Star Wars Fans Line Up… Outside Wrong Theater

Diehard Star Wars fans have already begun lining up outside Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood for the opening of Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith. The problem is, Star Wars won't be playing at the Chinese Theater. It'll be playing a few blocks away at the ArcLight. But the fans are waiting at the Chinese anyway. Why? Because they suspect the studios are lying when they say it won't play at the Chinese, and also they get more publicity by waiting in line on Hollywood Blvd.

Entertainment

Posted on Thu Apr 07, 2005



Comments

After the quality of the last two movies I can't really see why anyone could get worked up about it

True I'd like to see the third movie myself, but I'm in no hurry. I've already suggested to my wife that we wait until June when the rush should be over by then.

Also the first votes on how dreadful the movie is should be in by then.

Admittedly I didn't really like the first three, I mean they were entertaining, but nothing special. Especially the second one, that was just snore-makingly dull.
Posted by Sharruma  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  12:09 AM
Heard this on the news this morning...first thought was "This is a hoax! Wonder if Alex'll pick it up!"

Can't you just imagine all those Star Wars nerds in their Darth Vader outfits, lining up outside any theatre? Doesn't matter if it's the right one or not...
Posted by Smerk  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  12:10 AM
There were several news stories when the last movie came out which said that few people were lining up to buy tickets because of online/web ticket ordering.

Now there's this story.

I'm wondering if it's a hoax, too -- were these people paid by the studio or one of their PR firms to line up so far in advance? Are they all people without regular jobs?
Posted by cvirtue  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  12:39 AM
Ben- tell him that I'm not afraid to stand in line at the wrong theater- I'm NOT afraid... "You will be... You. Will. Be." Geeks, they are, yes.
Posted by Hairy Houdini  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  12:43 AM
Are they all people without regular jobs? - cvirtue

If they're legit fans, they may or may not have jobs. My understanding is that for hard core fans, the world stops for Star Wars.
Posted by Smerk  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  12:59 AM
I'd make a statement about people who get fanatical about stupid shit like movie premieres...

...but they've alreday done it themselves.

Revenge of the Sith?

Hmmm...

So go ahead, put us down
One of these days we'll turn it around
It won't be long, mark my words
The time has come for revenge of the Sith!

Ogre! Ogre! Ogre!
Posted by Rod  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  01:24 AM
Why don
Posted by Beasjt  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  04:05 AM
Thats over a month away??? They are already lining up???
Posted by X  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  08:04 AM
The radio station I listen to in my car has been calling them every morning. The guy they talked to this morning said that he's a contractor and just isn't working right now. He said that others have taken off work and flown in from other states. He also said that they are all still confident that the movie will play at the theater. After all, the last five Star Wars have played there.
They mentioned yesterday, that this was being done in conjunction with a charity, but I can't seem to remember which one.
They all sound pretty crazy to me, but then I've never been a Star Wars fan.

Now, a mid-night release of the next Harry Potter book...
Posted by Tru  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  09:49 AM
...I asked my husband why those people just don't order tickets in advance. Hubby said that they haven't in the past, why would they now?? BUT...then I said that I ordered tickets for him to go for another one. (Second maybe.) He said the movie had already opened & I bought tickets earlier in the day for a later movie.

Whatever. It's a stupid movie(s). If I never have to see another movie that starts "A long time ago, in a galaxy far away..." it would be a miracle.
Posted by Maegan  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  10:20 AM
..Hmm. It would be proof that God DOES exist.
Posted by Maegan  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  10:20 AM
Either way, no matter what theater it opens at, the studios are getting exactly what they wanted...

TONS of publicity, and free at that!
Posted by Mark-N-Isa  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  10:32 AM
Now I'm a Star Wars fan myself, I'll never wait in advance for months outside of a movie theatre but I've been to a couple of events, and I have to admit, it's quite fun, if not just for the spectacle and the ambience.

And if you ask me, it's really no different from people getting the season tickets for baseball and go topless with painted chest or soemthing like that.
Posted by Tom  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  10:35 AM
I'm willing to go on record stating that I like the Star Wars movies. I'll probably be at the opening night showing. I have been for all the others in the series (as well as the opening of all the Lord of the Rings movies and the Matrix). But I buy my tickets online.
Posted by The Curator  in  San Diego  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  10:46 AM
Well, if you're going to stand in line for days or weeks waiting to see a movie that you don't even need to stand in line to get tickets for, what difference does it make if you're standing in front of the theater where the movie will be shown, or another one that happens to be in a better location?

Seems very logical to me-- that is, if you can accept that it's logical to stand in line for a Star Wars movie.
Posted by Big Gary C  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  10:50 AM
Tom, it would only be the same if they dressed up like that and then waited in line for six weeks to see the baseball game.
Posted by Rod  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  10:58 AM
So... what happens if all these people wait in line to buy tickets but the first showing is sold out online? Ouch.
Posted by Netgyrl  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  12:42 PM
Famous Jedi chat up lines.

