January 17, 2007
Fellowship of the Cinema
Here’s an idea.
How many times have you gone to a movie and had the experience ruined by others? The ringing cell phones, the obnoxious laughter, the giggling teenagers, and those damn kids with their laser pointers! My wife and I are not averse to paying $30 for a couple hours entertainment, but that’s only if we’re not seated next to an inconsiderate lout. Despite the lure of the big screen, it’s easy to understand why people wait for DVD.
The tragedy is that seeing a movie with an audience can be a great experience. You don’t get moments like these sitting at home on your couch:
- Throughout the epic car chase in the mediocre Matrix Reloaded, tension in the audience was wound like a spring. It was released all at once when an onscreen character, echoing our own feelings, thrust his hands in the air and yelled, “Yes! Yes!”
- In Jacob’s Ladder the audience created a loud shifting sound when a needle was slowly injected into the protagonist’s forehead. It was the sound of hundreds of people squirming in their seats.
- Seeing a fan favorite like Serenity on opening night was even better. There’s nothing like hearing 300 people gasp at the same time when… well, you know which scene I’m talking about.