Movies are removed from big screen, brought to life

iffany Strong

Have you ever caught yourself performing your favorite movie?

How about acting out those steamy scenes with the on-screen leading dreamboat?

Or even bringing a friend into the action?

Well, if you answered yes to any of the above questions, you are the perfect candidate for the new form of entertainment sweeping through cinemas.

The idea for interactive films started when people would get together and act out their favorite movies such as The Sing-Along Sound of Music and The Wizard of Oz. But none of these have had the success of the latest movie addition.

In 2003, in Ontario, Canada, a few movie groupies of the well-acclaimed film Pirates of the Caribbean flocked together for the umpteenth time to see the movie.

During the opening scene they thought it would be funny to stand and salute Captain Jack Sparrow in unison. The audience laughed and applauded. At that moment, they decided to make the ultimate interactive movie to honor all involved in creating a great film. They had one goal in mind: keep it in theaters as long as they could.

What constitutes an interactive movie, you ask? To have an interactive movie, you must get a group of movie lovers together, create a script and, find some other fun-loving fans.

Okay, so maybe it is not quite that easy, but an interactive has recently been created in Ohio. A local Shaker Heights high school student got together the Pirates of the Caribbean Interactive and presented it at the Shaker Heights Cinemas in Cleveland for everyone to see.

On a first hand account, interactives are a good time for everyone. Once you get over the fear of looking stupid in front of an entire audience, you enjoy the freedom to act.

When I first got there, a fencing performance was just ending. Members of the Shaker Heights High fencing team dressed in pirate costumes and fought before the show to get people amped.

I was then handed a script with exactly what to do and say at all moments. It had crazy things such as: “Int. 2 ƒ_” When Will is standing in the front hall of the governor’s mansion- we say ‘Don’t touch anything.’ When he breaks the candelabra, make a ‘TSK’ sound and whisper loudly, ‘Well, hide it, quick.'”

People in the audience were fearful to act with the movie at first. Surprisingly, it took a little boy saluting Jack Sparrow to get the crowd giggling and feeling less uptight.

The interesting thing about interactives isn’t the things that you have to say – although they are a little strange – but rather the people who go.

People, young and old, get all dressed in the movie garb. I saw men with patches over their eyes, red bandanas in their hair and clip on earrings dangling past their shoulders. Props are encouraged, and people took keys to jingle, stuffed monkeys and gold crowns.

Contact ALL correspondent Tiffany Strong at [email protected].