One of the reasons horror films have prevailed at the box office where other genres have faltered is the innate allure of seeing a scary movie in a theater, surrounded by strangers, and being collectively scared. Yet one of the greatest frustrations of the theater experience is the behavior of those strangers. All it takes is for a couple of people in the audience to carry on a conversation and it can ruin the experience for everyone else.
The premise of “A Quiet Place” – an Earth overrun by monsters that hunt using sound, forcing the few remaining humans to live in total silence – created internal pressure for audiences to stop whispering and crumpling food packages. People instinctively mimicked the behavior of the characters on screen. And just in case instinct wasn’t enough, some theaters even broadcast promotions warning the audience to “never make a sound”.
Forbes Contributor Paul Tassi urged moviegoers to see “A Quiet Place” on the big screen while they still had the chance, describing his first time there as “a unique experience that I don’t remember having in years: a completely silent movie theater.” He recalled:
“Throughout the movie, even at a sold-out show, I could hear a pin drop. People made frightened sounds only when the movie itself called for it, but everyone felt like they were chewing their popcorn as quietly as possible. I have never seen any other movie offer this kind of pristine viewing experience.”
If this were just the first film, this could be dismissed as an isolated gimmick. But after two equally successful “A Quiet Place” sequels, it seems clear that even in the streaming age, people still want to watch movies on the big screen. They just want the experience to be fun rather than frustrating.
Leave a Reply