Favourite Seat at the Movies
What’s your favourite seat at the cinema, and why?
Anybody that goes to the cinema regularly will undoubtedly become a creature of habit. Whether it’s getting there just in time to miss the repetitive adverts or film-spoiling trailers, buying / bringing your favourite snack (must be a silent one), hogging your ideal parking place, hitting on unsuspecting student staff, sitting in your favourite block, row; or more specifically – that perfect seat. Even the finest critic in the country has his favourite seat, which reassures me somewhat. Here’s where my one is and why I love it.
Position: smack-bang in the middle of the back row, of the flat front section, and here’s why…
- The high seat back blocks out most sounds from the tiered section behind, where everyone else is sitting. There’s also an aisle-length gap between you and the nearest person behind. Bliss.
- There’s never anyone in front of you – unless the screen is unusually busy. This eliminates fidget, hat, afro, giant and mobile phone based distractions in view.
- The screen looks enormous, like it should! What’s the point in sitting in the back row (unless you’re with a hussy!) where the screen takes up the same percentage in your field of vision as your TV would at home?!?! This is the cinema, it’s supposed to be massive!
- You’re right next to the chest-thumping bass speakers underneath the screen, and the Dolby/THX sound design is optimized, coming from the front, sides and behind your seat. Meanwhile the hussy in the back row is only getting stereo sound.
- As all other seats in this block are generally empty, essential toilet breaking is swift and effective, and you avoid the embarrassment of accidental lapdancing.
- You don’t notice when the anti-piracy staff come in and do their rounds with the night-vision goggles – this always distracts and angers me more than it should – install a camera on the roof!
- When the film ends, you’re right next to the doors and don’t have to wait for the token slow-mos to begin their epic descent from row J – swiftest exit in the screen.
- Every wrinkle, hair, eyelash, scar, mole, shadow, surface, texture, button, background, minute detail is there… cinema screen resolution this close is absolutely unbeatable.
The only time this location doesn’t work is for 3D (it’s best to be in the middle of the screen’s height) and the only possible downside with my favourite seat is that people with bad necks or eyes may struggle to last the duration.
Feels like I’ve just given away a trade secret… which leaves me wondering, does anyone else have a preference when it comes to seating in the cinema, or is it just me being a total weirdo?! Feel free to comment, or ping back your own post.
/Paul
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Paragraph Film Reviews 
Mine would be in the center and middle of the screen’s height.
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Dynamite! I totally agree with this, best seat in the house!
Although… I recently made the mistake of taking a seat in the front row of the main area (normally ok) but over by the aisle on the right. Jeezo, my neck was hoorin sore by the end. It slightly hampered my enjoyment of Arthur Christmas ;)
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Up until reading this post, my favorite seat was the last row of the theater, mid aisle. Now I think I’ve been doing it wrong all these years. Will have to try your position, though I think it might be too close for me.
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I’m one of those guys with bad eyes, so that seat’s out for me. We don’t have too many theaters around here that have this same layout as the one you’re showing, most theaters have one incline from the front to the back, be it steep or slight.
My favorite spot is always 1-3 rows in front of the middle row (depending on the theater), middle section, aisle seat (usually the one on the left). I usually prefer to be slightly below eye level so that should I rest my head, its still angled toward the screen. the aisle seat’s great for leaving without much of a hassle (though I have been finishing credits more often of late), and the left aisle thing is because in my favorite theater, the male washroom is on the left side, but in theaters without any washrooms its just become a force of habit.
I didn’t really think about it much until I read your article. I guess I’ve just been taking that seat for so long its become somewhat instinctual to grab it when I can. Anyway, long story short, you’re not alone there! haha
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Nostra – Classic seat there, used to be my weapon of choice but too many people around there for my liking these days.
Mac – Aye, the very front row is intense/insane. Did it for a Pirates film once, never again. No idea how they can even sell tickets for them as it’s about 10 feet from the massive screen!
Doc – would recommend checking it out, but buy your ticket for the usual and hit the front until you get turfed out.
Gelo – Middle-front would be my preference in a fully tiered theater. Just trying to balance screen size with not being too high. And definitely better looking up than down!
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I always try ‘as close to the middle of all the seats’. Too far away and you lose the big screen experience, too close and you get a neck hernia plus (more important) I don’t want to see the sides of the screen only with my peripheral vision or have to move my head when something happens on the sides of the screen. Also, I have a big bladder and I don’t mind waiting during ending credits.
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I’m writing all of this down! Fun post.
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We usually sit in the middle. The back is too far away and the front is too close. The middle is just right. I’m with KJ. Cool post!
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