There hasn't been a movie in years I have been willing to shell out $12 (or however much it has gone up to now) so I wouldn't see the value of paying $8 over the price for a vibrating chair that isn't going to make the garbage on screen any better.

When I read this, my first thought was "how crappy is it for all the people who didn't pay $8 for the jolty seat?" I mean, to hear "whoa!" somewhere in the theater every time someone got jolted by the seat, and to hear the buzzing from the seat itself (I assume it's not totally silent), and the laughter from kids who weren't supposed to see Terminator: Salvation anyway, but are now not only in the theater, but are in the buzzy seats making noise, and are being shaken like the shaky machine and/or like a Polaroid picture.

Am I the only one who thinks that this is a somewhat unfortunate name with seemingly no explanation?

Oh, Canada. When will we ever learn?*

*Those were the original lyrics. True story! ;)

I don't need to pay $8 for "chairs [that] vibrate when explosions happen" - I experience the same thrill for $2.98 after two $.99 bean burritos from Taco Bell and a $.99 Redbox rental.

Is this something we really want? I'm still mortified by the "Bugs Life" movie at uniersal or wherever it was where the chairs like stabbed you and moved.

Damn. Now how am I going to be able to solicit back rubs and complementary pony rides?

Hate to be the spoilsport, but what does the chair do during those adult-themed moments? And, Consumerist in me forces me to ask, is it really worth the eight dollars?

Now you'll have to bring chair condoms to movies to make sure you're not sitting in someone elses puddle.

@I Love New Jersey: I would take the time to disagree with you and argue with you about the quality of movies lately, but I think everyone already knows from your screen name and avatar that your judgement is flawed.

If the Ain't It Cool News guy stress tested it, then that's one sturdy chair!

@unobservant: I guess that P-Box or O-Box was taken?

Maybe they'll re-release the Tingler so we can all get that authentic 1959 Percepto movie going experience. I'm eagerly awaiting the reintroduction of Smell-o-vision, or maybe they can start flying skeletons on wires across the movie theater during 3D horror monster movies.

...you know what? I was originally making fun of this idea, but all of a sudden it sounds amazing.

I don't need to pay $8 for a vibrating chair. The last 3 movies I went to, I had someone doing it for free by constantly kicking the back of my nonvibrating chair. And one of them was not a child.

They have a theater like that at the Baltimore aquarium. You can watch a half hour version of a movie there. The chairs move, they bump, they have a little plastic thing that makes it feel like there are rats running around your feet, they pump snow into the room, they pump smells into the room, they'll spray you.

It's kinda cool for a quick movie, I'm not sure I'd want to do it for a full length movie though.

@pecan 3.14159265:

Ha - when I first read it, I read it as "It Ain't Cool" which is exactly what I was thinking about the whole thing!

First 3D films enjoy a resurgence, and now vibrating seats return from the dead. This is all new takes on old ideas. Seriously, look up "The Tingler." [tinyurl.com]

I bet it's only a matter of time until we have guys in costumes running around the theaters. Smell-o-vision won't be far behind, I'm sure.

@nonsane: So I'm not the only one worried that this thing will make the movie too exciting?

I don't mean pervs either. I mean someone who just wanted to see a movie may have to leave in the middle of a car chase before something bad happens.

I haven't been to a big box theater in years, and this isn't going to get me back.

However, if this came out when i was a kid, you bet I would have demanded to see Star Wars in a vibrating throne.

My kids are little, but soon they'll be at prime star wars age (or whatever this generation's version is... Transformers?)

@Gene Gemperline: oops - looks like somebody already made my point. Oh well.

I feel that with the crazy amount of money the film industry rakes in, our whole movie theater experience should be a whole lot more entertaining/interactive.

Better surround sound system, that actually have films created for this format. Same goes for picture quality and effects. Why can't we have all our films shot on IMAX and regular film.

I love the idea of vibrating seats, the film industry is so boring and lackluster in my opinion. So much money made, so little reinvested in the movie going experience. Oh, and look at the quality of main stream films...that another topic..ooh Boy what a DOOZY!

And for the easily motion sick who do unwittingly apply, can you imagine the barf-fest that will occur?

Pass.

@I Love New Jersey: Taken, Star Trek, The Dark Knight, Iron Man, Slumdog Millionaire, Pan's Labyrinth, Hot Fuzz...

just to name a few for you.

Wow... the explanation was not at all what I pictured when I read the headline... don't ask, I have too vivid an imagination to post it here.

@takes_so_little: From what I know about kids (which is admittedly, not much), Star Wars will always be popular. Transformers is NOT an apt example for this generation's Star Wars...also, it's much more violent than Star Wars ever was, and I don't think kids should be seeing it when they're young anyway.

I'm pretty sure Star Wars and Indiana Jones are the de facto obsessions for every kid when they're at "that" age...unfortunately, since I'm a girl, my parents were forced to conform to gender norms and I didn't see Star Wars until I was 14 and it had already been out for a really long time.

@I Love New Jersey:
You must be watching the wrong movies then.

