For most people, the sound of a baby crying is enough to ruin a good night at the movies.

But at a recent showing in an Oakland, Calif. theater, the patrons didn’t mind hearing a little crying and wailing here and there. That’s because they all had babies with them. What’s more, the management at the theater actually encourages it.

One night a week, the Parkway Theater hosts the “Baby Brigade,” a special showing of first-run movies for parents with babies under the age of one.

“They love getting out of the house,” says Katherine Fischer, owner of the Parkway Theater. “I had one woman tell me she’d be happy to watch grass grow.”

On Baby Brigade night, the parents usually arrive early to grab the best seats — in this case, couches down front, installed during a recent renovation. They unload enough gear for a camping trip, take time to meet and greet, get popcorn and pizza and finally, they settle down for the feature.

The movies seem to have a mesmerizing effect on some babies, rendering them silent for the duration. Others need to be taken to an area in the rear reserved for more “critical” viewers — the ones that need their diapers changed. So what sets them off? Violence and loud music.

The Baby Brigade is held on Monday, traditionally the slowest night for many theaters. But now, at the Parkway Theater, Monday is one of the busiest nights, sold out every week.

“Baby Night is salvation for those of us who have been trapped in a house,” says Ryder. “We’ve been told, ‘oh, but you can rent a videotape.’”

As the credits crawl, so does the audience, heading home after another night at the movies. The event is so popular, management has decided to add another show to the schedule. Clearly, they say, there is a crying need.

难点词汇：
　　ruin　破坏，毁灭　　　　 patron　顾客，主顾　　　　wail　嚎啕大哭
　　brigade　队，团　　　　　first-run　首轮的 　　　　grab　夺取
　　renovation　装修　　　　 gear　调整 　　　　　　　 mesmerize　施催眠术
　　render　致使 　　　　　　salvation　拯救，救助 　　crawl　徐徐行进