The End of a Fanboy Era

 

 

This article was first published on 01/09/11 in VIDA magazine.

 

 

This summer, as I walked out of the cinema with the Harry Potter credits music still running through my head, I couldn’t help but feel that a large chunk of my youth, which started back in 1999 during a midnight screening of The Phantom Menace, had come to a close.

For those of us who had their late teens or their twenties during the past decade or so, the development of movie franchise ‘fandom’ has been very interesting to watch and, if so inclined, take part in. Over the course of twelve years and fourteen films, the Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter franchises have managed to make their new releases into events which make otherwise-sane people queue up at midnight and discuss intricate plot details on online forums, while the filmmakers count their millions. Against the backdrop of the internet explosion, it has been a rapidly evolving marketing machine, but one that I was more than happy to be a consumer of.

Back in the late 90s, before YouTube, facebook or ‘sharing’, the fevered anticipation for the Star Wars prequels still managed to spread like wildfire online. Apple’s much-loved iTunes film trailers were still a mundane Quicktime website, which was congested like never before when the first teaser and then trailer were released online, to unprecedented views and response. Online film trailers are now everywhere, but back then Phantom Menace managed to set the ball rolling in spectacular fashion, and I for one gladly waited an entire night for my moribund dial-up connection to download the highest-resolution version. As it turned out, the trailers would be possibly better than the actual film, but those are just details when the hype is so huge.

 

Meet me at midnight

The screenings were the next trend. Previously reserved for B-movies and late night entertainment, the witching hour suddenly became the best way to launch an event movie in style. The reasoning was simple - if the film studio has set a strict release date, why not watch it at 00:01 in the morning, to save you a few more hours of waiting? Thankfully, Malta caught on very quickly. Although Star Wars Episode I was released in most of Europe nearly 3 months later than the US (something that would be unthinkable today), the eager local fans still got a midnight screening on Malta’s largest screen, complete with Darth Maul and Darth Vader duelling on stage before the show began. I was initially slightly embarrassed to attend, and had to walk home afterwards (driving lessons were still in progress), but it was worth every minute. The packed cinema included everything from packs of unsightly males in matching t-shirts, to two of my lecturers and even the occasional attractive lass, and the excitement was palpable. So palpable, in fact, that we were more than willing to forgive the film’s huge faults, and return in similar style for the sequels three and six years later. I’ll never forget the magical hush as the words ‘A Long Time Ago, in a Galaxy Far, Far Away’ were projected onto the screen and my entire field of vision. It was well worth the walk.

Besides the other Star Wars prequels, midnight screenings and cinema marathons soon became de rigueur for the Lord of the Rings films, Harry Potter (both book and film launches), and any other event movie that the distributors thought was viable enough. Part of the fun was obviously knowing that you’re surrounded by fellow fans, but the rush to be the first to see it also played a major role.

 

 

 

Snobbery

Like most things in life, preferences varied. Personal favouritism tussled with objective criticism of the films to make some fans take sides. I had no problem at all mustering an army for the Return of the King midnight screening, but most of my friends abandoned me two years later for the last of the Star Wars films. And Harry Potter seems to have been the preferred domain of the younger crowd, and I for one was perfectly happy to read the books months and years after their release, and then see the films at my own pace. But all three franchises had a comparably impressive hold on generations X and Y. Looking back, it seems indubitable that LOTR far surpassed the other two in terms of film quality, with the three films being both amazing adaptations of the treasured books, and films accessible to a very wide audience. Which is why, like many of my friends, I suggested it to my parents, but would never dream of sitting them down in front of Attack of the Clones.

 

Harry Potter has also proved to be a sharp adaptation job, also benefiting from one of the most impressive casts ever assembled, and the collaboration of the author. I suspect that if I were a decade younger I would have devoured them with greater zeal. But still, I enjoyed every one of them, and for an entire decade they were something to look forward to. Star Wars reigns supreme because of the indelible legacy left by the original trilogy, although despite George Lucas’ flaccid direction the three new films did manage to steadily improve, and were still a feast for the senses.

 

Another level

Of course, just like participation was optional, so was the level of involvement. Not everyone likes to remain spoiler-free until D-day, and then discuss and dissect films at length online. Not everyone needs to wear a wizard costume to the midnight screening. And thankfully not everyone chooses to name their son Anakin. I chanced upon the world premiere of the final Harry Potter film recently, in Trafalgar and Leicester Squares. I rather enjoyed it, although for me and many others it simply involved walking around the perimeter fence, trying to catch a glimpse of a star or two, and taking a couple of photos. Others had chosen to camp in the rain from two days earlier to get a good spot, and I saw mothers leaving the enclosure consoling teenage girls as they bawled their eyes out and stared at smudged signatures on their hand. To each his own, I guess. Midnight screenings might seem like insanity to many, and tattoos of the Millennium Falcon might seem like insanity to me. But that’s one of the beauties of fandom - you pick your level of involvement, depending on how interested you are (and how much time you have on your hands).

 

 

 

So now what?

Despite the glittering conclusions of the above three sagas, there are obviously many other ways for us to spend our time (and money). The fantasy genre, breathed back into life by Frodo and friends, is alive and very well, with numerous films following in Return of the King’s wake. None have been as good, so far, although the ongoing Game of Thrones TV series should keep appetites sated for quite a while, considering the great source material. Attempts at kindling new franchises, such as the Narnia series and the Inheritance cycle (Eragon), fell rather short of the mark. Twilight is raking in millions, despite scathing reviews of all the films, but their target audience is very narrow (and I am obviously not part of it). Science-fiction is of course constant, but again, not even a brilliant reboot of the Star Trek franchise possessed the necessary magic and sense of history to equal the scale of the Force. Plus, what’s the fun without lightsabers?

 

Other genres and franchises have fan bases of their own, and I for one look forward eagerly to the final chapter in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, which has been quite unprecedented in terms of critical acclaim and fan appreciation. But I doubt that any superhero film, or any other film of huge proportions such as Avatar, could ever compete with something like middle-earth, because of the huge amount of detail that creators such as Tolkien and Lucas have put into creating their universe. Which is why you can find Master degrees in Tolkien literature, and countless novels set in the Star Wars expanded universe.

 

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not tolling any death bells yet. As Hollywood obviously knows very well, where there’s money to be made and pocket-money to exploit, film franchises will find a way to re-invent themselves. Until then, we also have many tangential projects to keep us occupied. Lucas has clearly stated that he won’t make any more prequels or sequels, which is probably a good thing. But the rebels and the empire live on in video games, an animated TV series, and a possible live-action TV series that has been hinted at. J. K. Rowling has an intriguing online Potter project in the pipeline, although she has clearly stated that no more stories will be written about the bespectacled boy. Peter Jackson is filming The Hobbit at this very moment, which is great news for LOTR fans, although I can’t seem to get too excited about it yet. Of course, that will all change once I see the first teaser trailer.

 

 

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Films released this month:

 

CONAN THE BARBARIAN - the film that made Schwarzenegger a star gets remade, with just as much muscles and probably more gore.

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS - Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis star as a couple of attractive friends who fool around but agree never to get romantically involved. Yeah right.

TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY - classy cast, classy spy novel, classy period setting - this looks great.

JANE EYRE - classics are called such for a reason, which might explain why this one is made into a film every ten minutes or so.

THE CHANGE-UP - Two male friends. One’s house is littered with nappies, the other with thongs. They swap bodies for some adult comedy.

KILLER ELITE - Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert DeNiro, plus guns, action and intrigue.

COLOMBIANA - Zoe Saldana starts as a sexy assassin with vengeance on her mind. Nikita meets Kill Bill.

 

Release dates are subject to change. All films released locally by KRS Film Distirbutors Ltd.

