*A bit late but here is my feature on Halloween All nighters. Only read if you dare…*
Description- All night film fests look only for the insane but have managed to carve out a niche audience. I try to survive one and looks into their continual appeal…
It’s seven o’clock on Sunday morning, and I haven’t slept all night. Rain pounds my car windscreen as I struggle to keep my eyes open. Logically I should slump asleep at the wheel, but I manage to keep going. How did I get in this perilous situation? It all started a few weeks ago, on Halloween…
Happening to spot ‘Halloween All Night Special’ on my local cinemas website, I was intrigued, and clicked on it. ‘Starring: Saw 6, The Thing, My Bloody Valentine 3D and An American Werewolf In London. 480 minutes.’ 480 minutes! 8 hours, four films, no sleep. Madness to be sure, but there had never been an event like this in the area, so I decided to take up the challenge. It beat being at home, trembling behind the sofa, terrified of six year old trick or treaters threatening to egg my car.
(Above-The poster for the event)
When booking a ticket however, I was sure that there was no way anyone would be mentally unbalanced enough to go as well. There I would be, highlighted as a lone madman in the empty cinema, the staff laughing at me whenever I turned my back.
Wrong. I obviously overestimated the amount of sanity in this world. In the biggest screen available, with over 200 seats, it was a near sell out, and I had to settle for a seat in the front row.
Having entered my card details for the tickets there was no way back. It was time to prepare. Thirty six pence energy drinks that were coloured a worrying neon green, along with a homemade thermos filled to the bring with coffee and sugar were packed before leaving. Risking death through caffeine overdose was a risk I was willing to take.
But with so much preparation and time dedicated, why do so many people go to Halloween all nighters such as these? Perhaps it is something to be endured and overcome, rather than actually enjoyed. Talking to Nikki Bartlett, the general manager at the Empire cinema in Poole behind the event, before the night started, she was surprised at the large audience, but seemed to recognise the people the night was aiming for.
“I’m really pleased with how popular it’s been. I didn’t expect how well and quickly it has been taken up. We were offered it and to be honest, it’s something I really wanted to do.”
“I think if you like Halloween but you don’t necessarily want to go out and get drunk, it’s the kind of thing you can really do. The fact Halloween has fallen on a Saturday also makes it a good night for it, as you can have a lazy day on Sunday.”
Nikki’s bubbling enthusiasm for the event was obvious, but what was surprising was the amount of staff helping with the event. Even on a busy Friday night I had never seen so many people around the building, especially not at midnight. Surely they were given extra pay?
“Nope.” Nikki boasted, “It was a voluntary thing. I asked the guys if they were up for work for it and I was actually quite overwhelmed by the reaction we got from the staff. They were all really up for it quite hyped up for it so it was quite good fun.”
(Above- Darth Vader was present. Picture’s blurriness is due to my shaking fear)
With all this enthusiasm from Nikki and her staff, I was surprised to find a subdued atmosphere when I entered the pack foyer. Only one or two people had bothered to dress up, and the bubbly camaraderie I had anticipated was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps it was because of the collected realisation that this night was going to be no easy ride. Or maybe it was because the mediocre My Bloody Valentine 3d was the first film of the night.
(Above- A fellow all nighter with his 3d specs)
The films were unfortunately, pre-selected, with Empire Cinemas across the country each falling into one of 4 bands, with films such as Alien, the Exorcist and Childs Play shown elsewhere.
The recently refurbishment at the Poole branch to hold 3d screenings, did seem to make Valentine an obvious choice. Giving us each a brand new pair of 3d glasses as we went into the screen was probably a mistake however. “Please put them in the buckets at the exit when the film is over” announced an optimistic cinema clerk. “Just try and get ‘em off me” retorted someone at the back of the screen. Now that was exactly the type of rambunctious energy I had anticipated from the night!
Then, as the film ended a scream rang out from behind me, and one of the few people dressed up chased someone past the front of the screen. Whether this was staged or not it did not matter, it lifted the flat atmosphere and the next film, An American Werewolf in London, flew in a whirlwind of laughs and shocks.
(Above- For an 80’s film American Werewolf’s special effects are brilliant)
American Werewolf was an easy choice for cinemas this Halloween though, being recently re-released with a newly mastered print. Louise Scutts, the general manager of the Southampton Picturehouse was one of those who showed it, and thinks the best way to rope in the crazies who go to late night showings is to go for a crazy choice of film.
“The normal cinema route is choosing the big slasher out the time, but we tend to go back and choose something a bit quirky. American Werewolf did over a hundred on the 10pm Saturday showing which is pretty good. Overall, we tend to go a bit of slope on Halloween, as we did a great one a few years ago where we didn’t pick the big slasher film, and we thought, lets do something mad. So we decided to show Carry on Screaming, and we had 173 people come in to watch it. It was just amazing!”
(Above- Carry on Screaming- the perfect Halloween film?)
Half way through the night, and the atmosphere was a little flat yet again, as problems with the projection equipment for The Thing meant Saw 6 was shown next instead of being the final act. This unfortunately meant that even though everyone sat through Saw, many then went home, missing the arguably superior film, The Thing.
“Hope you all enjoy the last film, well done to those of you that have stayed, I’m impressed. There are quite a few that have tapped out early…” Nikki Bartlett announced before The Thing lit up the screen. Despite half the people gone, cheers when Kurt Russell’s name came up on the opening credits made it clear that only the true lovers of film now remained, with the atmosphere arguably at an all time high, despite many people, including myself, now in a near comatose state.
Late night screenings are still not needed everywhere though. Talking to Anne Lonsdale, a Supervisor at Southampton’s Cineworld, it is clear that some towns just don’t have the right audience for such events.
“I can see how late night showings are good but then at this cinema it doesn’t do that well. We did have late showings of saw 6 and a kids club in the morning where everyone dressed up and did Halloween games. But as we’re mainly student based people will be going out going to parties. I mean which students are going to come and watch a late night film instead?”
“Thank god, time for bed” was shouted out when The Things credits rolled, and agreeing murmurs came from the crowd. As I shuffled out into the now emerging daybreak I can definitely say the whole night was an experience like no other.
Four films is nothing though. The Quad in Derby showed five films, as part of a zombie film all nighter, and was a near sell out. Adam Marsh, the film programmer at the cinema, thinks all nighters will become more and more popular as people look to do something to stand out from the crowd.
“Audiences are tending to lean towards event programming. People are wanting more and more to feel like something is special. Plus there is the endurance aspect. Can you do the whole night!”
(Above- The lobby was bustling with activity between films)
In the end, the films that are shown at these sleep depriving marathons aren’t important. It is the surreal nature of my night that sticks with you. And as long as there are people with a somewhat surreal mindset, so there will be all nighters.
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