Tom Percival, Deputy TV editor, recently attended a screening of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey at the BFI IMAX in London. Despite the anticipation, he felt unease not from the film but from the prospect of sharing the theatre with a crowd. His anxiety spiked when he noticed a man with a box of popcorn, which Percival considers the most nefarious substance in cinema.
Food has no place in a cinema
Percival argues that eating in cinemas should be banned entirely. He believes food, including popcorn, crisps, nachos, hot dogs, chicken tenders, and ice cream, creates noise and smells that distract from the film. He states, 'If it's edible, then it makes noise, it smells, and it ultimately distracts from the thing you're there to do: watch a movie.' He dismisses the defence that concession sales fund cinemas, insisting that food belongs in restaurants, not theatres.
Public and press alike are guilty
Percival criticises both the general public and fellow journalists for poor cinema behaviour. He recalls a press screening where a colleague told him to relax, only for the film's climax to be ruined by someone struggling with a popcorn bag. He laments, 'Did this person have no shame? Were they not embarrassed to be making noise in the cinema?' He compares eating loudly to using a phone during a film, calling both rude and distracting.
A surprising redemption
Despite his grievances, Percival's neighbour at the BFI IMAX finished his popcorn before the first trailer, earning Percival's respect. He concludes, 'Odysseus wasn't the only hero I saw at the IMAX that day.'
