movie audiences: a rant

(Update 10:43 a.m.: I've finally updated My Life In A Nutshell. :-))

Despite the deceptive serenity of the picture above, today's Blathering is another rant, so feel free to skip it. Also, Luisa and Reid have more LOTR line party pics online, if you'd like to check them out. I especially like this one of us playing cards in line.

The focus of today's Blather-rant is

Obnoxious Movie Crowd Behaviour

Is it my imagination, or have manners in public movie theaters degraded over the past decade?

Last night, Allison, Jodi and I went to the Elgin Mills theatre to see Lord of the Rings. Unfortunately the reel of film was slightly damaged...vertical scratches could be seen several times throughout the movie, the sound was defective in places (cut in and out), and there was an annoying fleck that appeared near the top of the screen for 80% of the movie. Not sure if these last two irritants were the fault of the copy of the film itself, or the equipment used by the theatre.

Even the above could have been ignored if it wasn't for the behaviour of some of the audience members in the theatre. Several groups talked or whispered loudly throughout the movie (and I mean throughout the movie), knocked over cups and (what sounded like) large bags of popcorn, didn't bother trying to close theatre door quietly as they went in and out during the movie...nothing like the sound of a door slamming to pull one out of the magic of Middle Earth. Didn't sound like there was any sort of cushioning-type of hinges on these doors.

A group of teenage girls almost directly behind us were especially irritating, whispering and giggling to each other throughout the movie, even in the most moving scenes. I fumed but tried to ignore them - I've found that in the past, it hasn't helped...sometimes it's actually made things worse. I briefly considered moving, but realized I'd end up causing more distraction to others by having to clamber over them in the dark, looking for an empty seat. Allison couldn't stand it anymore during one point and told them to shush. They actually DID shush...for about fifteen minutes.

When one of them loudly whispered, "This movie is TOO LONG!" during one of the most moving scenes, I felt like turning around and dumping her popcorn on her head. But I didn't, because I don't do that sort of thing (not yet, anyway) and also because at that point there was only about ten minutes left in the movie. Others were shushed as well, with the same effect. Sometimes the shushers made more noise than the original offenders.

Maybe it's age, but I don't remember theater audiences being as bad as this when I was a teenager (and lord knows THAT was eons ago ;-)). It's one reason I'm willing to brave long line-ups in order to see a much-anticipated movie on opening day rather than wait until the crowds have died down...avid fans are much more attentive, and also tend to unite in jumping on any obnoxious audience behaviour. Just before yesterday's noon showing of LOTR began, someone's cellphone rang...if this had happened during the actual movie, I doubt he would have left the theater in one piece.

My theory is that with the invention of video and DVDs, people are much more used to watching movies in the casual atmosphere of their homes, where chatting and other distractions are the norm rather than the exception. Some carry these habits into the movie theatre (which becomes just a larger version of their living rooms). Kids tend to be worse in this behaviour because they've never KNOWN a time when you had to go the movie theater in order to see a full commercial-free movie. (And nowadays, even the movies come with commercials in the pre-show, which probably helps solidify the association of the theatre with the experience of watching tv at home, at least in their minds).

Geez, I do sound like a miserable old curmudgeon, don't I?

Maybe I should go have some eggnog or stand under mistletoe or something.

On a positive note, I got to see the trailer for Spiderman (which looks pretty cool) and Star Wars (I liked the trailer better on the big screen than I did after downloading it to my computer).

On an even more positive note, our nieces Annie and Sara are sleeping over tonight!! This will be Annie's first time spending a night away from her parents.

Today's Poll:

If people in the row behind you were doing something distracting throughout the movie (talking, crunching popcorn too loudly, whatever), would you say something, or just try to ignore them? YES for saying something, NO for ignoring them. Feel free to elaborate in Blatherchat.

more LOTR

For those that missed it, I posted my Lord of the Rings line party Blatherings here (and updated it with extra photos late last night), and my movie review here (WARNING: major spoilers in my review, so don't read it until after you've seen the movie). You can find the Electric Penguin general Lord of the Rings movie discussion boards here, and the board for posting reviews/discussing the movie here (spoiler warning again, including possible spoilers about Books II and III).

