Friday, August 19, 2011

Mile High Blub

Hands up: Who gets weepy at the movies?

It's not too bad when you're sitting in a darkened movie theatre, and have time to mop up the tears before the lights come back on. But if you're in public, blubbing away whilst frantically searching for tissues is not a good look.

That's why I was thrilled to read that Virgin Atlantic has introduced Emotional Health Warnings for inflight movies.

Yes, apparently the airline management are so concerned at the number of Tired And Emotional passengers on board, they've decided to flash a warning sign before the start of tearjerker movies. The warning will advise passengers to have tissues at the ready, and to press the call button for a shoulder to cry on if necessary.

That would have come in handy when I watched Marley And Me on a flight to Samoa with the family a few years ago. I bawled my eyes out, even though I'd read the book and knew what was coming.

Oh yes, the kids thought it was HILARIOUS.

"Hey look, Mum's crying," they shouted happily, just in case anyone in our vicinity had not already noticed.

So it's good to know I'm not alone.
A recent Virgin Atlantic survey found that 55% of passengers agreed their emotions become heightened when on a flight. A staggering 41% of men surveyed said they hid under blankets to hide their tears. Bless.

Meanwhile, women said they were most likely to hide their tears by pretending they had something in their eye. Yeah, like anyone is going to believe that old chestnut.

Psychologist Corinne Sweet says our emotions are heightened when we're in the air.

“High flyers feel emotional at altitude as their defences are lower than usual, as they put themselves in someone else’s safe hands.  The space created by long-haul flying can allow for deep-seated feelings to surface, especially when triggered by tear-jerking films."

Members of Virgin Atlantic’s Facebook site, were asked which movies have made them cry whilst on board aircraft.  The top 10 movies?
1) Toy Story 3
2) The Blind Side
3) Eat Pray Love
4) My Sister’s Keeper
5) Seven Pounds
6) Brokeback Mountain
7) The Notebook
8) Gran Torino
9) Invictus
10) Billy Elliott

Virgin Atlantic’s Film Critic Jason Solomons says films inspire strong emotions.

“On a flight, we're isolated, leaving loved ones or aching to be reunited with them. We're nervous, we're tired, we might have had a drink at a time we usually wouldn't. If we see an image, a scene that reflects our emotional state, frankly we're suckers.

"Flying and films is a heady cocktail, the images and feelings so close to your eyeballs, so intimate. It's the modern-day drive-in and they always seemed to me the most romantic of dates.

“You don't really want to land with mascara running down your cheeks or bloodshot eyes but you can't help it. And if you're tempted to hug the stranger next to you, just point to the screen blubbing and I'm sure they'll understand."

Yeah, either that or ask the flight staff if they can change seats!

So readers, have you joined the Mile High Blub? Leave a comment below, and you'll be in the running to win one of four Friends With Benefits packs.

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Australia, the packs include a double in-season pass to Friends With Benefits, starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis;  a Friends With Benefits Little Black Book, and a mini-pillow.

Winners will be announced on Friday August 26, 2011.


Hespera's Garden said...

My husband refuses to hand over the credit card for the Entertainment Pack on flights, simply because I'll be the one making a scene with the tears. And then I get extra cranky when I get interrupted in my sob fest by the child who wants more food.

blondtress said...

I think everytime I have been on an overseas flight I have had a bit of a cry and not just at the movie I was watching! I agree you get very tired and emotional on thos elon trips!

Anonymous said...

I'll just be perfectly honest and say, it'd be easier to find films on plans that I'd *not* cried about (i.e. Ghost Writer)...because I am a massive blub-fest when stuck in a tin can in the air. Okay, okay, I'm probably just as bad in my lounge room. Or in the theatre.

A Cajun Down Under said...

I'm not so much of a crier during long haul travel because I avoid the tear jerkers. I have majorly embarrassed myself by laughing uncontrollably to the point of crying though - Date Night, the scene where the 2 cars get stuck together. I also watched The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo once which unbeknownst to me was pretty graphic. I kept looking around to see if anyone "knew" what I was watching. Thankfully the kids were engrossed in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and never looked up.

MummyK said...

I carry my own in flight entertainment in my laptop :) I'm a control freak like that ;)

Veggie Mama said...

