Surviving an All-Night Screening of ‘Dune: Part Two’ in 70mm Imax
It was a Thursday afternoon when my editor dropped a bombshell on me. “I have a story for you. You might kill me,” he said. Little did I know that this story would involve an all-night screening of ‘Dune: Part Two’ at 3:15 in the morning. The dread set in, not because of the sleepless night ahead, but because I had never watched the first ‘Dune’ film. Determined to tackle this cruel assignment, I went home and prepared myself for what was to come.
As I pondered how to approach this daunting task, various strategies crossed my mind. Should I force myself to sleep early and set an alarm? Or should I accept the fact that my eyes might struggle to stay open throughout the film? My girlfriend even offered me some of her prescription Adderall to stay awake, but after a quick Google search, I decided against it.
After several failed attempts at falling asleep, I gave in and drank a coffee an hour before showtime. I hailed an Uber and arrived at the AMC Lincoln Square in the dead of night. To my surprise, there were already around 200 people in line, eagerly waiting to witness Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi spectacle in glorious 70mm Imax on America’s second-biggest movie screen.
The crowd was predominantly male, with a few exceptions like a guy dressed in bedazzled cowboy boots and sparkling chains. The dress code was casual, with no one trying to emulate the glamour of ‘Barbie.’ However, one older gentleman proudly sported a Warner Bros. bomber jacket, paying homage to the company behind Villeneuve’s vision.
While waiting in line, I struck up a conversation with a group of friends in their 20s who had traveled all the way from New Jersey. They had seen the first ‘Dune’ just a few days ago and bought tickets for ‘Part Two’ because every other 70mm Imax showing was sold out. Procrastination seemed to be a common theme among the attendees. Couples like Chris and Kristina, who drove in from Long Island, sacrificed their Friday and spent their afternoon power-napping because they had no other choice. Even 22-year-old Victor camped out in an NYU library until 2 a.m. to avoid commuting back and forth to Jersey City. Emily, a 21-year-old film student, reluctantly joined her friends after being “bullied into it.”
Interestingly, the fervor surrounding the film was not centered around its star-studded cast, which included Timmy Chalamet, Zendaya, and Austin Butler. Instead, it was the film’s specialty format that drew the crowd. The allure of the 70mm Imax experience overshadowed the celebrity factor. As 31-year-old filmmaker Orges Bakalli put it, “It’s ‘Dune.’ It’s Imax. It’s 70mm. This is the screen.” Bakalli’s enthusiasm echoed the sentiment of many others who believed that cinema was making a grand comeback.
Amy, a 19-year-old assistant manager scanning tickets, shared that AMC typically doesn’t operate as a 24-hour establishment. However, they made an exception for ‘Dune’ due to the overwhelming demand. Amy, who had been working since 5:45 p.m., anticipated leaving around 5 a.m. She emphasized the importance of having enough food and energy to survive such a shift.
Inside the theater, the atmosphere was electric. Although the room was about 80% full, I managed to find a pocket of empty seats. As a Nicole Kidman ad played on the screen, one enthusiastic viewer shouted, “I LOVE YOU, MOMMY!” The excitement reached its peak when the title card for ‘Dune: Part Two’ appeared, signaling the beginning of the film.
Around 45 minutes into the movie, fatigue threatened to overpower me. The mesmerizing desert landscapes resembled soft pillows, and I questioned the life choices that led me to seat H35. However, witnessing a guy nod off two rows ahead of me motivated me to stay awake. I didn’t want to miss any part of the film and have to watch it again. Fueled by my Diet Coke, I powered through, immersing myself in Paul Atreides’ larger-than-life odyssey until the credits rolled at 6:18 a.m.
On the escalator down, I caught up with the trio from New Jersey. Curious about their plans for the morning, I asked if they were going to watch the sunrise over the Hudson. Little did they know that the sun rises in the east, not the west. Emily and her friends were heading to the Flame Diner for breakfast, with one of them mentally preparing for an NYU rehearsal at noon. As for me, I hailed an Uber and