1. Hey babes, wanna come back to my place and play with my light saber.
Posted by Sharruma  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  02:29 PM
"So... what happens if all these people wait in line to buy tickets but the first showing is sold out online?"
Obviously, they aren't waiting in line to buy tickets, they're just upholding the noble tradition of waiting in line outside Star Wars movies-- which is to say, they're waiting in line to wait in line.
Hmm, maybe those Jedi wannabes really are spriritual masters.
Or maybe they're idiots.
Posted by Big Gary C  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  02:53 PM
A Great Tradition, standing in line is. Love to wait, many people do. Geeks are good, geeks are strong... Geeks-Are-Power. Teach you, I will
Posted by Hairy Houdini  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  06:54 PM
I've just never figured this out - when masses of people wait on public streets for double-digit hours or days, where do they go to the bathroom? Best example, the millions of people who just mobbed Rome and Vatican City for the Pope's public viewing and funeral. The simple shops along the streets seen in the news would easily have been overwhelmed, and there are few restaurants near St. Peter's. 5 Million visitors added to the 3.7 million residents of Rome must put one hell of a strain on their city sewage system, yes? I guess that the lines waiting at Grauman's Chinese could better take care of that, but what business ownner wants throngs of non-paying people to come into their establishment just to use their plumbing?
Posted by stork  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  07:52 PM
The point I was trying to make wasn't how long you have to wait to get into the area for whatever event you're attending. I think the thing now is how much efford and commitment people put into things.

I'm not saying what's good or what's bad, it's just that people also go out of their way to schdule their lives around sporting events and such. Something like buying tickets for the whole season to me it's a pretty big commitment, socially or financially.

And it's just easier to make fun of people dressing up as aliens and holding toy lightsabers.
Posted by Tom  on  Fri Apr 08, 2005  at  09:01 PM
Funny how nobody has phoned them yet. A radio station in the Netherlands phoned those people standing in front of the theatre and it was fun.
Apperently they even have a website: http://www.liningup.net/
Posted by Beasjt  on  Sat Apr 09, 2005  at  12:47 PM
PS you can listen in to the call here:
http://www.michielveenstra.nl/misc/liningup.wav

I allready posted the number so have fun.
Posted by Beasjt  on  Sat Apr 09, 2005  at  12:51 PM
I did the opening night thing for Matrix & Lord of the Rings Trilogy...but I had previously read the books for Lord of the Rings, and had seen the teaser trailers like 2 yrs before. I bought tickets the DAY OF for LOTR, for a late night showing. I missed the first Matrix...b/c I thought the commercials looked stupid. When I rented it later...I decided the 2nd would be something I'd wait for. Wish I hadn't.

Anywho. I've never waited outside. Besides, I don't think you can do that here...you can't get in line until like x hours before the theater opens or something...
Posted by Maegan  on  Sun Apr 10, 2005  at  05:58 AM
Nah, Maegan, you can stand out on a street for years if you want to, provided you don't run afoul of the laws regarding loitering, littering, obstructing traffic, or camping.
Of course, doing so doesn't guarantee you first crack at a movie ticket.
Which why I say these devotees are standing in line to stand in line, not for some ulterior purpose.
Posted by Big Gary C  on  Mon Apr 11, 2005  at  01:43 PM
Ok, now to be fair, I don't think the fans are waiting to get tickets to go see the movie, I think they are waiting for the movie premier where they will get to see all the stars get out of their limos and walk up the red carpet. I mean, sadly enough I've waited outside the premier of movies at the Chinese theater before. Acutally, if you plan it right and go for a crappy movie (think anything with Hillary Duff) you'll find that most the people at the premier who get tickets to the after party don't even care about going to the after party. You can stand outside the exit when they leave and ask for their tickets. Most the time they will give them to you. The after-parties are super awesome because even though the actors usually suck, it's still cool getting to dance with the entire movie cast and getting tons of free stuff and getting to meet all the bands that have music in the movie. Unfortunately it only works for crappy movies because everyone actually goes to the after-parties for movies with big names.
Posted by Razela  on  Mon Apr 11, 2005  at  10:00 PM
Oh and Stork, I think Hollywood Blvd. has got the bathrooms covered. They charge you 25 cents usually to get into the bathrooms anywhere along the tourist area.
Posted by Razela  on  Mon Apr 11, 2005  at  10:01 PM
There were extremely excellent and the best scenes in the movie "Revenge of the Sith".
Good originality and great imagination, great story in this movie!
Here's Photo gallery for Hayden Christensen(Anakin) of this movie. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0159789/photogallery-ss-0
I love Star Wars series the most!
Posted by Creford  on  Wed Jul 13, 2005  at  08:05 AM
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.