[dak]

I went to go see LoTR: Two Towers the other day and was subjected to the annoying fad of clapping during previews and good scenes in movies for the first time. My question is simply why? Why do they clap? Why are these people allowed to remain in the theaters? Why arnt they shot on sight?

After the preview of Terminator:3 and Dumb and Dumber 2 volleys of applauding and hooting sprang up randomly around the theater. It was as if they were saying "YES! We are pleased with your lame sequels. Let us all clap in unison to show our endorsement of the advertisments". I honestly think that the theater is paying these people to cheer in an attempt to get the rest of the audience wanting to see the film.

Anyways, the lights dimmed and the movie started. For a while the audience was relatively quiet. As soon as Gandalf the "White" showed up everyone started to applaud yet again. This isnt a fine play folks...cheering doesnt make you look "cultured"...nobody who had anything remotely to do with the creation of the film is anywhere near by. Who are they applauding? The theater for showing the blockbuster money maker? Prehaps they are applauding the dorky teens with red vests and flashlights for providing an official ambience to the room. IMHO people who clap during important scenes of movies should be dealt with in the same fashion as a person who stands up and screams "Penis!".

As the movie ended and the credits faded in I had an epifiny as to why people applaud. As the credits rolled by several groups of people were clapping, I overhead a white teenage with frosted blonde hair ask his companion "Dude, should we be clapping?!". His friend responded "Yeah, Prehaps someone will look at us!". I kid you not, that is what he said. While driving home that little tid bit rolled around im my head for a while, funny how the more stupid something is the more it sticks. I came to the conclusion that people will do anything for attention these days....poor Tolkien would be rolling over in his grave if he knew his works were being used as entertainment for this caliber of people...