Jeff and I spent a quiet evening at home yesterday, our heads still in the movie. Both of us plan to see it again (for me, that's not so surprising...Jeff, on the other hand, rarely sees movies in the theatre more than once). After watching the Discovery channel's final instalment about Lord of the Rings (this time about Weta Digital and special effects!), we were channel-surfing a bit and caught a TVO show where someone was interviewing our friend Michelle about Lord of the Rings (!). She and Peter Howell (the Toronto Star movie critic) were discussing the book, with some references to the movie. Michelle's a fantasy writer whose books have been written under Michelle West and Michelle Sagara.

Wow, at IMDB, Lord of the Rings is currently rated an average of 9.7 out of 10 by users. I browsed the top-rated U.S. movies of all time in the IMDB database, and the #1 movie so far is Titanic (1997) with an average rating of 7.1 out of 10. Obviously, the more avid fans will have seen it on opening day (most of whom WANT to like it :)), so I suspect that LOTR's rating will drop gradually over the next while. I'm still curious, however, to see by how much.

A brief ranting

(Feel free to skip ahead to non-LOTR stuff)

I lined up to see the noon showing of Lord of the Rings yesterday, as you all know. The Dec. 19th premiere date was announced ages ago, and Jeff and I couldn't wait to get our tickets as soon as they were available. At the time we bought our tickets, the Dec. 19th noon show was going to be the first public showing of the movie. We were super-hyped, made line party plans with friends (some of whom arranged to take time off work to see the premiere). In the week or two before Dec. 19th, however, the theaters added two extra "sneak preview showings" for the public.

Jeff and I decided to stick with yesterday's showing because we had already made plans with friends, but also because the added showings made me a tad more cynical about the event in general. I was still keen on seeing the movie, of course, and my cynicism had nothing to do with my enjoyment of the Lord of the Rings books. I was also glad for people like Allison, who weren't able to see a noon showing, but were able to see one of the extra preview showings in the evening.

Still, I feel betrayed somehow. Not sure exactly why, and I admit this might just be a symptom of my general cynicism about the holiday season in general. I suppose that part of me feels it unfair to generate so much hype about a premiere date when it really isn't the premiere date at all. Tolkien fans get excited, some start making plans for the opening day (TheOneRing.net started some Line Party groups, for example). Changing the date takes a little steam out of these planned events.

In my Waiting For Frodo comic, I decided to stick with the original premiere date, to pretend that at least in Sam's world, there was no such thing as public sneak previews. Nevertheless, I received e-mail from people who went to see the movie the day before (some obviously e-mailed me as soon as they got home from the movie), telling me about the movie and what parts were their favourite, and saying how much I'd enjoy it.

I have to question exactly why the decision was made to add the two extra preview shows on the day before the "official" opening day. Avid Tolkien fans are going to see the movie multiple times anyway. The only reasons I can think of are:

-- They added extra "sneak preview" showings to pacify those who tried to get tickets on opening day but couldn't because they were all sold out. But then what's the point of announcing an official premiere date? Why not add extra showings on the "official" opening day, or show the movie on more screens instead? I can understand the special midnight show; that seems to be more commonplace these days, so people expect it. But adding a show at 10 pm the day BEFORE the official opening? In that case, why not add a bunch of shows on that day and make *Dec. 18th* the official opening day?!

-- They added extra "sneak preview" showings in hopes that avid Tolkien fans who have already bought tickets for opening day will be so keen on seeing the movie earlier (even a day earlier) that they'll shell out money for another ticket. I know, I know...I'll probably see the movie lots of times anyway, so why should it make a difference? Perhaps because of the intent; I don't mind buying tickets to see a great movie multiple times, but resent being intentionally manipulated into it.

Having said all this, however, I can't blame the LOTR execs for wanting to make as much money from the event as possible; they've worked hard for it. And they KNOW how enthusiastic Tolkien fans are. I also realize that most Tolkien fans were more than happy to buy tickets for the extra showing on the 18th and would, in fact, consider themselves lucky at having the chance to fork over money for extra tickets to see the movie a day early (and in fact would be grateful to New Line Cinemas for giving them the chance). So who am I to complain? Maybe I'll just admit defeat and let myself be manipulated next year. If I enjoy the movie anywhere near as much as I enjoyed the first, then it will be worth it.

Rant over.

Stuff actually not related to Lord of the Rings whatsoever....(well, except maybe the last sentence)

Jeff and I decided to make Christmas presents for each other instead of buying them this year. I like this, and plan to push for it to be a tradition from now on. Since Jeff sometimes reads my Blatherings, I can't tell you what I made him, at least not until after Christmas. But I can say that I finished it last night, yay!

