September 30, 2007
The Evil Dead Screening Sucked
Last night, Bostonist was on hand for J. Cannibal's screening of The Evil Dead at Brookline's Coolidge Corner Theater, and it was terrible. We expected the film to be bad, but our fellow patrons were even worse. One group drowned out the film's soundtrack with an eighty-five minute long running commentary that was so violent and misogynist that one female patron felt unsafe exiting the theater.
Now, Bostonist understands the value of yelling at the screen while watching a bad movie. That's half the fun of seeing the things in a group. But when neophytes can't follow the plot of a D-grade horror clunker because all they can hear is a bunch of jerks in the back yelling "Die, bitch die!" and making rape and tampon jokes, well, there's a problem.
Misogyny is a part of horror movies -- the women characters are the ones who get undressed and cut to bits in gruesomely sexual ways. But it's not the part that the audience need encourage -- or reinforce. Bostonist had an epiphany, listening to the bellowing idiots at the Coolidge: maybe it isn't horror films that scare those jerks. Maybe it's women.
Confidential to J. Cannibal and the Coolidge: if you don't have the fortitude to kick a bunch of losers out of a movie theater (J. Cannibal, who onstage is a roaring alpha hypeman, turned Cowardly Lion when confronting the patrons, offering a meek, "Hey guys, could you please be a little quiet?"), then Bostonist doesn't have ten bucks to give you.
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I was there but sitting on the other side of the theatre, so the yelling didn't seem so egregious -- and I couldn't make out everything they said. Otherwise, I had a good time.
I thought Bad Ash (the band) was really good and a great fit for the event. The Black Cat Burlesque numbers were amusing. I wish the film's sound was better in general, but I did laugh a few times at the hecklers.
~r
Someone just tipped me off to this post...I asked them to cool it as a courtesy to the other moviegoers, but no one actually complained during the show. If you had a problem with it, or me, you should have talked to them yourself--or let someone know. Since I had to help the live acts pack up and load out, I wasn't even in the theatre for most of the film.
This was the 5th Feast of Flesh I've run and people get a little rowdy at each one, but this time I've had a lot of complaints--and there was even an "oh cruel world" letter in the Dig about that particular group. I'll be cracking down harder at the next event to make it a more enjoyable experience for everyone. In the meantime my confidential to you would be to have a little “fortitude” yourself and register a complaint in time to make a difference rather than just snarking about it after the fact, behind everyone’s back. It’s not like we’re hard to find.
JCannibal, I saw that Weekly Dig letter myself, and I'm glad to hear that you will be cracking down next time. Thank you.
I wasn't there, and I understand that you were busy, but, even if members of the audience told the loudmouths to their face to shut up*, in the end, you, the people on your team, and Coolidge Corner are responsible for escorting patrons out of the theater when they are being such obvious assholes.
*And I'd guess that they did--people who attend "Evil Dead" screenings aren't exactly shrinking violets.
I agree with you--it is our responsibility--but we can't take action on a problem if we don't know about it. By the same token, if you've been to any of these events you know that shouting, heckling, etc. is part of the experience (much like going to see Rocky Horror). When I'm on stage, people talk all sorts of smack to me and I revel in it. So when I stood in the back of the theatre at one point and heard a particularly rowdy corner, I walked over and told them to tone it down, rather than kick them out off-the-bat. Apparently they continued to be way out of hand, but no one bothered to tell any of us until after the movie was over.
What just annoys me is Rick's lack of action to remedy the situation. The people making the ruckus were a pretty non-threatening group of lame-ass suburban teenagers...even if he didn't want to confront them, we would have gladly kicked them out if he (or anyone) had walked out into the lobby and explained the extent of the problem. Instead he chose to sit back, let it suck, and then call us names.
None of us get rich off putting these shows on. I could be making a lot more money doing a lot less work at something else. I do it for the love of the genre, and because (as a Boston native) I care about having a sustainable arts scene in this city. It bums me out to hear that a small group of a-holes ruined the experience for so many people. But it pisses me off when someone who could have just as easily taken a simple step to fix the problem starts slinging mud and discouraging others from supporting what I'm trying to do in the future.
Ok, so a few bad apples left a bad taste in your mouth...I get it.
But seriously, who are you trying to impress by talking so much trash about the event? You are really giving the wrong impression of the evening.
If you really were so put off by what happened, you should have been more professional about it and sent Cannibal an email. A quick serch was all it took for me to find contact info.
In short, it was still a good night, despite those kids, and I'm sure it will be a great time next event.
Thanks go out to you Cannibal, keep up the good work! Don't let some dumb kids and an inappropreate columnist get you down.
I look forward to the next promotion. If you need some extra security just let me know. :)
FYI: I hit recommend for the event not the review or lack there of.
It was alot of fun and I really wish there were more things like this more often.
Jcannibal --
I'm not sure how, as a patron, I ended up with the responsibility to do something about the situation I described. I paid ten bucks to see a movie, not to police a bunch of yahoos.
I am glad that you do what you do. I would much rather live in a city that has Evil Dead screenings than one that does not. So, I hope you take this episode as a learning experience. I hope that in the future, no Bostonian, male or female, will feel unsafe at your screenings. I hope that there is no new occasion to say that "Feat of Flesh" sucked.
