In the wake of the film’s release, cinemagoers have been sharing footage of crowds watching the film, with certain moments prompting loud, vocal responses from the people in attendance.
One moment, which features prominently in the film’s trailer, sees Black and Momoa confronted in a boxing ring by a cuboid Minecraft chicken, who is ridden around the ring by another character. “Chicken jockey,” exclaims Black’s character, a reference to the video game that seems to be sending audiences wild.
Several videos captured by cinemagoers show audiences chanting the line along with Black, before whooping and clapping loudly. On social media, many people attested that they had witnessed, or participated in, similar outbursts.
“My theater clapped every time Jack Black name dropped a Minecraft item that was in the trailers, and when he said Chicken Jockey I s*** you not the entire row in front of me gave a standing ovation,” one person shared.
“Just got back from watching the movie myself, can confirm everyone in the theater collectively yelled ‘CHICKEN JOCKEY’ during that moment and it was glorious ngl,” wrote another.
“This is what made me love my experience more, bc even though the movie wasn’t as bad as i thought it was going to be, the packed cinema with everyone shouting, clapping and cheering whenever jack black name dropped something genuinely gave me so much joy,” commented someone else.
However, the phenomenon has drawn staunch criticism from others, with some claiming that audience participation had “ruined” the theatrical experience for them.
And that’s one more reason why I’ll never go back to a cinema.
spawns
Reminds me of the Rocky Horror Picture Show stuff
One of the things I want to do before I die. Watch a Midnight screening of RHPS with everyone singing along.
Take your newspaper and rice
Please explain
It’s part of the audience participation.
You put the newspaper over your head during the rain scene, throw the rice during the wedding scene, etc.
There is dozen of things to do and say during the movie.
Example: whenever Brad says his name “I’m Brad Major”, the audience shouts out “ARSEHOLE!”
Oh, the British version. Interesting.
Crossed that one off my bucket list a year ago, t’was a blast! Highly recommend
It could be so good while high, imagine these bombs dropping ‘chicken jockey’. I don’t get it at all but it sounds funny
Saw it last night, can confirm audience went wild with chicken jockey and flint and steel. Honestly didn’t think it was too bad, but I think part of the trend is also to fling fucking popcorn all over the place because when we went in the theater was spotless, and when the lights came back on, it was like a fucking popcorn bomb went off in there, the worst I’ve ever seen in my life; honestly felt bad for the employees.
Rocky Horror Picture Show vibes
Or the pirates from the SpongeBob movie.
Yeah I’ve been to my cinema a ton and every movie I’ve ever been to they leave the lights dimmed until the credits finish (basically lights off during movie, dimmed during credits, fully on after). They’ll also wait until everyone has left until they start cleaning.
This one they immediately turned the lights on fully (even before the first after credits scene that is almost instantly) and came in to start cleaning up, because it was so much worse than normal they needed that extra time.
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Can’t wait for the RLM take on this.
I say if they’re going to release dogshit movies, at least let people party in the theater
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This is dumb to me, but I’m not the target audience for this movie. It sounds like the people who are the target audience are having a blast and that’s awesome.
Saw this happen the whole movie last night. Not my favorite flick but my daughter loved it and everyone in there seemed to be having an absolute blast so 🤷♂️
Same. Never been into Minecraft, and hate when people are noisy and whatnot in a theater when I’m watching a movie. That being said, if they’re having fun, more power to them. Not gonna yuck their yum.
The term is “read the room”, I think. Rarely, some movies are just like that. Classic showings of Rocky Horror aren’t exactly done for serious movie gowers as a prime example. While I am not attempting to put RHPS and a Minecraft movie in the same class, I would go to a Minecraft movie with the same mindset.
They aren’t in the same class, but I does seem like they’d both be in the same category. They’re weird goofy movies that shouldn’t be taken too seriously. I could imagine having fun at the MC movie if you’re allowed to goof off. I couldn’t see myself having fun with it if I need to sit quietly and watch it for it’s “art.”
Saw it last night with the kids, it was exactly as described above. I’ve never played the game, so nothing made any sense to me, but seeing the audience have such a great time made it fun for me.
Is this the new Rocky Horror?
Eddie! That’s a rather tender subject. Another slice, anyone?
He’s got no fucking neck!
Does it have any catchy songs, like Time Warp? 🤔
Does it ever!
More like Vampire Disco Death Dance.
Bedrocky Horror*
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Isn’t audience participation part of the theater experience?
For stage shows that have some audience participation as an element, sure. For most other cases, it just seems like people who don’t know how to behave themselves in public. Like, sure, go for it if you’re at a Rocky Horror Picture Show screening, or the theater advertised it as a sing along screening, but otherwise, it’s inappropriate and inconsiderate.
How did TRHPS experience become what we know it as today?
Imagine hearing about TRHPS in 1976 or 1977 and going to see it and experiencing it especially without knowing fully what you were walking into?
What is different about the emergence of a participatory memes for Minecraft vs. the established memes for TRHPS? The quickness of the behavior? The documentation of it? The fact that it’s new for us now and not something we inherited?
Quite Frankenfurtively, I’d rather be in theater with a bunch of people enjoying it as opposed to people sitting there rigidly watching what amounts to be a very silly movie.
And besides, if people are so upset, ask for a refund or comp ticket and leave the theater. The same raucous behavior happened every Friday night when a horror film was screening back in my day.
Eh, if I knew it was permitted going in, that’s on me. If it’s a new movie and there’s no notice that they’ll allow that behavior, and they allow some guests to be loud and obnoxious for the whole showing, I wouldn’t go back to that theater unless I heard things changed. That was more than enough to avoid teenagers being insufferable at Friday night horror films when I was growing up. Some of them allowed it, and they had ongoing problems with teenagers being little monsters (breaking stuff, causing fights, bothering other patrons outside the theaters, etc), and gained reputations for being dumps not worth going to. Others required teenagers to be accompanied by parents, to control them a bit and shame them into behaving. Others just didn’t indulge in it at all, and would just straight up kick out disruptive people.
I’d prefer more places had a system like Alamo Drafthouse’s, where they post on the site when it’s going to be a screening with audience participation, or a children’s screening, or whatever. Everyone is free to choose the sort of screening they want to attend, and those who opt for a quiet theater experience without some muppet feeling the need to scream “Oh no! He’s gonna get you bitch, run!” or similarly obvious outbursts, don’t have to put up with it.
Honestly, 9/10, I find the people shouting and carrying on really only add something to the experience for the friends that went with them and find them funny. Save that for when you’re watching at home with them, or when there’s a screening that explicitly allows it.
It’s a shitty movie about Minecraft… let people have their fun. The jokes and memes around it are the best part.
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It sounds like the start of some Rocky Horror stuff. Which, I think we need something like that to happen again.
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That was exactly what I was thinking about reading the summary.
NO LITERALLY my friends and i’s entire movie experience[…]
lol I’m just imagining saying “Get your hands off i’s burger! It’s i’s, not yours!” or the like.
Same thing happened with the emoji movie and the minion movie. As a former teenager I can attest that screaming at a mediocre movie with friends is a good time
It happened with Snakes on a Plane too. Everyone was waiting to cheer when SLJ said that one line. Cool vibes.
As long as it’s a thing just for shit/mediocre movies, seems fun. Might even be a fun new subgenre.
But I be fucked if I wanna see it at “real” movies where I’m invested in the actual film.
