Why don't people clap in movie theaters?

On Sunday the 13th, I saw Pan's Labyrinth in San Francisco and was floored by it's sheer brilliance and beauty. I had figured that the rest of the audience enjoyed the film as well, because I could hear them laugh when I laughed, gasp when I gasped and cheered when I cheered. But then, as the credits rolled, I began clapping and soon realized I was the only one doing so!

This has happened before. I've seen plenty of great movie in theatres, and with one exception, I have never heard the applause of a grateful audience. They only time I have ever had a chance to be a part of this type of event was during the premiere of Revenge of the Sith, when the all the movie patrons gave a standing round of applause.

Are these people lazy? Apathetic? Do movies only get cheered on at premeirs? What's the deal here?

Why don't people clap in movie theaters?opera singer

The main reason is of course that the performers, directors, producers and technicians at most screenings cannot hear your applause. If the audience thought that they could, no doubt that they would, just as they would at any live performance. After all, applause is meant as live feedback to the performers who are in this case, not there.

There are exceptions to this of course. At screenings at film festivals and film openings where people who had something to do with the show are present, the audience is given to applaud enthusiastically - when deserved because they know that there is an audience for their applause. Perhaps even to influence judges. This might also be the case at a test or pre-screening of a film where the audience knows in advance that they will be asked to fill out an evaluation of the film.

I attended a few of these in Chicago, and the audience, knowing that someone who cared about the films was there, then did show their appreciation by applauding.

But in most cases, film audiences are trying to keep a socialization of not verbally reacting to what is happening on the screen other than laughter or screams.

There has been an increase in audience calling out and verbal response to the dialog on the screen that some audience members have found very irritating over the last few years, so much so that this may have caused a sense of inhibition about responding too much at the end of the film.

The other factor is that in some films there is a legitimate question of when the film is over since many films place outtakes, bloopers and other bits during the credits. This can also hush an audience not sure at first what to expect.

Also, as audiences have become more sophisticated, more people read the credits and want to know more about the production, who played what, where the film was shot etc. This may dull applause response for all but the most thrilling features.

"Sith" for example was a great film, but had nowhere near the same impact on the same audience as the first Star Wars film. Those special effects may look simplistic today, but at the time the film was released, the look, sound and music behind them was so far advanced beyond anything seen before that audiences jumped to their feet and roared. We just could not help ourselves.

Perhaps the standard for films and applause has been impacted by such great moments ever since.

Finally, such things as applause are a matter of culture. Our culture today is very individualistic. We do many things, including watching films as individuals, often at home, alone. So when we do see a film in the movie theater, the habits of home viewing may take over and/or the inhibition that may come from being surrounded by strangers may be too strange for many.

Oddly, I think it is more likely that a group of 5-7 friends watching at home to applaud a great film than a group of 70 in a movie house. Oh, I think that audience size plays a roll too. A huge audience adds excitement to an event. Watching a film with 300-400 people may add a catalyst leading more likely to applause than 30.

Hope this adds some insight - but the main thing is, I think, no one from the cast or crew is there to hear it. The day they put in audience reaction meters that build an overall internet rating for films as measured by applause is the day that will change.

You hear movie phone?

Why don't people clap in movie theaters?amc theater opera theater

i dont know but that wasnt the case when i saw jennifer hudson singing in "dreamgirls."
I've only seen people do that on very few occasions....one of them being Revenge of the Sith, like you said. I don't know. Could be because nobody's there to hear them. Also people today are just too critical of everything. They will pick out and exploit every negative thing they can find. It's "cool" to be negative most of the time.
When I saw Saving Private Ryan in addition to Nick Cage's movie about 9/11 the audienct did clap. It seems that clapping is more pronounced when it is a patriotic movie rather than entertaining movie. Don't know why, but that's my perception.
the actors cant hear u clapping
They don't clap because the performers cant hear them clapping.
Most people applauded at an event where there is a chance that the film makers, actors,etc. might be there to actually hear it. Other wise they would just be clapping for themselves. Which is ok if you are in to that :)
I think the crowd and timing is a factor... best chance to get the crowds that are really hyped up for and will get into a movie are the 1st shows (sneak preview promotions, first show at midnight, etc) and on the evening of the first day of release.

I've been to a few movies that have gotten applause at the end of the show, and even during the movie. Let's see, what specific ones "recently"... at the conclusion to the first fight scene between Michelle Yeoh and Ziyi Zhang in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, that fight got a huge round of applause from the audience (yes, this was opening night). During the end credits sequence of Kill Bill v 2, the crowd cheered and applauded their favorite characters- Hitori Hanzo got the biggest reaction. When I went to see Return of the King, the crowd did the same thing as the credits went with the artist drawings of the characters (Boromir got lots of love from the crowd).

That's why I always try and go to the midnight shows and opening night... I want to be at a show where the crowd is into it as I am.
i think it's because why would you clap for as screen? it's not like at a play the actors cant hear you
i have been to a couple of movies where the audience clapped, I can't remember which movies though....