The Ohio Sci-Fi and Horror Marathons

The above quote got me to thinking about the strange beast that we call the Marathon experience, whether it be Horror, Sci-Fi, Schlock Around the Clock or even, so help me, a trailer-thon.

The thing that struck me is that, for me at least, that quote couldn't be more off-the-target. I've never cared whether or not the films at the marathon were ones that I could get on home video or not. It's always been entirely irrelevant to me. Because watching a movie at home is not the same as watching it in a theatre. The sense of importance is different, the sense of it being a "thing" is different. I watch a movie at home, I'm also thinking about petting my dog. I'll stand up in the middle of the film to go get something from the kitchen or to use the restroom. I'll check my e-mail, browse Facebook, whatever.

Seeing a movie in a theatre is an experience. The movie isn't something that happens to be on while I do other stuff - it's the reason I'm there in the first place. It has my whole attention, and I agonize over getting up to grab something from the concession stand or to hit the restroom, and worry about what I'm going to miss. Then there are the trailers, which weirdo that I am, I've always enjoyed.

The marathon is even more of a special event than seeing a regular film in the theatre. The marathon has all of the same elements, but adds in the community. There's a sense of excitement in the air at the start of the marathon that isn't there for any but the most anticipated films. There's the experience of the host organisms, the contests, the give-aways. As the night goes on, there's a sense of solidarity - the idea that you're exhausted and really should just go home, but that you've made it through 18 hours of movies now, some good, some mind-rendingly terrible, and that the people around you have had the same shared experience, and if they can stick it out, so can you. Sure, you can marathon watch movies at home off Netflix or by popping discs into your Blu-ray player, but that shared groupthink isn't there.

I'll be honest. The films that are being shown are often an afterthought for me. When it's time for the marathon, I already know I'll be there. My preference for the 'thon is to have a mix of films I've seen before and ones I've never seen. The ones I've never seen may be ones I've always wanted to but have never gotten around to, they may be ones I've chosen to avoid and am now willing to say "Bring it on", or they may be films I've never heard of - which can be a mixed bag. For every "Serbian Film" or "Automatons", I've managed to encounter an "Ils", a "Let the Right One In", a "The Last Push" a "Enthrain" or "Troll Hunter".

The films I've seen before, I've usually either never seen in a theatre, or they're like long-lost friends rediscovered. The only time in recent memory that we've had a film that I had seen recently in the theatre that then came to the 'thon was "Star Trek", and that was enough of a crowd pleaser that I still had fun with it.

This long-winded diatribe all gets back to - I don't know why, exactly, I come to the marathons. But I know that it isn't simply to see films I can't watch at home. I'm sure that I could recreate the line-up of many past marathons by using Blu-rays, DVDs, VHS tapes, Hulu, Netflix and Amazon Prime. But it wouldn't be the same experience by far.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

The marathons are what they are, and if I spent too much time micro-analyzing every single little detail or decision about it, I would not be able to just enjoy the moment. I can also honestly say that I have never watched anything at home and consider that it has my 100% undivided attention. No matter how good you can make your home theater system, it's just not the same and never will be.

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Aliens? Us?
Is this one of your Earth "jokes?"

To me, it's the difference between a Marathon and a Festival. For the most part, Festivals exist to show off the new, rare or unreleased. The various Marathons going all the way back to the 70s have mostly focused on existing titles (and recall, they began before VHS let alone DVD and the internets!).

In Boston, there is a continuing debate over the 'festivalization' of the Marathon. But, as Joe Neff has mentioned many times, there is a value to showing a few new films in the line-up becase a "Festival" is much easier to pitch to studios and distributors than a "Marathon".

Personally, 1 or 2 "Premieres" is all I need to see at a Marathon. Any more and it is incumbent on those booking the Marathon to have those additional "Premieres" be able to stand for themselves as being worthy to take the place of a classic title. To me, its foolhardy to just show a movie because:

A. You can get the rights to show it
B. You can advertise that it is a "premiere" even if it is so bad that it likely p!ss off half or more of the crowd

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Long Live the Orson Welles Cinemas

We discussed this in the thread below:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1572

But I agree, the Marathon is an event, yes I am frustrated at this years event for seeming like it was thrown together at the last minute (this is not Bruce's fault) but I will be there reguarless of the movies because you never know when the event will go down in history like it did with Automatons.

