As far as I can remember, there have only been two times when I heard people in a movie theater laughing "inappropriately," and one of them is somewhat debatable. Back in 1998 I went to see "Wild Things" at the Uptown theater in Washington, and found myself with an uncontrollable case of the giggles whenever Robert Wagner came on the screen. Years later, I became pretty convinced that the whole thing was so deliberately over the top that my laughter was indeed justifiable, although you'd never know it from the dirty looks I was getting that afternoon. Then in 2002, Michael and I went on one of our early dates to see "The Bourne Identity." (It was only years later that we both realized neither one of us likes that kind of movie, but we both thought the other wanted to see it at the time.) The movie wasn't bad, but I remember this scene where Matt Damon was supposed to be the "tough guy" and threatens somebody twice his size and the theater erupted in laughter. (Clearly not the effect they were going for, but it sure didn't slow things down a bit: the Bourne franchise is one of Hollywood's greatest success stories.) Most famously, we've all heard how theatergoers snickered when Cher's name came on the screen back in '83 when "Silkwood" was released. (Even more famously, we all know Cher had the last laugh when she won the best actress Oscar a few years later.)
All of this is a big buildup to something that caught me off-guard the other day when the audience burst into hysterics during the trailer for Zac Efron's new film, "Charlie St. Cloud." We were in Chelsea to see "The Kids Are All Right" -- not exactly the most cerebral film of all time -- and the trailer had been on for a few minutes before the laughfest occurred. It didn't even seem to be in response to any specific moment -- like a lame bit of dialogue or anything like that -- but more of an overall diss. I doubt Universal has much to worry about based on my casual observation -- my guess is Efron can do no wrong with his actual demographic. But it did strike me as odd, and made me wonder if anyone else has ever witnessed any blatant mocking of films like this.
As far as I can remember, there have only been two times when I heard people in a movie theater laughing "inappropriately," and one of them is somewhat debatable. Back in 1998 I went to see "Wild Things" at the Uptown theater in Washington, and found myself with an uncontrollable case of the giggles whenever Robert Wagner came on the screen. Years later, I became pretty convinced that the whole thing was so deliberately over the top that my laughter was indeed justifiable, although you'd never know it from the dirty looks I was getting that afternoon. Then in 2002, Michael and I went on one of our early dates to see "The Bourne Identity." (It was only years later that we both realized neither one of us likes that kind of movie, but we both thought the other wanted to see it at the time.) The movie wasn't bad, but I remember this scene where Matt Damon was supposed to be the "tough guy" and threatens somebody twice his size and the theater erupted in laughter. (Clearly not the effect they were going for, but it sure didn't slow things down a bit: the Bourne franchise is one of Hollywood's greatest success stories.) Most famously, we've all heard how theatergoers snickered when Cher's name came on the screen back in '83 when "Silkwood" was released. (Even more famously, we all know Cher had the last laugh when she won the best actress Oscar a few years later.)
All of this is a big buildup to something that caught me off-guard the other day when the audience burst into hysterics during the trailer for Zac Efron's new film, "Charlie St. Cloud." We were in Chelsea to see "The Kids Are All Right" -- not exactly the most cerebral film of all time -- and the trailer had been on for a few minutes before the laughfest occurred. It didn't even seem to be in response to any specific moment -- like a lame bit of dialogue or anything like that -- but more of an overall diss. I doubt Universal has much to worry about based on my casual observation -- my guess is Efron can do no wrong with his actual demographic. But it did strike me as odd, and made me wonder if anyone else has ever witnessed any blatant mocking of films like this.
8 comments:
I dunno, might have been spontaneous hysteria, though the trailer DOES take itself VERY seriously.
I remember people bursting into hysterics at before SHADOWS & FOG (by Woody Allen) when a lengthy commercial was projected for Sophie B. Hawkins, culminating with her singing "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" and the announcer saying it, too. It *IS* pretty ridiculous, despite being a great song.
I went and saw the first American pie movie with a predominantly white audience. The trailer for "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" came on and everyone was quietly watching. Then the title came up and the entire place broke out laughing. Hard!
I guess no one had heard of the book except for me.
I would bet the laughter erupted when the kid says, "I play catch with my dead brother every night." At least, that's when it started in the theater I was in.
I'll never forgot going to see "Wild Things" and you declaring it the "funniest comedy you'd seen in a long time." LOL! Now it will always be a "camp" classic!
"I doubt Universal has much to worry about based on my casual observation"
One only has to look at _Me and Orson Welles_ which was a financial failure and was also the last time Efron tried to break the Disney mould. (1mil gross on a 25mil budget and no one wanted distribution rights)
Matt: Were they really showing commercials in theaters back in '92? It feels like we're always complaining about it as if it were something new!
Topaz: Maybe you're right. The whole trailer was so ridiculous that nothing stood out in my mind, but when you write it like that, it is a howler!
Greg: You make a good point, but I think a tearjerker teen romance with a half-naked Zac is definitely a safer bet with 'tweens than ANYTHING with the words Orson Welles in the title, let alone a period piece about an anti-fascist adaptation of "Julius Caesar"!!!
Early indications are that "Charlie St. Cloud" will be a tear-jerker chic flick along the lines of all the adaptations of Nicholas Sparks books, but its getting some good word of mouth.
Even CBS Films seemed to be afraid of it, as they pulled their "Beastly", which stars a much hotter Alex Pettyfer and Efron’s "High School Musical" co-star Vanessa Hudgens, which was suppose to open on the same day.
CBS Films said: "We've been hearing from fans, so we know that having both Zac and Vanessa's movies opening on the same day could be a real dilemma for people, so we are moving Beastly."
To March 2011, which just means "Beastly" is a mess. Still...
I don't know, I like actors who choose different roles than they are usually associated with. "Me and Orson Wells" may not have been the right vehicle to show that, but it takes balls to do something knowing that it could be a commercial failure.
The book sold pretty well, and its flying off the shelf now. But what was changed from novel to screen is anyone's guess.
Jeanane Garafalo had a funny comedy bit in which she ridiculed San Francisco moviegoers for actually hissing at trailers they disapproved of. Not booing, but hissing...
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