While I am in the United States many things continue to surprise me; similar to when I had first arrived in Saudi Arabia. I was like the wild deer caught in the headlights when first arriving to Saudi Arabia and experiencing many of the customs and cultures that I was aware of but had only read about. These included segregation of the sexes; seeing men walking hand and hand in public; eating meals from shared dishes while sitting on the floor; and many more. Over time, some of those customs and cultures became familiar and comforting. Comforting because by understanding and following some of the cultures I also knew I was accepted and integrated into a large extended Saudi family.
Yet there would also be times when my husband and I had a desire for some Western experiences that would not be easily available in the Kingdom. One of those experiences we missed was our traditional date night where we would go out to dinner and then catch a newly released movie at the theatre. Because public movie theatres are prohibited in Saudi Arabia, our date night would become a date weekend with a trip to Bahrain. In Bahrain we could enjoy our intimate dinner for two gazing soullessly into each other’s eyes and then make our way hand-in-hand to the movies. Those getaway weekends are among many of the special memories I hold of the short times and life with Abdullah.
Now that I am back in the United States I had an opportunity a few weeks back to go to a movie theatre. Even before entering the theatre I wished that Abdullah were beside me. It was an odd feeling to enter a theatre without him beside me. And I know he would have been amazed and enjoyed the New Movie Theatres. In Bahrain the theatres had soft comfortable seats that we could sink into. The New Movie Theatre which I went to in America was different before I even saw the seat. First of all, it was traditional for Abdullah and I to go to the snack bar and order the largest box of buttered popcorn. To my surprise at the New Movie Theatre there was not so much as a snack bar but more like a bar with upscale snacks and finger foods. It was certainly a first for me to see that a theatre had wines and beers on its list of menu selections. And for those with hearty appetites, sandwiches, chicken wings and other substantive items were available. Fortunately popcorn remained on the list of choices. After getting the popcorn and making the way to the theatre other surprises awaited. The chairs were plush and large and swiveled side to side. There was even a foot rest for the weary feet. The chairs were also grouped together in sets of two with a round table between to easily hold food and drinks. The New Movie Theatre was much different than the ones in Bahrain. And certainly a lot different from the ones in Saudi Arabia which are typically available only on select compounds.
Filed under: Abdullah, America, culture, Entertainment, Freedoms, Saudi Arabia, Saudi blogs, Saudi culture, Saudi customs, Uncategorized Tagged: | America, blogging, culture, culture shock, customs, KSA, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Saudi culture, Saudi customs
I too used to love going to the movies but I’m finding the cost of going to the theatres inversely proportional to the quality of the films being produced, i.e. paying a lot of money to see poor quality movies.
Having said, one of my favourite movie going experiences was seeing the horror movie “The Ring” at a midnight showing in a crowded movie theatre that served alcohol in a US college town, and having everyone shriek in fright at the same time throughout the entirety of the movie.
sounds like a really nice theater!
My goodness! I don’t think I have ever had a movie going experience quite like that!
Another trend in movie theatres that I’m not sure I understand, or even like, is assigned seating. It’s very common in Europe and I notice that Robert Redford’s Sundance Movie Theatres in the states are starting the same practice. I too echo the comment that the cost of going to the movies has made the habit too expensive to indulge with frequency. I would love to go to the movies more often than I do!
I got really excited when I read the title of your article = I thought you had some inside info. I really miss those big boxes of buttered popcorn!
I think most expats in Saudi can definitely list going to the cinema at the top of our miss list!
I have a hard time seeing the prohibition of movie theaters here in the Kingdom when we have satellite dishes where you can see much worse.
Just curious, are the movies in Bahrain censored at all? I heard they were in the UAE.
I guess with Saudi it’s partly the fear of another venue to worry about strangers meeting in the dark. Aside from prayer, every other activity is an opportunity for sex, you know.
