Potter mania
I was one of those crazy people at a midnight showing of Harry Potter yesterday … eh, today. (This morning to be exact.) Honestly, I don’t know what possessed me to see this movie at midnight. I could have waited just a couple of hours and seen it after work, heck I’ve waited years for it to be released.
But no.
In 2001, I went on opening day to the first showing of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone – little did I know I would be starting an insane tradition.
I’ve now see the first showing on opening day of every Potter movie, by myself (a hard and fast rule) with popcorn, drink and candy. While in college, I kept up the tradition even though I had not slept having just turned in a 15 page paper two hours before the movie; I did this in Florida when Prisoner of Azkaban opened, so of course I was going to do this is Jersey. Tradition is tradition.
The first showing today was at 1 PM, that was just too late for me. Plus, I don’t think my boss would have approved of me coming in at 4 PM because I HAD to see Harry Potter.
While waiting in the theater for an hour–and-half for the movie to start (yeah, you read that right) I decided to take notes on my fellow Potter fanatics. Some came in costume (no, before you ask, I wore my normal Muggle clothes) and others just showed up for the heck of it. Note to those who do the midnight showings: bring a book and buy the medium popcorn.
10: 15 PM
Arrive at the theater. Pay too much money for the large popcorn and a hotdog. My well-balanced diner along with the bottle of water and snickers sitting in my purse that I didn’t eat for lunch.
10:30 PM
Go to theater 14 and get a seat.
10:31 PM
Play games on my iPod.
10:35 PM
Wait, wait and wait. There are numerous high school kids here, I guess they got permission to stay out past their curfew. Wait, some are probably 18 or older. Wow, I’m really bad at telling peoples ages. I must be one of 12 ‘adults’ in the theater. I bet a some point I’ll be telling someone to stop talking during he movie. Probably the amazingly loud ‘adult’ behind me yelling at the top of his lungs about being a big boy – I can’t make this stuff up.
10:42 PM
“Look how full it is already,” some dude says while entering the theater.
Yeah guy, you should have gotten here early. Some people chat, others play video games or listen to their iPods to pass the time. I note the lack of iPhones. I really should have brought a book!
“Don’t laugh at me if I cry,” I hear one girl tell her friends. “Don’t worry, I will.” I like this kid, cynical and jaded at such a young age.
10:46 PM
An hour-and-a-half to go. This is insane. What was I thinking? Now two kids are left to guard the four open chairs next to me, while an older gentleman holds three others. He seems very disinterested in all the hoopla, but seems to be loving his nachos. I get the distinct feeling he was roped into this.
Feakin’ A. Now I want nachos.
10:47PM
I scroll though my music, Kelly Clarkson, Lilly Allen, Amy Whinehouse, JustinTimberlake, The Bravery, Rhiana, Beastie Boys. I settle on Justin.
10:48 PM
“#@!$% *&#$&!!!,” a man says after seeing it’s close to capacity.
Yeah guy, you should have gotten here earlier! I really should have gotten a Coke.
11:06 PM
I need a magazine.
Or a book.
Or a something.
Did I forget to mention that they turned on the lights, nearly blinding us?
11:07 PM
Mullet spotted. The party can officially begin.
11:08 PM
Finished my hotdog and in half-and-hour I can go swimming.
11:09 PM
“What the … we still have an hour wait,” a man says while coming into the theater. It’s obvious he didn’t get the memo about arriving two hours early.
11:16 PM
I really wish I had bought a Coke. I hope I stay awake until the movies over. I’ll be really angry if I fall asleep before it even starts. Man, it’s past my bed time.
11:17 PM
I’m hoping the clock on my iPod is wrong and that it’s really 11:57 PM. No such luck.
11:30 PM
My butt is numb. I really need to stretch. Would it be weird if I did downward facing dog in the aisle?
11:36 PM
Sceenvision previews start. Awesome, I really wanted to learn more about Diet Coke.
11:38 PM
I give up on the iPod.
11:43 PM
Vince Gill sings about underwear with a giant apple for a Foot of the Loom ad. Words escape me about this; he used to be a well-respected county musician. Seriously, underwear?
11:45 PM
I really need a nap.
11:52 PM
Lights go out and there is thunderous applause. But it’s premature, like when people clap for the stage crew at a concert because they think the bands about to start.
12:01 PM
It’s start time. But no movie. The natives are getting restless. People start clapping and chanting “HARRY, HARRY, HARRY.”
Nothing happens. The AMC logo is on the screen and it feels like it’s starting to mock me, or that may be the sleep deprivation talking.
12:05 PM
The screen goes blank, and PREVIEWS start. Previews? You got to be kidding me, there are five of them.
12 something.
The movie starts. SWEET! People clap, cheer and yell. Finally.
… 2:35 AM
I only ate a third of my popcorn, I should have gotten the medium. It’s too late now, the movie’s over. It was wonderful. I can’t wait to see it again, and well, probably a third time. I really liked how they kept it dark, and didn’t try to make it all happy go lucky. It’s late I need to go home, and start the countdown all over again … movie six should be out in a couple of years.
