My Movie-viewing Experience

Most full-year residents of the Valley of the Sun don't own a pair of earmuffs. It just doesn't get cold enough here, even in the winter, to make them worth the investment. But a friend and I went to a Harkins theater last weekend, and earmuffs would've been a good idea. Once the trailers started the volume jumped higher than gasoline prices.

The movie was Ghost Town -- Ricky GervaisRicky Gervais, Tea LeoniTea Leoni, Greg KinnearGreg Kinnear -- not exactly a rock 'em sock 'em blow 'em up kind of movie. Actually, it was a movie about a dentist. Although that thought made my friend queasy, the part that had me hiding under my chair was those ludicrously loud trailers. The basic ads and white noise babble that were on the screen when we first came in weren't too obnoxious. I guess they figure people are chatting amongst themselves at that point so the sound is close to normal. But once those trailers began I learned exactly why Dan puts so much soundproofing material in the walls!

I never go to Harkins without a pair of earplugs, but even after I had put them in the noise was deafening. One trailer in particular had some high-frequency "music" that purely pierced my plugs. By the time the movie started my ears were already ringing. I folded my popcorn closed, propped it on top of my purse, and used my hands to cover my ears. Fortunately, the movie itself wasn't as painful, and the earplugs alone were enough. Good thing, since it would have been difficult to sit through the entire movie with my hands over my ears!

Next time I'm in the high country I'm going to invest in some good solid earmuffs. Or maybe I'll pop down to the airport and pick up some of the landing crew's protective gear. At least for the trailers ...