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Jaws3dfan®
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We have, but that doesn't mean the topic isn't worth revisiting.

For me, the best years were ones that were equal parts cheesy movies, recent sci-fi and classics with one or two REAL premieres. Not the "Theatrical premiere even though it's out on dvd already" premiere. Good lord, when I thought we were going to get the MST3K movie premiere back in '96, I was floating on Cloud 9. Even though we didn't get MST3K after all, the super-extended preview of Independence Day was pretty awesome. Hell, seeing "Knights" with Kathy Long was pretty awesome.

While that is what I want to see on screen (especially at these ticket prices, DAMN!), I come for the experience, the community. The riffing/snarking on the cheesy movies, the shared love of the classic films, the sitting around talking while sitting in line.... While I am one of those who love to riff, I admit that I feel supremely jealous/proud when someone else knocks one out of the park (I still can't believe someone beat me to "the mighty 'PEEKING' man!") and just want to high five that person. Seeing "Battlestar Galactica" on film on the big screen with a bunch of geeks... well, that is just the perfect way to see it, isn't it?

Well, not that anyone asked, but when I watch a movie at home I devote 100% of my attention to it. If the phone rings or I need to use the bathroom, well, that's what the pause button is for. If I wanted to be doing something else, I'd be doing something else. But I get your point anyway. Everyone's viewing habits are different.

I think it's silly to expect every single film in the lineup to be unavailable on video and/or streaming. Not to mention unrealistic. However, I do think there are people in the world who would look at a marathon lineup full of old movies they could easily watch at home and say, "why should I pay 35 bucks for THAT?" One or two premieres help to motivate people to buy tickets, and help mix up the variety of the lineup.

On the opposite side of the coin, some of my favorite Marathon memories have been watching classics like Blade Runner, Alien/Aliens, Brazil, Forbidden Planet, The Day the Earth Stood Still, etc. on the big screen. So I wouldn't trade those experiences for any premieres.

That's exactly why used to attend- so I could see the classics. Premieres are great and all but I can't remember the last time the marathon premiered anything all that memorable.

The Last Push was pretty memorable to me. And that was just last year.

The Last Push was a meh for me. Wasn't that exciting.

Well in a few years time one can get an 4k tv with a 4k media player at reasonable prices. The one drawback is the bandwith. Right now trying to stream a two and a half trailer at 4k resolution will be about three gigs of data usage. With some providers capping data useage. (looking at Uverse from AT&T with thier data capping at 150 gigs per month.) Right now I don't have that issue with TWC. I go way over 150 gigs of data useage and still pulling 17 to 20 MBITS per second.

What Aaron said.

In addtion to what he said, some years are better than others and some years seem more haphazrad than others, but I won't miss it. I may annoy my wife by going a month or so after we brought or son home from Russia, but I won't miss it. I guess for some of it is inertia. Or OCD. I found while I liked reserved seating as a concept at the Grande, I didn't enjoy those marathons as much even though I was better rested because I didn't get to hang out with Aaron, Bob and others at the front of the line.

Would I like a firm date for the event, or at least more notice? Of course.

But do I care I can see something on Hulu or at home? No. I have a friend who comes some years and will come for part of this marathon and the last few years he has said, let's just get these movies and watch them in his home theater. It just isn't the same. Its too comfortable. It is too easy to call it a night and get some much needed sleep.

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The wages of sin are royalties.

I've been going to the SF Marathons since 2002. This will be my 11th consective marathon. I bought my ticket as always. This year with some reservations.

As many people who post on this message board I follow the SF Marathon from the Arena Grand to the Drexel East. In those days when the Drexel was running four movie theaters as a for profit business I was pleased with the majority of the lineups. Since the Drexel is now owned by not for profit CAPA, I feel that they are trying to change the SF Marathons. I can understand from the Marathonoids of the Drexel North days IMHO might have some feelings when the Drexel North shuts down. Just my take and I don't speak for the Drexel North days.

