We've already established that the weekend belongs to Harry Potter devotees. But thanks to midnight screenings nationwide, this group wasn't waiting until today to bust out their robes, wands, hats and scarves (not to mention lawn chairs, sleeping bags, board games and books) in anticipation of Deathly Hallows: Part 1. The faithful got an early go of things on Thursday -- and they brought their cameras.
So in the spirit of posterity and not just a little anthropological interest, Movieline offers 11 user-generated glimpses from the blockbuster front lines. (One spoilerish note follows, but only if you haven't seen Half-Blood Prince.)
"Thanks for the walk, you guys"
If you watch only one amateur movie chronicling last night's bedlam, make it this one: An epic, one-take phone video traveling the full length of the line at the Mall of America. Love the Hooters cameo.
"Nana, are you excited?"
Take it away, MISSRandomQuestions: "My 74 year old Nana called me up and asked if I would take her to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 😀 already going I agreed shockingly she staied awake threw out the whole thing and she actually knew what was going on... before now I never knew my Nana was into HP as much as me lol and so now I know and we are going together to she Part 2 lol :D"
"I wanna know the cheaters!"
There's really nothing to see in this one, but it's easy to imagine this stream-of-consciousness soundtrack and the climactic ultimatum occurring in, oh, 3,000 theaters around the country at around 11:50 p.m.
"That was so fail."
Alas, in a handful of other theaters, it took a little more work to rouse one's fellow moviegoers.
"We got here at 7:30"
Want to meet the first person in line in Buffalo, N.Y.? Casey Lycon, come on down!
"This is our tradition!"
Meanwhile, across the country in Salinas, Calif., another newscaster talked to the first person in that line. She arrived at 8 a.m. Slacker.
"We're pretty far"
And just in case you wanted to see what the end of the line looks like in Salinas, this dude happily obliged.
"1... 2... 3... 4..."
Sometimes years of frenzied hype just make you want to burst out in impromptu song.
"Snape kills Dumbledore!"
According to YouTube user Integrawr, "We went to pick up tickets for the midnight showing with my fiancé and wanted to annoy the ppl sitting outside 4 hours before the damn movie even started." Mission accomplished. I think?
"Five, six, seven hours?"
Time stood still for the crowd waiting outside the Boulevard Theater in Petaluma, Calif.
Dance of the Geeks
And what do you do when you have hours and hours to kill before your screening starts? What else? Dress up in costume and jump around the lobby like an idiot. When does this franchise end again?