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Arrived at Mann Village Theatre at approx. 3:30pm to a gathering crowd of a couple hundred or so. Obediently we got in some sort of line for not-quite-sure-what. An elderly man behind us inquired about whether we commoners would have any chance of getting in to see the film. Local vendors traversed up and down the sidewalk, handing out fliers for their pizza.
At approx. 4:30 or 5pm they called for ticket holders to go up to the front of the line. Were surprised to find out the old guy behind us was one of them. Wha--?
By 6pm there was probably a thousand or more people. At that time our queue on the sidewalk was allowed to "board" the bleachers set up on both sides of the red carpet. RotK music was piped in through surrounding speakers. (Must get soundtrack.) There was a guy dressed in an elaborate, rhinestone-studded Elvis costume, with words spelled out in sequins on his cape. He's the Return of the King, see.
Being on the top level of the bleachers didn't help much when the limos started arriving. Am surprised at how well I recognized people's faces from 100 feet away on tiptoes. Ian McKellen was one of the first to arrive, and thus starts the chaos.
Observed:
- Peter Jackson is really short! =D He wasn't wearing shorts or sandals though.
- Liv Tyler is incredibly gorgeous in person. The cameras don't do her justice, impossible as that is to believe.
- Apparently Sean Astin was a UCLA alum, we did the school cheer for him =)
- Orlando Bloom has, like, hobbit hair now.
- Elijah Wood apparently never showed up. Aw...
At 7:30 they were all rushed into the theater, including a tardy Dominic Monaghan who didn't have time to make it down the full length of the red carpet. Since the press was leaving, we figured there wasn't much action left for us. Instead we'll go home and watch the madness once more on the evening news...
Edit: Apparently Elijah did show up, 45 minutes after everyone else. Oh well ^^;
At approx. 4:30 or 5pm they called for ticket holders to go up to the front of the line. Were surprised to find out the old guy behind us was one of them. Wha--?
By 6pm there was probably a thousand or more people. At that time our queue on the sidewalk was allowed to "board" the bleachers set up on both sides of the red carpet. RotK music was piped in through surrounding speakers. (Must get soundtrack.) There was a guy dressed in an elaborate, rhinestone-studded Elvis costume, with words spelled out in sequins on his cape. He's the Return of the King, see.
Being on the top level of the bleachers didn't help much when the limos started arriving. Am surprised at how well I recognized people's faces from 100 feet away on tiptoes. Ian McKellen was one of the first to arrive, and thus starts the chaos.
Observed:
- Peter Jackson is really short! =D He wasn't wearing shorts or sandals though.
- Liv Tyler is incredibly gorgeous in person. The cameras don't do her justice, impossible as that is to believe.
- Apparently Sean Astin was a UCLA alum, we did the school cheer for him =)
- Orlando Bloom has, like, hobbit hair now.
- Elijah Wood apparently never showed up. Aw...
At 7:30 they were all rushed into the theater, including a tardy Dominic Monaghan who didn't have time to make it down the full length of the red carpet. Since the press was leaving, we figured there wasn't much action left for us. Instead we'll go home and watch the madness once more on the evening news...
Edit: Apparently Elijah did show up, 45 minutes after everyone else. Oh well ^^;
