Who would’ve thought that the parking lot at Searcy Cinema 8 would be filled on a week night? As I parked my car, I was amazed at the already early turn out. It was only nine o’clock, and the movie–that is the premiere of Breaking Dawn, the fourth movie of the Twilight Saga–wouldn’t begin until midnight. “Twi-hard” fans of the area were already seated and stocked with their oversize popcorn tubs and other movie refreshments as I entered the theater this cold Thursday night.
Part one of Breaking Dawn–the original book a some 700-page novel–released at midnight before the regular Friday shows for all of those obsessed fans of the multi-million dollar series.
As people came and discussed in excitement their hopes and expectations of the soon to see movie, I grabbed and interviewed random audience members to let them share some of the excitement.
When asked why they came to a midnight release on a school night, rather than go and see it for the weekend showing, audience member Amanda Davidson said she couldn’t wait.
“I want to be the first one to watch it, instead of having to wait ’til tomorrow,” she said.
Others came because they had read the books and were now fans of the books and the movies.
“I just love the books, and they made them into a movie. I love it,” said senior, Alexis Worsham. “It’s the best thing ever!”
Worsham came with friends Dawnesha Whitney, Anne-Claire Smith, and Christyn Simmons.
“This is just a moment in history I will never forget. Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and now Breaking Dawn–I just can’t believe it’s happening right now,” said Dawnesha Whitney.
And she along with many other teens and mothers and the select few brave men and boyfriends were among the firsts to see this long anticipated film.
Most had the highest expectations for the success of the film–many just crushing on the so-called attractive characters in the movies. “Team Jacob or Team Edward?” was frequently discussed. For these Starstruck fans, Breaking Dawn would be perfect.
Many men cannot stand the thought of Twilight and its sequels and don’t understand female appreciation for the series.
“I think it’s kind of weird that there are so many middle-aged women reading these kids’ books…fantasizing over teenage vampires–it’s weird,” senior Carl Lindsey said.
Lindsey thinks the movie will be bad, according to all of the critics, but it would be seemingly worshiped and cash in big at the box office, simply because, “it’s a twilight movie,” and the fan base is unending.
At the end credits, I looked over to see hundreds of teens crying tears of joy. Emotionally moved and satisfied with Breaking Dawn’s outcome, the movie was a huge success in these “Twi-hard” Fans eyes, and there would be no sleep for these starstruck fans. In a few hours, the talk of the school would be centered on this movie, and excitement for part two–the final chapter of the appraised Twilight Saga.
