- The IMAX showings for opening day were all sold out by 3 p.m. The theater’s long stairwell was clogged with “Watchmen” fans waiting for the current IMAX showing to empty out. Yes, Geek Nation can draw a crowd, something film studios will be watching closely this weekend.
- The theater in question had staffers working on traffic patrol, presumably to keep some sense of order as cars streamed in and out of the parking lot. Have never seen that before.
- While waiting in line I heard two teen types discussing “Taken” as if it was already out on DVD. They thought so since one of them saw it via an illegal download. The other was asking if he had checked out “Last House on the Left” yet. That film comes out Friday, but clearly the theatrical release date didn’t mean much to them.
- Audience reaction to “Watchmen” was muted, to say the least. I saw the 3:10 p.m. showing, which was probably about 1/4 full – not bad for a matinee. But I got zero excitement out of the crowd.
(Photo: Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays the doomed superhero The Comedian in “Watchmen.” Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)
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I went to see all the newer Star Wars releases at the IMAX with many friends. I know this crowd well. The nerd/geek alert went off too many times to mention but the best is when MT pulled out his laptop and watched a bootleg of Episode II in Russian while waiting for Episode III to start. About 20 super geeks came over to his seat to discuss. I was quickly educated in the realm of downloading movies to ultra-sci-fi trivia. Plus the occasional, “Dude, where’d you get that lightsabre?” I’m anticipating mega-geekdom, or a geek civilization, to emerge on the steps when DC Universe comes out on film.
Good stuff … Geek Nation seems to have no qualms with illegal downloading…
“…it’s only illegal if you get caught (and convicted)”
I only can base my observations on anecdote, but they are widespread as I mingle among several groups. The mindset appears to be: if I can get online for free, I shall.
But I digress.
The geekiest feedback I ever experienced was during a screening of “The Matrix.” However, this was a show at Mann’s, so it was an informed and appreciative Hollywood audience.
The midnight show crowds were not large, but they were appreciative, and expressed enthusiasm at times – mostly during the lifted-from-the-graphic novel Rorschach sequences. I did note that there were v. few under-21-ers [males], which remains the comic demographic sweet spot, despite the near-golden anniversary of “The Watchmen.”
~ Dagnabbitt