When I watch a well-made film in a movie theatre, I'll stick around after the last scene to watch all the closing credits, as my acknowledgement of the special skills contributed by all listed, including the "Best Boy", the "Dolly Grip" and the "Catering Service", if shot on location, as well as the "Wranglers" and the "Animal Trainers" if a Western movie. Hal
When was the last time you were in a movie theater? I think the last movie I saw in theater was in 1991 or so. You really care about the catering service?
I always liked to watch the closing credits. Very annoying at the theater. Everyone stands up so you can't see them. On old TV reruns they usually cut them out completely. I'll see someone who looks familiar, maybe someone who is now rather famous, and you can't find out. I remember watching them even as a kid. Edith Head's name always appeared somewhere. She must have been a very busy person.
The only time I watch the credits is if I want to know about the music. Sometimes I hear a song in a movie and I want to know who's singing, etc. I also like to know shooting locations for some reason. If a place looks appealing, I google to find out where the movie was shot.
I, too, watch the closing credits, but I'm not certain why. You've likely noticed that these days they scroll by too fast to be read. I imagine they are there (a) as a contractual obligation, (b) to be part of that film's documentation, and (c) as some legacy custom for the use by others in the industry. These days, there's likely a website or database where a director can go to see who the Best Boy was for a particular film, if they don't already know (and if the Union doesn't get to pick the crew.)
Beth, to be honest, it has been many years since I was in a motion picture palace as well, but TCM (Turner Classic Movies) presents their TV films complete with the closing credits, which are scrolled at an easy-to-read pace. No, I don't really care about the catering service, because I know that studio-produced films feed their casts in the studio Cafeteria. Best Boy Hal
"Edith Head must have been a very busy person?" You bet she was, Nancy! As head of the Costume Department, she was almost as important as the Director! Hal
I used to watch all the credits too, usually because the music or location credits are at the end. When I see someone in a movie that I think I recognize but can't think of their name, I look up the IMDB for that movie and scan through the cast until I find the name that goes with the character, then I go to Their IMDB to figure out what I remember them from. I like going back in time to see what current favorites have done that I saw, but it wasn't a big enough part to stick in my mind.