Rick, I'll be happy to explain how YOU ended up with a responsibility as a patron who paid $10: You're convinced that people felt like they were in danger.
As a member of society, I know I would be compelled to give SOMEONE a heads up: "Hey, I paid ten bucks and these turds are ruining it and making people feel uncomfortable. Please deal with it." End of story. Problem solved. End scene. No one is suggesting that you should have been a hero.
So, seriously? You're going to take the honorable responsibility to editorialize and warn the city that Cannibal's event sucks because of rowdy assholes that make people feel unsafe, but scoff at the suggestion that you (or anyone) could have simply asked the staff to have them removed?
Cannibal works so hard to deliver every element of every event he creates, never getting to enjoy them with the audience, so put a sock in it, will you? Get off the soap box and stop instructing the man on what to take as a learning experience. He's not an idiot.
BoJelly --
You are getting somewhat far afield from the point of my post, which was that the screening sucked. I'm in a situation where I have a moral responsibility to act to prevent people from feeling endangered? That sounds like a pretty sucky event.
You can disagree. I won't ask you to put a sock in it.
Rick,
Existential dilemmas aside, if you want to get back to the point of your post then I'm happy to point out the hack job you did on the event by neglecting to even mention the three live acts and the costume contest that happened before the 'sucky' screening.
If you think the rock band, the two burlesque acts, the costume contest and the free goodie bags I gave out to the first 200 people also weren't worth the $10 admission then maybe a fuller critique is in order. I doubt many of the other 400 people in attendance would agree...In fact, I think a lot of them come for the "pre-show" festivities alone.
Lastly, before you start condescending to give me advice on how to run an event in Boston, maybe you should spend another decade in the city and try putting on a few yourself.
I, for one, have always been pleased with my experiences at J. Cannibal's 'Feast of Flesh' events. Being an avid horror fan, I've found the selection of film to be gory and worthwhile. The zombie costume contests are always an absolute gas. The stylings and stage antics of the burlesque performers, bands, contortionists and magic acts have always been tops.
I wasn't able to attend the Evil Dead screening. While I'm balked to hear that some barbarous teens with foul mouths ruined the evening for Rick (and possibly others), I would hate to think that this article would dissuade Bostonians (and their suburbanite counterparts) from attending future events. The crowds that I've been a part of have been frolicsome gore-heads, not vicious little stinkers.
Hi ,
I'm sorry to say I don't know much about "the Bostonist" , what your demographic is or who your audience is.
But from the perspective of a twenty-something year old permanent resident of the area , who enjoys local arts & venues that put on these types of shows i.e. The Coolidge theater, I think I speak for a lot of people ( mainly the ones who were laughing their asses off and dancing along through the performance) when I say , I completely disagree with you.
Not only would I say that the hard work J. Cannibal put into this show with the great bands , the amazing Black cat Burlesque and the hilariously fun costume contest was worth 10 bucks , I'd say it's what keeps a FOLLOWING coming back every year.
I'd like to also point out that a fair amount of these evil dead watching , blood-splattered zombie wannabes ( men and women) aren't timid people who would need to be comforted after hearing a few cuss words.
Regardless of who's responsibility it was to complain or to not complain , I would hate to see that type of event turned into something where people weren't able to come and have a good time , whether it's because of uptight venues or opposingly , because the patrons were exceptionally obnoxious.
As for myself , I was seated with friends on the other side of theater as well , and frankly I hardly heard anything .
It's a blast really . I mean that is , if you like evil dead.
And I mean , from the sounds of it , you didn't even really like evil dead in the first place right?
-Robyn Gesek-
p.s. Why didn't you just move to a different seat?
P.s.
As for the cowardly Lion comment , have you ever heard the expression:
"Speak softly and carry a big stick" .
I was there. The comments weren't nearly as vile as the entire concept of trees raping women. Where's your offense at that, Rick? That's ok because it's captured on film rather than off the cuff from assholes in the back?
Did you offer to escort that woman out? How do you know she felt unsafe? Did she actually articulate that around the people making her feel unsafe? I find it hard to believe that could have happened.
Apart from your public kvetching about the film in order to apparently get some coverage for yourself as a new 'reporter' (and I use that term very loosely) in your new city of Boston, what did you do to help her out? Did you offer to escort her to security for the cinema? Did you offer to walk her out of the film to ensure she was safe?
What did you do to actually help this woman? And using her as a springboard for self-promotion doesn't count.
I hope I never need to rely on someone like yourself in an unsafe public situation. Fortunately for me, and many women in Boston, my experience is that the men of this city tend to have balls when it comes to stuff like this and actually do help out people when they need it.
If commenters want to object, I have no problem with that, but wish they would stop playing the more-Bostonian-than-thou card. Instead of taking pride in the fact that people actually want to move to their town, they use the fact that they've been here for years as an opportunity to thump their chests. It's a phenomenon all too common in Boston, whether it's the lady with her claim about what "a true Boston male would do" or the guy with his "having been here a lot longer than you have..." Sorry, but whether this screening was in Boston or Timbuktu isn't relevant to the question of whether the screening sucked, and it sounds like it did.
Au contraire. I'll reiterate it for you .
IT.
WAS.
A.
FUCKING.
BLAST.
(in case you hadn't noticed , it seems as though there were more Yays! than nays on this event)