I’ve been meaning to post a blog about procrastination, but I haven’t got around to it yet. (he he) Instead, I find myself inspired to blog about the evening I just had.
I get invites to movie premiers all the time, but they’re not usually as grand as what was put on tonight at the Palms in Las Vegas for the movie “Prey”. Prey is an Australian movie and tonight was the North American premier.
Other showings at Brenden Theatres, such as Hellboy II, started with a long line that formed well before the posted five o’clock (for a seven o’clock showing), continued with a pass exchange for tickets, followed by a wait in another line until the doors were opened. That’s at least an hour and a half in lines and a half-hour wait in the theater. I usually bring a book to fill the time.
For Prey, however, even though the line began before five, by half past, passes were being exchanged for tickets. Only this time IDs were checked against them – to make sure no one snuck in, I guess. With each ticket we received a free popcorn and drink and a wristband to the after party at Moon. Then a strange think happened. They didn’t keep us corralled anywhere, we were released until the movie (showing at eight, not seven) with an invitation to see red carpet arrivals at seven. Interesting.
Zombies/Walking Dead at "Prey" Premier
Curiosity drove us to the red carpet area where zombies paraded before waiting press. Is this a zombie movie? Or just a blood and guts one? Huh. Just before seven a drum corps broke out in … song? drum music? drumming? (what do you call it?) Anyway, there is something about drums that goes straight to my heart – what can I say, I look forward to half-time at football games because of this, too. Vegas Vanguard was cool. Then, to my surprise, Robin Leach appeared with four showgirls to began welcoming special guests.
Robin Leach and showgirls at the North American premier of the Australian movie "Prey"
All but one of the main characters came to the US and one of the those was American. They were difficult to see through the photographers and hard to hear because they didn’t get close enough to the mic when answering Robin’s questions, so we went off to the theater to find a wooden snake waiting at every seat. Is this movie about snakes?
While waiting in our seats, we watched the short trailer for Prey – several times. Dead people walking, snakes, things glowing, a chain saw, and a weird man in a duster and Freddie Kruger hat. What was this horror movie about? Had someone taken bits from every type of scary film and combined them? I was almost afraid to find out.
So here it is: Five friends and a tag-along (three guys, three gals) take time away from their busy lives to go somewhere that sounds like a surfing beach, but since they don’t have boards I don’t know what they were going to do when they got there. Along the way they are sidetracked by Freddie in a paranormal way and the female lead begins having visions. They never find the place they are looking for and, after the first person is killed, they can’t seem to get away from the place no matter how far they drive. As you can guess, with six victims, they get picked off one after another. You’d think after a while that a person wouldn’t wander off alone without at least telling someone where they were going, but no. When two are left we finally get some answers, however, if there was a story or curse that began this strange happening, it either wasn’t told or went over my American head.
All in all, I don’t think the movie was meant to be taken as serious horror – which I’m glad of, because psycho butchering doesn’t interest me at all. As a campy scary movie with laugh-out-loud moments, it hit the mark. I have to say, I really enjoyed Prey and would watch it again – even the scene with three vehicles moving, when only two were occupied. I applaud the actors; they did a great job of not cracking up when the rest of us did. See Prey – it’s coming to pay-for-view this summer – and let yourself be entertained without being traumatized.
Audrey
P.S. – We never made it to the after party, though I was impressed with the invite.
