So the clever folks at Clearview Cinemas are trying something new again. I assume in an effort to trade on something a smaller chain has that the bigger ones don't (neighborhood local homeyness) they're having one of their staff walk down to the front of each screening room to introduce the movie.
I love the idea. I have to admit, I'm a sucker for the personal touch. And it's kind of cool that it appears as though this duty is being randomly rotated among all staff members. Sometimes the person standing at the front of the room has a wonderful commanding presence. Other times, they seem awkward and ill at ease, as though they've never had to do anything like it before. But I don't mind it. They get an A for effort.
On another score, however, I'd give them a B-. I recently had the pleasure of stumbling into a screening of Keep the Lights On, Ira Sachs' beautiful and haunting new film about the ravages of drug addiction on a 9-yr romantic relationship between two men in New York City. The film was great. Stellar performances by everyone on screen and I was delighted to discover upon purchasing my ticket that there would be a post-screening Q&A with the filmmaker.
Clearview gets an A on this score. Every member of the front of house team paused to remind me of the Q&A -- the woman who sold me my ticket, the gentleman who tore it, the guy who introduced the screening and the lady who sold me Twizzlers. Obviously someone is doing something right upstairs.
Sadly, as the final credits crawled to a close and the house lights came up, there was Ira Sachs holding a mic at the front of the room. Alone.
Now I know it was 1PM on a Sunday but still. I feel if you go to the trouble of announcing a post-screening Q&A -- whether at Cannes or at the local multiplex -- there should be someone there to introduce him or her. Ira didn't seem to mind. But I did on his behalf. And I hope Chelsea Clearview will go the extra inch of hiring someone to host these special events. If they can hire a drag queen to host classic movie night, they ought to be able to cough up a few bucks for someone to throw on a blazer and warmly introduce a filmmaker every now and then.
