In contrast to my other post, what films have you seen where its almost standing room only for the show?
Austin Powers The Spy Who Shagged Me and Goldmember. I recall walking into Goldmember opening night ten minutes early and hardly finding a seat. I think they oversold the room personally.
I remember seeing Spiderman opening weekend and the place being loaded with people. Not a single seat wasn't filled.
A showing of Superman Returns is the only time I've ever been in an almost full to capactiy cinema.
The SA premiere of Uwe Boll's Darfur in March was a full house: no place to even swing an amoeba in there.
Richard Linklater's SLACKER opening weekend in Austin, TX. It was actually standing room. I was on the isle and a middle aged woman stood next to me and watched the film. She kept looking down at me through the whole movie like she expected me to give her my seat. But I felt it was her fault for getting there late and not going to stand next to a gentleman.
When I went to see Star Trek First Contact on opening night, the first showing sold out, I had to catch one of the later ones.
Spider-Man 3
Place was packed.
Norbit
I planned on seeing GhostRider, but had to go it with a friend instead. We got seats in the 3rd row near the aisle and it hurt my neck like crazy. I also spilled Coke on my leather jacket.
Alice In Wonderland 3D
I was off to the side too much.
Quantum Of Solace
Friday The 13th
Opening day.
Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith
1977, and the initial run of Star Wars: Episode 4
It was mid-June, and my parents and I missed the first 2 showings (the last one at 9 PM) so the theatre had a third midnight showing and we waited in line in 90-some degree heat for a few hours until we were let in. And as usual, the theatre was packed when we got in.
Funny, that, because on the 20th anniversary re-showing, my fiance and I and a few friends went to a local theatre, and it was virtually empty, only about 30 or so people. Odd how things turn out.
Freddy vs. Jason- Saw this twice on opening weekend. Went to see it the night it opened, but it was completely sold out through the midnight showing. So, the next day, a Saturday, I was down at the shore. The boardwalk has a small, independantly owned theater. I stopped in to see Freddy vs. Jason and it was surprisingly sold out, seeing as it was a 90 degree day at the Jersey Shore with a free beach right there. Then, on Sunday, I came home and some friends hit me up to see it. I was like, "Sure, I'll see it again." We get there, and we bought the last 2 tickets.
Friday the 13th (2009 Remake)- Saw the midnight showing the day it opened. People were tripping over each other in the aisle just to sit down.
Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace- Granted, I was under the impression we were going to see Big Daddy with Adam Sandler. I hate Star Wars. But, we pull up to the theater, I had taken off work and had no car, so, I reluctantly bought a ticket to see Phantom Menace. Not only was it packed full of these guys in COSTUME (The hell's up with that?) but it was dreadfully long. Only good experience I got out of it was that I liked Jar Jar Binks cause he was funny, and everyone hated him. :buggedout:
It was hard to find a good seat for the following but all were great movie experiences:
Star Trek: First Contact (good atmosphere, fun time, lots of Trek fans on hand)
Jurassic Park (the best experience overall, everyone was gasping and the excitement level was high)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (action packed film had the audience surprisingly enthralled)
Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (sure the film disappointed but the atmosphere and fans made it a surprisingly interesting and fun time, waiting in line and chatting with fellow fans actually proved better than the film itself)
I remember a couple times being fortunate (or smart) enough to go early enough where I didn't have to wait so long, but by the time I got to the window the line went around the corner from the front of the theater and down a handful of blocks. Probably Raiders Of The Lost Ark or Return Of The Jedi or something. It definitely sold out, filled to capacity.
True Lies. When we got there, they had an usher looking around for seats for us with a flashlight. There weren't any, so we had to leave and come back to a later showing. Which was also totally sold out. But this time we got seated. And the movie was awesome.
