crowd-response reports (SPOILERS)

[Aike]

I went to the 8.45 pm premiere at Empire at Leicester Square in London yesterday. It was not sold out; it was maybe 70 percent full. Disappointing, but it is one of the largest screens in the world.

There was a big round of applause when the movie started. A few applauded when Nimoy appeared. And there was a round of applause after the movie.

 

[Aragorn]

Some of the older people at my theater -- ones who probably saw the original show on TV for first-airings -- really seemed to like it, laughing at all the in-jokes, familiar dialog, enjoying the original theme at the end and what-not. There was some clapping at the end.

 

[nx1701g]

I went to a showing last night and viewed it a second time this afternoon. I'm sorry to report both times were very bad turnouts. Last night there were probably about 50 people in the theatre, this afternoon only 15.

 

[miraclefan]

From what I had seen, there were differant types at the theater, old, young, teens, And half of that screening was full, in fact my mom & sister told me there were more people for this, then wolverine! so I am very hopeful this movie comes in #1 at the box-office!

 

[Count Zero]

I saw the film a second time on Thursday at 8 pm with some friends. They showed it on the biggest screen in the multiplex and it was nearly sold out (the first two rows were empty, but who would want to sit there with such a big screen?).
The reactions were more subdues than in the pre-premiere screening, but generally good. Again no costumes or related t-shirts, although the crows was definetely knowledgeable in Trek. The people I went with weren't really Trekfans but were very enthusiastic about the movie.

 

[Winged Victory]

Just got back from a 4:30 showing here in Minneapolis. Totally sold out theater! Everyone was attentive; hardly anyone got out of their seats. Lots of laughter at the appropriate places, and a good smattering of applause at the end. The audience was just great here! And the line for the next showing was out the door.

 

[Judith Sisko]

4:10 Friday afternoon at Quail Springs AMC Theaters in Oklahoma City. Showing on 4 of the 24 screens. Two in full swing when I got there, the third starting a half hour before my showing. The theater we were in had about 600 seats, probably 1/3 full. The movie that started about a half hour before mine looked like it had more people in attendence. (I was in line waiting and watching.) Good responses from the theater with the 1:50 showing as they came out.

Except for one more elderly-like couple, my friends and I (early 50's) were probably the oldest in the 4:10 theater. Laughs in the appropriate places, a collective sharp intake of breath when Leonard Nimoy turned around in the ice cave, polite applause at the end. About half of the people stayed through the credits. Positive comments coming out of the theater. Came out to a long line waiting for the next show.

When I was in line to collect my advance tickets, a lot of people were there to purchase tickets for later shows. While we were waiting inside the complex, one of the employees said to another one, "Everybody wants to see Star Trek tonight."

 

[Kpnuts]

8.45pm, London Leicester Square, Friday night. Probably about 1000-1500 seats in the screen. Was about 80-85% full. Cheering at beginning and for Nimoy. Lots of applause at the end. REally got into it it was great.

 

[Aike]

8.45pm, London Leicester Square, Friday night. Probably about 1000-1500 seats in the screen. Was about 80-85% full. Cheering at beginning and for Nimoy. Lots of applause at the end. REally got into it it was great.

How often is the Empire sold out?

 

[Dream]

There wasn't much crowd response during the afternoon showing that I went to. There was some laughter during the scenes when McCoy gives Kirk the constant injections in the neck and I heard some mumbling the first time Old Spock appeared in the cave. I'm not a big fan of being interrupted during a movie so I was glad the audience that I was with was well behaved.

Loved the film by the way!

 

[Amaris]

7:00 Premiere, Danbarry Theater, SW Ohio.
Totally packed house.

Lots of laughing at funny moments, a few tears, some excited yells during the action sequence, and at the end of the movie? Standing and cheering, with clapping too.

FanTASTic movie.

J.

 

[Kpnuts]

8.45pm, London Leicester Square, Friday night. Probably about 1000-1500 seats in the screen. Was about 80-85% full. Cheering at beginning and for Nimoy. Lots of applause at the end. REally got into it it was great.

How often is the Empire sold out?

Not very often I suppose.

Opening friday night of Wall-E had less people than Star Trek did just now.

It was a healthy crowd, but bear in mind, advertising in London has been awful. Hardly anything.

 

[scottydog]

Some clapping at the end. This is the first time in a long time I've heard applause at a movie. And yeah, it was more than just me clapping!

 

[Grup]

Saw the movie tonight. Loved it.

Semi-full house. This movie had more viewers in it than I am used to seeing. Not packed but plenty of people. Anyways....

My wife and I find a row in the upper level (tiered cinema seating) that had only one, 60ish woman sitting in it. We sat about three empty seats from her and that's how it remained. When the movie was over there was light applause and people started to clear out. When the "big" credits were finished everyone else cleared out. The only ones left in the theatre were my wife and I and this old woman. She sat thru the entire credit roll!? My wife and I were amazed by this. She was alone, and quite honestly she probably had the best seat in the house. Higher up and smack dab in the middle. This means not only did she sit thru the entire picture, I'm guessing she showed up early to get that primo seat. Amazing.

