Pirates Party!

The Restaurant



This was one of the best (if not THE best) Wordplay parties that we've ever had. I'm so happy Mel came outta retirement to put this together. About 55-60 folks showed up, but despite the high turnout it was still easy to hear & talk to your neighbor (in some spots that we've gone to in the past, it's so loud that it's difficult to hear; but not there). It was also possible for folks to move around and chit chat w/ folks at other ends of the table (or at the other tables).

Not me, though. I mean, physically it woulda been easy for me to move around and chat w/ others, but ... well, believe it or not I'm actually kinda shy in person, so I sorta sat in my one lil spot and watched everyone around me... that is, when I wasn't chattin (and laughin) w/ Jacquelyn (Storyteller), Stella, Iain and Pre-Pro.

I did take an occasioal break to snap some pictures, though. They're linked at the bottom of this page. Terry did his thing w/ the readin of the reviews, stoppin after every one to raffle off a gift.

See, when we first got there we all wrote our names on a piece of paper, and later Susan put 'em all in a pitcher and pulled one out after each review was read (thanks for the King :-)

Not surprisingly, both Tia Dalma's and Jack Sparrow's names were called. Surprisingly, they were both called back to back.

In between the readin of the reviews - and most of 'em were downright mean - Ted interjected and told us how abyssmal the state of film criticism is in our country. I was happy to hear him say that, cuz I've never really placed much credence in what the critics (Boooooo! Hisssssss!) hadta say anyway. As far as I'm concerned, screw 'em. As the sayin goes (somethin like) No one has ever put up a statue of a critic.

Ted also told us that he shared this lil jewel re:the state of film criticism in a recent interview in Variety... perhaps that's why the reviews are so awfully scathin? Perhaps. But it's funny how none of the reviews had any meat; they never mentioned any real story elements. They skated around the periphery, but never delved inside, thus provin Ted's point. Ironic, huh?

The Movie was s'pose to start at 7, but we were still standin in line outside at 7. It wasn't til later that we figured out the most likely reason: the folks from the previous showin were prolly stayin til the end of the credits, so they could see the final scene. That prolly threw the cleanin crew off, makin 'em wait, which threw us off, makin us wait outside when we shoulda been inside gettin seated. So we're thinkin the management just said fugettaboutit. It's already after 7. Let 'em in. And so they did.

This audience was a bit more subdued than the Long Beach audience w/ whom Mel, Iain and I initially saw the movie on Thursday night. True, folks who saw it Thursday night were hard core fans, but still... they even cheered ... um, WE even cheered durin some of the previews - especially the one for THE TRANSFORMERS. And once the film started, of course we cheered (we cheered then, too), but the Long Beach audience laughed more throughout the film. Funny.

Both audiences cheered at the end of the movie, and as they were scurryin to get out, I wanted (at both showins) to tell the audience to stay - that there was a scene at the end that they'd really wanna see. But I didn't say a word. I let 'em hurry on out, while I listened to the fantastic score.Speakin of which, bravo (again) for the Pirates Anthem, Hoist The Colors. That song is hauntingly beautiful. I got chills both times I heard it sung.

After the movie, Terry asked some of us what our favorite scene was.


**************************************

BEGIN SPOILERS BEGIN SPOILERS

While Terry was askin someone else, Iain and I discussed it and we both said that the Weddin Scene was our favorite. Someone asked Terry what his favorite was and he said it was the weddin scene. Then he asked a coupla more folks, then me. I said it was the weddin scene, but since that was already mentioned, perhaps I shoulda added a couple more. Only thing is I couldn't think of any right then off the top of my head. So lemme add a couple more here:

The scene where Davy Jones' tentacle reaches up and grabs that single tear from his eye, then Davie goes above board and - while spottin the chest which contains his heart - says somethin like: Get that infernal thing out of here.

The Tia Dalma & Davy Jones scene

Will (lookin so delicious in all that black) at the helm of the Dutchman, comin to the rescue of the Pearl.

Multiple Jacks stuff

The parlay scene, which reminds me of a western. Great shots of 'em struttin toward Will, Becket and Davie (standin in a pale of water). Will's stance durin that walk is classic.

Some of my favorite lines:

When Norrington says: Our destinies were intertwined, but never joined. It's such a heartbreakin line. And I love the way Norrington looks at Elizabeth when she pleads w/ him to come with her.

When Elizabeth says: Kiiinnnng!

When Jack says: Not among us (in answer to Elizabeth's "Where's Will?")

That's all I could think of right now.

END SPOILERS END SPOILERS****************************************

All in all, we had a great time. As usual, we Wordpayers were a kind, considerate lot; generous (Thanks, Terry!) and sure, we're witty and ... well, some of us were downright smartasstic, but we're writers, and many of us have known each other for eons, so that's to be expected. Besides, there was no bloodshed or bruises; there was just bondin. (Or somethin like it.)

It was almost ... dare I say it, magical. There's not been a gatherin like that for ages.

Here's a link to the pics: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=5ssimamh.9ctrg809&Uy=-7z7zjn&Ux=1