Summer is just around the corner, and that means it is time to put on some flip flops and go to the beach, right? Well, for some Santa Cruz residents, summer means it is time to go to big blockbuster movies in the middle of the night.
On Thursday, Thor, the movie based on the popular comic book character, which in turn was inspired by Norse myths, opened nationwide. And in Santa Cruz, some fans stayed up until midnight to be the first to watch it on the big screen.
At 11 p.m, a line stretched all the way to the end of the block in front of the Cinema Nine downtown. Drunk passersby, heading home after their Cinco de Mayo antics, seemed confused about what the line was for, asking, “Is this line for a Cinco de Mayo party?” and “What movie are you guys seeing?”
Cole Gardener, 23, who dressed up in Viking garb for the occasion, said he went, because he wanted an excuse to dress up as his favorite superhero and his Norse god.
“I like that he has an awesome hammer, and he controls the thunder, and he is a big giant man," said Gardener. “I mean, what is not to like about him?”
Another fan, Will Hare, was excited for “the scenes in Asgard with the other gods.” Sam Sanders, a Cabrillo College student, is a fan of going to midnight movies in general.
“It is a very social event," said Sanders. “I’m so glad I managed to get my homework done. I’ve been looking forward to both Thor and Captain America.”
He says back in his home town of Crescent City, midnight movies are even more of a tradition than they are here.
The Captain America movie playing later this summer ties into the Thor, Iron Man and Hulk movies that Marvel has already released. The films will all culminate in a big team-up in The Avengers next summer.
Alex Vanwandelan, who seemed a little out of place being surrounded by all the comic book geeks, isn’t a fan of the comic but said he was there because, “It looked like an awesome movie.”
Santa Cruzans headed to Thor this weekend can bring their ticket stubs after the movie to the Atlantis Fantasy World and get a free Mighty Fighting Avengers comic book and enter it for a chance to win Mighty Thor Omnibus Vol. 1 hardcover.