The 10 Most Violent Movie Theater Attacks
Joanne Movie violence is no joke. Violence in movies can refer to violent scenes but what we mean are the brutal attacks that take place in movie theaters around the country when patrons get a little too excited about their favorite action movie. These top ten most violent movie theater attacks are gruesome and downright scary because a lot of them could happen to anyone. It's one thing when you are arguing with someone and they pull out a gun and shoot you in the face but it's entirely different when you are just eating your pop corn minding your own business and suddenly half of your foot is missing. Movie theater violence is rare but that doesn't mean these events are any less interesting.
One thing to keep in mind about violent movies is that they are not inherently bad for you to watch. Studies actually show that watching violent movies reduces violent behavior so these attacks are not the norm. Don't worry about keep your children from seeing these movies because the chances of them going crazy and killing someone are actually less if they watch them. These attacks however are nothing to joke about. People have been seriously hurt and our hearts go out to the victims of these attacks. And you thought cell phones and babies were bad.
One thing to keep in mind about violent movies is that they are not inherently bad for you to watch. Studies actually show that watching violent movies reduces violent behavior so these attacks are not the norm. Don't worry about keep your children from seeing these movies because the chances of them going crazy and killing someone are actually less if they watch them. These attacks however are nothing to joke about. People have been seriously hurt and our hearts go out to the victims of these attacks. And you thought cell phones and babies were bad.
- 1
Man Shot For Talking, Benjamin Button
This is another noise-related attack at the movies. This one just made a bigger noise in the process of doing it. You'll see what we mean.
It all started at around 9:30 PM on December 25, 2008 inside the Riverview Movie Theater in South (man, wish it was "West") Philadelphia (born and raised...). A man named James Cialella told a man and his family to be quiet during a showing of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and then started to throw popcorn at the victim's son. There WERE quite a few quiet scenes in the movie, and noise during it would have been VERY distracting. So here's what happened next.
A physical altercation then began between Cialella and the father. Unable to contain his rage (at the fact that Brad Pitt got to look young for longer), Cialella walked up to the loud man and shot him.
Lomax, the victim, was released from the hospital and Cialella charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and other charges. The child was unaffected by the popcorn.
Worst. Christmas. Ever. - 2
Stabbed with a Meat Thermometer, Shutter Island
Talking on the phone during a movie is an obvious don't. It's rude, annoying, and totally obnoxious. However, speaking up about it can lead to deadly consequence, as proven in the March 2010 stabbing of a moviegoer during a Shutter Island screening in Lancaster, California.
After an unidentified male complained to a nearby viewer who was on her cellphone during the film, the woman got up with two male friends and exited the theater. This should have eased the guy who actually wanted to watch the movie, and it probably did for a little while--until the lady's guy pals came back and stabbed him in the neck...with a meat thermometer... because apparently people just carry those around these days.
If you go out to get some people to stab someone, you'd think they'd at least have enough time to equip themselves correctly.
To add insult to injury, the guy TOTALLY saw the twist in the movie coming. - 3
Man Commits Suicide, Watchmen
Yeah, so "Watchmen" got a 67% on Rotten Tomatoes, but c'mon, that's not worth committing suicide over, right? The movie was actually a fair representation of the novel and was almost shot-for-shot the book. Sure not EVERY single theme was covered, but it was a relatively sound adaptation.
The poor guy who popped his head with a gun in a midnight screening of "Watchmen" on April 6, 2009 didn't even give himself the chance to watch the ending. No one else was injured in the theater as the victim was seated in the back corner and the closest person was two rows away.
This most likely happened during the awkward sex scene between Night Owl and Silk Spectre II, though, and c'mon, at least there were bitches involved there. It wasn't THAT bad. Also, what if there was something after the credits?
Everyone's a critic. - 4
Opening Night Shootout, Notorious
I guess if there had to be a shootout at a movie, it would be at a movie like "Notorious." Based on the life of rapper Notorious B.I.G. whose life was taken away by an unsolved drive-by shooting in Los Angeles and constantly in the throes of East Coast/West Coast rivalry, the movie opened to about 700 people at the Greensboro Movie Theater on January 16, 2009. But it wasn't just opening night for the theater, it was also an occasion for opening fire.
At around 9 PM, while moviegoers were waiting to get in to the showing, a 32-year-old man was shot twice in the abdomen. It was caused by an argument, and everyone was evacuated (Biggie vs. Tupac, perhaps?).
Dozens of police cars swarmed the location, and though the moviegoers couldn't see "Notorious," they at least got a small dose of a "B.I.G." scene. Feel free to commence knee slapping at any moment now... aaaany minute now.... - 5
Stabbed with a Pen, Comic-Con 2010 Movie Panels
Though technically not a movie theater, but a convention hall where they show movies, a dude wearing a Harry Potter shirt stabbed another guy in the face with a pen over a seat for... wait for it... the movie "Paul", a film starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost that isn't even directed by Edgar Wright.
Hall H at the 2010 Comic Con International Convention was supposed to be for a panel featuring actor Seth Rogen discussing the science-fiction comedy "Paul," but instead it became residence for some nerd evil.
Showing once again that deodorant would solve almost ANY social problem, the two males got into a dispute about sitting too close to each other and one guy finally stabbed the other one on the side of his eye with a pen. That's one way to clear some space.
The victim was taken to the hospital with a minor cut while the attacker was arrested and booked for assault with a deadly weapon. Yeah, you read that right. Deadly.
Looks like the pen IS mightier...
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The 10 Most Violent Movie Theater Attacks at 10/10/2012 12:30 AM
The 10 Most Violent Movie Theater Attacks at 4/08/2012 3:42 AM
Man Commits Suicide, Watchmen at 7/30/2010 9:59 AM
The 10 Most Violent Movie Theater Attacks at 7/28/2010 10:41 AM
The 10 Most Violent Movie Theater Attacks at 7/27/2010 8:47 PM
The 10 Most Violent Movie Theater Attacks at 7/27/2010 6:27 PM
Accidental Fire at 7/26/2010 9:21 PM
The late Bill Landis's essential fanzine Sleazoid Express was full of colorfully described incidents of violence during the running of various NYC 42nd Street screenings, one of which, as described by my pal Jon Davison, occurred during a showing of Mario Bava's 1965 Viking epic Knives of the Avenger--just as Cameron Mitchell chopped an axe at his enemy the guy in the front row stabbed the guy next to him in an apparent fit of sympathetic frenzy. I had a similar experience watching Bava's The Whip and the Body (aka What!) at a Philadelphia fleapit--just as Christopher Lee began whipping a nude Dahlia Lavi, the guy in front of me stabbed the guy next to him.
In neither case was the movie stopped or the lights brought up.
Ah, sixties grindhouse experiences!
The 10 Most Violent Movie Theater Attacks at 7/26/2010 6:41 PM