“I am the dragon. Before me, you tremble.”
That was the last line I heard during a major scene in “Red Dragon,”the newly released prequel to “Silence of the Lambs.”
Trust me, it was a big speech.
It was that scene in a movie that may explain or give better understanding to what’s going on.
We’ve all witnessed that scene before.
It’s in every movie.
It’s overly dramatic, with a booming musical score and dialogue that has you on the edge of your seat.
Now enter “Flight of the Bumblebee.”
I know that ring tone anywhere.
A friend of mine has it on his Nokia.
Naturally, a blaring cell phone in a movie theater took my concentration away from the movie.
“Turn it off. Turn it off you ass,”I thought to myself. But the bumblebee buzzed on.
Within a matter of seconds, the theater became impatient.
A chorus of hisses erupted, and someone literally screamed what I was thinking.
And then the bumblebee was silenced.
That was because the owner of the cell phone answered the phone call (seriously, he actually answered it), and held a conversation.
He told his caller that he was in the movies.
He told his caller that he was watching “Red Dragon”, and that yes, it was good.
I sat dumbfounded.
From my seat, I was able to see the guy talking on the phone; he was no more than 17.
And unless that kid was Doogie Howser M.D., I see no reason for his cell phone to be on during the movie.
Nowadays, it seems that everyone has a cell phone glued to the side of their face. And these phones always seem to ring at inappropriate times.
They ring in cars, restaurants, classrooms, the movies and so on.
I fully understand the importance and value of a cell phone.
What I can’t fathom, however, is the utter abuse of them.
It’s rude to have a cell phone ringing while other people are trying to watch a movie or study in the library, unless of course, it’s your cell that is going off, at which time all levels of couth and common courtesy go out the window.
The last time I checked, these things vibrate.
They have silent modes.
They have caller ID.
These features weren’t put there for show.
They were put there so that your phone isn’t ringing when it’s not supposed to be ringing.
I brought this up to a friend of mine, and he told me, “Well, they might miss a really important call.
What if someone needs them?”
You’ve got to be kidding.
If your phone has a vibrate mode, you’d miss nothing.
Unless you carry a portable jackhammer in your pocket, you know when you’re getting a call.
So take it out and look.
Cell phones also have caller ID, so you know if the call is from someone important.
If so, go somewhere to take the call.
Don’t answer it in the library, in class or in a movie theater.
Silent mode is trickier, but with a little effort and less laziness, you can get through this.
Obviously, a silent phone can’t be heard.
So, check it once in a while to see if you have any missed calls of mass importance.
If there are, again, get up and go somewhere to return the call.
Frankly, the rest of us aren’t interested in your phone conversation.
We just want to watch the movie.
Tim Wiseley can be reached at temple_news@hotmail.com
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