How Should I Enjoy U2 3D?
I’ve been thinking about this for a while now, and I wanted to see what y’all were gonna do. (Not that if y’all were going to jump off the London Bridge, I’d join you…if you catch my drift.)
You know how to act at a U2 concert - but what do you do in the theater? Do you follow theater etiquette, or do you enjoy your fandom and let loose?
There’s a part of me who wants to stand and dance, and sing along (although, with 12,000 watts of digital surround sound coming through 44 speakers, I’m sure I’ll be drowned out). Yet, i don’t want to be considered disruptive and end up being thrown out of the theater.
What to do?
How do you plan on enjoying the film? And seriously - how many times are you planning on seeing it when it comes to your area? Will it turn into a Rocky Horror situation where people do certain things at certain points of the film?
Last 4 posts by U2isABLE
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- Empire's U2 Movie Mash-ups - July 7th, 2011
- Sesame Street Does Spider-Man: Grover, Bono and SpiderMonster - June 14th, 2011
- Even Better Than The Real Thing - May 24th, 2011
I’m definitely going to want to sit down and take it in.
If U23D were shown anywhere near here, so that I could go see it - I’d be so glad to be there, that I would definitely let my fandom be known. I think it would be kind of strange to see an audience just sitting and munching popcorn to U2 displayed in such a sensory overload format. Get up, stand up - Have a great time!
…. just don’t stand up in front of Matthew - or in front of me.
I’ll likely be clapping and cheering between songs, but let’s face it - the band ain’t in the room, so they’re not going to see/hear me either way. Better to enjoy it, but not prevent those sitting behind me from doing the same.
I wouldn’t want anyone to block the view of another person, but I do hope that there’s some singing or clapping or some kind of involvement from the audience. I went to a press screening of the movie and no one did anything. It was a very flat experience on that end. I felt like I was intruding just by tapping my toe to the songs. Now, this is the nature of the beast, and screenings are very different from fan experiences; but after viewing the movie, there’s just no way that you can sit there and not be moved.
I’m in the need of a U2 tour. So this is the closest thing I get. I’m standing up and singing!
I’ll be singing along, but really it depends on who I see it with.
They’ll be showing the show in my home (Buenos Aires), so I guess I’ll have kind of mixed reactions. At first I’ll probably sit down and enjoy the technology, but most likely I will end up standing singing along.
I’m just going to go with the flow! If it seems like the atmosphere is pro standing and singing, I’ll go with it. If, however, the atmosphere is more like sitting and watching, I’ll go with that too…though I’ll definitely be singing along under my breath. I’m so supercrazystoked for U23D!!!!!!!!
Erika
I purposedly reserved seats in the last row- just for this reason. I want to rock out!
Bert
I have recieved email confirmation for two free tickets, to the January 17, 2008 public screening of U23D, at Arizona Mills IMAX. The confirmation did not come from Best Buys.
What makes the Tempe, Arizona showing so special, is that this city was the site of the first performance in the 1987 Joshua Tree Tour, 1st leg North America.
A very special thank you, U2!
For any Star Wars fans out there, I think a similar approach will take place for opening nights - Definitely some hollering and applause for the opening few numbers I hope.
I will probably clap and sing along until someone stops me. Vancouver fans have been notorious for odd concert behavior (just a few weeks ago I was asked to sit down at a rocking Bon Jovi concert so the person behind me could see!).
Let’s hope for the best.
I think I will be sitting…. although it will be very hard for me to contain myself and not start singing, screaming, dancing, etc….
My tickets are bought for the first weekend of U2 3D. I am going with friends, who I have gone to U2 shows for the last 20 years. I have thought about wearing one of my many U2 concert shirts. I want to sit right in front and hear it loud and full force.
Who knows I might get up and dance in the aisle if the spirit move me I am sure I won’t be alone…. and singing now doubt.
No one stood or clapped for the original run of Rattle & Hums I saw, but I’m sure lots sang along underneath the loud soundtrack. I’ll sing, but not loud enough to bother those that would, for some crazy reason, rather hear Bono. I remember the theater going insane at the opening note of Star Wars I, but quiet afterwards, like with Rattle you might get a little noise at the opening chord of Helter Skelter, a couple of drunk guys saying YEAH!, and that’s it.