I like it in the dark

This article was first published on 01/03/11 in Vida magazine

Early on a recent Sunday morning, I was drearily heading home on a crowded night bus, glad to have found a seat amongst the many late-night revellers packed around me, who chatted, snacked, stared or merely closed their eyes and tried to hold their balance. My trusty iPod was keeping me company, with relaxing music providing an interesting soundtrack for the unkempt scene I was taking in. Half-way home, the guy sitting next to me whipped out his phone, plugged in his headphones, and to my surprise started watching a film. I say film because I distinctly caught sight of the 20th Century Fox searchlights swirling about, so this was no random YouTube clip or something his friends had emailed him. It might have been a high-end TV episode, but the explosions and traffic debris I saw out of the corner of my eye a few minutes later confirmed my early suspicion.

Once the bus had spewn me onto the pavement and I was plodding home, I kept thinking about the man calmly watching a feature film amidst the bright neon and constant movement of the night bus. Would the huge team of people who poured months of their lives into that film have been shocked to see him treating their art so lightly? Or would they have been honoured that he was so eager to see it, or even that he was seeing it at all? Does it matter, after all, how we watch movies? Am I an obsessed freak for being reluctant to start a film unless I know I can watch the entire thing uninterrupted?

Some like it small

It’s no revelation that the way we watch film nowadays is changing drastically. A couple of generations ago, your options were - in the cinema, a good year or so later on video, or a good two years later on Italian TV, peppered with endless adverts and dubbed rather hideously. Nowadays, the gap between cinema and DVD is constantly shortening, and digital versions are often available online, whether legally or not, before that. Once films reach TV, the language, timing and viewing options are mostly under our control too.

The size and location of the screen is changing too. What used to be cinema screen vs. home TV screen has now spread out to include laptop screens, phone screens, tablets and so, as well as moving location onto trains, planes, buses and practically anywhere you can sit down and click play. We can watch films whilst ironing, on the treadmill or even in a corner of our monitor whilst writing an assignment. But by making the viewing of films and TV series so easy and accessible, and by using it as commonly as reading a book for filling up our free or waiting time, are we losing out on the film’s immersive experience?

Some like it solo

With respect to most other art forms, cinema and TV differ in that they use all of our senses in concert, and in fact cinema can be said to draw on all other art forms.

Music, however complex or brilliant, can be fully appreciated whilst staring out the window or gazing at the ceiling. You could even be out running, although occasional distractions might make you miss a beat or two. This is why live musicians often add spectacle, imagery or stage antics to add a visual element to their concerts. Reading and enjoying a good book can often be done despite being in a noisy environment, although some quiet music at home might be preferable. The visual arts, even at the their most high-brow end, are often appreciated and fawned over whilst listening to whatever muzak the art gallery is pumping out through the soffit speakers. When only one sense is needed for scrutiny, the others can temporarily be allowed to wander.

But in most films, all the arts are used together and packed onto your screen. The writing is key, and whether the story is good or not often makes or breaks the film, just like most books. Quotable dialogue also stands out, and is an essential part of a movie’s durability in today’s social networking culture. The visual arts are also easy to pick out - they grace the sets, the costumes, the makeup and of course the special effects. Great films with great cinematography could probably be freeze-framed at any point to provide an image that would sit comfortably within any photography collection. And the music, of course, is another key element. Whether it’s a full-blown orchestra making a flying dragon seem ten times more epic, or a disco track from the 70s making a duel in the snow seem almost balletic, there’s no denying that watching a film with the sound turned off is like eating fine food with a blocked nose.

Some like it in cinemas

So with so many elements of a film to take in, it’s no surprise that ever since the good old Lumière brothers publicized moving pictures, cinemas have involved darkened auditoriums, large screens to give ample space to the detail involved, and a general consensus that, apart from laughs or shrieks when appropriate, people will keep mum. Some say that that’s why popcorn became so popular as a cinema snack - you can munch away without making much noise, as opposed to crisps, for example.

And I believe it’s easy to see why. Despite my very frequent DVD viewings, I still make it a point to go and see highly-anticipated films at the cinema. It’s not simply a patience issue - not being able to wait until it’s released on DVD. It’s because for me, truly great films look so much better when they’re preceded by trailers, in the dark, taking up your whole field of vision, and at volume levels that would normally have your neighbours complain. Phones go off, bladders are emptied beforehand, food and drink supplies are at hand, and for two hours, the film is king.

Some like it in groups

Also essential to the cinema experience is the pack behaviour of the audience. Whenever someone asks me what the funniest films I ever saw were, I always think of three. American Pie, the South Park movie, and Borat. Crass, rude, loud, but all unbelievably funny. But also, and I don’t think this is a coincidence, all films that I watched in a cinema with friends. Laughing, crying and screaming at what’s on screen is so much easier and emotional when you’re surrounded by others who are doing likewise. It’s not that we need assertion that the joke we just heard is indeed funny. It’s just that some experiences are better shared. It’s why we recommend great songs to friends, or drag them to restaurants we love - sharing makes the experience better.

On further thought I can think of many other hilarious films I have watched - such as recent re-viewings of Annie Hall or When Harry Met Sally, or the recent and rather different Superbad. But despite possibly containing just as many well-written laughs, they were unfortunately films I watched alone on a small screen, with my occasional laugh-out-louds echoing in my room. It just wasn’t the same as being in Malta’s largest cinema and glimpsing a sea of people bent over with laughter, or glancing aside at the contorted faces of your friends, blurred by the tears of laughter welling in your eyes. Remembering individual jokes or lines as you head home is often just as much fun as the film itself.

The same goes for scary movies. The Ring in a packed cinema - one of the most terrifying film experiences I can remember. The Shining at home on my computer screen - a relative let-down. Yet a large part of me knows that had I been in a cinema (or born, for that matter) back in 1980 when the latter was released, I would probably be mentioning it in conversation as one of the most unsettling films I ever watched. On a less scary note, I was recently very fortunate to be treated to a sumptuous viewing of the The King’s Speech in a very old London cinema, with artsy decor, plush sofas for seats, foot rests, champagne and less than a hundred viewers who obviously wanted to watch the film in the best possible setting. It was perfect. I’m sure the film looks great in any setting, but would I have loved it so much on a noisy transatlantic flight?

Some, alas, don’t seem to like it

The privacy argument often comes to mind. When watching a film in the cocoon of your bedroom, you run the show. Cinema experiences, however great on a good day, can just as easily be ruined by inconsiderate neighbours. As early as 1993 I distinctly remember fuming through all of Free Willy as a guy behind me carefully translated every line into Maltese for his son. I never thought I could feel such hate, yet unfortunately at the time I was too shy to give him a piece of my mind. I remember a veritable concerto of ringing tones during my first viewing of The Two Towers (which was thankfully absent during the other three viewings). The dim-witted lady behind me, trying to explain the plot of Titanic to herself as it went along, is another film outing I’d rather forget.

I’ve lived with people who press play on the DVD player, then rush off to make tea. “Don’t worry, start it without me”, they shout from the kitchen. But why? Why disrupt the first, often crucial five minutes of a film? Can’t we wait until everyone’s ready and then watch it together? Interruptions are a fact of life, unfortunately, but can’t we press pause while someone answers the phone? Why wave everyone on, and miss potential crucial scenes that were obviously left in the film for a reason?

Some like it too much?

Half-way through writing this article, I took a small break and headed for the kitchen to make an omelette. I found my flatmate watching 300 on his 11-inch notebook, whilst cooking rice, curry and hard-boiled eggs, and with the noisy extractor fan on full-blast. At one point he spent a good three minutes at the kitchen sink carefully peeling the hot eggs, as the Spartans unleashed hell on the kitchen table. He then finally sat down to eat, without ever stopping or rewinding the film. I commented on how we watch films compared to earlier cinema days, and his answer was simple and immediate - back then, a few films were released every month; nowadays, we are bombarded with numerous releases every week.

So are we sacrificing quality for quantity in the viewing experience? Do we feel obliged to watch everything the studios churn out? Personally, I’ve noticed that I only watch a small percentage of new releases every given year, but those few will always have my undivided attention. And few settings better provide that undivided attention than a considerate audience in a cinema auditorium. Which is why I’m convinced that no matter how cheap home-cinema systems become, or how many households digital downloads reach, cinemas, in some form or another, are here to stay.