Diary with GAR Live in LA Feb 17th

**empirefilm** · 18-Feb-2008

Okay , so tonight Feb 17, I returned to the Nuart Theater in West LA to see Diary for the second time, this time with an appearance by GAR.
I arrived an hour early and there were already approx 100 people in line. The theater only holds about 300 so I got in line at a good time. Met another Romero fan named Bill and told him about HPOTD. My hope was to get my cover of the Millenium edition of NOTLD signed by GAR. Of course I also wanted to see Diary for a second time.
A beautiful girl sat next to me as it was standing room only. The usual West LA Goth crowd turned out in force too.
I went briefly to the lobby and there he was, in the flesh, I said hello and broke out my cover and my sharpie. He was signing a Dawn poster for another guy and as soon as he finished, they ushered him into the auditorium with me still standing with my sharpie just behind him. Alas the autograph I imagined was not to be. He went to the front of the auditorium, received a standing ovation, said a few brief words about the new film being close to his heart and taking him back to the early “guerilla style days” and then he left. I figured he would show up after the film. The crowd thoroughly enjoyed the film and I liked it better the second time. The girl next to me was terrified at the best scenes and it occurred to me that her reaction was the real payoff. The film ended , more applause, but according to the usher, GAR has left the building and “had to get to the airport”. Boo Hoo, no autograph, no Q&A, but altogether a fun time!

**Yojimbo** · 19-Feb-2008

Empire, my wife and I intended to go on Friday night, but I got stuck at work and figured that it was too late to make the trip from downtown LA to the westside. Would have been really pissed if I had gone too, because I wouldn't have made it until showtime at which point they were already sold out AND the fact that Romero was there (which I did not know about at that time) would have just rubbed salt into my wounds.

Ended up going to the 7:30 at the Nuart on Saturday, dug it big time. Nearly sold out on Saturday night too. It was then that I noticed a sign that GAR would be back for the Sunday 7:30 slot. Of course, my wife and I bought tickets for that one too, thinking we could get to shake the old dude's hand, maybe get a photo and an autograph.

Just like you said, he strolled in after the initial trailers, gave a short speech and split, not to be seen again. All the same, though, it was nice to see the old dude, even if it was for less than 2 minutes.

Yeah, the goth crowd was out in force, in addition to the usual GAR fan types. Of course, the goth types were the most freaked out by the film. The GAR Fans just laughed and cheered.

Funny thing, both nights my wife and I sat there wondering if there were any heads from HPOTD there sitting in the audience. Too bad I didn't know you by sight, my wife and I would have loved to have coffee with other Romero freaks to discuss the flick afterwards.

Great film, great times! God bless George A Romero.

**Yojimbo** · 25-Feb-2008

On the first weekend of release the Nuart was the only theater locally in Los Angeles that was showing Diary, but this weekend I noticed that it was in seven additional theaters, the majority of them mainstreamers (unlike the Nuart which is one of our local revival/indy film venues, this weekend it was at Universal, AMC, Manns -- the mainstream film venues) I am not sure what the box office take for this weekend was, but figure that it is on more screens so this must equate to more box office funds. Then again, I have not seen a comparable increase in advertising so I wonder if the numbers have jumped on any appreciable level. Let face it, without mainstream advertisiment the only folks that are going to see this film are the diehard freaks that seek it out.