It might be a different story at the premiere midnight screenings or if/when it shows at the Rock Hall of Fame.
Glad someone asked this question - been thinking myself what I might do. At concerts I have to remind myself that Bono is really singing, not me. Guess what Kathy said earlier - if the spirit moves you to song and dance.
Honestly, how could it not. It would be so awesome to see with guarantee U2 fans so you know you could just rock out!!
And, why isnt U23D playing at the Rock Hall of Fame - next door is an IMAX theater and it is not scheduled to play?????
^^^In response to Tracey…
The theatre next door is an Omnimax, which is different from IMAX in that it isn’t 3D-capable. This is really unfortunate though, because not even the IMAX in Columbus is scheduled to show U23D. Maybe it will later on?
Sing along? At the theater? Sigh…. this is why I don’t go to the movies anymore. It’s bad enough when a loud neighbor sings over Bono at a real concert.
Maybe we should flip open our cell phones during the slow numbers too (joking people)
I hope the technology lives up to the outlandishly good reviews, and that none of you singers are sitting anywhere close to me
Having been in our local IMAX before, I don’t think I’ll be standing. It’s so steep, I feel like I’m going to topple over just walking to my seat. With 3D glasses and a giant Bono leaping out at me, I just don’t think it’s safe.
I danced in my seat for Rattle and Hum and bobbed my head along to the music, and I’ll probably do the same for this. I hate it when other people add their own soundtracks to movies, so I’ll refrain from doing the same. Besides, I can hear myself sing anytime; I want to hear Bono!
i agree wit watts4. this is a movie. i want to watch it. not have other people dancing and singing along.
*** Response to Tracey and Sarah ***
I was wondering too why it wasn’t showing at the R&R Hall of Fame but it IS playing near Cincy if you’re into the drive - otherwise it will open everywhere else in the state on Feb 15
Bring lens cleaner. The polarized glasses are washed after each show - which is a good thing - but then they have dried water spots on them. You’ll want to clean them. As far as singing along - don’t. The surround sound is amazing - much better quality than any concert venue - but it’s certainly not as loud as a concert. In fact, if you talk during the movie the people in the next row are likely to hear you. Obviously, the volume level may vary depending on the venue, but your average multiplex cinema is not likely to want to blast out the folks in the next theater (a pity, because this music should be played at full volume).
One more note. This technology has special projection requirements BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY it requires a SILVER screen - not the typical white screen found in most movie theaters. As a result, not every theater can show the movie - even if they spend the money on the projection rig - unless they want to also install a silver screen.
To respond to the original question:
I saw the movie and it was hart to restrain myself from getting up and dancing. But I didn’t want to get thrown out of the theatre so I just hummed along and enjoyed it. I only plan to see it once only because IMAX tickets arent cheap and I don’t live reletivly close to a theatre. It took my family and I 45 minutes to get there.
I saw the movie twice, but I’m going to see it again. Why? U will understand. Much ink already ran to write on the film. But I guarantee you that there isn’t anything likes to feel the experience. Yes, truth, to feel, because what you read doesn’t reflect what you really felt. I had the privilege to attend 2 times the concert/film and I sincerely hope that they aren’t the only ones.
The first time took place soon, in the Premiere in Portugal (03/04/2008). I confess that I felt like a teenager that leaves house for the first time to watch a concert. I was expectant, anxious and very happy. 22h00, in point, the lights were turned off. Starts the advertising (increase the anxiety). Perhaps five minutes later starts the film. And I say to you what a started and what a show (the sensations go oscillating between the calm and the revolution. In the two initial songs I felt speechless, astonish, disconcerted, uneasy, but also a happiness that overflew for each of my pores…. It was absolutely fantastic. There had been a new and true sensations compound. Feelings that I’d never had experience. Just like an internal tornado. A magnificent sensation of really had being there. Now I confirm mine suspicion: it is for me completely impossible to live physically and emotionally without U2 music. The proximity of each one of the elements of the band waked up different sensations, very different, in did. This had certainly to be about my idealization of the importance and the impact of each one in the band. The element that was more demarcated for me was, without shade of doubts, Adam Clayton. His delivery was total and brutal. The bass guitar, for its enormous musical capacity, as well his irreverence and perhaps for representing the opposite of me, always coughed me a lot of interest. I found him, secure, safe, glad, amused, inserted and above of everything, a great musician. I felt happy when I seeing him well and conscious of his position in the band and perhaps in life. At second place I’ll have to nominate two elements of the band. The front man, Bono (vocals): the energy of the band. I can’t disassociate his social status and way to appeal for social justice, for social intervention, his activist side, the public representation of the social work, from his excellent voice and musical composition. I think that I should separate the band from the social activism but I simply can’t, not because I really didn’t try but I simply can’t. Therefore He will always have a special place in my life. Then, I nominate, Larry Mullen Jr, of course. I recognize he’s the fundamental person for the band. After all, He created the band. Merit many times recognized (but never enough). I confess that the position of the Larry is similar to mine: much work, engagement, seriousness, sometimes malice, amused, but above of all, discretion. His way to be in the band and in life represents its proper personality: discretion and preservation of private life, I love that. In the film, this is reflected, his scholar, discrete, with feeling of group but unfortunately a little solitary. At last, The Edge, even so I consider him an excellent guitarist, in the film he demonstrates delivery to the band but I sincerely think that he was, sometimes way from the band (lost in his on issues).
After he first day of the Film in Portugal I felt good but also sad. I imagine now Bono asks: after all, do you felt good or bad, thus I don’t understand? Well I start to explain. They had been very good days because it seemed like I had dreamed alive, the film provoked me an intimate sensation (even with the room full of people), I felted alone and special in that space/place. I felt that they only played, sung for me, and I was the only one almost touched by the harm of Adam’s bass guitar and Bono’s hand. It was amazing, fabulous. Just after the film, I was walking smiling, excited because I knew that I’ll go to see them back again. I spread out the word to my family and friends so they know how I felt and told them the eccentricity of the film, the good accomplishment, production, management, realization and the impact. All of them, even the most sceptic had been felt stimulated to go to see the movie. I hope that they have made it.
My Favourite themes:
Miss Sarajevo (phenomenal the Italian part sung by Bono)
In The Name of Love
Where the Streets have in the name (the appeal to Human Rights - simply without words);
Beautiful Day (always remember the song sung at the roof of The Clarence Hotel – Dublin is amazing)
The Bono’s clapping hands in New Year’s Day after named the members of the band, amazing.
On 06/04/2008, I attended the concert/movie for the second time. Of this time, beyond my husband, I was with my sister and my nephew of 10 years that, also, loves the band. In this experience I stows very intent to the details. The sensations had been the same ones. One mixture of loss of control, anxiety, good disposal, sceptic, at last an eddy of sensations, states of spirit, I live deeply and only feelings. How it was still possible? But the truth is that it was. A spectacular and impressive realism. Speechless, again. Adam Clayton is superb.
The music of Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr - The Impossible Mission, should be beginning of the concert, because I consider that the impossible mission became possible. The band entered with an exemplary determination. It’s fabulous. They are good, very good exactly. In Portugal we use to say “Eles são como o vinho do Porto, quanto ,mais velho melhor”, it means “they are just like Oporto Wine, much older, much better”.
I keep the importance order or the impact of the elements of the band in the relieved experience, for the same reasons, positions and sensations. And the music’s I keep the order cited ones previously.
Now I confess that I find me again in a new compound of sensations, however thrilled for the experience, also melancholic, with a certain emptiness, a hole in the heart, a slide feeling to cry, because I know that I’ll not have chance to come back so close of the band. However, the sensations and the images of the film were and will be valuable memories. I can become them alive, always that I desire and always I want. I will always have this shelter. And let me tell you what a shelter.
Portugal, Paredes, 07/04/08
Marta Luísa Mendes