PT Midnight 3D experiences- tell us

So hopefully everyone can tell their experiences here.

For me, I got their and was told that the Real D 3D Darth MAUL themed glasses were not going to be given out at the midnight show. Did anyone else have this problem. It seems to me that the midnighters would be the fans that would appreciate it the most. Apparently this was the instructions left by the distributors not the theaters policy. Can someone find out more info on this? I am pissed. That is half the reason I went to the midnight- to assure those glasses.

Next there were no 501st in Peoria IL (not surprised since a single Boba Fett was the only one who showed up for the EIII original release. There were some teenagers with some hasbro sabers and one kid with a modified mando helmet and pretty poor armor. and a few low end jedi robed kids. Nothing film accurate but good for them.

As for the movie, I noticed right away that they barely used the 3D. The opening scroll started at the bottom at a +0 depth (meaning that if you took your glasses off it would look the same. Then it went to negative depth as it went up the screen. I think the bottom of the screen should have started off at a positive depth, hit the +0 depth half way up and then moved into the negative. This accentuates the 3D effect. I felt the whole movie was lacking in the 3D conversion. I have seen plenty of films that have been retro-converted to 3D that did a much better job than star wars (Nightmare before xmas comes to mind although I realize that is a whole different animal).

All in all, the 3D was barely present in most scenes and barely added any enjoyment to the pod race, which I was looking forward too.

You could feel the entire audience get antsy when jar jar first came on the screen and again about half way through (a collective, "the anticipation has warn off and we now realize we have to sit through the rest of the worst star wars movie" feeling came over everyone.

All in all it felt like the first time I watch TPM, disappointing with a few cool moments.

How bout everyone else?

 

I had the same experience with the glasses. I would like to know why the marketing lied about this. 12:01am IS the 10th. We had such a big issue at our theater, the manager risked her job and gave some of us the glasses. It was either that or about 10 of us would've grabbed the box and taken them anyway. I'm sorry but you don't lie to customers and think you can get away with it.

When the theaters got the memo from Lucasfilm and Fox, they should've raised hell. They should've went public with it. This is the only post, on one the the largest Star Wars fansites in existence. Why?

This should've been front page and noted on ALL promotion for the 3D glasses.

 

The theater was pretty full, and nearly everyone there had lightsabers of some kind. 30 minutes before the movie started, some kids wrangled up all the people with lightsabers to participate in a huge duel (people with red lightsabers vs. people with blue and green sabers). It was cool. There was a guy dressed in full tusken raider gear, and a couple a jedi and sith costumes. Everyone there seemed pretty pumped to see TPM.

And the movie itself was breathtaking. I got goosebumps all over during the pod race. I thought the 3-D was cool. It's a very different type of 3-D that wasn't gimmacky. Very similar to the Star Tours 3-D ride.

And of course, the duel at the end was spectacular to behold on the big screen. Everyone there cheered when the movie began and ended, and there was a "I can't wait for Episode 2!" shouted amongst the crowd as we left the theater. Truly a night I'll never forget. I hadn't had this much fun at the theater since.......well.....2005.

 

Project much? My theater clearly was filled with people who just wanted to watch Star Wars and have fun. Following the screening there was quit a bit of applause. Crowd was a lot of late 20s-30 somethings with a number of older fans (like myself) bringing their kids or teenagers along.

Good presentation, great sound. Great to see Star Wars back on the big screen.

Yancy

 

I'll be seeing the film tonight at 7:00, though I must say that I get that "Lucas just can't win with you people" feeling as I crawl around the net listening to SOME complain about there not being "enough 3D."

Anybody who follows will knows darn well that the anti-3D complaints are centered largly around people complaining about too many stupid "jumping off the screen to hit you in the face" moments. But when somebody uses 3D in mor subtle, even artful ways its not good enough either?

Granted, I have not see it yet, but star wars complaints are pretty predictable. I really do miss the days before everyone was a critic.

Movies are fun. Leave the baggage at the door. Watch through a child's eyes. The film belongs to the kids, not us.

