Occasionally, there are those movies that come along that inspire a passionate display of fan worship. Usually the kinds of people that dress in costume to go see a movie are associated with Star Wars or Star Trek, but Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was one of these flicks, too. Here's a report from a woman who's got no qualms about gussying up in a themed look for a night out at the theater.
By Chris-Rachael Oseland
Fancast Movies
"I'm not walking in there wearing a monkey and a turban."
I have these conversations too often. Last time it was the hundred rubber snakes before Snakes On A Plane. Before that it was real versus plastic swords at Pirates of the Caribbean. You see, I'm that chick – the one who dresses up for movies.
I blame my local megaplex. Two years ago, they ripped out the arcade and installed a full service bar. So many things in life make more sense when drinking rum from a kiddie pail; alpaca farming, bungee jumping off a cruise ship, buying Ang Lee's Hulk on DVD. This time, we thought it'd be brilliant to dress up for Indiana Jones.
There are dedicated "Cosplayers" out there who spend hours studying screen shots in order to create studio quality replica costumes. Not me. Cosplay sounds too much like something involving a bushel of corn, two kinds of lube, and a road map of Connecticut.
For this movie, anyone with a white shirt, khaki pants, and a bullwhip from eBay could be Archaeological Explorer # 17. Add on a brown fedora and suddenly you're Indiana Jones. Our 'Holy Grail' was a woman in a Monty Python t-shirt. The Monkey Trainer's plush pet apparently spent some time in Cancun. Heck, our token lounge singer was an attorney who loves her red satin dress. Screw authenticity. As long as you have one iconic image, everyone gets what you're doing.
I'll let you in on something. Half the time dressing up is more fun than the movie. If you're going to bother, make it a party. We showed up at 7:00 for a 10:15 movie. Our Doctor Jones Senior hired a caricature artist. The bar concocted a special "Monkey Brains" drink in our honor. Kids in the theater begged us for whip cracking lessons. By the time the movie started, we poured into our seats buzzed, happy, and ready to have a darn good time.
Alas, somewhere between Indy & Marion bickering in trucks and the final credits run and a lack of sleep caught up with me. I found myself in a land of adventure wherein Marion rescued Indiana from falling into a pit of spikes outside the Tomb of Gilgamesh. As they descended into the cuneiform-graffitied bowels of the temple, private secrets were revealed (none of which involved Shia LaBeouf), several traps were cleverly disabled, and they were about to open the dead king's sarcophagus... when I was rudely elbowed back to wakey land.
Meanwhile, everyone else saw a bad remake of Cocoon.
I can't say I regret it. When you dress up for a movie, you're guaranteed to have a good time no matter what the theater plays. Go on – smear lipstick across half your face and rub some green jello in your hair before The Dark Knight. Dress in your most conservative suit for the X-Files movie. Next time you see me in the theater, I'll be with the group of down-on-their-luck drunken superheroes there for Hancock.
Comments (3)
Dressing up for movies is fun! Some friends and I were going to dress up as the Avengers for Iron Man but that didn't work out. I'll probably still get dressed up for the animated Star Wars this August though. Great article!
Posted by mika | June 13, 2008 9:06 AM
Posted on June 13, 2008 09:06
Dressing up for movies is fun! Some friends and I were going to get dressed up as the Avengers for Iron Man but that didn't work out. Great article!
Posted by mika | June 13, 2008 9:07 AM
Posted on June 13, 2008 09:07
Its a blast to dress up for movies CR. I want to go as Supergirl for the Hancock movie. When? When!? Will you be Batgirl? Oh please!
Posted by Laura C | June 16, 2008 6:21 PM
Posted on June 16, 2008 18:21