Tiktok has been flooded with videos of young people praising the new horror film. Finnkino was prepared in advance for the possibility of disruptions at Smile screenings.
I sit in a cinema and listen to people behind me shouting at the screen, laughing and commenting on how they are either scared or not scared at all. Phones flicker.
The American horror film *Smile* is on the silver screen.
The signalman is called in to point this out and then makes a few rounds of the hall. The harassment continues.
*Smile* has become a phenomenon in social media. It has been described, among other things, as the scariest horror movie ever. Reaction videos, many of which were filmed during the screening, have been viewed hundreds of millions of times on Tiktok.
*Smile* is a low-budget film with no big stars. However, it is becoming the number one fall horror in the world, overtaking the twice more expensive and much bigger marketed *Halloween Ends*.
From the point of view of a distributor and a theater entrepreneur, becoming a phenomenon is a great thing. *Smile* has increased its number of viewers in Finland for two consecutive weekends. This is very rare.
However, social media popularity is a tricky thing for the viewer, if they want to enjoy the movie in peace.
Finnkino prepared for Smile screenings
Film has always been a communal experience. At screenings of the cult film *Rocky Horror Picture Show*, people make noise and throw toast, dress up in the Star Wars theme and sing along at sing-along screenings.
Now the sense of community is expanding to social channels and above all to Tiktok.
In the summer, Yle reported on young men who came to screenings of the movie *Kätyrit* dressed in edgy suits. The Tiktok trend included, among other things, applause for events on the big screen. The performances were also filmed.
The phenomenon was mostly harmless, but in some places the raptures caused a disturbance. Around the world, some theaters banned teenagers dressed in costumes from performances altogether.
Finnkino knew how to prepare for the fact that *Smile* screenings may also experience disturbances, says Wolf-Mannila.
– In this case, it has been implemented that the staff visit the hall during the movie to make sure that everything is ok. At the beginning of several screenings, there is a hall speech, that is, someone from the staff goes to welcome the people and reminds them what kind of behavior is appropriate.
Finnkino has received complaints about disturbances in *Smile* screenings \”somewhat more than the average movie\ says Wolf-Mannila. However, the overwhelming majority behave neatly in the movies.
Can you talk in the cinema?
The basic rule of cinema behavior is not to do anything during the screening that might disturb others. But what counts as interference?
– There is certainly a golden mean. As long as you’re not filming a movie and the behavior is in good taste, it’s certainly OK, says Finnkino’s Hannele Wolf-Mannila.
Finnkino asks during its screenings that viewers do not use their phones during the film. However, silence is not required.
In Jaakkola’s opinion, it is clear that you are not allowed to talk during the movie. He has not heard of *Smile*-related disturbances, but according to the CEO, behavior at movie screenings has deteriorated in the long term.
– There is a change in that. Not everyone can see that when you’re watching a movie, you keep your mouth shut and your cell phone in your pocket. For such a child of the 80s, it is clear since school age.
Cinemas live from phenomena
Less and less is being brought to the big screen from Hollywood other than big phenomenon films. Bangs are loaded into the biggest spectacles, Avengers and Jurassic Worlds. Experiences are built around them that viewers cannot miss.
In an interview with Yle in the summer, Wolf-Mannila talked about the cinemas of the future as life centers.
Young people are a vital audience segment for cinemas. Their visits have decreased, but not dramatically yet. Bat and Spider-Man are still seen as investments worth the monthly money.
The storm clouds still don’t go away. Streaming services took over the industry during the corona pandemic. The beginning of the summer was strong in Finnish cinemas after a long period of exception – thanks to the phenomena *Top Gun Maverick* and *Kätyrit: Gru tarina* – but in August the collapse was already far from the good old days.
All kinds of phenomena that engage the public are naturally viewed positively in the industry.
A secondary issue may then be whether the young people keep their mouths shut. At least they show up.
*What thoughts did the article arouse? You can participate in the discussion on 21.10. until 11 p.m.*