Midnight with Marty, not Harry (pt 2)

While others were standing in line waiting for the final Harry Potter book, I was waiting to see the midnight movie of Back to the Future.

Having finished the first movie of two at Sunshine, I decided to let the bathroom line dwindle and opted to get concessions.

I hadn't indulged in concessions since moving here. This theater had popcorn flavoring like the Dundee Theater does but they didn't have Garlic Parmesan Pretzels. :( They did have Pretzel Fillers though. I got the Jalapeno but it just wasn't the same... I also got a giant Coke. In theory all of this was well and good to kill time - then it occurred to me that I'd have to finish it all before heading to the bathroom, because I certainly wasn't going to take it in there with me! Doh.

So I proceeded to guzzle my drink and fill my tummy as my bladder continued to plead with me.

Then FINALLY, I was able to make a trip I should have made a few hours ago. Whew!

I still had about an hour and a half to kill before Back to the Future started so I headed upstairs to hang out in a commons area and read my book only to be surrounded by PDA. I decided to sit out in the hall and wait.

A theater worker came by and asked the growing crowd if we were waiting for the midnight movie. Yes. He asked us to move against the wall, so a shuffle occurred and I ended up standing in line behind one of the heavy-petting couples. Lovely.

Ahead of the couple stood a group of guys who seemed laid back and fun and one kept looking over at me (was it because I was looking at him?) I decided to join them.

"Mind if I join you in line? They need their space." (gesturing to the couple behind me - at that point I didn't care if they noticed, I don't think they cared whether people were noticing them anyway...) All of them welcomed me and introduced themselves. One of the guys was a HUGE BTTF fan (he even had a DeLorean lighter) and had drug his friends there. They asked me if I was a big fan. The more understated friend in the group said he'd been giving the fan crap because he didn't know how many gigawatts it took to power the DeLorean. "1.21" I said. I had really won them over then! ;)

The fan had said that he used to only date girls who had seen the movie in the theater - the first time, but he said as the girls have gotten younger that's been a harder rule to stand by.

I didn't share that I was one that saw it the theaters the first time. One of my first movies. The selling point my parents gave was that "Alex P Keaton" from Family Ties was in it. I remember watching the opening sequence and getting antsy, thinking...when are they going to show him?! And then promptly jumping in my seat when the speaker blew as he played his guitar. Rock and Roll. Of course, my mind was totally consumed with that movie afterwards. My brother and I even recreated it with my dolls - Barbies being the current day characters and Strawberry Shortcake dolls being the past characters. I had a gray corvette that acted as the DeLorean and a white granny wig for Barbie that we put on Ken's head for Doc. When it came to the shooting, we threw a sharpened pencil at Doc. So creative! ;)

Okay, er....back to the present. Another friend joined the group and I just stood and observed their banter - the more understated friend was good about filling me in.

When it was time to go into the theater I sat with them. One of the guys said - "Don't ignora, Nora." I'd never heard that one before (no, seriously) - he was proud to be original. Har.

The understated friend wondered if the movie would actual be on film or just a popped in DVD - that question was answered quickly as the movie crackled to life. The 2nd time I would see it on the big screen.

When BTTF was realized all of the present day action was indeed present day - dare I say, trendy. Now 1985 itself stands as a time capsule. I often think that the line about "Tab" and "Pepsi Free" probably goes over the current generation's head when they watch it. As does Huey Lewis's cameo appearance.

Watching it this time around, I appreciated it so much more - as a whole the script is a tight one. Every reference visual or verbal is given with a purpose to tie into something later. If you can get past the 1985 setting it really is a smart film - smarter than most that play on screens today. Thus its continued appeal I suppose.

So many lines I could have said verbatim from that movie. And the audience would clap after many of the key lines like Doc's proclamation that he'll send Marty "Back to the Future".

Groans were drawn from the audience when a pop in the film happened right when Doc was saying "Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." Making it so half the line wasn't heard.

As the credits rolled, I thanked the understated friend I'd been sitting next to for letting me crash their group and headed for home. Upon which I discovered, there is no quick way home at that time of night since subways are few and far between. (Insert Doc's set of "Damns" here.) Will probably make me think twice about catching another midnight movie but I was glad I went to this one. If you can't tell, I LOVE that movie, I truly do. And if you have no idea what I'm talking about when it comes to some of those quotes - rent it and watch it! You'll be glad you did! :)