Going to the cinema in Thailand can be a frustrating experience. I have been to a movie where they had the reels mixed up and we saw the ending before the middle (but it was a crap movies so we didn’t really notice). There are regular interruptions by those who not only refuse to turn off their mobile phones, but feel it acceptable to answer them and chat loudly for several minutes. There are regular meetings of “the snack wrapper opening in a quiet moment” club, the picture quality is screwed after a few nights of screening and the surround sound often doesn’t surround.
But it’s comparatively cheap and we do get the latest releases, provided they are mainstream. If you want to see the French treatise on life that won the audience award at the Sundance Festival, go to the Sundance Festival. If you want to see Death Carnage 3 - The Slashback, then you will probably be in luck.
In Bangkok there are a number of up-market cinemas where, for a price, you can relax in extreme comfort. The Lord of the Rings was an excellent trilogy, but each instalment lasted for three hours which was a potentially bum-numbing experience. But slap down some cash for the best seats and you got a reclining seat that would not be out of place in a first class aircraft cabin. To help you relax you were given a blanket to keep your body warm, some socks to keep your toes warm, and a bar service so you could get pleasantly pissed while watching a bunch of little people dragging a ring across the countryside (if you haven’t seen it, sorry, that was a plot spoiler).
Comfy seats have now come to Pattaya in the new cinema at The Avenue. We have been to the normal seats in the cinema once and she who must be obeyed was not happy afterwards because she was unable to find somewhere to pee; and she really needs to pee after being in the cinema and consuming a monster cup of sugar mixed with flavoured water, passed off as a fizzy drink. But we have since discovered that the cinema has their own toilets tucked away in a corner, so last night, having not seen her much since she started working, I splashed out on a “love seat.” These are very comfortable sofas for two on the back row; wide enough so you can spread out and ignore each other if you want to, or do the cuddle thing if you are so inclined. The wife likes doing the cuddle thing, especially if it is a scary movie; then she will do the head burrowed into your armpit thing for the entire movie. Pointless and annoying.
She was impressed by my expensive seat gesture and was looking forward to a romantic couple of hours watching a slightly amusing and ultimately heartwarming story about relationships. She didn’t quite get that, because we went to see “Wanted.”
There is a story, but it is just there to provide an excuse for two hours of extreme violence, wild car chases and unbelievable gunplay. It’s The Matrix on every form of recreational chemicals it is possible to ingest. It’s got Angelina Jolie looking more attractive, and being more deadly, than every before, James McEvoy as a cubicle worker turned assassin and Morgan Freeman being wise and evil at the same time. Best of all, there are rats, hundreds of rats, all with bombs strapped to their bodies (if you haven’t seen it, sorry, that was a plot spoiler). It’s totally over-the-top nonsense and I loved every minute. She who must be obeyed thought it was OK, but not as good as the comfy chair, or the fact she could go for a pee afterwards.
Comments 🔗
2008-07-05| Billy saysAh, the sin-ee-mah - haven’t been there since the Boy Wonder was born … rather depressing ..
Yes, the quality of seating in SE Asian cinemas can put what is available here in Europe to shame. To cap it all, my mate owns half the Megablitz chain in Indonesia and offers King size beds for one’s viewing comfort … it’s just a matter of dollars
2008-07-06| Jock saysYou can get a King Size bed in Thailand too … complete with companion(s) .. it’s just a matter of dollars …. I won’t do the plot spoiler thing so you’ll have to go try it yourself …
2008-07-06| Spike saysI have a King size bed, and a companion. At my age, going to the cinema is marginally more exciting.
2008-07-07| Jock saysNo doubt Oa will concur with that statement :-)
2008-07-07| Spike saysIf I recall, she made the statement.