Wait, we saw this part already!

Went to a screening of the movie 300 last night. I love free movie screenings, courtesy of Studio Gay (who works for a movie studio.) I had no idea this movie was a big deal. I hadn't heard much about it at all. (With my TiVo, how would I ever see commercials for it? I don't. Ah.)

Anyhoo, the line for the screening was crazy! I've been to plenty of screenings and with the exception of Batman Return and Harry Potter (I don't remember which one), it's never been like this. Are they giving away iPhones or something?! My fondness for the yet-to-be-seen movie instantly rises. If all these people wanted to see it, it must be good, right? And it's free!! F-R-E-E! Love it!

There were major drama with OCG getting there, but we won't get into that. Let's just say it was such a mad house to get in that her arriving an hour before the screening almost wasn't enough time for her to get in. This movie better be good great!

So, there were so many people outside in line, that the Head Line Nazi decided to let some people into the theater early. Lucky for us, we were in the front of the pack.

To sidetrack a bit, I'm ruthless when it comes to getting the most out of things. The biggest bang for my buck. The most blood out of a turnip. I will not be outdone. My brain is always devising a plan to get the best deal, find the best route. "Outplay. Outwit. Outlast." Don't. Get. In. My. Way. I know Karate.

Keeping that in mind, getting seats in a movie theater is just up my alley. I'm particular. I will not see a movie if I'm too off to the side, and especially if I'm too far forward. Neck cramp and vertigo? No thanks.

As soon as one of the Head Line Nazi's underlings unhooked the stantion belt, I speed walked at the pace of an Olympian. Is that even an event in the Olympics? I race past the doors into a dark theater with a movie already in progress. Oh, it's the movie we're suppose to see. Why is it on? A Burly Guy, who's face I can't see, frantically walks towards me...

BG: What are you guys doing in here?!
ME: Ummm, they let us in?
BG: No! They can't! Get out! *hairy arm swings to point at the doors* GET OUT!!
ME: ok....
BG: We're still rehearsing!! OUT!!

Ummm, awkward... Rehearsing? I thought it was a movie, not a play? *puzzled* I step back out the doors, along with 10 other eager beavers, only to have to justify our retreat to some Lady Organizer of the screening.

LO: What are you guys doing?
ME: Some guy yelled at us to GET OUT!!
LO: What?
ME: *shrugs* I guess they're not ready for us. He told us to "GET OUT!!"

She disappears, the doors closed. I rejoin my friends to wait.

Not 2 minutes later, the doors reopen. Back into ruthless mode. As soon as they open just enough for my slim frame, I rush in. If there were the elderly or children ahead of me, they would have been roadkill. I. Will. Not. Be. Stopped. I don't even know where my friends are at this point. I have blinders on. I bolted to the section of seats I had in mind. (I've been to this theater numerous other times.) What? MY seats have "Reserved" signs on them?! Bastards! I had to resort to taking the seats a row ahead of my normal row. I guess it'll do. I sat down and settled in. In time, my friends work their way through the crowd to find me...

So, the movie. It was good. The sound in that theater is absolutely amazing! I guess the person that did Sin City was responsible for this movie. I won't ruin the movie for you, but it had the same artistic/narration feel. But! The movie itself wasn't the interesting part.

The movie plays along and in the middle of a dramatic speech, the movie cuts out. *crowd gasps* The room lights come on. Great... I turn around to see men, in frantic states, in the projection booth. Ah, the rehearsing part is starting to make some sense. Ten minutes go by, the movie starts back up, sans the rest of the dramatic speech. Nice... We trot along for another 20 minutes of the movie and.... Deju Vu happens! My friends and I look at each other. Wait, we saw this part already! *mass whispering amongst the crowd* We all expected the movie to cut out again so it can be fixed again, but it didn't stop. The movie continued. People began to make fun of this Deja Vu portion of the movie.

*gasp*
"OMG, what's going to happen?"
*giggles*
"I think he's gonna take her from behind!"
*laughter*

Some people had enough of the technical difficulties and left.

Eventually, the choice to not stop the movie a second time became apparent. We started to realize that someone (who's so fired, BTW) had put the reels in the wrong order. (Bye bye Burly Guy?) They must have caught it and stopped the movie, put the reels back in order, then started the movie at a logical point. Deja Vu was inevitable...

Who knew you had to rehearse showing a movie? I have an idea... Label the reels with numbers? I'm a genius. And good thing, because we had to become our own Editors to piecemeal the disordered movie together.