crowd-response reports (SPOILERS)

[chrisspringob]

I thought I'd start a separate thread for this....separate from the review thread. This thread *isn't* to offer your own review of the movie, but to report on anything interesting about the crowd you saw the movie with. How full was the theater? Did anyone show up in costume? Did the crowd really get into it, and react to any specific moments? If so, which ones? (that's why I included the spoiler warning)

I saw it at Macquarie Centre, in Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia, 6:45pm on Thursday (opening day, but by no means the first show of the day). I was actually kind of surprised by the sparse attendance. The theater was large-ish....probably about 400 seats. But maybe only about 1/3rd of the seats were occupied. I expected more on opening day, but alas. Well, it's playing on three screens here all day long, and this is just outside a college campus, so students were probably watching it at various times throughout the day.

The crowd tended to laugh at all the jokes, but otherwise there wasn't any particularly interesting reaction. Just wondering if other people went to showings where the crowd seemed to be more into it.

 

[Captain Al]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

I saw it Wednesday at an advance screening on an Imax screen, Newport, KY, just across the river from Cincinnati. I am assuming it was a digital projection, as the picture quality was breathtaking.

It was a totally full house. I didn't see anyone in costume, and the crowd ages were all mixed--teenagers through adults, though I don't recall seeing anyone over 60 or 70, but I wasn't looking that hard. I may have missed them.

The audience was totally into the movie, and laughed at the right times ("I'm a doctor, not a--") and when the movie was over, everyone applauded, which is always cool. Many people stuck around to watch the closing credits, too.

 

[Sky]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

I saw it for the first time at the Brussels fantasy film festival and there the crowd was very much into it. Very much. Clapping whenever "old" Trek was referenced etc. But that was a special crowd because of the setting.

Yesterday I saw it at the IMAX theatre in Amsterdam and there the local Trek fan club was in attendance. Some people in costume, quite a quiet crowd, a little bit of applause at the end of the film and many people stayed to see the whole end credits roll.

 

[EyalM]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

I saw it at an advance screening. The age range of the crowd was all over the place, from some elderly to 10 year olds who came with their parents. The crowd laughed at all the right places and there was a wave of whispers at key "Trek" points (reveal of the big E, old spock). There were also clapping at the end when

Spoiler: scene description

Kirk got a standing ovation at his trial

.

 

[Count Zero]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

Surprisingly, the advance showing I attended wasn't entirely sold out (only not so great seats left, though), but then again, there were actually three advance screening at that cinema at roughly the same time (I don't think they've ever done that before for another film).
The audience was very much going along with the film, there were shouts of anticipation when the Paramount logo came on, cheers when old Spock appeared, heavy laughter at all the jokes and clapping at the end. The nods to the Trek series were acknowledged, too. Almost no one showed up in costume or even a Trek shirt. I wore a TNG one and while leaving I saw someone in uniform.

 

[Jono]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

The cinema I went to was mid sized, maybe 200-300 seater and a 7PM session. The cinema wouldn't be the most popular in the area either, one suburb over is a far better shopping centre with a larger cinema complex that would attract more of the surrounding business I would think. Probably 1/3-1/2 full. The audience was sort of into it, they laughed at suitable parts but it wasn't overwhelming as you would get a an actual comedy movie.

I heard two people comment after the movie and they seem to have enjoyed the movie

 

[Mitty]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

As mentioned in the Aussie thread, I saw it at Imax Melbourne, 9pm showing. It was packed solid, huge frakkin cinema. Crowd was fairly mixed, though with a leaning towards nerds and overweight people. Just sayin'.

 

[AvBaur]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

I saw it in Munich, Germany last night and the theater was packed, even though it was the second showing of the night. (the first one was completely sold out) It was the only English language preview in Germany. Most of the people there were obviously fans, a few wore uniforms, and there were frequent bursts of laughter, cheering and applause throughout the film, more than I have ever seen anywhere else afair.

 

[Count Zero]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

It was the only English language preview in Germany.

No, it wasn't. There were three preview showings in Berlin at the Cinestar Original (one of which I attended). And God knows where else.
I'm curious. Were the previews in Munich at the Cinema?

 

[Therin of Andor]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

How full was the theater? Did anyone show up in costume? Did the crowd really get into it, and react to any specific moments?

Just back from my second viewing. (Last week it was a free double pass won through an SMS contest. CBD cinema.) According to the video screen of session times info, there were only 40 empty seats at my 8.30pm suburban screening. No one in costume. Everyone laughed and sniffed in the right places.

