The lack of common courtesy among movie goers is astounding. After shelling out $13 to see a movie one might think people would stop texting for 90 minutes and watch the film.
Texting in the theater is a pet peeve of many, but a new PSA created for Film4 Frightfest 2012 in London, takes the message to stop texting and turn off your phone to a whole other disturbing level.
Written and directed by Can Evrenol -- the filmmaker who won the Most Disturbing Short Film at the 2010 HP Lovecraft Festival in Poland -- comes a PSA that could shock even the most ardent horror fan. It's available for viewing above, but viewer discretion is advised.
"Turn Off Your Bloody Phone" features an audience member whose plea to a female theater patron to stop texting during the film goes ignored. In retaliation, he proceeds to stab her in the back of the head with a pen, pull out her brains, unzips his pants and proceeds to do terrible, unmentionable things.
It's disgusting, it's shocking, but the message to turn off your phone is pretty clear.
Though the PSA was made for a horror festival, which celebrates general violence, terror and repugnance, it's somewhat surprising that organizers would choose to run such a violent PSA in the wake of the Aurora Theater shooting in July. Though the shooting happened stateside the effect was felt around the world, and many theaters including exhibitors in London increased security following the tragic event.
Perhaps more disturbing is that cellphone related movie stabbings aren't just a work of fiction. In 2010, during a showing of "Shutter Island," a Lancaster, Calif., theater goer was stabbed in the neck with a meat thermometer, after he complained that someone nearby was talking on a cellphone. Similarly, during a 2011 showing of "Black Swan" in Latvia, a 27-year-old man shot and killed a 42-year-old man, as the credits rolled because of an argument that began when he complained the elder man was eating his popcorn too loudly.
With so much tension over theater and phone etiquette it's good news that Apple recently won a patent for a feature that could automatically disable your phone depending on location, such as a movie theater.