@Trai_Dep: And here I thought I was going to be the first one to make this comment. :D

@pecan 3.14159265: Exactly. Dude needs to get out more.
PS: Wall-E! Caroline!!

@synergy: I think that you would make an excellent drinking buddy. :)

There will be an instant lawsuit as soon as someone falls out of one of the seats.

This is better for a short theme-park film that was designed for it and not a full length movie. I don't think anyone would want to experience this for a full movie, most people want to relax during a movie and not be shaken around.

I've heard the motions during some of those theme park rides and Ripley's were quite violent so I am not sure how this is but from what I hear some people complain about being sore from the ride the day after and those are only short films.

Here's a question.
What will they do about unused D-Box seats? Will ushers shoo away kids squatting in them? Or will they be deactivated unless someone buys a ticket (thus a reserved seat, which raises another problem: empty prime-location seats)?

So, is Feel-A-Round coming next?

@Canino: Post of the day, right there.

The only thing I'd ever pay extra for in a movie theater is personal headphones so I can enjoy the movie in peace without having to hear running commentary from the yammering dolts around me.

@pecan 3.14159265: I'll have to learn all of this when my oldest finds out what he's been missing having been fed a steady diet of BBC nature documentaries, concert films, and the occasional PBS Kids show. I'm definitely one of those overbearing parents who needs to see something before I let my kids see it.

@korybing: Dang, beaten to the Tingler reference. Seriously, Castle was doing this for no extra charge back in the 50s. You gotta read his book for at least the issue he had with Lloyds to buy insurance in case someone died of fright.

The Film Forum in NYC has seats permanently wired for the Tingler but they haven't shown it in a few years. I cannot wait to take my kids to see that.

@Gene Gemperline: "I bet it's only a matter of time until we have guys in costumes running around the theaters."

Hit a Rocky Horror showing lately?

@Sorshha: Ahh yes, The bug's life 4-d show in the "tree of Life" at Disney's Animal Kingdom.. I'm with ya on that one. All of the disney animatronic rides scare the bejeezbus out of me!

@takes_so_little: I don't blame you. Actually, Wired's Geek Dad blog does a pretty good job of screening movies for parents. The guy who writes for it recently screened Star Trek and was very fair about its content. I did see some kids the second time I watched Star Trek and they seemed to really enjoy it.

I'm not a parent, but I can appreciate the task of screening things for kids. It's better for every movie viewer adult and child alike if I don't see kids at a rated PG-13 movie just because it's not rated R.

Theaters are desperate to provide something, anything, that people can't get at home with a 56" TV and surround-sound. Right now, the extras they're providing consist solely of jerks who talk on their cell phones during the movie and $8 popcorn.

There might be one movie a year that I'd find more enjoyable with this technology, though. (2009 = Star Trek.) So I think it's a lot of cash outlay for not great gain.

First sticky floors, now sticky seats!

Tickets in my area are $11.

If you use Fandango, which is HIGHLY recommended for new movies, that's another $1.50.

If the movie is in 3d, that's another $3.

And now if it's got D-motion, it's another $8 on top?

Throw in another $10 for popcorn and a drink, and we're at about $33.

Per ticket.

For >2 hours of entertainment.

No.

Thanks.

@Trai_Dep:

I would make the whole theater D-Box seating, then put a special barcode on the ticket stub that you would insert into the chair. The barcode enables the chair for just that particular showing.

The projectionist room would be able to override this and enable a chair, for instance if you had a special event (no tickets) or a ticket wasn't responding properly.

@Outrun1986:

I doubt d-box is as intense as those amusement park 4-d rides.

@Trai_Dep: there's probably an adult theatre owner reading the article right now and wondering how to get $50 for specially made seats. specially made waterproof, stain resistant, seats

Would possibly be less disorienting if they picked a character and stuck with him or her. You'd have to plan more but then the movie-goers would have the benefit of another sense to gain information for the movie and story. People can and will process this extra information...which is why switching back and forth between good guys and bad guys would be so disorienting. But still awesome.

@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): hehe, besides the costumes, i've been to more than one showing of rocky horror where someone was vibrating something in their seat....

@Trai_Dep: Also Monsters Vs Aliens 3D. Very entertaining.

@Trai_Dep: No, but the PO Box was. :) It could have been worse-they could have gone with a bag instead of a box...

You can do this on the cheap. I have bolted "bass shakers" to the bottom of the furniture in my screening room, and connected them to my subwoofer amplifier.

"Bass shakers" are what makes cars vibrate to music as they drive down your street. You can get one for under $20.

In my home theater, they make my furniture shake to onscreen explosions.

@Outrun1986: "most people want to relax during a movie and not be shaken around."

...not people seeing Iron Man and Batman and other comic book movies. Having checked those two out of the library, they are very fast-paced and frenetic, not at all conducive to relaxation.

And I'll bet those are the kinds of movies this technology would be the biggest draw for. Unless you see some syrupy chick flick and the chair can make you feel like your heart is actually breaking.