My worst audience experience happened when I went see LOTR: The Two Towers with my wife and her sister. There was so much noise from the crowd I completely missed about a third of the dialogue. Two different individuals several rows in front of us had several brief cell phone conversations during the film and a group of teenagers (who obviously had seen the film 18 times already, but didn't have anywhere better to go) to our right kept cutting up. At one point I got so annoyed with the them, I got up and was making my way over to them when someone else beat me to it. He told them to move down front if they couldn't shut up. They did move down, but continued to be disruptive enough that someone else now cursed to be near them went and told the management. The theater sent in a person who told them to be quiet, then left. Naturally the teenagers started back up again after a few minutes. Then somebody several rows behind us decided to start up a running commentary on the film. So I stood up, turned around, and glared back in that general direction until they got quiet. Later an employee came in with a broom and trash can to hang out till the film ended - taking no notice of the inconsiderate audience members.

After the film ended I went searching for the manager. I explained my displeasure and requested a refund for the three of us. Flustered, he was issuing instructions to an employee to comply when a lady came up to him and said, "I wanted to tell you about a problem in your theater." Excusing himself, he turned to her and asked which film and what problem. She replied, "The Two Towers. Me and my friend were sitting in the back watching the film. There was a couple near us talking. But then some guy stood up and just stared straight at ME for several minutes! It really freaked me out!" The manager took her to one side and calmed her, then turned back to me.

"You see!", I exclaimed, "That's exactly the kind of stuff I was talking about!"

In addition to the monetary refund, I also got free passes - which I never used...