So what are you all doing over the winter holiday? Feel free to post your answer here. Do you have any annual traditions? New traditions? :-)

Jeff and I are doing a ton of family stuff starting tomorrow and through until the New Year, plus our friend Scott Dixon is visiting from Ireland next week.

11 more days to publicly post your New Year's Resolutions! These postings are for your own benefit, not mine, by the way...I'm NOT planning to nag anyone about their resolutions next year (I'll be too busy nagging myself :)).

Getting together with Allison and Jodi tonight...we might see Lord of the Rings. :-)

Today's Blatherpics:

- Luisa's and Reid's son, Michael, reading the Waiting For Frodo compilation in line for the Lord of the Rings movie. Thanks to Scott for this photo.

Today's Poll:

Are you planning to see the Lord of the Rings movie more than once?

lord of the rings!

(Updated 10:23 pm with extra photos from Guille and Scott)

To avoid giving away Lord of the Rings movie spoilers, I've posted my movie report on a separate page (*WARNING*: there are spoilers in my report, so only read it AFTER you've seen the movie!). And feel free to post your own Lord of the Rings review and discuss the movie here (again, spoiler warning...there also may be spoilers re: Books II and III).

It was quite the thrill to see Shane McEwan's name in the final credits (Data Operations Manager, under the credits for Weta Digital). For those who haven't been reading my Waiting For Frodo comic strip, Shane is the guy from Weta who e-mailed me about the comic, and whose character has been integrated into the comic strip itself (he gave Rosie a genuine LOTR crew jacket!). We all clapped and cheered pretty loudly when his name appeared on the screen. Woohoo, Shane! (You can read some Weta-related letters here).



Jeff and I, Luisa, Michael, Reid, Parki, Scott, Tanya, Tim, and Guille lined up this morning (around 8 am) for the noon showing at the Paramount...sounds weird, but it's true. There were already half a dozen people in line ahead of us. We came prepared with camp chairs, and Luisa and Reid brought a blanket and cards. We took turns going for coffee and breaks, but most of the time was spent in line.

Half of my enjoyment today was because of the line waiting experience (which was definitely a "line party" in the truest sense). It was fun to spent those hours hanging out with others who were just as keen on seeing the movie as I was. We joked, played cards, talked with others in the line. Someone near the front passed around a box of Timbits, and we also passed around a compilation of Waiting For Frodo comic strips (many thanks to Scott for putting together this compilation!). 'Twas also fun to see Reid completely engrossed in his first reading of "Lord of the Rings". The hours went by incredibly fast. (and I got a lot more ideas for next year's Waiting For Frodo strips. ;-)



The people at the Paramount were remarkably well-organized and decent about the whole process. They let us in at 11 instead of 11:30, and allowed people in 20 at a time to prevent the usual mad rush for seats. One of the reasons I like seeing movies at the Paramount is because of the stadium-style seating (one of the reasons my sister and her husband are coming here to see the movie instead in their area), the cushy seats, and because we can walk there (saving the price of subway tokens, though that difference doesn't really matter when you factor in concession stand costs...a small bag of popcorn cost me $4!). Anyway, ticket prices can be pricier than the theaters further away from the downtown core, but I find it worth it.



I was highly interested in the pre-show offerings since I know I'll be seeing many times. Sadly, they weren't any more entertaining that the pre-show for Harry Potter. Ah well. And even worse, the Stryker family ad for MovieTickets.com was one of the ads, augh!

I had seen most of the "coming soon" trailers before, which surprised me. I had hoped something more interesting would want to hook up with a much-anticipated movie like Lord of the Rings. I was highly disappointed by the trailer for the Time Machine, which looks a bit cheesy. Hopefully I'll be proven wrong; I like time travel stories, and enjoyed the original book.



Again, I posted my movie report on a separate page to avoid giving away spoilers.

After we came out, a reporter from the Toronto Star interviewed me about Waiting For Frodo. Not sure if he'll actually use anything, but if any of you who get the Star notice something, I'd appreciate you letting me know, thanks!



And while we're still on the topic of Lord of the Rings, here's an untitled poem that Seanan McGuire sent me (reprinted with permission):

I don't know what a balrog is
And I don't really care.
There's ring-wraiths in my living room
And Sauron took my chair.

They're waiting for the big event --
The movie starts today.
I hope the damn thing's wonderful
So they all GO AWAY.

:-)



Today's Blatherpics:

- Luisa, Guillermo Zender, and me. Photo courtesy Guille.

- Us lining up at the Paramount. Photo courtesy Scott Murray.

