The Most Exciting Movie Premiere: A Night to Remember

Back in the 1960s, I attended perhaps the most exciting movie premiere, albeit for all the wrong reasons. The film in question, whose title I can no longer accurately remember, was hailed as a groundbreaking horror masterpiece. It was advertised as something that would set new standards and contain scenes never attempted before, causing queues around the block overseas. Due to its nature, it was sold as a single, strictly adult-only screening in a non-traditional venue—dramatizing the event even more.

A False Advertising Scheme?

The advertisement promised a Technicolor, groundbreaking silent feature film with opening titles. It looked like something that could have been made in a home, with a poor quality that almost made it impossible to see. During the screening, we began to realize that the situation was entirely exploited. The auditorium had a makeshift screen and cheap, temporary seats instead of proper cinema seating. This hint of the scammed event became clear to us when we noticed the lack of opening titles and the fact that it wasn’t even a horror film.

The Corybantic Beginning

The experience began with a sense of excitement and the usual naivety of movie fans. Despite the absurdity of the setup, we sat down and waited. However, when the film started, it quickly veered into territory no one expected. It turned out to be a silent black-and-white film, not the Technicolor spectacle we had anticipated.

A Nightmare in the Dark

The film was in such poor condition that it was almost impossible to see, making the experience more than just disappointing—it was confusing. As the room started to fill with frustrated patrons, they began to yell and hoot, misunderstanding the quietness of the screening for a technical issue. The box office attendants had already made off with the loot, and the only person left in the hall, other than the audience, was the hapless projectionist who locked himself in the projection booth. He later claimed he was falsely accused and had been hired over the phone, a story that no one believed.

Escalation and Police Involvement

Things quickly turned into a chaotic mess. Some patrons tried to break down the projection booth door, while others made such a commotion that the police vans arrived. Their presence was not to address the perceived quality of the film or the nature of the screening but to quell a potential riot and protect the projectionist from violence. Some of the more agitated patrons were taken into custody, and even when I attempted to explain that we were victims and had not staged a riot, I was side-lined with the rest of the detainees.

Conclusion of the Catastrophe

Despite the confusion and the disappointed expectations, we were still treated to the most exciting evening at the cinema that we had ever experienced. We never saw more than fifteen minutes of the film, but the memorable experience of the night outshone the content of the movie. This experience taught us a valuable lesson about the importance of researching and understanding the promises made by filmmakers and theater owners. It remains a cautionary tale of what can happen when false advertising is taken too far.