Hoa Binh Cinebox
I’m a huge movie buff. Going to the movies has always been one my favorites things to do in the whole world. No matter how bad things are going….sitting in a dark movie theater and watching a great flick is the perfect way to escape from your problems for a few hours.
During my second week in Vietnam, Di Tu (Aunt #4) invited me to go see the new live action version of Mulan (Hua Moc Lan) at the local cinema. I actually had the DVD already, but could never find the time to sit down and watch it…and this was my first opportunity to check out the nearby theater.
The Cinebox Hoa Binh is a movie theater just a few blocks from my Aunt’s house on 3 Thang 2 street. It’s a huge building but it only has 3 screens; my Aunt says that it is also used as a staging area for big celebrations and occasionally live shows. Two tickets for Mulan was 60,000 Dong….or about $3 Dollars. My Aunt had never watched a movie in this particular theater before and says that is about half the price of a ticket at the other theater she frequents.
A Great Flick
As we entered to take our seats….we were ushered to a couple of seats in the back even though there were no assigned seat numbers on our tickets. I asked if we could sit in a different area that was currently empty…but I was told that the seats there were already reserved; that turned out to be a blatant lie. The area that I wanted to sit in was empty the entire time we were there. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason why the ushers seated people where they did…the only thing I could think of is that they were trying to purposely spread out people throughout the theater to make the place seem more full.
When we first entered the theater, there were signs posted in Vietnamese listing the theater rules.
1. No talking during the movie
2. No talking on cell phones
3. No cameras or filming equipment allowed
4. No outside food or drink allowed
These are some pretty standard rules for theaters in The States…and I was happy to see that the same type of conduct was expected in Saigon. I was a bit worried about movie etiquette in Vietnam because this country has such a “me first” attitude. You see it in the traffic…where everyone basically drives without any regard for anyone else’s safety. You see it in lines at the supermarkets, food stalls, etc. where most people just shove their way to the front to cut in line. You see it in the ubiquitous littering everywhere. I had hopes that the movie theater experience might actually be different because of the rules posted in the front. They also had pre-movie videos reiterating the same rules posted on the board.
My worse fears however were soon proven to be correct.
People were talking to each other, talking on their cell phones, eating their own food, etc. before the movie started, during the movie trailers and throughout the movie itself. I don’t believe there was one moment during the whole excruciating ordeal when I could just focus on the movie. The movie itself was in Chinese with Vietnamese subtitles…so I couldn’t understand anything anyways…but I knew the basic plot from the Disney version and would have liked to have been able to focus on the film without the constant blabbering.
Yes there are people that behave like that in The States too….but usually they are in the minority…and even then they usually only talk in spurts. Here, everyone acted if the theater was their own personal space. People not only answered their phones….but would initiate calls. If it was just a few people you can turn to them and tell them to “shut the f$%k up!”…but what do you do when the entire freaking theater is acting that way?
As we left…I told my Aunt that this was probably the first and last time I would ever watch a movie in a Vietnam cinema. When I relayed what happened to my cousin and her husband, they told me that the type of people that frequent the Cinebox Hoa Binh were mostly younger kids that use the theater as a place to hang out/make out and not for serious movie goers. They said that the nicer theaters in Saigon did not permit this type of behavior.
Awesome!! If only I saw it in The States.
I had wanted to see Avatar for awhile now….the movie opened up in the U.S. a couple of days before I left…but I never had the time to go see it. My cousin’s husband Phuong was also eager to catch it on the big screen. Avatar was showing in 3D at only 2 locations in Vietnam….The Megastar Cineplex in Hanoi and Saigon. My mom and sister had just seen the 3D version last week and my mom raved to me about the movie and the 3D effects. This was the type of movie that you have to see in the theater to get the full experience.
So last night I invited Phuong to go see Avatar. He picked me up on his motorbike at my Aunt’s house since the Megastar was nearby. We arrived at the theater at around 7:30pm and decided to just park at the underground garage and eat at the food court inside the Hung Vuong Plaza…in which the movie theater was located. We found out when we showed up to buy the tickets that the 3D shows were sold out for another week….and since we were already there, we decided that we would just see the regular version….turns out that this disappointment was just a sign of things to come.
Burger & Fried Chicken Joint
The food court inside the mall was pretty much a carbon copy of what you would find in America. I decided that I was going to have a hamburger. After a month and a half of eating nothing but Vietnamese food…I needed a change. There is a pretty big chain in Vietnam called Lotteria that is basically a burger/fried chicken joint. I ordered the Burger Pho Mai (Cheeseburger) which cost 26,000 Dong ($1.40). I had pretty low expectations for the burger since I was aware that Vietnamese versions of western food usually fall far short of the originals. While the burger itself turned out better than I expected….it was only about 1/3 the size of an American burger…..and about 1/5th of a Fuddrucker’s burger. We had to order spring rolls from a chain called “Wrap and Roll” to fill ourselves.
We headed to the theater after our mediocre dinner and sat down in our assigned seats. The theater was virtually empty…with maybe 1/8 of the seats being occupied. I guess most everyone was holding out for the 3D version. The Megastar Cineplex is a much nicer looking theater than the Hoa Binh Cinebox. According to Phuong, the theater had just opened in the past year. The theater we were in was small in comparison to most theaters in the U.S…..but it had stadium riser seating….which the Cinebox did not….and the sound system and picture quality was excellent. However, all these qualities could not end up saving the whole movie going experience for me.
In spite of my cousin and Phuong’s assurances people in the “nicer theaters” in Saigon behaved differently than the people at Hoa Binh….it was exactly the same. People here cannot ever keep their mouths shut. I tried to block them out but it was impossible for me to fully enjoy the movie. I was tempted to use my Monkey Poop Kung Fu on their asses.
To top the whole night off….when Phuong and I went to pick up his motorbike both our helmets were stolen! My second stolen helmet in a week!! I was going to take my helmet with me when we parked but Phuong assured me that no one would dare steal helmets at this upscale shopping center….with 2-3 security guards working the entrance/exit. Apparently that didn’t make any difference at all. I know that this was entirely my fault….I should have learned my lesson the first time. Fool me once shame on you….fool me twice shame on me. That goes for both the helmets and the movies.
My new patriotic helmet
I bought a new helmet this morning. Different design this time since the other ones have only been bad luck. Patriotic red, white and blue. This helmet was twice as expensive as my old ones…with wrap around leather stitching around the edges making the helmet much more comfortable to wear. I will never leave my helmet unattended again. And from now on I will learn to enjoy watching movies on my Aunt’s tiny CRT TV. It’s going to be a long time before I see another movie in a theater…..and definitely never again in Vietnam.
I have gone to the movies at Megastar in Parkson near the airport on a number of occasions, and I’ve never experienced the issues you shared. The experience was always quite pleasant.
Except, of course, for the fact that the highly “secure” Parkson garage was the place where my helmet got stolen. It was also the place where I was ordered to extinguish my cigarette. By a security guard. Who was, at the time, smoking…
I tend to lock my helmet under the seat. I’ve had two stolen (both from “secure” parking garages). My head is really big and helmets are hard for me to find…
I suppose I could have just been especially unlucky with the type of crowd both times I went to the movies…but I just don’t care to try again.
I have a pretty big head too….on a pound per pound basis I guarantee yours doesn’t hold a candle to mine.
Calm down now!! “Me first” attitude can be a two-edge sword. I think it’s cultural or societal rather than personal. For example, I was flying to VN from LAX. Everyone waited in line as expected. Yet, the same persons who were behind me at the LAX check-in counter failed to maintain the same expected behavior at the customes counter at SGN. Something about VN that impels (if not compels) this “me first” attitude. Many other passengers just don’t skip the line, push and shove. Most of those who waited in line left VN decades ago, like you and me. People just don’t wait in line whether it’s the airport or church. Nevertheless, the same people pushing and shoving will wait in line at Fuddrucker’s or Kroger. In conclusion, when you’re in VN, do not expect queue for anything. No expectation means no disappointment.
Stolen helmets – Ouch!! Double ouch (b/c it’s the second time).
If we keep bashing the locals, then neither you nor I should expect red carpet for anything. Only difference is you’re there, and I am safely in Houston until a few months from now. Anyway, go out and face the crowd with few expectations and remember you ain’t in Kansas any more, (Dorothy).
You know Benny….I have been trying to keep an open mind since arriving in VN. In the U.S., I would not put up with 1/10 of the crap I have here….and yes I realize that it is a societal thing and not personal. However, the movie theaters clearly post A LOT of signs with the rules….and the same people talking during the movies are laughing their asses off at the pre-movie videos showing obnoxious people talking on their cell phones and talking during the movies…..how do they not see that they are these very same people?
It is the fault of the movie theater for not enforcing the rules. I remember when I was in Saigon 8 years ago….no one ever stopped at a stop light….now most people do. Why? Because the cops now stop you and you get a fine when you break the rules. People learn and adapt very quickly when their bad behavior is punished. Businesses have to follow the same model and learn that by doing so….yes they might lose a few customers that don’t like them….but they will also get a lot of people like me to come when I otherwise would not.
Going to the movies is a very personal thing to me…so I am more aware of the bad behavior exhibited by people in a dark theater. I have been extraordinarily patient with people in VN in daily life….and I know it’s going to take a long time and probably a few generational changes before people can possibly be different here. I just can’t put up with it in a theater though.
I like your new helmet, very cool! Any chance we’ll be seeing a picture of you in it?
Yeah…let me just get my seamstress to hurry up and finish my Captain America costume and I’ll put a pic up in a jiff. I wouldn’t hold your breathe though.
i went and saw both avatar and couples retreat at parkson just before christmas with no issues like the ones you have reported. both times the cinema was generally quiet and the experience for me was no difference to watching a movie back home.
yes the me-first attitude gets on my nerves quite a lot also which i normally just let it go. I have been trying to teach my girlfriend he values of being orderly but she will always continue to push and shove to be the first in-line when purchasing items.
Was very apparent when purchasing the movie tickets, the popcorn/drink was even worse as she ignored the ropes and other patrons lined up waiting to be served and just walked to the counter and seemed to demand service in front of other people who didn’t even bat an eyelid to what just happened.
i growl at her for doing so but she just tells me to not be worried about it and its the way everybody in vietnam behaves, one man making a stand cannot change a few millions general ideas so quickly i have now realised
Thanks for sharing your experience Cameron. That makes 2 expats with no issues at the Parkson Plaza Megastar…could it be that the type of clientele near where I live is just especially obnoxious?
No, odgnut!! It’s your deodorant, dude.
Just kidding.
Folks & on a serious note – It takes years to instill a modicum of civility into any group. “??i M?i” or VNese glasnost has brought many changes, mostly material, to VNese society, which is good. Now, we are going beyond material possession to the realm of immaterial civility. It may take the heavy hand of government to put that in place, akin to obeying traffic laws. I am afraid that will happen sooner than later.
Remember, you can always hop on the plane if the heat gets to you. In the meantime, go out and do some T?t thing, like take a picture next to the potted plants at your local flower market, and of course post it here for the whole world to see or go pick up your AquaMan spandex costume or search the town for some Oreos.
[...] Going to the movies in Saigon February 20th, 2010 Leave a comment Go to comments This is a direct extract from the blog "Saigon In A Cup". I wouldn't normally post in this way, but the author captures the feeling of going to the movies in Saigon so perfectly that I couldn't do it any better. I'm about to go see Avatar 3D next week, so I'm hoping that the fervor associated with it to date will cancel out any poor behavior usually to be expected. To read the full post go here. [...]
I agreed with all of your opinion about “me first” attitude and bad behaviour in the theatre. I am Vietnamese but I really can not eccept the way Vietnamese did, they seems that don’t know how to queue in the line. this happened everywhere, in the supermarket, in the hospital, in the airport,ect, they always elbow someone out of the line…I can’t not understand why lots of Vietnamese did that. And now after having experience I learned that one of the reason is, at the crowded the bad people did that for having the chance to pick your pocket and stolen things if you didn’t pay attention.
And if you saw the rich Vietnamese did that it because they weren’t learned how to queue, someone said Vietnamese must learn the queueing culture. exactly. I hope lots of Vietnamese can read what all of you talk about here and they can think and change their behaviour soon.
About talking in the theatre. Sadly most of Vietnamese did that, not just younger kids, and if they talk on cell they never keep their voice down, sometime they shouted and never care of everybody around them
I really want to discuss more but my english is not good enough so sorry.
Anyway, thanks all of you. through your comment I can understand what you think of Vietnamese
Steve, you should put your helmet inside your bike or hang it on the hook under your bike saddle and then lock
Hey Christine…thanks for giving us a Vietnamese perspective on things. I know that there are a lot of Vietnamese people that feel the same way you do…now if only we could convince the majority of the people to be as considerate as you are. Your English is pretty good….enough to get your point across.
By the way…this is my blog and I am not Steve. I am a Vietnamese American….Steve’s blog was just linking back to mine.
Oh, I am very sorry Odgnut. I have big mistake
You are a Vietnamese American, so can you speak Vietnamese?
Yes I can speak….my vocabulary is not very good though. Trying to teach myself how to read so I can learn more vocabulary on my own.
Hi, I happened onto your blog and liked reading it. I’m new in Saigon too, and although I haven’t tried the cinemas, I appreciate your comments about the disruptive audience behaviour. It’s good you try to give them some concessions on why they are they way they are (it’s societal bla bla), but I think you’re spot on to express your own frustrations. Doesn’t mean you’re whining, doesn’t mean you have unrealistic expectations, doesn’t mean you have a negativity disorder. Obviously there are great things about living in Saigon and great things about Vietnamese people, but it’s cool to get the shits with things like that.
It’s also interesting that a simple cinema experience can actually say something about some underlying attitudes as a whole, it could just show some kind of “bubble” mentality which could be a reaction of living for so long with a regime which enforced the “common good”. It might also be linked to some deep programming about self preservation, the way that animals shoulder their way to a trough of food.
Hi Simon, welcome to Saigon! Interesting theory regarding the “bubble mentality”….you could be right, however that doesn’t explain why a lot of the Vietnamese/Asian people that have lived in the United States for decades….and especially the Vietnamese that left before 1975…behave the exact same way; they weren’t really exposed to the current regime.
I normally ignore queue jumpers, but the one time I was waiting in line at a Citimart… The people I was behind in line were about to get rung up, when a freaking lady jumped in front of them. The two jerks said nothing to her. While the two jerks were being rung up, some dude tried to snake me. I had a serious look on my face and told him it was rude for him to jump in front of me in Vietnamese, when I was next. But he still tries to pay ahead of me. I looked at the two fucktards and the register girl furiously. She can tell I was about to fucking rage, so she rung me up before that guy. Western style market WESTERN FUCKING RULES BITCHES. I gave that dude a dirty look the whole time. Vietnamese people need to grow a sack and not let queue jumpers have their way.
I take a Vietnamese class at the University and right before class the motorbike parking is fucking ridiculous. People everywhere just riding up and trying to fit in the little space fucking over the people who waited patiently. I’m
Vietnamese and I’m starting to dislike Vietnamese people. I’m starting to side with my foreign Korean friends that the Viets are freaking robots.
Anyone ever tried getting customer service, when they mess up your order or leave a rubberband in your food? My friends were at Japanese restaurant and found a huge rubberband in their sushi roll. They wanted a new order, but the waitstaff thought there was no reason to make another,freaking ridiculous. Another time I’m in a cafe and the waitstaff sat us at a crooked unbalanced table. My 80,000 dong coffee gets spilled, they didn’t even bother to sit us at a new table or even ask me if I wanted another coffee. ROBOTS!!!!!
It’s definitely the me first I don’t give a fuck about my fellow citizen mentality, that their parents taught them and is reinforced by all the bad behavior around them.
I’ve been here for four months and I’m ready to leave.
You make me seem mellow.
Hi!I accidentally found your site on the Thorn tree forum of Lonely Planet yesterday and was very impressed by what you’d written (that is to say “typed”). I’m a 100% Vietnamese person, or more specifically a Vietnamese teenager. The problems you encountered in the theater are now in fact too ubiquitous that everyone seems to never be aware of them. However, I think if you have your story published on a paper eg. Thann nien or Tuoi tre, people will see themselves in it and be galvanized into action. They may not realize what they are used to doing whenever they come to the theater is annoying, but when the matter is elaborated on more, many of them will turn over a new leaf, I believe. If you would be so kind as to spend several minutes editing and sending your story to the papers via email, it will do a lot of good.
Hi Fiona…thanks for the compliment and the suggestion. I might consider submitting the story when I have more time…but do the Vietnamese newspapers even accept submissions in English? I cannot read or write tieng viet yet.
In regards to the “me first” issue, I don’t think that it’s as simple as letting people know what they do is “annoying”. I think these people know what they do is wrong….it’s just that they personally feel that they are exempted from the rules. For example…motorbike drivers hate automobile drivers…and vice versa….but give the motorbike driver a car and he will aggressively push his way through traffic…honking and yelling at all the stupid motorbike drivers…totally forgetting that he used to be one of them.
It’s nice to hear opinions from young Vietnamese people like yourself though….I have great hopes that in a generation or two people in this country can learn to be more considerate of others when in public. It’s not something that I believe will change overnight…and I still believe that rules can create better behavior if only business establishments have to the courage to implement and enforce them.
Heh, I lived across the street from Cinebox Hoa Binh for a short time. The Cinebox chain is considered the economy theater: the sound system and seating is not as good as Galaxy and Megastar, but it’s half the price so you get what you pay for. If I had a choice between the two Cinebox locations, I would go to the one on 212 Ly Chinh Thang street because it’s newer and a little more upclass.
One thing that *really* annoyed me about the movie experience in Vietnam is that many of the movies are edited! It’s hard to tell in some movies, but when I watched Watchmen the cuts were so abrupt and often that I wanted to walk out. They can cut out large chunks of a movie for any number of reasons (gore, violence, foul language, nudity, etc.), or maybe even to shorten a film so that they can show more movies in one day, hence selling more tickets. In all fairness, this practice happens in India and probably lots of other Asian countries as well.
I didn’t realize they cut scenes from movies shown in theaters, I thought they only did that for movies on cable. Hmm….all the more reason to avoid going to the movies in VN.
The next you go see an R-rated movie in VN, notice how little violence/gore/nudity/F-bombs you see in the movie. You can even time the movie with your watch and compare it to the official running time as published on imdb.com. I know in Watchmen they cut out most of the bloody death scenes.
Still, I did go see Avatar twice in Saigon (once in 2D and once in 3D) and thoroughly enjoyed both occasions.