- Reid reading Lord of the Rings (for the first time) in the movie line.

- Me and Scott.

- Guille, someone that Luisa and met through the virtual Paramount Virtual Line Party (part of TheOneRing.net's Line Party event).

- Me in line-up with my Waiting For Frodo sign. Photo courtesy Scott Murray.

- Luisa chats with some people in the line ahead of us.

Today's Poll:

Do you think that Lord of the Rings will be more of a box office success than Harry Potter in its opening week?

brittany visit

Almost finished my Christmas shopping, hoping to finish the last of it today.

Jeff's sister and parents came over to visit last night with our niece Brittany. Brittany was fascinated by my harp (she kept pronouncing it as "heart" at first), and asked if she could play my guitar. When she asked me to play something, I played the "Hockey Monkey Song" for her. All my nieces/nephew recognize the Hockey Monkey Song by now. :-)

We ordered in Thai food. I love Thai food. Unfortunately, I'm also beginning to suspect that I'm allergic to something in Thai food, or at least that there's some common Thai ingredient that doesn't like me. This majorly sucks.

I am pleased to announce that my office is actually semi-organized right now! I went through all the filing cabinets and dumped old papers and files I know I'll never need again.

While purging, I found an uncashed cheque for the first short story I ever sold...a whopping US$5 from Hob Nob magazine for a piece called "Harmonica Man". I had been so excited that I couldn't bring myself to cash the cheque. :-)

Received my contract from F&W publications yesterday...looks like I'm doing my daily online column for sure, starting January. I'll be taking over the Market Watch column currently available at WritersMarket.com, for those interested.

New Year's Resolutions

Only 13 more days to work up the courage to publicize your New Year's Resolutions for next year! Most people think of New Year's Resolutions as an "easily made, easily broken" sort of thing, mainly because they set unrealistic goals. This is a chance to break that habit. That's how I'm looking at it from the point of view of my own resolutions, anyway. :-)

Post your resolutions here.

Today's Blatherpics:

My niece Brittany, playing my guitar last night.

Today's Poll:

From where you are sitting RIGHT NOW, can you see any snow?

tree hunt

Great day yesterday, the first day I've actually felt any real twinge of enthusiasm for the Christmas holiday this year. Having some snow on the ground helped; Toronto got hit by a mini-blizzard recently...there is actually snow still on the tops of buildings as I look out of my office window! Everyone tends to have mixed feelings about snow. I'm the type who LIKES snow around Christmastime, especially since Jeff and I live in such a concrete-and-asphalt area...the snow covering helps cover up some of the dreary grey, at least until salters go by and everything turns into grey slush instead.

Gorgeous weather when went tree hunting with my sister and her family yesterday in the country...clear blue skies, icing sugar snow on the trees, Christmas card scenery. It's been an annual tradition ever since Sara was first born. The tree hunting takes more time these days, though, since Sara and Annie actually do care about what the tree looks like.



After Sara cut the tree down (it took about half an hour for her to finally saw through; I had to admire her determination), we bought some hot chocolate at the nearby hut, then went back to my sister's place for tree decorating.

I know some people prefer the designer-type trees where the style and colour of artificial branches match the carefully-chosen decorations in exquisite detail, straight from the pages of Perfect Homes and Gardens. I've always preferred the hodgepodge type, clashing colours and styles of ornaments, where practically each ornament comes with its own set of memories, and the act of decorating a tree becomes much more like flipping through a well-loved photograph album than a relatively spiritless seasonal chore.

New Year's Resolutions!

I've created a New Year's Resolutions board for those who want to be brave and post at least some of their resolutions in a public forum. Always wanted to read "War and Peace", for example, but never seem to get around to it? Post your resolution here, and then let us know when you've done it! I've already posted my resolutions, but reserve the right to tweak them before the end of the year.

Added incentive: Anyone who posts resolutions by the end of the year and manages to follow through by the end of next year will get a SUPER-SECRET EXCLUSIVELY SPECIAL BONUS BLATHERINGS PRIZE!! I have no idea what, but I'll think of something (and don't bug me about your prize until the end of the year, even if you do finish your resolution beforehand :)).



Today's Blatherpics (from yesterday):

-- Annie, yesterday.

-- Jeff, Kaarel, Annie and Sara just after Sara finishes cutting down the tree.

-- Sara and Annie gang up on Jeff in a pillow fight.

Today's Poll:

Do you already have or do you plan to have a Christmas tree (live or artificial) this year?