But no.
In 2001, I went on opening day to the first showing of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone – little did I know I would be starting an insane tradition.
I’ve now see the first showing on opening day of every Potter movie, by myself (a hard and fast rule) with popcorn, drink and candy. While in college, I kept up the tradition even though I had not slept having just turned in a 15 page paper two hours before the movie; I did this in Florida when Prisoner of Azkaban opened, so of course I was going to do this is Jersey. Tradition is tradition.
The first showing today was at 1 PM, that was just too late for me. Plus, I don’t think my boss would have approved of me coming in at 4 PM because I HAD to see Harry Potter.
While waiting in the theater for an hour–and-half for the movie to start (yeah, you read that right) I decided to take notes on my fellow Potter fanatics. Some came in costume (no, before you ask, I wore my normal Muggle clothes) and others just showed up for the heck of it. Note to those who do the midnight showings: bring a book and buy the medium popcorn.
10: 15 PM
Arrive at the theater. Pay too much money for the large popcorn and a hotdog. My well-balanced diner along with the bottle of water and snickers sitting in my purse that I didn’t eat for lunch.
10:30 PM
Go to theater 14 and get a seat.
10:31 PM
Play games on my iPod.
10:35 PM
Wait, wait and wait. There are numerous high school kids here, I guess they got permission to stay out past their curfew. Wait, some are probably 18 or older. Wow, I’m really bad at telling peoples ages. I must be one of 12 ‘adults’ in the theater. I bet a some point I’ll be telling someone to stop talking during he movie. Probably the amazingly loud ‘adult’ behind me yelling at the top of his lungs about being a big boy – I can’t make this stuff up.
10:42 PM
“Look how full it is already,” some dude says while entering the theater.
Yeah guy, you should have gotten here early. Some people chat, others play video games or listen to their iPods to pass the time. I note the lack of iPhones. I really should have brought a book!
“Don’t laugh at me if I cry,” I hear one girl tell her friends. “Don’t worry, I will.” I like this kid, cynical and jaded at such a young age.
10:46 PM
An hour-and-a-half to go. This is insane. What was I thinking? Now two kids are left to guard the four open chairs next to me, while an older gentleman holds three others. He seems very disinterested in all the hoopla, but seems to be loving his nachos. I get the distinct feeling he was roped into this.
Feakin’ A. Now I want nachos.
10:47PM
I scroll though my music, Kelly Clarkson, Lilly Allen, Amy Whinehouse, JustinTimberlake, The Bravery, Rhiana, Beastie Boys. I settle on Justin.
10:48 PM
“#@!$% *&#$&!!!,” a man says after seeing it’s close to capacity.
Yeah guy, you should have gotten here earlier! I really should have gotten a Coke.
11:06 PM
I need a magazine.
Or a book.
Or a something.
Did I forget to mention that they turned on the lights, nearly blinding us?
11:07 PM
Mullet spotted. The party can officially begin.
11:08 PM
Finished my hotdog and in half-and-hour I can go swimming.
11:09 PM
“What the … we still have an hour wait,” a man says while coming into the theater. It’s obvious he didn’t get the memo about arriving two hours early.
11:16 PM
I really wish I had bought a Coke. I hope I stay awake until the movies over. I’ll be really angry if I fall asleep before it even starts. Man, it’s past my bed time.
11:17 PM
I’m hoping the clock on my iPod is wrong and that it’s really 11:57 PM. No such luck.
11:30 PM
My butt is numb. I really need to stretch. Would it be weird if I did downward facing dog in the aisle?
11:36 PM
Sceenvision previews start. Awesome, I really wanted to learn more about Diet Coke.
11:38 PM
I give up on the iPod.
11:43 PM
Vince Gill sings about underwear with a giant apple for a Foot of the Loom ad. Words escape me about this; he used to be a well-respected county musician. Seriously, underwear?
11:45 PM
I really need a nap.
11:52 PM
Lights go out and there is thunderous applause. But it’s premature, like when people clap for the stage crew at a concert because they think the bands about to start.
12:01 PM
It’s start time. But no movie. The natives are getting restless. People start clapping and chanting “HARRY, HARRY, HARRY.”
Nothing happens. The AMC logo is on the screen and it feels like it’s starting to mock me, or that may be the sleep deprivation talking.
12:05 PM
The screen goes blank, and PREVIEWS start. Previews? You got to be kidding me, there are five of them.
12 something.
The movie starts. SWEET! People clap, cheer and yell. Finally.
… 2:35 AM
I only ate a third of my popcorn, I should have gotten the medium. It’s too late now, the movie’s over. It was wonderful. I can’t wait to see it again, and well, probably a third time. I really liked how they kept it dark, and didn’t try to make it all happy go lucky. It’s late I need to go home, and start the countdown all over again … movie six should be out in a couple of years.
posted by Lucy Quintanilla at 1:58 PM
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