Overheard: 'Princess Anne'
Two middle aged white ladies on the subway.
Lady #1: She's so pretty. Did you know she could sing, too?
Lady #2: I know. I totally didn't but there she was singing. She's so talented.
Lady #1: I watched Princess Diaries last night.
Lady #2: [Excited] Ohhhh, I want to see that!
I know this isn't truly much of an overheard but given the thrill of discovery in Lady #2's voice I couldn't help but chuckle. The last line was uttered like The Princess Diaries was a new box office champ, unseating Rango from its perch. What is this Princess Diaries everyone is talking about? Better get on that before it leaves theaters and there's that interminable wait before VHS!
I kid. I kid. I love all peoples who talk about movies on the subway. They delight me. If I were a cartoon my eyes would pop open and my ears would fan out comically to absorb every word. I wish subways weren't so goddamn noisy! Maybe I missed some deep analysis of Rachel Getting Married shout outs to Ella Enchanted ?
Reader Comments (14)
I also love overhearing people talk about movies. When it happens, something in my hearing allows all other sounds to lessen in volume so I can focus on the movie convo. A lot of times, it takes some serious will power to not chime in. The other day we were in a Barnes & Noble cafe and one barista was saying to the other, "I saw BATTLE: LA last night -- it was good!" Oh honey, come on now...no it wasn't...you can do better than that. This sort of self-indulgent counselor impulse kicks in.
The academy so want anne to win an oscar.
I hate to be a bitch but I think that the only thing we got out of that convo is that Lady#2 is still a virgin ;)
I really hope more ppl could go watch Rachel Getting Married!! Such a great film, but few talk about it!!
Right after watching The King’s Speech on its opening weekend I went to Barnes & Noble and overheard a lady suggested the old man who worked as the cashier to see The King’s Speech.
“Oh, you gotta see it. It’s sooo goood. I’ve never seen a movie better than that.”
Assumption #1: She doesn’t go out to see movies that much
Assumption #2: She’s a publicist hired by the Weinstein to spread the words in that store.
Mikhael -- if the Weinsteins could find a way to finance that, i wouldn't put it past them ;)
Kurtis -- i try never to interrupt also but i'll admit that sometimes it it really hard to stay mum. Plus I don't wanna ruin a possible "overheard" by altering the specimen sample.
This post and subsequent comments begs the question: "do all of us FE readers live between W 72 and W 96 in NY? Do we all go to lincoln square?" (or in my case, use to). A poll might be interesting.
Benjh -- how did you get that from this post? note: this conversation did not happen between 72nd and 96th ;) i do travel through 72nd-96th constantly though but I live in Harlem.
I dunno, something about a movie theatre, a barnes&noble next to it, and middle-aged white ladies in the subway. I just don't see going to B&N right after or before the movies as a midtown/downtown kind of activity. And I know nothing about the UES, as a principle. But I obviously read way too much into this, as every new yorker would :)
Btw, RIP Barnes & Noble 68th.
Benjh -- don't even go there. that was my FAVORITE place. so convenient inbetween any movie outing or any lincoln square or NYFF shindig or ANYTHING. great location. many floors. (sigh)
you guys who live in nyc are so lucky to have the advantage to watch every freaking limited release movie. I hate it when a good trailer ended with a line saying “coming up soon in selected theaters or cities”.
I watched The King’s Speech in nyc in November
It arrived at my local theater in December
It arrived at my smaller local theater 2 weeks ago.
Can you imagine how it feels to live in a ghost town?
Mikhael -- i can because i used to. I've lived in Detroit, Salt Lake, and New York. But I went to school in Provo and NOTHING came there. Salt Lake is only 45 minutes away of course but even in SLC sometimes it would take six months for the NYC releases to get there --if they came at all. MADE ME CRAZY.
Overheard in the next booth at a restaurant just last week, "Oh, yeah, you know Kathy Bates, she played the mother of Norman Bates in Psycho." Wow, that has so many levels of wrong it borders on the astounding.
Debby --- wow is right? how could someone get that wrong?