Sunday, August 19, 2007

Anti-Contagious Laugh


There is a very fine line between a good hearty contagious laugh, and a laugh that is so loud and obnoxious NOTHING is funny anymore.

I had a very clear demonstration today of a laugh that was far over the line. I went to see "Death of a Funeral" (visit my movie blog here to read my review!). I love a packed movie theatre when the movie is either funny or scary. When the crowd laughs or screams, it just heightens the mood. Usually.

Today however, there were two guys directly behind me howling like banshees any time something even remotely funny was said during the movie. Urgh. It got to the point where I almost dreaded the funny lines in the movie, knowing that the banshees would take over and I would miss tons of dialogue that they would drown out.

It became so uncomfortable. A few people around me kept leering over at the out of control laughers. It seemed to make lots of people kind of edgy. And the crowd wasn't laughing. They just looked annoyed. But it wasn't the movie's fault. The movie probably WAS funny. But oddly, the laughing took away the funny.

3 comments:

Valerie said...

Ugh! I'm sorry you had to endure that. How annoying!

I was just checking out your movie blog. Since you enjoyed "No Reservations," I wanted to recommend "Mostly Martha," the German film on which No Reservations was based. You'll be even hungrier when it's over! :o)

val

Glen K said...

Grrr. I would have stood up and shouted "SHUT UP". Or not, but I sure would have moved if I could. i just hate that. That and kids who are snickering and talking all through the movie, trying to be cool. There should be an ejector seat option..... :)

kerri said...

Val,
Oh, cool- I'll check out Mostly Marth on DVD! Have you seen No Reservations?


And yes, the ejector seat option sounds good. BTW, these weren't kids snickering. They were VERY LOUD adults sort of screeching. Snickering kids would've been way better actually.