What fresh Hell is this? Chinese theaters test onscreen texts during movies

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

We can’t really be losing this battle can we? Are the self-entitled jerks who text and talk during a movie actually pulling ahead? Now China has picked a side, and sadly it’s not the majority. Chinese movie theaters are testing and refining systems that allow theatergoers to text during movies and actually see those texts on the screen. Like you, I read this and started looking for The Onion or Nathan Fielder to be involved; alas this is real. “Bullet screens” will pop up over the movie you’re watching.

Can you even imagine? Forget being annoyed by the bright light off someone’s cell phone, you can now read their witty and insightful texts on screen! This can’t be a sign of the times; there is no argument FOR this. Again, and we have all been asking it for years, why can’t people go 90 minutes without touching their cell phone?

According to The Hollywood Reporter (via China Youth Daily):

The inspiration behind the idea appears to be that it mimicks that of watching a movie on mobile media, which is how most Chinese people watch films, with people sending messages about what they like or dislike about the movie.

There is even a quote from LEGEND OF QIN director Shen Leping who I suggest may have been under the influence of hired goons here:

“We are exploring how the response from the audience can affect the movie itself… We are, in fact, putting the director and viewer on equal terms, and I think many of the opinions of the viewers are very helpful for film makers.”

I can only hope this nightmare doesn’t come to North America. I wouldn’t want to go see a movie only to have @FilmDude69 tell me that he wants to bang the actress on screen. Or @BobCinemaSnob tell me I just witnessed a Hitchcockian style MacGuffin. Just take me now. The days of a relaxed movie viewing experience will soon be something we tell our kids about.

What do you guys think, is this is a losing battle?

NSFW classic: