Movies are going to the dogs...
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 3:35 am
... and dogs are going to the movies. Click on the link to see many photos of the event.
Aisles of Dogs
Sonner Kehrt
March 20, 2018
SAN FRANCISCO — It was Charlie Bucket’s first trip to the movies, and he dressed up for the occasion. Looking sharp in a flowered bow tie, he glanced around the historic theater and took in his surroundings. Then, without warning, he tried to crawl under the stage.
Charlie, an 18-month-old Yorkie-cairn terrier mix, was one of many first-timers at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco on Monday night. The theater was holding a sneak preview of Wes Anderson’s new film, “Isle of Dogs,” with a particularly appropriate twist — the screening was B.Y.O.D., or Bring Your Own Dog.
Outside the sold-out event, pups posed for photographs on a red carpet before heading into the 234-seat theater to find their spot. “Dogs get the seats,” said Isabel Fondevila, the Roxie’s director of programming. “And we have a lint roller ready for after.”
After finding his way under the stage, Charlie Bucket took a seat with his owner, Stephen Holland. But as the theater filled up, the seats proved a bit challenging for some of the guests. Leila, a 7-month-old Chihuahua-cocker spaniel mix in a pink-and-red-striped sweater, couldn’t seem to get comfortable. No matter which way she turned, something more interesting was happening in the other direction. And when she twisted around to sniff the theater behind her, the seat popped up, folding her inside. “She’s too light,” said Emily Happe, 21, scooping Leila onto her lap.
Scout, a 7-year-old Yorkie-terrier mix, was too excited to sit at all. She sniffed around on the ground, pointedly ignoring Danielle Hobart, 30, who patted a seat, trying to encourage Scout to hop up. “She’s a suburban country dog; she likes chasing sheep,” said Ms. Hobart, who borrowed Scout from her father-in-law for the movie. “This is all new.”
Monday’s event was conceived by Andrea Bertolini, a senior account executive with Allied Integrated Marketing, which is publicizing “Isle of Dogs.” The stop-motion film, opening nationwide on Friday, is set in the fictional Japanese city of Megasaki, where all the dogs have been banished to a dump called Trash Island. Ms. Bertolini said she knew as soon as she saw the trailer that she wanted to hold a dog-friendly screening.
“I thought, ‘Who would be amenable?’ A lot of chain theaters probably would have said, ‘Have a nice day,’” Ms. Bertolini said. (There are also dog-friendly screenings scheduled this weekend in British theaters.) But the people at the Roxie Theater were excited about the idea — and they had experience. For the last two years, the New York Dog Film Festival has traveled to the theater, which has welcomed canine customers alongside their humans. “We love dogs,” Ms. Fondevila said. “We had no doubts.”
Inside the theater, Iko, a 9-year-old Shiba Inu, wasn’t quite as sure. Shawn Hatfield, 44, held Iko on his lap. “I think he’s just trying to figure out if this is the vet or not,” Mr. Hatfield said. “He sees lots of people and dogs. I think he’s waiting for needles.”
And the night’s official host, a one-eyed bichon-Shih Tzu rescue named Pirate with a skull-and-crossbones pendant hanging from his collar, was also battling nerves. “It’s certainly his first time hosting a premiere,” his owner Samantha Martin, 44, said. