How many times have there been those of us who have gone to the cinema only to find the experience overpriced and underwhelming?

Noisy cinema-goers, smelly food, people using their mobile phones in dark rooms – these are not the ingredients required for a good cinema experience.

Silence, comfy seats, no crunchy food, bans on mobile phones – call me a zealot but it does make a difference.

Watching a film in the right environment is paramount to making the most of it.

Movie event companies such as Secret Cinema have been organising events where people dress up to watch films in film-appropriate locations for ages but now it is finally heading here.

Organisers of Eastleigh Film Festival have arranged for three great films at perfect locations, a bowling alley, an Italian restaurant and a shopping centre.

It’s great to see three Hampshire companies realise the vision of the festival and allow these films to be screened at their premises.

For those who don’t know, the Coen Brothers’ complex drama The Big Lebowski will be shown at Eastleigh AMF Bowling, Stanley Tucci’s restaurant-set Big Night screened at La Fenice Italian Restaurant and George A Romero’s zombie flick Dawn of the Dead at the Swan Shopping Centre.

The uncomfortable surroundings of a shopping mall will only help Dawn of the Dead feel even more unbearable while supping a glass of Chianti in an Italian eatery while watching Big Night would lend it pathos.

Fans of a certain podcast featuring a certain Hampshire film critic and his certain Radio DJ friend and colleague will be aware of the Cinema Code of Conduct.

I’m a long subscriber to Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo’s Code of Conduct and proud of it.

I am always glad when an audience is quiet, doesn’t eat smelly, crunchy food and doesn’t use mobile phones.

But having lasagne or the clatter of bowling balls in the background can only be beneficial.

It's yet another great way of getting to enjoy the magic of cinema by putting it in context and one which I am very much looking forward to.

For more information see www.eastleighfilmfestival.com.

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Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here