TMT: “Your suggested arrival time is 1 hour before the movie.”
This is the next entry in a Theatre… a Movie… and a Time, a series that was begun here. Last year, I did one of these for a TMT entry within days of a certain film screening. A recent gathering of die-hard fans for a specific film seemed to call for another of this ‘fresh’ variety. The odd title for this specific post comes from a line on the guide sheet I was given for my latest bit of cinematic-husband-craziness. May I have a drumroll for my wife’s lovely eye roll, please?
Thor: “He’s my brother…”
Natasha Romanoff: “He killed 80 people in 2 days.”
Thor: “… he’s adopted.”
Theatre
The El Capitan Theatre:
Images c/o Cinema Treasures site
Movie
Time
May 4, 2012: a couple of weeks ago, my visiting sister-in-law mentioned the law enforcement agency she works for offered tickets to employees and their guests to see the inaugural blockbuster of the summer season, The Avengers. On opening day. “Are you going?”, we asked. “Please,”, she responded, “…who is crazy enough to get up at o’dark-thirty to catch a movie? The special screening is at 4 AM!” Let the record show that my wife just pointed. Then, they both looked over my way.
What could I say? “Yeah, I’d go.”, came my reply. I mean, given that this highly anticipated movie was going to happen at the El Capitan Theatre, right across the street from the ‘Chapter 11’ Kodak Theater and its famed neighbor venue, why wouldn’t I? Needless to say, I bought two tickets. Disney’s premium movie hall on Hollywood Blvd. is well-known in these parts:
“In 1991, the former Paramount Theater was reopened by Disney and Pacific Theaters following a glorious restoration of this Hollywood gem situated across the street from Mann’s Chinese. As the flagship theater of the Disney Studio empire, it is part of the Pacific Theaters circuit of which Disney owns a large stake.
Every major animated release from Walt Disney Pictures Animation premieres here complete with a live stage show and more. The theater was the first in the United States to announce an online movie ticketing and printing system.”
This boisterous, brimming screening followed the equally packed 12:01 AM showing, believe it or not. I saw those patrons heading back to their cars as I arrived, and I got there just before 3 AM (having dragged myself out of bed at 2 AM to get myself ready). I was in line (yes, there were plenty of folk already there) by 3:05 AM. The father of my daughter’s schoolmate, another one unafraid of wifely ridicule, joined me, in fact.
We were greeted and entertained as only Disney can in a place like this. How was the movie, you ask? I think my blogging colleagues over at Radiator Heaven and The Focus Filmographer nailed both of our giddy opinions and reactions with their reviews, found here and here. Needless to say, I got to work fairly early that day.
The entire series can be found here. If you’re interested how it’s put together, click here.
It Rains... You Get Wet 
33 Responses to “TMT: “Your suggested arrival time is 1 hour before the movie.””
Great Story! It’s not often enough that the theater itself becomes part of the destination, with so many located in mall food courts these days.
I actually wish that more films had suggested arrival times like that. There’s nothing worse than being distracted for the first five minutes of the film by the stragglers who can’t get to the theater on time!
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Thank you very kindly. Having a destination such as this theatre was a real allure. It made this a memorable experience.
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What a cool theater! And here I thought I was a rabid film fan. Good to know I’m in good company!
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Yes, it is one very cool theatre, J.D. Thank you very much, brother film fan :-).
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Wow, you got up at 2 AM to see this? Now THAT’s dedication! Glad to hear it was worth it, Michael and I LOVE that quote you put up there, there are sooo many good ones in this movie. What a fabulous theater and nice pic you posted here, I’m sure you can’t wait to go back to see this again. My hubby already said he wants to see it again, too! 😀
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If I hadn’t pre-bought the tickets, trying to wake at 2 AM may have been too much obstacle to overcome ;-). Luckily, it turned out to be so worth it because of the film and the specialness of the venue. Thanks very much, Ruth.
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What a fabulous theater! Lucky you. Nothing wrong with getting up in the middle of the night and going to the movies. More theaters should offer the option.
