Attendance at ‘The Interview’ lags at movie’s second showing on Bainbridge

Whatever cultural moment the local moviegoing public may have shared at the sold-out premier of the controversial comedy "The Interview" at Bainbridge Cinemas Thursday night, the time has apparently come and gone.

By Luciano Marano • December 27, 2014 2:05 pm
A line forms outside of Bainbridge Cinemas for the Friday night showing of 'The Interview.'
A line forms outside of Bainbridge Cinemas for the Friday night showing of 'The Interview.'

Whatever cultural moment the local moviegoing public may have shared at the sold-out premier of the controversial comedy “The Interview” at Bainbridge Cinemas Thursday night, the time has apparently come and gone.

Attendance at the film’s second screening at 9 p.m. Friday night boasted only 75 (approximate) patrons, according to theater staff, much declined from the previous night’s 250 member audience.

Still, a line did form as patrons queued up to enter the theater.

A man who asked to be identified only as Jim, who was in town visiting family and was first in line to see the film, said he did not believe that seeing the film was a political statement of any kind.

Everyone approached agreed, in fact, that their decision to see the film was not politically motivated.

“The trailer didn’t look that good,” Jim said prior to the start of the movie. “My expectations are low.”

Jim said he typically enjoys comedies and “lots of indie stuff” when selected a film to see at the theater.

Island residents Elise Ran and Emma Stallworthy said that they would be very disappointed if, after all the media attention, the film was “not very funny.”

Patrons asked unanimously agreed that “curiosity” was the main factor in their attending the film Friday night.

The movie will be shown once daily at Bainbridge Cinemas every night through Jan. 1. Each showing will be at 9 p.m.

Theater officials said that screenings may expand to more often or continue for a longer tenure, based on demand.

The action-comedy film was at the center of a computer hacking attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment, and the company later announced the film would not be screened.

The FBI said North Korea, which is central to the movie’s plot, was involved in the hacking.

After considerable public outcry — including criticism by the media, President Barack Obama and many in the motion picture industry — independent cinemas announced they would show the film on Christmas following Sony’s decision to allow limited release of the R-rated movie.

“The Interview” stars James Franco as Dave Skylark and Seth Rogen as his producer, Aaron Rapoport. The pair produce the hit celebrity tabloid TV show “Skylark Tonight,” and after they find that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is a big fan of the show, they land an interview. The CIA then recruits the pair to assassinate the dictator.