Late Monday Afternoon


You're working for the Loews 19th Street plex and it's time to change the marquee. Space dictates an abbreviation of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. So you decide upon "Benjamin Button" or maybe "Ben Button" if you're running out of letters. But what kind of idiot would go with "Ben Buttons"? Or, for that matter, just plain "Marley" when all you need to add is "& Me"?

Outside the Time-Warner center last night prior to the Film Society of Lincoln Center's q & a with Benjamin Button director David Fincher, which happened inside the Rose theatre on the 5th floor. Fincher was fine, amused, amusing, etc.

A hand-painted Eastern European one-sheet for Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound ('45), hanging in the lobby of the Walter Reade theatre.

It's 5:55 pm and I'm sitting inside a Cosi chain restaurant -- great soups, excellent breads, good coffee, etc. -- on Park and 21st. (That's Jett sitting at the rear table.) Waiting for the NYFCC awards dinner to start at 6:30 pm. It'll be happening just a block away.
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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on January 5, 2009 at 3:49 PM

comment #1

CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page says ...

Nice pics, Jeff.

You are a cranky codger, aren't you? Perhaps they didn't have an ampersand hanging around to pair with Marley.

[Blah, blah...deleted]

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page at January 5, 2009 4:15 PM

comment #2

Josh Massey Author Profile Page says ...

Dammit, CitizenKaned. You beat me to it.

Posted by Josh Massey Author Profile Page at January 5, 2009 4:19 PM

comment #3

Chase Kahn Author Profile Page says ...

So you're eating at 5:55 on your way to a 6:30 awards "dinner" ?

Posted by Chase Kahn Author Profile Page at January 5, 2009 4:20 PM

comment #4

T. S. Idiot Author Profile Page says ...

"what kind of idiot would go with 'Ben Buttons'?"

If people working at lower-level jobs were capable of paying attention to detail, taking pride in whatever they do, being willing to make an effort, maybe they wouldn't be working at lower-level jobs.

Posted by T. S. Idiot Author Profile Page at January 5, 2009 4:22 PM

comment #5

Renfield Author Profile Page says ...

I once walked past a theater in Maine that was advertising the film: "Lair Lair"

However, my favorite of all time has to be the now closed bar (I'm blanking on the name for some reason-- Q's Riverbottom?) that is across the street from Warner Brothers. The band for that night was: "ANUS JOPLIN TRIBUTE"

Posted by Renfield Author Profile Page at January 5, 2009 4:39 PM

comment #6

CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page says ...

"If people working at lower-level jobs were capable of paying attention to detail, taking pride in whatever they do, being willing to make an effort, maybe they wouldn't be working at lower-level jobs."

Uh, no. No, that's not really it at all.

All of this because of an extra "S?" Seriously? Maybe the person was getting creative and thinking "Ben Button's [Curious Case]" would be a good abbreviation, but lacked an apostrophe.

Has anyone here had to change a marquee before? Trust me, it's not easy -- the process is cumbersome and time consuming, you often lack the equipment (and letters) you need, there are often people in your way, and the elements can be a bitch (esp. this time of year)...if you can tell what movies are playing, the person did just fine.

Ok, that's officially the longest Internet rant ever about a damn marquee.

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page at January 5, 2009 6:14 PM

comment #7

Breedlove Author Profile Page says ...

Hate it when Jeff deletes stuff. It always makes me so curious. Jeff, freedom of speech babe!! Let the snark flow freely! It's what all of us at Elsewhere do best. Did you mean 19th st., by the way? Not 16th?

Posted by Breedlove Author Profile Page at January 5, 2009 6:26 PM

comment #8

CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page says ...

Watch it, Breed, you might be next ;) He simply misspelled Loews, probably a typo. He obviously didn't find it ironically amusing.

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page at January 5, 2009 6:40 PM

comment #9

allstar397 Author Profile Page says ...

lol @ citizen kane, i guess its only funny when other people are being called "idiots" over minutia.

Posted by allstar397 Author Profile Page at January 5, 2009 6:58 PM

comment #10

arturobandini2 Author Profile Page says ...