It seems to me that 20 or 30 years ago movies were much more crowded and prone to be sold out than they are now. Maybe because today's multiplex theaters have so many screens it is hard to sell them out. I remember quite a few times when I was younger standing in a crowded theater lobby waiting for the usher to unhook the rope and let us in. Then it was a scramble to get a seat. Within a few minutes ushers were walking around helping people find seats and some people had to leave and get refunds. This hardly ever happens anymore (at least when I go to the movies). The last really crowded movie I saw was ROCKY BALBOA on opening night. It was packed and the audience really got into the movie.
Quote from: Trekkie313 on November 26, 2010, 02:27:36 PM
Norbit
I planned on seeing GhostRider, but had to go it with a friend instead. We got seats in the 3rd row near the aisle and it hurt my neck like crazy. I also spilled Coke on my leather jacket.
Thats a joke, right ? :lookingup:
People...saw..Norbit...?
packed ?I'm gonna have to sleep with the lights on tonight, this is scary stuff... :bluesad:
Quote from: The Burgomaster on November 28, 2010, 05:06:23 PM
It seems to me that 20 or 30 years ago movies were much more crowded and prone to be sold out than they are now. Maybe because today's multiplex theaters have so many screens it is hard to sell them out. I remember quite a few times when I was younger standing in a crowded theater lobby waiting for the usher to unhook the rope and let us in. Then it was a scramble to get a seat. Within a few minutes ushers were walking around helping people find seats and some people had to leave and get refunds. This hardly ever happens anymore (at least when I go to the movies). The last really crowded movie I saw was ROCKY BALBOA on opening night. It was packed and the audience really got into the movie.
I'd say that's a part of the reason. Some places have like, 12 screens or more.
Another reason, I think, is the fact that movies cost a MINIMUM of $11, not including popcorn, soda, hot dogs, etc. And on top, if it's 3D, it's at least $14.
Another thing, too, is the abundance of films that can be found by a few clicks of the mouse on the internet. Same day a film opens, you can find it for free online. Pay $15 plus food to see it in a theater, or watch at home for free with a can of beer and some pretzels? :question: :buggedout:
Poltergeist
There was a line around the block, and it was a madhouse inside the theater. "Packed" was an understatement. People were standing or sitting on the floor in flocks all over the place.
The audience really got into the movie as well, which wasn't hard because Poltergeist was/is a certified crowd pleaser.
I worked at a theater in the 80's and the movies that come to mind off the top of my head are:
Karate Kid
A Christmas Story
Police Academy
The hubbub over Police Academy died down after a short while but the other two moveies sold out consistently for weeks.
Batman (1989) - I'm pretty sure it was sold out and this was in an auditorium with well over 500 seats.
I'll never go to a big "event" movie on opening day just to avoid sellouts. I'll usually wait at least until the second week to see it.
I did miss a showing the recent re-release of WIZARD OF OZ because of a sellout, but I went to a late show (10 PM) instead, and the theater still did pretty good business.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King when I saw it on Christmas day was packed.
Quote from: Hammock Rider on November 29, 2010, 11:59:58 AM
I worked at a theater in the 80's and the movies that come to mind off the top of my head are:
Karate Kid
A Christmas Story
Police Academy
The hubbub over Police Academy died down after a short while but the other two moveies sold out consistently for weeks.
Really? I heard it performed poorly at the box office.
The only time I have had the experience was Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. We had to pack in as tight as we could and there were still no seats for some that showed up later. Sadly, after seeing the re-releases of the "new and improved" originals, my faith in Lucas was waning. I'm not a fan of the prequels. They aren't terrible per say but just don't fit in with what was developed before their existence. Ah well, went into a Star Wars complaint there at the end.
It hasn't happened to me in over thirty years, because . . .
(a) I normally see films that wouldn't play to a packed house, even if they gave away tickets.
(b) I go during a cheaper matinee showing, when the evening showing is more likely to sell out.
(c) I wait a week or two, before I see a film, by which time, everyone who wants to see the film has already seen the film.
(d) I get there too late, and they have already sold all the tickets for the performance.
(e) It's a combination of a, b, and c.
I do remember it happening to me one time, and that was back in 1979, when I saw "Moonraker" in a theater that was totally packed. Indeed, they had sold so many tickets for the performance, there were people sitting on the steps in the aisles.
That is for a film on land, but when I cruise . . . when a film from Disney Studios comes out, if you are on the "Disney Magic" or the "Disney Wonder," they'll premiere the film at 12:01 a.m. on the day that it is to be released in the States. And they always premiere it in the Walt Disney Theater, which holds over a thousand people, instead of the Buena Vista Theater, where they normally show films, and I've seen two or three films like that, and that theater is always packed with not a seat vacant. Of course, the showing is always free, so it's a good way to save the $15.00 to $20.00, which I normally pay to see a film.
in reverse chronological order:
- Alice In Wonderland 3d-
- The Dark Knight-
-Blade Runner 2007 Final Cut - it had a limited weekend long release, and we got to see a friday night showing, wasn't completely packed but pretty close, glad to see this movie get its due 25 years after the initial theatrical run.
-The Usual Suspects- my sister took me to see this but we couldn't get in because it was sold out, so we bought tickets for Money Train. According to my sister that movie sucked hard so we left about 20 minutes into it and snuck into Usual Suspects.
It was about halfway into the movie and apparently a few people had walked out earlier because we found some seats. The movie made very little sense though because we missed the beginning. I remember seeing it on vhs a year later and enjoying it a lot.
-Mrs. Doubtfire - Parents dragged me to this on xmas day. I really hated this kind of schmaltzy crap back then, I remember sighing very loudly in boredom during one of the tender moments between Robin Williams and one of the kids, and the lady next to me got overly upset as if I had ruined the movie for her. lame.
-Cadillac Man - another Robin Williams movie, this was packed only because it was the grand opening of a multiplex theatre that had free admission to all movies that night only. This was way back in 1990 and the company my dad worked for built the theatre so my family along with other guests had special passes that allowed us to get in before everyone else. About 10 minutes later they let the general public in and everyone made a mad rush to the concession stand. Did I mention concessions were free that night too? People went insane, ordering more food than they could eat or even carry, and people were throwing food during the movie too. People were throwing large pickles at the screen during the movie. A bunch of high school kids got kicked out for being loud and so they threw drinks at the usher and ran away. It was insane, the movie had little impression on me at the time.
Quote from: hedgie on December 09, 2010, 08:24:58 AM
People were throwing large pickles at the screen during the movie.
:bouncegiggle: :bouncegiggle: :bouncegiggle:
Quote from: Trekkie313 on November 30, 2010, 10:09:25 PM
Quote from: Hammock Rider on November 29, 2010, 11:59:58 AM
I worked at a theater in the 80's and the movies that come to mind off the top of my head are:
Karate Kid
A Christmas Story
Police Academy
The hubbub over Police Academy died down after a short while but the other two moveies sold out consistently for weeks.
Really? I heard it performed poorly at the box office.
Maybe it did overall but at the theater I worked at people loved it. Maybe Mmidwesterners really like Steve Gutenberg?
The most packed movie I ever went to was "The Blair Witch Project".
The hype for that movie was insane so naturally, people flocked to go see it.
Saw it opening night and there was a crazy long line. Fortunately, we were near the front and got good seats. Can't say that for a lot of the people there, though. People were sitting all up and down the steps on both sides. There must've been over 200 people there. :buggedout:
What's the standard capacity per screen now? Anyone know?
The Empire Strikes Back A friends wife went to the theater when the box office opened and got the tickets, she then waited by the door until we all got off work. They tried to make her go to the back of the line, but she stood her ground and we all went in together.
Ten years later my son and I were going to see Batman Returns. The ticket line wrapped around the building and it was really hot outside. They actually brought out carts with drinks (they weren't free, but it was quick thinking by an enterprising manager).