Haha I definitely cried once when I landed after a 13 hour flight because I was so tired and hadn't slept in two days and I totally wasn't ready to get off the plane!

macsnorky said...

Last o/s trip I scored The Blind Side. Bawled my eyes out! Fortunately it was in between two light hearted movies. I couldn't have coped with a second tear-jerker on the one flight!

I must admit though, that movie blubbing isn't restricted to air travel though. I'm like Anj and will just as easily blub at any movie no matter where I am. Pathetic.

Eloise said...

oh, I thought it was just me!!!! If Im travelling alone I will only watch funny movies. I can't handle long international flights and tear jerkers! Last year when I flew to LA I watched the same movie 3 times because it was the only one I could safely watch (that, and the fact the main character was insanely goodlooking!!!).

The funniest 'plane crying' experience I ever heard was about my gay friend who broke up with his boyfriend in Sydney and flew home to Perth in such a hysterical state that the air stewardess had to come over and ask him to calm down as he was distressing other passengers - he was crying so much his eyes started to bleed!!!! Anyway when he got back to Perth he went to a job interview and the woman interviewing him said 'and how do you feel you handle stressful situations?' and he said 'oh I never get upset, Im a very calm person and just let things slide' and she said 'well that's funny because I was on a plane with you a couple of days ago.....' HAHAHAHAHA he didn't get the job :)

Anonymous said...

I normally avoid watching movies that I know will make me blub uncontrollably and instead opt for a kids movie. Inevitably though, a kid will distract me before I am completely engrossed in the movie and sobbing.

Marg said...

I'm a crier from way back. Soapies, movies, comedies, another person walking down the other side of the street, when I am arriving or when I am leaving! Could be any time really!

ViviVan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

Wow that is interesting! Although I think I would just prefer better seating and the ability to recline properly to help my emotional and physical health ;)

Kelley @ magnetoboldtoo said...

I am too busy freaking the hell out.

CraftyMummy said...

The last flight I took I had the kids with me for the first time. (Yes, they're 5 and 7. We don't have reason to fly very often!) Anyway, I was fine but one child cried loudly for 20 minutes.. then fell fast asleep. All worn out from the trip I suspect.

I definitely cry in movies, but I don't remember crying too much on flights. I found it was worth holding it together when I was flying with high school students on school trips - just to keep an eye on them all.


I have been known to cry at Toy story, no way would I even watch A MOVIE on plane in closed quarters.

Anonymous said...

I cry at tv commercials - so dont'get me started. I've cried at ALL of them - but actually not on a plane. Usually at the movies or at home on the couch!!

Mumma's Mini Mes - Kym said...

I haven't cried on a plane flight when seeing a movie. I have been so busy kid wrangling while on the last half dozen of flights that I don't even get to see the end of a movie. I do cry at movies at home, Marley and Me got me too.

nellbe said...

No I haven't but I have not been on enough flights to even consider it.

Amber S said...

Hi Bronwyn,
I don't have a plane story, Mum had to ban Lassie at our house when I was young as I would get hysterical that Lassie would not save the "insert cute animal or kid" in time.
I cried at Marley and Me big time, and if you ever want to have a good cry, try What Dreams May Come with Robin Williams.

Suzy said...

I'm a crier from way back, and I cry at the drop of a hat! I definitely try to steer clear of tear jerkers on planes for that exact reason, but I have been known to have a good cry a few times (long haul flights are good for that when they turn all the lights down ;)

Ames said...

I'm a crier but I've never watched a movie on a flight that has made me cry. Thank goodness! I have watched Top Gear on a flight and laughed too loud a few times, we got asked to quiet down.

Cate said...

I definitely cry quietly during movies- but none more so than when I was pregnant. I would cry even more during the happy parts of the movie than the sad.

nereda said...

If I do a sad cry I always get the tension headache that goes along with it. Much prefer crying tears of laughter. :-)

MM said...

haven't cried on a flight yet

Happyhousewifey said...

I haven't been on planes very much, so haven't really had much of an opportunity (I think the only onboard movie I've watched is SHAFT!?). I probably would ball my eyes at though if given a decent opportunity, as I cried at home during the Olympics when people won, or when those trapped miners were rescued :)