At the Movies

We went to the cinema twice this weekend, first to see "Ocean's 12" and then to see "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason." For both shows we bought the deluxe balcony seats for 70 rupees (about $1.30) each, which means sitting way up at the top - the view was okay but the sound was pretty terrible. Gilles had trouble understanding Brad Pitt. I can't remember anything he said in the movie anyway - not very memorable for a Soderbergh film. The young men in the audience entertained themselves by telling their own jokes and laughing hysterically, and everyone kept answering their cell phones. When the movie was over we tried to sit while everyone rushed out (from the moment the credits started) so as not to be trampled, but the sweepers kept making rude sounds at us so finally we left and struggled down the stairs with everyone else. The hardest part was trying to cross the road out of the cinema parking lot. People on mopeds like to intimidate pedestrians by revving their engines as you walk in front of them. Cars do it by just trying to run them over. On the way into the movie theater I had "accidentally" swung a bag containing something heavier than I thought towards a car, and did accidentally hit it - nothing broke, but a lot of people turned around! I thought that was a good time to disappear into the movie theater. I figured that even if the driver decided to come after me it would take him 45 minutes to make a u-turn.

The Sunday film at the Plaza was much more relaxed. I guess Bridget Jones isn't as popular as Danny Ocean. The venue was somewhat less formal and didn't have as many ushers shining lights into our eyes to direct latecomers to their seats (they still assign the seats here). We enjoyed all the squinting and squabbling, though Gilles tried to take the opportunity to make fun of my skiing during the intermission. They have an intermission at every movie here, even one that lasts 2 hours. I suppose it's a way to sell popcorn. Going to the cinema also seems to be a social occasion, so it may give the young people a chance to flirt. I had gotten so accustomed to people talking during the film from the night before that I even felt grateful when I heard someone answer their cell phone and say "I'll call you back."

The other big event of the weekend was a meeting with my contact for the "deaf" villages, the subject of my film. Things seem to have gotten complicated there, because the wells he and his club donated a few years ago have dried up, and now the villagers are angry they no longer have fresh water. Gilles explained that there has been a drought for the past few years and a bore well was probably just not reliable. The villagers are also annoyed to have been labeled a "deaf village" because they say now no one from other villages will marry them, thinking their genes are tainted. So there have been accusations flying, and supposedly I will not be very welcome there. I do hope someone comes up with a solution for the wells, because apparently it doesn't rain here until April.