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Ninja Task Force to target bad behaviour in cinemas (maybe)

31 August 2012

We get some interesting press releases here at Outsider, most of which we take at face value. And then this one turns up. It's being touted as factual, but I can't help but detect the sound of tongues in cheeks. Its credibility is not helped by the supplied photos, as posed a set of snaps as I've seen all year. But the simple fact is that, as someone who has been driven out of mainstream cinemas by the behaviour of people who should not be allowed into any temple of film, I can't help loving the idea of it.

So I'll hand over to the press people and let you make up your own mind. Should these people be a compulsory fixture of all UK cinemas?

The Prince Charles cinema has teamed up with Morphsuits to put an end to obnoxious behaviour with a team of 'Invisible Cinema Ninjas' ready to pounce on noisy viewers.

Morphsuits, the full body Lycra costume company, has provided a solution to noisy and badly behaved cinemagoers by providing 'invisible ninja' costumes for volunteers to catch culprits of misconduct in the stalls, the second 'anonymous vigilante' act in this month. In a world first, The Prince Charles Cinema has hired a group of volunteer Cinema Ninjas dressed in the black all-in-one Lycra suits – practically imperceptible in the dark of a cinema – to put a stop to bad cinema etiquette and tomfoolery such as popcorn throwing, feet on seats and the use of mobile phones during films. The lighting in the cinema and the nature of the costumes has allowed the 'ninjas' to catch the offenders red handed.

  • Morphsuits contacted The Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square, London with the idea and they agreed to trial the concept

  • They recruited volunteers from their legions of regular cinemagoers in return for seeing the movie they 'guard' for free

  • The Morphsuit ninjas have a clear brief to tackle any breach of what the cinema calls a 'code of conduct' for moviegoers

  • The 'ninjas' place themselves in the darkest areas of the cinema, only coming out when they spot bad etiquette in the stalls

  • Morphsuits are now looking to offer this service to other cinemas around the country, providing suits for free

  • This is the second community act Morphsuits have been involved in, when last week saw 'anonymous unrioters' cleaning up the streets of Clapham to mark the anniversary of the London riots.

Head of PR for The Prince Charles Cinema, Paul Vickery commented:

"The 'Cinema Ninjas' may sound ludicrous, but they have been a real success in clamping down on those ruining films for everyone else with inconsiderate behaviour. Like every cinema, we were irritated and upset by the minority of people running films for everyone else. When Morphsuits got in touch with us and suggested the Ninja idea, I thought it was a stroke of genius. We recruited some of our diehard fans, who get to watch the movies for free, and we haven't looked back since."

So is this for real? If you've been to the Prince Charles Cinema of late and seen them in action, do let us know (a Tweet will do).