The kid who changed the marquee probably has a subversive wit. When I was in high school, I once switched two letters on a highway marquee, changing it from

FREE SM DRINK W/ CHICKEN BAS [ket]

to

FREE BM DRINK W/ CHICKEN ASS

Posted by arturobandini2 Author Profile Page at January 5, 2009 7:22 PM

comment #11

CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page says ...

that might be the best two-letter change in the history of marquees, arturo. kind of like a scrabble zen thing going on there. even the bm drink has me thinking "bowel movement?" perfect.

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page at January 5, 2009 7:52 PM

comment #12

Luke Y. Thompson Author Profile Page says ...

Considering every occasion on which I've ever seen footage of a chicken factory, the change was probably most appropriate.

(and yes, I still eat the stuff)

Posted by Luke Y. Thompson Author Profile Page at January 5, 2009 10:01 PM

comment #13

Phatang! Author Profile Page says ...

I received a pirated copy of IRON MAN with the label IORN MAN.

Posted by Phatang! Author Profile Page at January 5, 2009 11:41 PM

comment #14

CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page says ...

Nice, Phatang! They're going with the phonetic Ozzy pronunciation from the Sabbath song, I see...

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum Author Profile Page at January 6, 2009 12:00 AM

comment #15

D.Z. Author Profile Page says ...

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117998004.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 He's either dumb or arrogant, or both.

Posted by D.Z. Author Profile Page at January 6, 2009 5:57 AM

comment #16

bents75 Author Profile Page says ...

"Has anyone here had to change a marquee before? Trust me, it's not easy...if you can tell what movies are playing, the person did just fine."

I changed a marquee a few times back in the day, and it wasn't some low hanging one like this appears to be, it was one of these tall ass ones next to a large highway for a Regal Cinemas. Probably 40-50 feet up, so you had to use a this massive expandable pole to stick them up there, one letter at a time.

It definitely wasn't easy as there was probably 12 movies playing and the sign (on both sides) was big enough to almost fit all of their complete titles.

Having said that, even in a low paying -shit-job like that, you should be able to maintain some level of professionalism and not make such a half assed effort.

Posted by bents75 Author Profile Page at January 6, 2009 7:33 AM

comment #17

Markj74 Author Profile Page says ...

So what did Fincher talk about Jeff?

Posted by Markj74 Author Profile Page at January 6, 2009 8:18 AM

comment #18

plastiqueelephant Author Profile Page says ...

Wish the kid had grabbed the opportunity with both hands and stuck "7lb" up there with his retractable pole.

Posted by plastiqueelephant Author Profile Page at January 6, 2009 8:36 AM

comment #19

LeroyBrown Author Profile Page says ...

The Loews 19th St. plex is a pit, so this isn't really surprising.

Posted by LeroyBrown Author Profile Page at January 6, 2009 8:54 AM

comment #20

Sabina E Author Profile Page says ...

I love, LOVE the 2nd photo. It's so beautiful.

and you're right that those critics are way too scared to choose Wall-E.... animated films are still seen as a "taboo" unless they're done in an abstract way and spoken in a foreign language.

Sigh.

Posted by Sabina E Author Profile Page at January 6, 2009 9:28 AM

comment #21

kastablog Author Profile Page says ...

Count me as another CHE lover, and I think Edward hits the nail on the head when he says it's more about revolution than Che himself. It's a clinical study, which is normally not my type of film, but it's done with such great detail and unexpected humor that I was won over. And yes, watching the whole 4 hour cut is crucial - the second half wouldn't work as well without seeing the first half.

As good as Spader is in sex, lies and videotape, what I remember are the performances of Andie MacDowell and Laura San Giacomo. Both take cliched roles and invest them with a lot more. I always thought San Giacomo would become a star after that movie.

My favorite Soderbergh films are, in order they were made:

SLV
KING OF THE HILL
THE UNDERNEATH (his most underrated, I'd argue)
SCHIZOPOLIS (this succeeded where FULL FRONTAL failed, I'd say)
OUT OF SIGHT
THE LIMEY
ERIN BROCKOVICH
TRAFFIC (though I agree The Wire goes a lot further than this movie did in showing the cost of the drug war)
SOLARIS (I do agree with Hoberman, who pointed out the oddity that the remake was liked most by those who liked the original, which is usually not the case)
CHE

I even think KAFKA isn't as bad as its reputation. True, it's just an exercise, but unlike THE GOOD GERMAN, it's an enjoyable one.
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Posted by kastablog Author Profile Page at March 19, 2011 7:36 AM

comment #22

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