Scotty's alien friend, Keenser, (and Scotty's reactions to him) got some great feedback. Did you notice he was in Starfleet uniform (red) at the end?

Quite a few people stayed till the end of the credits.

Overall, both screenings I've been at the audience seemed transfixed. No scoffing and jeering whatsoever, but no spontaneous applause during scenes either. (CBD screening got applause at the end from grateful contest winners.)

Mainly what appeared to be rapt attention throughout both screenings.

 

[AvBaur]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

I'm curious. Were the previews in Munich at the Cinema?

Yup. And they told us they were the only ones. Guess they were misinformed.

 

[Australis]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

My screening was about 3/4 full. Mostly late teens and older. No kids. Laughed in the right places. Reacted when old Spock appeared. No applause at the end. Seemed to be quite a lot of people at the cinema before and after the screening, don't think it was just Thurs night shopping of 'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past'. Yeah, crowd sizes were good, but too cool for school, if you know what I mean.

 

[God Magnus]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

This thread on Aintitcool has some encouraging reaction from a few teens: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/41006

I hope I get a crowd that enthusiastic!

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

As I posted in the Aus thread I saw the first showing at Hoyts in Ringwood at 10:30am. About 15 people in the cinema, some in their 70's. Most people appeared to be significantly older than me. Very quiet with some chuckles here and there and small discussions now and then.

 

[Trajet]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

The screening I went to was in one of the larger screens of Glasgow City Centre's Cineworld (the world's tallest cinema complex ). It's got 663 seats, and it was well over half full, maybe even 3/5's full, by the time the movie started. I thought that was pretty good going for a mid-afternoon showing on a windy, miserable Thursday in Scotland. It was also just one of 19 showings at Cineworld today.

The audience was very mixed, with just a smattering of obvious Trek geeks, and a considerably more sizeable portion of what I'd call the general moviegoing audience. I even spotted a pair of "ladies of a certain age" while my friend and I were trying to decide where to sit. The audience as a whole seemed pretty into the movie, reacting appropriately to all the funny and dramatic moments.

 

[chrisspringob]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

I'll be curious to read the crowd reports from the US and Canada, where it's opening at a sane time in the evening (7pm), rather than midnight or early morning. Hopefully a lot of sold out shows.

I suppose in my own crowd report, I might have mentioned that the bulk of the audience looked college aged.....which is pretty standard for any event around here, since I live on the edge of a college campus.

 

[Captain Pike]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

The IMAX screening I went to on opening night here in Melbourne was a full house (as was the session after mine) - both fully booked out.

No one in uniform that I could see.

I arrived an hour early and the cue was up to about 60 people, which soon swelled to over 300 (maybe 400 or so or whatever the capacity of the cinema was).

There was a high geek quotient to the audience, but overall not that many appeared to be Star Trek fans. One of the girls in the row in front of me turned and asked a few in the seats surrounding me what the response to "Live long and propser" should be and embarrassingly I was the only one able to give the answer. The guy to my left who sparked up a conversation with me was just a casual fan, he didn't know many of the specifics. Overall I think there would maybe be less than a quarter actual fans, and of them very few hardcores.

The audience response was fantastic. They really got into the film and were laughing and yelping with excitement in all the right spots. The appearance of old Spock made them half gasp, half sigh with delight, and they applauded the film at the end. About a third of the audience stayed until the very end of the credits.

It was a great night, and something I haven't really seen since Star Wars or Raiders.

 

[indianatrekker26]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

I was in a 300 or so sized theatre. It was 3/4+ full, easily. What suprised me were the amount of young people in attendence. I'd say over half were early 20s or younger. The buzz as i walked out of the movie was INCREDIBLE. I heard some people say, "You've never seen star trek?" "I can't believe star trek can be this good"

 

[DaveyNY]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

Saw it in a 200 seat theater... 7PM show...

There were only about thirty of US there...

Definitely all Trek Fans...

No costumes, but several of Us wore Trek Related T-shirts and a group of about 10 wore their TNG Com-badges...


Mostly quiet during the movie...

I think WE were ALL in AWE...

Laffs were appropriate.. as usual I was the loudest...

When it ended and the credits started... nobody moved till the last of the main

actors names went by...

Then We started filing out...

Really subdued...

 

[chrisspringob]

Re: crowd reports (SPOILERS)

One thing I've noticed since moving to Australia....since the movie tickets actually have specific seat numbers on them, hardly anyone bothers to show up to a movie early, as there's no competition for seats. I was surprised when there were only about five people in the theater ~10 minutes before showtime. But I guess there's no need to come early if your seat is guaranteed.