Are you tired of your roommate constantly reciting movie lines in your ear truly believing that he/she is a movie star? There is now a remedy to overcoming the annoying antics of all wanna-be actors and actresses. A new activity, titled “movieoke” has grown in popularity for everyday citizens to become the movie stars they dream about.
By definition, movieoke is a form of entertainment where a person stands in front of a crowd and performs a scene from a movie with the silent movie playing in the background. Developed in 2003 by a woman named Anastasia Fite, movieoke is basically the same thing as the traditional karaoke, just with movies being the center of attention.
Hailing from an underground theater called the Den of Cin in New York City; movieoke has spread down the East Coast to the Philadelphia area. Just like karaoke, there are an endless amount of scenes that can be performed in front of the live audience.
Cabrini senior Kyle Devers has seen movieoke performed live recently. “It was hilarious. My stomach hurt from laughing because my boy Santosh did a comical scene from Mighty Ducks II! I was too chicken to try it out though,” Devers said.
Popular movieoke performances range from deranged scenes in “The Taxi Driver” starring Robert DeNiro, all the way to hysterical comedy scenes from “Dumb and Dumber.” Founder Anastasia Fite happens to be an expert of the complicated choreographic scenes from “Flash Dance” and “The Wicker Man.”
According to the official movieoke website, the format consists of a monitor placed in front of the person in case of a lapse in memory. Also, getting all the words exactly right is not essential. Many times, people ad-lib their performances which end up being more entertaining.
Movieoke is commonly used in the bar or club atmosphere for good laughs, but actors commonly use it when training. Movieoke helps the struggling actor/actress to emulate their inspirations in show business. It also enables them to study such things as body mechanics and tonal variety.
The Brynn Mawr Theater will be hosting a movieoke night this year on the night of April 20th. The process takes about ten minutes of preparation from renting the DVD to playing the part desired with the captions turned-on.
For all those that have that bothersome person in your life that cannot seem to shut-up with “performing,” movieoke is a great place to send them for the attention they are dying for. Plus, it will get them out of your hair for a few hours. Keep in mind that bars and clubs commonly host the exciting activity, so keep your eyes peeled.
Junior history major Casey Marshall has been told on numerous occasions that he has a problem with constantly reciting movie lines that nobody wants to hear. Well now Casey has an audience. “I have never been to a movieoke night around here. It sounds like a place where I might make some friends. I really need help,” Marshall said.
Posted to the web by Shane Evans
