It's always an effort to go to the cinema. To find parking in a crowded shopping mall. To try and get a good seat. The last thing any of us need is someone who forgets to put their phone on silent, who decides to answer the phone call and chat away in the cinema when the movie is playing.
Cinema courtesy has been an issue for the longest time now. Cinemas in Malaysia have indeed become more conscious of this and they have taken some steps to counter these issues like reminders and warnings before a movie starts. But sometimes there needs to be a more hands-on approach. A chaperone that actually stands in the cinema and who will take decisive action in the cinema hall itself.
Malaysians love their movies and cinemas surely recognise this. However, there is always room for us Malaysians to be more mindful of our manners in the cinema and also for cinemas to be more decisive in taking action to protect the experience of the other audience members. The cinemagoing culture must be preserved and protected in more ways than one. The harsh realities of our economy highlight the ever-growing difficulties that cinemas have to face and with the added rise of streaming services, it doesn't make things easier.
That being said, many people love the experience of going to the cinema. Watching a film that you've been anticipating for a while now and having your experience ruined by someone who constantly talks during the film, someone who uses their phone during the film or even someone who has the audacity to take a phone call sitting down in the hall itself. We need to attempt to be more conscious of our own manners and to have some basic cinema courtesy. when watching a movie.
Cinemas please provide specific people to facilitate your cinema halls to protect your customer's experience when watching a film in your cinema. We as Malaysians can do better, but you need to meet your customers in the middle. Cinemagoing as a culture and experience must be protected at all costs a and in this day and age, it is in a fragile position or rather moving towards that inevitable confrontation with streaming services that are growing like weeds. Let's do our respective parts to save cinemas.
Mohnish Rajakumaran is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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