Commentary Track
WTF: ‘Mamma Mia!’ Is Not a Sing-Along!
Posted by Kevin Carr (kevin@filmschoolrejects.com) on July 16, 2008
I know that avid readers of this column are going to do have their own WTF moment when they realize I’m not saying anything about The Dark Knight. But there’s more out there this week than the Batman hype.
Originally, I had planned a nice column about how Madonna’s brother claimed she’s not having an affair because she’s just “a Catholic girl.” But something else happened this week to set me off beyond Madonna’s extramarital indiscretions.
During the advanced screening of Universal’s new film Mamma Mia!, I was sitting with some friends, and a local deejay introduced the film then began passing out booklets of the lyrics to the songs in the film. He ran around the theater, encouraging everyone to sing along with the movie.
And I had to say… what the fuck?
Fortunately, the audience didn’t know their ABBA that well, and the theater was too dark for people to read the lyrics. Trust me, there’s nothing worse than matronly ladies trying to hack through a feature film sing-along.
The next day, I dropped a line to the publicist and mentioned what had happened. After all, over the past year, we’ve had to deal with crying babies in I Am Legend and MST-3K commentary during The Brave One. I have just gotten sick of noisy audiences.
The response I got from the publicist stunned me. She apologized for the inconvenience, but said, “We have been encouraging people nationwide to sing a long. After all it is a musical.”
What the double fuck???
I understand that the movie is lighthearted, and the studio wants it to be a fun experience. But since when is a movie musical a sing-along event. This isn’t The Wiggles. It’s a major motion picture!
A few years back, I saw the Mamma Mia! stage production with my wife, and I don’t recall anyone singing along. And the last several musicals I’ve seen in the movie theaters (Hairspray and Chicago, for example), people would have been kicked out if they stood up and started singing.
So if and when you see Mamma Mia! in the theater and some blue-haired old biddy is belting out ABBA tunes right behind you, realize that this is exactly what Universal wants.
Oh, the humanity!
Please people… unless you’re at The Rocky Horror Picture Show, seeing a movie is not about audience participation. I don’t care what Universal says, you shouldn’t sing your ABBA tunes during Mamma Mia!
With that said, please don’t practice your martial arts when you see Kung Fu Panda. Don’t shoot people in the head when you see Wanted. Don’t get high while watching The Wackness. Don’t blow shit up when you see The Dark Knight.
And please, when you see Transformers 2: Rise of the Fallen next year, leave your ass-kicking robot at home. Even Michael Bay would agree, this behavior is definitely not awesome.
What movie this year would be most appropriate for audience participation, and why?
Read more articles by Kevin Carr
12 Comments
July 16th, 2008 at 11:11 am
wow. I HATE when people talk next to me in a theater, never mind full out sing.
‘the Happening’ would be the most ‘entertaining’ movie for the audience to participate in.. especially if they are the talking/singing type.
July 16th, 2008 at 11:58 am
I actually sang along to The Dark Knight. The audience seemed to love it.
July 16th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
why did you put the pencil thing!!
And I agree with Jeremy M, the amount of laughter and talking in the happening was the only thing entertaining when I watched that movie, the audience I was with turned it into a comedy, who could make the funniest comment about what was “happening” on screen.
i work at a movie theater, i cant wait to hear all the mid 50 house wives whistling as they exit the cinema, god help me now.
July 16th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
@Zap and Pat…
fixed. sorry… got carried away
July 16th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I don’t know…this might work. I admit that it sounds like an awful idea, but it could be kind of fun.
July 16th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Even though I’d never see this film, it’s a terrible idea to have a “sing-along” for it. I mean, if I’m paying X amount of dollars to see a film (along with concession stand prices), I’d actually like to hear the dialog/singing from the actors, NOT the audience. It’s bad enough every two minutes a little blue square of some jagbag making a text to his friend appearing in my peripheral vision, now I gotta deal with morons who feel the need to belt out like they’re appearing on AMERICAN ID(i)O(t)L?
And even though it hasn’t come out yet, I’d like to see a full on chorus swing into action for Saw 5. Particularly if they are torturing another member who screws up, and sings a B-flat instead of a C-minor.
July 16th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Alright Carr… Here is where I disagree.
For one, I found myself yearning to talk through Mamma Mia, wanting to point out some of the silliness and make little jabs (though, I did enjoy the film). I, along with a few other colleagues, were even shooshed at one point by another critic. For some reason, I couldn’t help it. Sometimes you get a movie like that.
But me making snide comments aside, the sing-along thing doesn’t bother me. Think about the target audience here — die hard ABBA fans and even more generally, ladies. At the promo screening last night, they seemed to be very much into the sing-along idea. My point is that the only people I noticed who were really annoyed were the critics — those of us who wouldn’t have been there if we didn’t have to see the film. Most of the people who were really there because they wanted to be there seemed to enjoy it.
So I say who gives a shit — (a) it was a promo screening, so a little promotion doesn’t seem out of place and (b) it is a damn movie based on ABBA songs — what sort of experience are you really expecting?
And lastly, who says that the only film in the history and future of film that can have audience participation is The Rocky Horror Picture show? You are the second person I’ve heard say that in the last 2 days — and its complete BS.
Word.
July 16th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
careful, neil miller. i will steal your iphone and cut you down with the lightsaber therein… >:-/
July 16th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
seriously, though, I wouldn’t say Rocky Horror is the only movie for audience participation, but the whole sing-along thing was just dumb. For that matter, I was there with my wife, who loves the Broadway show, and she was equally annoyed with the sing-along stuff.
Neil, in your non-defense, I didn’t hear you singing at all. Just snarking at the film. (And your “six hours later” comment was pretty funny.)
I have been known to snark at movies now and then, but usually in the appropriate context… like at an all-night event that shows really awful MST-grade schlock from the past. Never for a first-run film.
I’ll be honest. If I went on a date and paid to see this film, and people were singing along, I would have seriously complained to the theater management.
Maybe I’m just a curmudgeon…
July 16th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
I’ve had a love of ABBA for a long time but not a love of talkers at the movies. Singing is one thing but people who have to make commentary is another.
July 17th, 2008 at 2:07 am
I just don’t see a group of random strangers singing along in a cramped space to a movie they are seeing for the first time. And even if they do, will it ruin the experience for the majority or minority? What about the people who just want to watch the movie? People who want to sing along should wait for DVDs, IMO. I just don’t see it working.
July 17th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Boys, boys, boys seriously, Neil is right, when would you go see a movie like this without getting paid to see it?
I can’t wait to see it and if folks sing, fine. However, I will say I hate folks talking around me and they seriously risk their life–well their knees anyway–if someone kicks my seat more than once.
So everyone, sing along, just STFU when there’s dialogue. . .and don’t kick my seat!