Working in a retail/entertainment sector is not easy and working in a cinema can be even more trying to your mind, body and soul. My last cinema job was nice, so I won’t mention anything from that one… Yet, but I thought it would be fun to share some stories from my time working for mainstream cinema chains in the UK. So if you are interested on some things that have happened within a cinema, then keep reading! I hope to make this a little series and try to get a theme completed once a week, enjoy!
A cinema is not a hotel room
Listen, let’s get this one out of the way as quickly as we can. People are known to get… Let’s say “close” when watching a movie. I mean Netflix and Chill exists for a reason, but never until I started working in a cinema did I think [Enter name of a cinema here] and chill also existed! Ohhhhhh boy does it!
“What? Scott you are just saying this to make your blog post interesting! People just have a little make out session in the cinema and that’s it, don’t be silly and try and exaggerate things boyo!” Oh I wish this was true, I really do. Yes teenagers (and older) are known to get like that in a film. It’s dark, you are in the back row, you are cuddling and then kissing! It’s almost expected. What isn’t expected is to be standing at the ticket station and to glance at the CCTV cameras in the screens in the middle of the afternoon (yes cinemas have that and we see EVERYTHING. Picking your nose? See it. Yawning? See it. Going for a little snooze? Definitely seen it) and see a woman in her 40’s bent over a seat as her partner thrusts away behind her.
You have questions… I understand, let me try and answer them for you.
- I assume both parties wanted to keep watching the film, maybe it had gotten engrossing right before they started.
- I didn’t go to them, I left that to my manager at the time… Poor girl did not want to go near them.
- Yes there were other people in the screen at the time, but they were closer to the front.
- They tried to pretend they weren’t doing anything and kept that story all the way to the exit after they were told to leave.
Was this the only time something like that happened? Nope, but it was one of the worst… Most of the time it is just guests getting a bit too handsy with each other. Though almost always this was teenagers on a Sunday afternoon/evening. You never get used to having to go up the steps to the amorous couple and inform them that we can see what they are doing and if they would please stop and just watch the film. You would get asked, ‘How do you know?’ we would respond with ‘We have cameras’ they immediately separate as if the other has the black plague and then look around for where the cameras are. Which is weird to me as in those cinemas that I worked in, there is a massive monitor clearly showing all of the CCTV footage within the screen that the customers can see as they get their tickets checked. But alas our couples are just too interested in each other’s faces and bodies to care.
I shall leave you on one last story to fully weird you out. One time I was cleaning the screen after a sold out showing and it had the usual popcorn mess that a sold out show would have… I get to the front row and I see something unusual on the ground. I get closer and squint a little as it is still a little dark. Then I realise, I know what this is. It’s a condom, a used one at that and then all of the horror hits my soul and I feel a little humanity leave the Earth.
Why did this happen in this busy show!? Did anyone see?!? And why in the name of all that is Holy did someone either have sex or masturbate to The Golden Compass!? There were children in here! No! That was how I STARTED my work day! What was going to come now!? Bunch of animals.
As I said at the start, I hope to make this a little series as I think it is a good bit of fun. Until next time.
If you want to chat more about any of my posts, please follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to also receive updates. Until next time, thanks for reading and I hope to see you again soon!
Hi Scott , Love this I didn’t know there were cameras! The bit about the couple who asked how do you know? Reminds me of an incident my mum told us concerning my brother in the cinema This happened years ago when my brother was small. My mum took my brother to the cinema and there was a couple kissing in the seat in front of my brother. He lent forward and pushed their heads apart and said in a loud voice. ”Can you stop putting your heads together I can’t see the film. They parted immediately and sat bolt upright throughout the rest of the film! They left the cinema whilst the credits were going up!
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What a great read! I used to work in a movie theater in the U.S. and I’ve definitely walked in on a few disturbing things. Only walked in once to a couple having sex though.. glad I didn’t have to see more.
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sad but true. this happens a lot of times.
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Haha! I always wondered if the old rumors were true and this stuff actually happened in a movie theater
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Omg – that’s both hilarious and gross at the same time! I’m never sitting in the back ever again. Always front row for me! 😂😂😂
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Aaaannnhhhaaaaaa…. I keenly await the next installments of this “film”, Scott!
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very true. i should share this to the sri lankan community
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I can’t believe this actually happened haha! Pretty nasty (and funny) that you found a condom, too hahaha. People are unbelievable but I live for stories like this 😂
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Being in a theatre with someone doing naughty things can be a bit awkward, not a prude or anything but don’t want to see or hear it in public let alone in my movie lol.
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Hahaha. This is hilarious! Glad to know there are cameras in there.
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I probably would end up quitting after seeing that
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Oh my goodness, I was expecting stories about kids trying to sneak in or the popcorn machine breaking… Pretty sure I’ll think twice before going to the cinema again, no way the seats were properly disinfected after *that*
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Your write-up is hilarious! I am assuming these offenders did not get to watch much of the actual movie because they were so busy making their own!
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Oh my goodness noooo! So crazy!
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What other secrets would we find out about cinemas. Hehehe I’m excited to read about that. 🙂
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To be honest we believe this will be a great series! Very entertaining
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I hate it when people pick their nose in public, pretending no one saw it. Dude, we see you! 😀
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Oh my! People really getting on to that extent in cinemas? I mean how bold do you have to be? 🙂 You must have seen a lot of crazy things at your time there 🙂 Enjoyable read, thanks for sharing
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I don’t think such things are caught in the camera where I come from. But I have witnessed a few incidences like that. I recently worked in on a couple (don’t know if they were married) having (much like rushing through) sex in an airport restroom (no. they didn’t close the door) just about the time our flight was being announced.
It was really gross.
I wondered why people really have to do all of that in public places!
All the same, I enjoyed reading your post.
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I had no idea there were cameras inside the movie theaters, but I can see why you would need them.
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Lolz, “A cinema is not a hotel room”. I know you are not exaggerating, I have seen worst in a cinema, it could get messy than you mentioned. Trust me!
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Wow I can’t believe people actually do this haha. This was a very entertaining post. I didn’t even know they had cameras either.
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This was an interesting read. I had no idea about so much goes on during the movies.
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Wow, didn’t know (or really pay attention to) that some people would do such nasty things in he theater, even if it a children movie. I wonder if it happens here in Japan too…
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Hahaha i find this post so funny and yeah it does happening. Because there are people who are getting so aroused doing it in a dark public places.
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You are a wonderful writer please keep up the hard work. Here is my website so others can follow.
http://www.cometoheathersblog.wordpress.com
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