I personally loved the movie. You could tell by the feel in the theatre that the opening sequence had the audience riveted. After that there was the expected reactions to classic lines/references, humor etc. All in all I think the audience was happy.

I think it got a little too "explainey" when Spock (like he's trying to clue "slower" audience members in) monologues about what has happened during his scene with Kirk.

Pine, Quinto & Urban were great. IMO

Pegg felt more and more like Scotty as the movie progressed.

Yelchin was great as Chekov. A little different but still great. His struggle with English was classic. Wulcan

Cho was OK. But I don't know that he had that much to work with. I think he'll be fine in the future though.

Saldana was a different Uhura but then again we don't know what these characters were like 20 years prior to us "knowing" them.

Bana was good as Nero. I don't think a bad guy always has to be bigger and badder than the previous bad guy because then you wind up with an unbelievable, over the top character. Nero was "troubled".

Nimoy. Need I say anymore? At first I wasn't sure about Cross as Sarek but then I realized what I watching and I am very comfortable with his portrayal.

Enterprise - There were plenty of beauty shots. I read where some complained so maybe I had a heightened awareness to watch for them. She's beautiful.

I loved the effect of not just being in warp but how the ship accelerates into warp drive.

As we were driving home my wife (I watch it because my husband likes it type of Trekkie) commented that she didn't like the fact that Spocks mom died because she was alive in the TV series. I explained that this movie "altered time and changed things that we knew. She said "that's stupid". I guess shes a canon freak. Who knew?!

Great movie.

 

[Grup]

^ This was my first attempt at covering spoilers. I hit the little box, typed the spoiler, then hit OK. How come they're not hidden? Sorry if somebody reads this and gets spoiled.

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

^ This was my first attempt at covering spoilers. I hit the little box, typed the spoiler, then hit OK. How come they're not hidden? Sorry if somebody reads this and gets spoiled.

Don't worry; as you can imagine, by now the whole forum is full of spoilers. I don't think anybody bothers with the tags any longer.

 

[Dream]

^ This was my first attempt at covering spoilers. I hit the little box, typed the spoiler, then hit OK. How come they're not hidden? Sorry if somebody reads this and gets spoiled.

The topic title already has a warning for spoilers. You don't have to worry about accidently spoiling anything for anyone.

 

[Kelso]

My 6:00pm showing was about 80 percent full. It seemed like a decent blend of geeky folks and regular people. The lady in my peripheral vision was really into it. Every time something remotely dangerous happened to the characters, she would put her hands on her cheeks in dismay!

On the way out, there was a mob waiting for the next showing. We had to fight our way back to the lobby. That crowd seemed to be mostly ordinary folks. If there was a Trekkie in the bunch, I couldn't spot him.

Oh, and somewhere behind me there was a group of kids (10-13ish, I guess) who really seemed to be loving it. I could hear them laughing and cheering at the appropriate moments.

The crowd clapped at the end, of course... including my brother who likes to claim that TWOK is the only good Star Trek. He stayed to see it again with some friends we passed in the lobby.

 

[Aike]

8.45pm, London Leicester Square, Friday night. Probably about 1000-1500 seats in the screen. Was about 80-85% full. Cheering at beginning and for Nimoy. Lots of applause at the end. REally got into it it was great.

How often is the Empire sold out?

Not very often I suppose.

Opening friday night of Wall-E had less people than Star Trek did just now.

It was a healthy crowd, but bear in mind, advertising in London has been awful. Hardly anything.

I know I even started a thread about it. I think this will hurt the box office.

 

[Admiral Geek]

I saw this film at 7PM Thursday in an IMAX theater in Hamilton, NJ. I got there at 6PM and the theater was already half full. By the time the film began the theater was 90% full.

I came wearing a TOS costume and got many funny looks. There were only two others in costume. One was fat guy who looked like Fidel Castro with a gold TOS shirt and the other was a disabled midget in a blue TOS shirt. He was escorted by his grandmother. There were some others with assorted Trek t-shirts. They were among the geekiest in the audience as was I.

The crowd itself was very diverse. I saw a lot of young women which is a good sign. I don't recall seeing ANY young women in the audience when I sat through Nemesis. There were also many African-Americans who roared with laughter when Tyler Perry came on the screen. One shouted out, "Yo damn, dat be Madea, yall!"

People laughed and reacted well throughout the film. Nimoy got applause when he showed up. At the end of the film people applauded and so many people stayed throughout the credits that I couldn't even get out as I was in the middle of the theater row!

When I walked out I saw a huge line waiting to get in. People pointed at me because I was in costume. I felt a bit sheepish. I will say this - this film is going to have a great opening weekend but it will go even farther than that. It is a legitimatly great movie and word of mouth will spread.