There was one more thing that was odd4 about the showing, though. We were in the theater early, and this permitted a fair amount of time to watch the crowd as they came in and were seated. With the exception of one slightly balding gentleman who arrived in a tropical weight suit complete with panama hat and pastel tie, I think most everyone in the audience was born after the film was originally released. This includes the boys seated in front of us with their crazy head-bobbing action5 and the kid who assembled his very own Big Suit and danced across the stage near the end of "Girlfriend Is Better." There was even a "Wooo" guy.
Clearly, they got it on some level, but the whole thing was out of time and a little disjointed. I won't go so far as to call them poseurs, but this seemed like something other than visceral experience. Instead, it almost like they were ritualistically invoking a previous era just for a taste of it. The interposing twenty-two years served as a shield of sorts.
~*~
1Depending on his remembrances, usagijer is in the unique position to support this theory... or utterly cut it down. Be honest, but gentle. ^_^
2Oh, teenage martyrdom!
3All bets are off if we talk about BC. All of 'em.
4Yes, thinking that I wasn't a complete f#@k-up in high school is odd.
5It's the Indie-Rock dance of choice.