As much as i’d like to see a movie theater in Riyadh, i can’t help but think it wouldn’t be an enjoyable experience. As with most other things, they would try to implement it the “Islamic way”, which means half-assed.
They would have “women’s day” or “family showing” which means a bunch of ill-behaved kids coming to run around up and down the isles. They’d probably have those ladies with sticks chasing them (like they do on the train at the zoo). I can picture their shadows crossing the screen.
To further enhance the ambiance, a mutawa would probably be stationed outside to admonish us as we entered. And all the ladies with niqab would have to go through a screening room to check their true identities.
They probably wouldn’t allow any movies above PG. I don’t know, do PG and G even exist anymore??! LOL!
But take heart, Laura, i keep hearing theaters ARE coming. Like driving. Of course, they’ll probably be in Jeddah and Dammam for 10 years before they ever make it to Riyadh.
Glad i have my new flat screen.
What an unusual theater Carol. I’ve never seen one like that. What movie did you see??
Where I am living now and for the past 20 years there is no theater and we do miss that. We are moving in 3 weeks to a big city so it will be a joy to see movies again.
When Sharia law came into Sudan the movie theaters also disappeared and that loss is still mourned by Sudanese. Sometimes it seems like KSA and now Sudan’s laws just want to suck the joy out of people’s lives.
I’d not heard of movie theatres with assigned seating. I don’t think I like that idea.
My take on why the movie theatres are “upgrading” and offering all these additional features is because of the competition with video stores, red box and other venues where one can get movie rentals for so little cost. (Red box is $1.00 per rental)
As part of the competition methods, the theatres are trying to make the whole movie experience a “date” or “family” experience where you can now get a meal, enjoy the beverage of choice and have the larger more comfortable seats along with the personal tables.
I am not aware of movies being censored in Bahrain. I saw “Charlie Wilson’s War” when it came out in Bahrain and it was not censored at all.
I love Maggie’s description of what a movie theatre in Saudi would probably be like. I agree.
There are places throughout the Kingdom where one can see movies but not so much as the traditional theatre. Most of these places are on compounds or at embassies which have a theatre. Yes, the movie will be one that had likely already made all the rounds in typical theatres and it will be shown from a DVD. However you are in a theatre, there is the big screen and either snacks are available or you bring your own.
There are folks who also host their own movie nights which is fun. Again, the movies are DVD but shown on a big screen. Some folks have more of a ‘theatre environment’ and with others, it may be chairs lined up or even more informal. In these cases, there is more of a camaraderie and usually everyone contributes snacks to enjoy while watching the show.
I would suggest watching local papers or checking embassy web sites for when there are European Film Festivals or other such programs. Although not a movie theatre per se, these are usually engaging and enjoyable movies and these take place even in conservative Riyadh.
Maggie…
“Movie theaters an opportunity for sex” too funny! I had not even thought of that while reading the post, but no doubt you are right.
When I was a kid as Carol said, families would gather together to watch a movie in someone’s home. Or the parks would show one on a giant screen(often a huge white sheet strung up) and everyone would gather on blankets or lawn chairs with mosquito repellent and a cooler and watch the movie “campstyle”. It was so much fun…but of course they were always kid friendly which was OK by me. A few years ago we went to one in a local park…a Disney movie about some animal heroes.
“Sometimes it seems like KSA and now Sudan’s laws just want to suck the joy out of people’s lives.”
Wendy, i think that’s definitely the intent. I guess we’ll look forward to heaven more that way.
Bedu, surely you mean ”soul-fully” instead of ”soul-lessly”?????
egads….what a Freudian slip!
[...] any country in the Middle East, and these celebrities have nothing to say about Saudi Arabia, which prohibits movie theaters, or Iran, which issues death-dealing fatwas against artists insufficiently respectful of [...]
[...] any country in the Middle East, and these celebrities have nothing to say about Saudi Arabia, which prohibits movie theaters, or Iran, which issues death-dealing fatwas against artists insufficiently respectful of [...]