 

You know, I got kind of the same vibe in my theater, too, which was disappointing. The crowd was mainly 20-30 year olds, quite a few of them sporting lightsabers and SW clothing...but the mood was kind of dull. I expected cheering and applause (I was practically falling out of my chair when the "Lucasfilm" logo appeared, and I was one of the few persons clapping at the end), so it was kind of a bummer for me. There was no excitement, really. I understand that the 3D disappointed many, but I'm in the "OMG it's Star Wars on the big screen again!!11!" camp, so once I realized that the 3D effects were not going to be major, I just enjoyed myself. But it seemed like everyone else was sort of blah. It was the midnight showing, for crying out loud! Only the geekiest of the geeks should have been there, and they kind of let me down with their lack of enthusiasm. I didn't care about the 3D so much - I was just happy to be watching SW in the theater again.

On a related note: the audio was terrible. Not nearly loud enough, which might have been partly responsible for the lackluster audience response. I wanted to hear those lightsabers screaming and "Duel of the Fates" just thrumming out the speakers...and alas. It was not to be.

 

Great post from vader1025. Why isn't the lying about the 3d glasses bigger news. the biggest fans were out last night.

As for comments about my complaints, I was excited when I went in and disappointed when I went out. I am not one of those complain about everything fans...I walked out of TPM the first time and said, "it was ok, even ANH had problems.) But I do think that their are other 3D conversion studios who have done a better job in the past (and no I am not talking about things jumping out at the audience). Anyway, back on track....anyone else have positive or negative experiences they want to share from yesterday?

I am off to the theater to talk to a manager about getting my glasses. MtFbw/ Me

 

I've had this problem in various films in the last few years. It seems to be more of a problem in certain theaters.

 

I will generally repeat what I said in another thread. I loved seeing the movie again on the big screen after 13 years. It brought me back when I was 10 years old and through the day I felt the same excitement as if I have never seen the movie before. I loved the fact that they used the 3D for depth of the field and not some silly gimmicks to show off like lightsaber pointing in your face or blaster bolts hitting you square in the eye. I have never seen the blu-ray version (planning to getting a copy in the summer) so some of the new additions were new for me. As someone mentioned the podrace benefited the most. I don't understand people who go to see the movie only to complain about it... If you don't like the prequels you skip watching the re-releases. For me it was an amazing experience to watch it all again, can't wait til ep.2

 

If anyone was upset about the way the midnight showings were handled, in relation to the glasses, you can e-mail publicity@lucasfilm.com

 

Me and my girlfriend had an AMAZING midnight experience! It felt so awesome to be on a midnight line for Star Wars again, with all the fans sitting around talking about it. And then the movie itself! Wow, was it amazing to see again. I hadn't watched it in months on purpose to make this viewing fresh, and everything was awesome! The theater was packed, and everyone loved it! I went to go see it again last night, and again, a packed theater, with a REALLY diverse crowd this time. Older men and women, teenage girls, young guys, and we all cheered and laughed the whole way through. When Anakin destroyed the TF ship? Applause. When Obi cut Maul in half? APPLAUSE. End credits? Applause and cheering. Star Wars is back, baby! It's an amazing time for us all right now.

 

I truly think that Star Wars is better when expereanced with people who are NOT already fans. Thats who star wars is really for. Normal people.

I would MUCH rather see it with the 2nd diverse crowd you mentioned any day. The kind of star wars fans who would be going to a midnight screening are just too obsessed, its just too much baggage. Its a weird feeling when it hits you that your sitting with a bunch of people who endlessly debate and obsessed over it on the internet for months prier to the release. Too much bickering and endless debating over completely silly things. And worst of all they are ALWAYS disappointed no matter what because they just build it up too much, they are too obsessed and fanatical and thats the hard, truth. They just go in expecting some kind of magical almost theme park ride like experiences and there is no such thing. like george says, its just a movie and if he can fill a room full of people and they enjoy it than he has done whatever he set out to do.

Seeing Star Wars with a diverse audience of average people who are not fanatics will always be the best, most enjoyable experience every time.

Thats truly how I feel.

 

The showing I went to was pretty lackluster. The theater was maybe 1/3 full and I didn't see anyone dressed up. The four other guys I went with all fell asleep during the movie (and I was the one who didn't want to go at midnight). I don't like crowded theaters though so I still enjoyed myself.