Comments on: What Happened in YOUR Theater? Dispel The Myth.

By: Jacinto

Jacinto — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:53:23 +0000

Iron Man (opening day): Not packed theater. Huge reaction during movie. Applause at end. People high-fiving, smiling, jumping on each other, etc… at end.

Dark Knight (week after opening): PACKED theater (due to hype) NO RESPONSE whatsoever. Not a cough, nor a clap. Nobody I saw was smiling nor laughing or anything.

By: Adam S.

Adam S. — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 05:15:40 +0000

You are a god. You’re echoing things I’ve been saying forever met by the same crazed reactions that you get all the time!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:38:35 +0000

Well, there was major applause at my theatre… and that NEVER happens in Holland.

By: Ron

Ron — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:23:39 +0000

I guess clapping at the end of a movie is an American thing. Yes it does happen, but usually with hyped up crowds at some sort of event film. Yes they know the actors can’t hear them. I think it is just some sort of quick group way of sharing with everyone else what you thought of the movie. Sort of like cheering at a big moment. I think it is a little extreme to call it pathetic. But of course everyone needs to be extreme in their comments these days.

That said, yes, there was applause at the end of my viewing of TDK around opening weekend. But you know what else, I just saw this film again the other night. It was late night. There where only about 15 people in the theater, AND THERE WAS STILL SOME APPLAUSE. So I guess the lack of clapping was not as universal as you would say. And the whole premise that most people did not like is is silly. With that much repeat business you simply cannot make a case for that. Sure you could explain the initial crowds due to hype, but not all the repeat business after that. I am not saying everyone liked it, but far more than not.

Frankly I am surprised there was clapping anywhere, not because the film was bad, but because the film’s tone just does not drive that sort of thing. Most people had a more muted “wow that was pretty intense” reaction that I spoke to. Not a bad thing, but not a mood of “whoo hoo!”. Clapping means nothing about quality.

As for Iron Man, I liked that film too, but the ending is MUCH more upbeat. Of course people would leave that film all psyched.

And I am sorry, but I just don’t buy the idea that HL’s death had anything to do with the films box office. His performance, sure, but if you look at the history of films sporting recently dead actors, there is no consistent bounce there.

By: Hathaway

Hathaway — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:01:51 +0000

I saw The Dark Knight the week after it had been released, midweek in the evening. Just setting the scene.

In all honesty, it wasn’t a bad atmosphere at all. There was laughter when something was particularly amusing. Often it would be the actions or words of the Joker it seemed. There was gasps at certain violent or explosive scenes.

BUT noone clapped. You know why? Because noone is that pathetic. Here in the UK, we don’t clap films, just like we often don’t clap planes taking off. Why? Because there’s no point. There’s noone to appreciate it. End of.

Iron Man is a totally different film because it’s a piece of fun entertainment whereas The Dark Knight is meant to be a little more than that. Not that The Dark Knight is on the same emotional level but would you clap Schindler’s List or The Shawshank Redemption?

By: Ken

Ken — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:47:25 +0000

Here in Australia, I’ve never heard anyone clap a movie in my entire life. Do you guys clap the tv when you’re at home? No performers are there to appreciate the applause, whats the point?

By: Jimmyboy

Jimmyboy — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:16:15 +0000

“why was there practically no audience cheering or clapping that I observed?” It’s easy to clap at movies like iron man. yeah, they’re great fun, hence the claps. but the dark knight had a lot more depth than iron man. movies which have deeper meaning and themes tend not to elicit the same reaction as movies like iron man. Dont get me wrong, they are both great movies, but they’re a different sort of movie.

odds are, people were too wrapt by the dark knight to clap, too busy taking it all in. The Dark knight is more a movie that wants to get audiences thinking about the questions its posing rather than going “oh yeah, hes got the suit man! YEAH! IRON MAN! IRON MAN!”. For this reason, that would be why people weren’t all happy and joyful and bouncy as you expected them to be. they would have been in thought about the movie, what it meant.

On a side note, i always find it really annoying and distracting when ppl clap in movies. Really kills it for me, specially in deeper movies like this.

By: mistergugi

mistergugi — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:56:00 +0000

Ironman was more of a feel good movie and yet it lets your inner side out and so was Wanted (which was not bad at all if you can suspend disbelief). Now the Dark Knight was more of a movie that left you thinking and speechless it was that great.

By: joHo

joHo — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:40:14 +0000

Yo, I saw it in the heart of Brooklyn late into the night…those mothafuckas were jumping off the hook in almost every scene. I stayed in my seat, silent, expressionless to the very end. No clapping, no whooping, no shitting bricks all over the seats, but you know what? I loved it. Probably more than any of the loudest whoopers in the theater. So yes sir, you are clever and uber intelligent when it comes to puking on things that make money, but creating a site just to express your jaded bitching is the highest crime any writer can commit…which is why I’m creating my own double counter-attack: WHYthedarkknightsucksSUCKS.com
Who’s with me?!

By: Jac

Jac — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:03:26 +0000

“powerfully moved and inspired by what I had just seen. The ending was like an epiphany, a reality-altering experience. It had solidified my view of the Batman, inspired me by how much of a true hero he is.”
Thats what its all about man, the whole point of the movie, im glad to know you got the same reaction I got. That is why I loved the movie, not because its heath ledgers last performance, not because of the marketing and not because everyone else thought it was awesome. But solely because it was a great way to show the change from amateur Batman to now being fully aware he will be Batman for a very long time, and the Batman that has now been exposed to the true level of madness he will be facing in the years to come, and what its gonna take to combat them. And how even without super powers, he is a more true hero than any other one out there.