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Hundreds turn out for ‘New Moon’ in Boaz
Published November 21, 2009
Hundreds of “Twilight” fans filled the lobby at Boaz 9 Cinema on Thursday night, hours before the sequel “New Moon” was scheduled to start at midnight.
The two screenings were sold out, but other fans caught the midnight show at the Sand Mountain Twin Drive-in 4 miles down the road, on U.S. 431 South.
Boaz 9 Cinema scheduled 12 showings per day on three screens this weekend in an effort to meet demand.
Zoie Rigsby and Larsen Lien, two 17-year-old seniors at Albertville High School, were first in line Thursday night at Boaz 9 Cinema, waiting for more than three hours.
“The anticipation is so much more,” an enthusiastic Rigsby said. “They got a new director, and he’s an expert in CGI. So when Jacob transforms from human to werewolf, that’s supposed to be so much better than it would have been with the last director. Jacob was only seen a little bit in the last movie, and he’s seen a lot more.
“For a girl, there’s a lot more guys taking off their shirts. So the girl-thrill of it is even more enhanced.”
“New Moon,” rated PG-13, continues the romantic storyline of Bella and the vampire Edward Cullen first seen in last year’s “Twilight.”
Jacob is Bella’s friend and develops romantic feelings for her. The films are based on the four best-selling novels by Stephenie Meyer.
Rigsby said she’s usually for Team Edward, “except for this movie, because Jacob’s really, really awesome looking.”
Cradling a blanket and a stuffed bunny in her arms, Lien was just as excited as her friend Rigsby.
“You see the first one and you’re excited about it, and you know there’s more to come and they’re going to get better,” Lien said. “There’s so much more going on. ‘Twilight’ is kind of the introduction to the whole story, and now you’re actually getting into all the plots.
“It’s got suspense in every single scene. It’s got the love, which I love. Everything’s all twisted around. You don’t know what’s going to happen.”
‘It’s a little scary’
Karissa Slaughter, a 20-year-old Jacksonville State University student, and her friend Lauren Tucker, a 20-year-old Snead State Community College student, were next in line behind Rigsby and Lien.
“I’m so dedicated, it’s a little scary,” said Slaughter, wearing her “Twilight” T-shirt. “I would be here at three o’clock in the afternoon. It wouldn’t bother me to wait. I would sit here all day.”
Tucker said the new movie offers more action for guys because it introduces the werewolves and the powerful vampire coven called the Volturi, the enforcers of vampire law.
Garrett Hyatt, 14, of Geraldine, was the first male in line. He was completely surrounded by girls, which begged the question: Was he there for the girls or the movie?
“A little bit of both,” he said with a smile, adding quickly, “I read all the books though.”
Hyatt said the vampires lured him into the story, and he offered a simple explanation for the crowd Thursday night.
“Everybody wants to know what happens next,” Hyatt said.
Hyatt’s mother Sheri Hyatt, accompanied her son to the opening. Sheri said she’s never waited in line for hours to see a movie but wanted Garrett to experience the phenomenon first-hand.
“My 14-year-old son took me to the movie ‘Twilight,’ and I was convinced to read the books, and read them in two weeks,” said Sheri, who is 38 years old. “Now I’ve been reading more than I have in years because of ‘Twilight.’
“It appeals to any age because it’s such a great adventure. Something about it is very compelling and addictive, but I haven’t figured that part out yet.”
David McElrath, 37, of Boaz, was waiting in line with his wife, who sparked his interest. He hasn’t read the books but enjoyed the first movie.
“I like the special effects, the vampire part and the werewolves,” McElrath said.
Shay Pike, 34, of Boaz, was wearing a Team Edward T-shirt underneath a “New Moon” hooded sweat shirt. She was accompanied by her two oldest sons, a friend and her friend’s daughter.
“I’ve just always been interested in the whole vampire thing, and it’s just the action of it,” Pike said.
‘More people like it’
Tucker explained the crowds are larger because the popularity of “Twilight” has increased.
“The anticipation’s more because the whole ‘Twilight’ series is so much bigger than what it was last year,” Tucker said. “You know more people like it, and it’s going to be harder to get a good seat.
“I think a lot of people are really excited about seeing Jacob because Taylor Lautner’s 30 pounds heavier. He put on muscle to keep his role. A lot of people are Dakota Fanning fans too, and they’re really excited about seeing her.”
Tucker said girls are glad to have a series like “The Twilight Saga” to support.
“It’s like the guys have ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Star Wars,’ and this is like the girls’ thing,” Tucker said.
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