I recently went to the movies in Paris, the world’s greatest movie town. I bypassed the most famous movie palaces and hit the multiplex – the 20 screen UGC at Les Halles.
The French show American movies in version originale (V.O.), which means in their original English with French subtitles. The multiplexes were showing Iron-Man 2, Kick-Ass, Green Zone, Greenberg, Alice in Wonderland and I Love You, New York. The metro was full of posters for Iron Man 2, Robin Hood and the latest Freddy horror movie. And Russell Crowe was shilling the upcoming Robin Hood on French infotainment TV shows.
Julie Delpy was directing and starring in La Comtesse, a period drama. And there were several new French comedies that look interesting. Unfortunately, my French is only workable enough to order excellent food and wine.
There was a ticket window with humans and also automatic ticket vending machines.
The large theater drew in about 75 viewers for a Monday 2 PM show of Iron Man 2. The audience sat silently before the film, and then fled the theater rapidly during the closing credits.
Iron Man 2 got lots of laughs from the French crowd, especially when Sam Rockwell was completely baffled by some questions in French and bumbled away cluelessly. However, the French speakers didn’t seem to get how funny Samuel L. Jackson is, because so much of his humor is in his inflection. “Cheerleaders” was subtitled as “les pompomgirls“.