one reason I love living in austin....

For those of you who don't live in Austin, I feel your pain. I fear going to movies anywhere outside of my zip code as a lovely couple just over a decade ago began with a small theater showing movies they love, serving food at that theater, and offering good times for movie lovers. The only rule they had was "to keep your big mouth shut during the movie." Eventually that rule evolved to including people who can't seem to understand that talking on your cell phone during a movie makes you an a$$hole. And finally, adding texting to that.

At the same time, that little theater, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, has since grown into four theaters (with 15 screens) here around Greater Austin and are attempting to reach out to the rest of the world, franchising their love of movies to people who love movies.

It used to not really be a problem, but with Austin tripling its population in the last decade, we've had to suffer a confederacy of dunces. SO.... what happened is that some, probably a sorority, girl got tossed out of the theater for texting. She subsequently left a message on the Alamo Drafthouse answering machine which they couldn't but help making into their new on-screen announcement.

So here that is....



In the last 48 hours, this on-screen announcement warning people that they will be ejected from the theater if caught violating the rule has gone viral. Even CNN has picked up on it, with Anderson Cooper urging Alamo Drafthouse owner Tim League to receive the Nobel prize.

And here's a link to many of the previous on-screen warnings, many by celebrities....

Send it to the manager of your local Cinecrap 45 multiplex and tell them you don't want to sit in a theater with these idiots.

And to be a cranky old man here - When I a was a kid they had old white-haired ladies with big flashlights who were apparently legally permitted to twist your ear and drag you out of a theater for talking. So be happy you if you come to Austin, go to the Alamo Drafthouse, and just be asked to leave for being a jerk.