By Kristy Puchko | Film | October 28, 2020 |
By Kristy Puchko | Film | October 28, 2020 |
When was the last time you went to see a movie in theaters? For some of us, it was March before theaters across the nation began shuttering over safety concerns. While they’ve reopened in many states, it’s still potentially unsafe, which has many movie lovers pining for the simple pleasures of watching a movie with a packed house. On Twitter, one prompt spurred a slew of users to share their warm memories of the communal cinematic experience:
What's the most visceral collective audience response you've ever experienced in a theater?
— Audrey Fox (@audonamission) October 24, 2020
Mine was the butterfly scene in Jojo Rabbit at the TIFF premiere. A giant packed theater on opening night all gasping at the exact same time.
I miss theaters! 😫
As you can see, this question received over 6,000 answers in replies and more than twice that in quote-tweets. Here are some highlights:
Spoiler warning for a bunch of movies!
I went to an early screening of Dreamgirls. When Jennifer Hudson finished singing “And I Am Telling You” EVERYONE stood up, started cheering and shouting. You couldn’t hear what was going on in the movie for a couple of minutes.
— TheClubShamer (@KirkWrites79) October 25, 2020
The concern for Boomer the dog in Independence Day was unlike anything I can remember. Even though the aliens killed millions of people just moments earlier, the whole theater held their breath then screamed when Boomer outran the fireball. pic.twitter.com/esfDEPa9Gd
— Frank Pallotta (@frankpallotta) October 25, 2020
When you see the state of Paul Dano's face after he's been beaten in Prisoners. Entire audience audibly winced.
— R🎃ss Killer (@rosstmiller) October 24, 2020
Lol. I was going to say exactly the same for The Phantom Menace but now I just feel old….
— Chris B didn't make that deepfake (@rotomonkey) October 24, 2020
dead quiet in my theater of about 10 people too, except for someone unironically and seemingly unintentionally yelling “THE F*CK!?” at that moment. I still think about it. 😅
— Hannah Houser (@hannahbeatrice) October 24, 2020
The crowd erupted very much like this! Still get goosebumps just thinking about this scene! It was pure elation! pic.twitter.com/Uvct5mIT0i
— CinemaCl🎃wn (@CinemaClown) October 25, 2020
A man next to me jumped into the aisle and started dancing at that moment.
— Jon “Spooky Nickname” Markland (@jonmarkland) October 24, 2020
Two seconds before this the guy who was sitting next to me shouted out “That ain’t no man that’s a woman!”
— Aryeh Cohen-Wade (@AryehCW) October 24, 2020
A Quiet Place. If someone made the slightest sound, like chewing popcorn, the entire place jumped. Most on-edge crowd I’ve ever been a part of.
— Trey Brooks (@TreyBrooks88) October 24, 2020
Same reaction when it screened at the Montreal World Film Festival. pic.twitter.com/rFEoz1IHyD
— J.K. (@tvwriter) October 24, 2020
Watching IpMan 2 with Sammo Hung in attendance during @NYAFF. Crowd went nuts during the fight between Sammo and Donnie Yen. 5 minute standing ovation pic.twitter.com/PYIZEpX6Bi
— Avocadoatlaw (@avocadoatlawnyc) October 24, 2020
A preview screening of Knives Out. It felt almost interactive. The audience was all in with ahhhhsss and oooohhhsss every time there was a clue revealed. pic.twitter.com/n9DQKKU1d3
— DaVida Chanel (@davidachanel) October 24, 2020
At a packed pre-screening of Parasite the audience laughed throughout the entire montage of the Kim’s ousting the original housekeeper with the laughter eventually crescendoing into screaming when Kim Ki-taek spills hot sauce onto the tissue. pic.twitter.com/sKlF2LE6z1
— Nathanael Chen (@NathanaelChen1) October 24, 2020
The end of “The Matrix”. I watched with a packed audience in Boston, MA and there was the most sustained clapping and cheering when Neo defeats Agent Smith. Also, when he flies for the first time right before the credits rolled with RATM playing, everyone stood up and cheered. pic.twitter.com/zpKeSpYEUm
— thejayaffair (@thejayaffair) October 24, 2020
Whenever I feel like I need a good cry (and even when I don’t) I watch this. It’s a perfect movie and that sobbing is so earned.
— Jen McConnell Doron (@jentheauthor) October 25, 2020
I saw "Jaws" in a packed theater (I am really that old) and EVERYONE applauded when the shark exploded. Unforgettable, all these years later. pic.twitter.com/VBpYilwiox
— MickeyBruce (@mickeybruce2020) October 25, 2020
Diana's run across No Man's Land — and the crescendo as the WOMEN in the audience raised their voices and began to cheer.
— Roxanna Meta (@RoxannaMeta) October 25, 2020
It will always be one of my favorite movies. Thank you, @PattyJenks. pic.twitter.com/5qBDefdKAX
What’s your treasured movie theater memory?.
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Header Image Source: Warner Bros.