Now I don't blamed the Drexel moving to digital since that is an industry standards are moving away from film. Now since most of the films were announce by the Drexel and not from Bruce it wouldn't surprise me if they remove him from the whole SF Marathon planning.

In the past it was the experences over the films. In the past few years the SF Marathons is changing into something that I don't reconise anymore. The shutting down of the Cafe. To majority of the films annouced by the theater and not Bruce. They don't explain themselves on why dropping films so quickly just days after they were added to the lineup. This year having to go back to get the oversized ticket after the theater was selling the tickets without Bruce go ahead.

These days I leaning towards the film lineup. It used to be about the experencies of the Marathons. In the past three years not so much. I think after this year IMO to moved it back to the independently run Grandview. The SF Marathon is slowly diying at the CAPA run Drexel East.

I assume the Cafe closed because it was losing money. I can't fault them for closing it and while it may do a good business druing marathons, I'm not sure it is possible to have it running only two days a year. The cost of permits, etc.

I thought we got a bit arty when we were at the Riffe Center after the North and then shifted more to the norm over the next few years.

As mentioned elsewhere, the marathone used to be the only way to see some of the films they showed. Especially with any quality. The SciFi Channel didn't launch until 1992 and I don't think it was picked up in Columbus right away. Memory is fuzzy on that. While the passionate core of marathoids is still there, the other folks who had nothing better to do that used to come to the North now can watch the films in their home theaters. And this is so true of the younger members of the audience. If you see some of the pictures of early marathons it was a much younger crowd than it is now. It wasn't just young folks, but I think the demographic trended younger. I do think they have tried some things, like under 13 tickets to try to help with that, and I have noticed some younger kids the last few years. I'm hoping to get mine there in the next year or two. He is 9 and is way too chatty to take, at this point. He would driver everyone around us nuts.

And I do think the shifting date continues to hurt. While it works for me, I think doing it on Free Comic Book Day was not well thought out unless they are showing Iron Man 3, and even then, not sure I want that.

I'm not as bothered by the lineup as some, because it is more than the movies for me. And I find even the ones I hate, it gives me war stories to tell. I figure Bruce will explain why something fell thorugh. It may be something you don't want on the Interwebs.

I do feel like there has been a disconnect of late because of the lack of a focused message. And that may be the politics of having CAPA, but it really seems to pre-date that. I, for various reasons, I don't use twitter or facebook, but my understanding is they are underutilized to some extent. I do think Capa could be a benefit in the long term. They have doone a good job over the years with the Summer Movie Series. If they get on board with the SciFi, I would love to see them promote it in a similar way. They might sell a few more tickets getting Bruce on All Sides on WOSU or hitting some other local radio shows.

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The wages of sin are royalties.

I stated my rant under Tim's discussion under "Where Was The Kaboom". Been going to these since 1987 and have yet to miss one but it has all changed since the beginning and my "golden memories" of the Drexel North are getting farther away. When I was a kid I always dreamed of these kind of marathons,a Godzilla convention and a Devo convention. All have come true. So I guess I have no real complaints. But that time period in the late 80s and early 90s was something special. The marathon was an epic event at that time. Now it has been reduced to watching a bunch of spinning coasters in a smaller,more scaled down theater with not as many options. Used to bring in coolers of food and drinks,now forced to either eat from the limited concession stand or run to my car or down the street.
I would love to see the marathon return to the glory days of being an epic event with guests,tons of free posters and such,rare film print screenings but I think the ship is REALLY sailing. Seeing the recent Cleveland and Chicago marathons succeed I'm thinking the possibilities are there to become bigger and better with overflow audiences throughout the area or it may just be time to start saving the coins and planning on visiting Chicago or Cleveland twice a year instead.

I think it's important to point out that the Case Marathon has less spectacle than we ever did. They're more dedicated, and they do let you bring in food (not to mention cheap concessions since as a student org they don't need to turn a profit with them), but there are no swag bags, no give-aways, no contests at the CWRU marathon.