Autism Friendly Cinema Screenings

Has anyone has any experience of the autism friendly screenings that cinemas provide?

I think that they have been doing this for some time, but it has only recently come to my attention.

On the surface it seems to be an excellent & inclusive idea where changes to the experience include

  • No trailers / ads prior to the film
  • Customers are free to sit whether they want (you book a particular seat)
  • You can take your own food (avoid the cinema chain rip off prices)
  • Lights remain on (maybe dimmed a little)
  • Volume is turned down (I think that even NT's would say that regular cinema sound volume can be OTT)

The downside is that the choice of film and screening times can be extremely limiting.
Can't say that I'm a big fan of the Trolls movie franchise!
On the other hand, autism friendly Saw X or the like would be interesting.

Parents
  • I just stream films from home. If the cinemas don't want my money enough to make autism friendly screenings for adults at regular times I'm not going to give them a single penny. Besides you can't pause the cinema to go for a break so they shot themselves in the foot decades ago when they did away with the intermission imo, even before streaming and being able to pause tv I always just waited for films to come out on VHS and then DVD. Cinema used to have a golden age but its been in its self inflicted deathroes for a while now, all the "bright" ideas they come up with now are just too little too late as far as I'm concerned.

  • When I was a child a boy in our neighbourhood used to play organ (wearing a bow tie) at our local cinema which would rise up I think before the film etc. I remember there being staff who went around during the intermission selling ice creams (or perhaps I dreamed all that, it was a long time ago now after all) Upside down

  • Not a dream! Also there always used to be a short film before the main feature and you could go in at any time during the film and stay to watch it more than once.

    I read the other day that because films are getting longer intermissions are making a comeback, so praps the ice cream seller will reappear too?

    I don't know whether that will change the noise and disruption and fighting that I also keep reading about though! That's the main reason I wouldn't go nowadays.

  • I haven't been to the cinema in years but used to go all the time (I have a degree in film studies), usually in the afternoon as there would often be a handful of people in. I only recall being alone once, for Blade 2, and I sat right at the front for maximum whoosh. I couldn't have coped with no heating though, omg.

  • I read your that as "The Great Escape" and thought of Steve McQueen on his motorbike Joy

  • I watched The Great Escaper at a local cinema today  https://youtu.be/vKgpfUOja2s?feature=shared I turned out to be the only person in the auditorium (my first ever experience of that for an entire film) and the heating was broken in that screen room and so was pretty cool but ok for me all round Slight smile

Reply Children
  • I haven't been to the cinema in years but used to go all the time (I have a degree in film studies), usually in the afternoon as there would often be a handful of people in. I only recall being alone once, for Blade 2, and I sat right at the front for maximum whoosh. I couldn't have coped with no heating though, omg.

  • I read your that as "The Great Escape" and thought of Steve McQueen on his motorbike Joy