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Yes, it is. Even the old Paramount Theatre, become its grand renovation into the El Capitan, was pretty special. Now, it’s really spectacular. Thanks very kindly, Naomi.
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Very cool that you got to see The Avengers in a great location. I hope to hear your thoughts on the movie soon as well.
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Thank you very much, Mummbles. Have you seen this yet? It’s worth the trip, and movie ticket. I took my daughter to see this mid-afternoon today. She loved it, and amazingly, it was pretty packed theater for a Tuesday. This is really racking up box office, still.
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I love the stories you consistently share in TMT! Thanks. This one is particularly fun because I can relate to getting up early to see a film of epic proportions such as this! ha 🙂
And thank you very kindly for the link. I really appreciate it.
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Glad to link up your review. It captured what I felt about this one (even saw it again, today, in fact). Thank you very much for the kind words, T.
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HAHA 2 AM? is that an actual time? I thought it was just a legend from young people!!
You have some dedication, sir!
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Kinda hard to believe, yes? But afterwards, it made getting up for work on Monday morning seem like I was over-sleeping ;-). Thank you, Scott.
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Wow…that theater really is stunning. I’d love to see a film within its walls…bet that would be some experience!
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It’s a stunner, alright. It’s was electric being out there in line at 3 AM. Never felt like falling back to sleep, not once. Thank you, Dan.
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Thanks for sharing this Michael, really quite jealous that you have theatres like that on your doorstep. The closest we get to theatres like that in this part of the world is on the silver screen. I’ll have to take a Hollywood theatre tour some day. Can you suggest a guide? 😉
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If you make it out to here, I’ll find you a great one, or do it myself, Ronan. There are still more than few surviving in this town, I hope they stay that way. Movie palaces like this are memory makers, for sure. Thanks, my friend.
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I can’t think of a better guide around Hollywood than a L.A based movie blogger. Maybe Tom Cruise is available, he seems like an accomodating fellow.
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Y’know, the Scientology Church is just down the same Hollywood Blvd. ;-). Thanks, Ronan.
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I would have LOVED to have seen the Avengers in this theater. I made my husband go at the normal time of 8:20pm opening night and he had a hard time with that (not a movie person.) But I had a great time. It was definitely a kick in the pants.
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Oh, yes. This made for quite the jumpstart for the summer movie season. Couldn’t have asked for better. If you ever make it out here, stop on by. You and I can head out to the movies and our spouses can sit back and talk about us ;-). Thanks, Marianne.
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Wow, a 4AM screening?? Now THAT’S dedication! What a beautiful theater, too. Thanks for sharing your experience, Michael, that is really cool.
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Or just plain crazy ;-). Thanks very much for reading and commenting, Eric.
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First of all…WOW!! amazing theater!! There is none like that in my city 😦
Second…aw everyone have gone to see this and liked it…I better do the same … but still have no spirit to see movie yet 😉
I like how enthusiastic you were…that early just to see the movie 😉
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Thank you very much for the kind words and sentiment, Novroz.
Oh, I appreciate that. Sounds so much better than “Are you insane?” when I mention what I did that morning. And I do very much recommend the film. I think you’d have fun with it :-).
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Wow, great looking theater. I wished we had more than the generic big new chain theaters around my part (or the crummy old generic ones). I can’t believe the screening was at 4AM, I have never heard of that!
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Yes, this is one of those that meets the term of “movie palace“. For this launch of their big summer blockbuster, Disney started showing this one at 12:01 AM and just kept the screening going all day. Just last Tuesday, I took my daughter to see the film at a 3:45 PM screening at a nearby movie plex, and it was packed! They’re making $$$ hand over fist with The Avengers. It’s unreal. Thanks, Castor.
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Beautiful theater! You are so lucky to have seen the film there 🙂
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Thank you so much, my friend. And yes, I do consider myself lucky to have caught the film there.
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[…] entry in a Theatre… a Movie… and a Time series that was begun here. As I’ve already noted, these remembrances should not and will not be limited to the distant past. I have little to do […]
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[…] This would later become Disney’s showcase theater, The El Capitan, where other big films would surely find purchase. ↩ […]
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