc 9y agoYou've never shouted at the TV then?
- sotojuan 9y agoThis happens every time I go to Japan Society in NYC to see an old Japanese film. I guess it's because it takes effort to get some of those films in good quality or because someone that represents the restoration company is sometimes present, but I don't understand why we're clapping after seeing Yojimbo or some other common film that has been easily available in HD for quite a long time. Anyway, "Americans clapping after X" has been a meme for some time.
- astura 9y agoMust be regional? The only movie I've ever heard people applaud for was a very political movie (Fahrenheit 9/11). That's also the only time I ever had to stand in line for a movie as well. If it wasn't opening weekend, it was close to it.
- andrei_says_ 9y agoI found that weird, too. Along with using the term “theatre” for a projection event.
- itpragmatik 9y agoWhy is it considered inappropriate to be a participant with an enthusiastic crowd who loved the particular scene or movie? I think it is actually cool.
- sundvor 9y agoBeats the heck out of shining a 1500 lumens torch everywhere in the theatre though. Or whatever output their iPhones produce, they all seem to be stuck at max brightness.
- brandonmenc 9y agoThis is extremely rare, but when it does happen it's during movies where the applause won't detract from the experience - like, at the final explosion scene in a fun action movie. > I don't understand why that's seen as appropriate. Maybe we don't understand why you're not enthusiastic to see like, the Death Star get blown up. No one here is applauding during like, art flicks.
- spike021 9y agoNot everyone in the US does this. I don't usually. It's odd, honestly, because it seems intended to honor the people who produced the film.. but they aren't there to hear or appreciate it. So.. Not sure? If the idea is just theatergoers feeling togetherness at experiencing the film with each other, then maybe it makes sense? Yet, it's quite different.
- jacobush 9y agoGod save our gracious Queen... yet she's not there to hear it, most of the time. It's just in us.