Archive for April 21st, 2007

I never realized what true devotion was until I experienced the Buffy Sing- a- Long at the IFC Center. For those of you who don’t know: this is a staged screening of the all singing Buffy episode: “Once More With Feeling”.

As the show unspools on the big screen, actors lip synch and pantomime the action on stage. Much audience participation, glitter and bubble blowing ensues.

I was shocked as I approached the theater and saw a line stretching up sixth ave. I was even more taken aback by the crowd. It was a surreal mix of middle aged, overweight men with goatees and ponytails; little Lisa Loeb clones; college kids; business people and of course the ubiquitous Japanese party girls that seem to spring up where you least expect them.

This was a whole new experience for me and I was stoked. Unfortunately, the showing was at midnight and by the time I got to the theater I was exhausted (read: drunk).

So instead of a straightforward, coherent review of this event, I am going to just transcribe for you the notes I found scrawled on cocktail napkins in my pocket when I woke up this morning.

-I’ve never seen so many people be so happy to be standing in a line.

-UNCOOL COOL TIP: Order tickets early, then go and drink in the Waverly bar- conveniently connected to the theater. The drinks are moderately priced, and you don’t have to wait on the line with the increasingly disturbing shiny happy people. Oh, and they let you into the theater first.

-A dude with an eye patch just gave me a goodie bag. Inside are many treats including plastic vampire teeth. I am happy.

-A chick just handed my girlfriend a pair of granny panties and told us,”You’ll know when to throw them.” I am confused.

-Buffy trivia contest. Seven contestants play to get a chance to perform a scene in front of the throng. Everybody but me knows the answers. If you know who killed vampire Willow and how, get off your ass right now and go to this show.

-I think contestant #3 is cocky and I don’t care for his prima donna attitude.

-There are several video montages, one to a song titled, “Coin Operated Boy”. My girlfriend loves it, I think its sexist.

-The positive energy in the crowd is infectious. These people are ready to ROCK!

-Giles (our host for the evening) takes the mike, reviews the contents of our goodie bags, and refers us to a card that let’s us know when to do stuff. There’s a kazoo, but we’re not allowed to use it yet- Giles is mean.

-The show starts and the crowd takes on a quiet reverence. It doesn’t last. People are soon shouting back at the screen, singing lovingly and cackling.

-This is very reminiscent of the Rocky Horror shows I used to go to in the early 90’s- only without all the blow and drag queens.

-The show is over. Buffy gets over her sense of ennui, and makes out with Spike.

-Giles tells us there’s a short break, then anybody who wants can hang around and they’ll watch another episode together. It’s almost 2:15 AM so I have to go home.

-Despite knowing next to nothing about the Buffyverse I genuinely dug this experience.

-P.S.- They were right, I totally knew when to throw the panties.

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Every Thursday, Chelsea Clearview Cinema shows classic films. At $6.50, it sounded like a great way to broaden my knowledge of film so off I went to see the
exclusive 7 PM showing of Harriet Craig. As I began to search for a seat in the maroon theatre, something felt different….
Finding an aisle seat in the left row, I look around. Two things quickly become clear:

1. The theatre is a lot more crowded than I expected for a film that I’ve never even heard of.

2. Men make up the vast majority of the audience. The woman behind me in the ticket line also ordered a ticket for Harriet Craig, but I don’t see her or any other women in the audience.

I know there’s some sort of pre-show for the Chelsea Classics that came with a warning: “Pre Show for Mature Audiences Only.” What on earth have I gotten myself into? Am I mature enough for whatever is going to happen when Hedda Lettuce begins the pre-show?

“Welcome to the Clearview, where dreams come true!” trills Hedda Lettuce, as if she were standing at the entrance to Disneyland and not some run-of-the-mill city theatre. The spotlight on her, Hedda Lettuce is mesmerizing in a beaded green dress and green highlights in her hair to match her name. “Hello, ladies and gentlemen and everything in between.” Ah, yes, Hedda is a drag queen: “I don’t mind being called anything with the word ‘queen’ in it.”
Turns out the pre-show is nothing raunchier than catty, improvisational banter to get the audience riled up for an old movie. The crowd loves Hedda. I love Hedda. Hedda loves Hedda. It’s clear that in his six years of opening at the Clearview Cinema, Hedda Lettuce has gained quite a loyal following. He seems to know many of the audience members by name. It’s evident that the Chelsea Classics has quite a few regulars (mainly gay men) each Thursday night. Whether they come for Hedda or the movie is unclear.
“How many people who are gay have not seen this film?” Hedda asks the audience, and then polls people’s favorite scenes. Russell has seen Harriet Craig seven or eight times. His favorite scene is when Harriet is having a “fussy” conversation, and in his best Joan Crawford act recites the lines when she scolds her servants for going up and down the stairs. When Steven begins to speak, Hedda interrups, “Oh, what a lisp. You’re so gay!” Then poses the same question, “how many times have you seen this movie?” to which he responds, “Today?” His favorite scene is “when the maid tells her off.”
Then “Bucket Boy” comes out to give away the prizes. Several people win movie tickets. There’s a big shocker.
Harriet Craig is “Martha Stuart on crack,” according to Hedda. As the black-and-white film begins to play, Hedda’s quip seems an understatement. Harriet Craig doesn’t clean or cook — she has servants and a cousin who does that for her. They must keep her house positively spotless. Of course, Harriet’s insistence on having a house that is perfect is a metaphor for wanting to control her home life.
More specifically, Harriet Craig controls her husband. The film is rich with sexual power plays and clever remarks about gender, such as when Harriet says, “No man’s born ready for marriage; he has to be trained.”
Harriet Craig, directed by Vincent Sherman and written by Anne Froelich and James Gunn, is brilliant. A pure cinematic gem. And the audience is delightful. They cheer and clap for Joan Crawford, who plays the domineering housewife. Their robust, over-the-top laughter shows how much they love the film. Seeing Harriet Craig with a bunch of gay men in Chelsea ranks as one of my all-time favorite movie-going experiences.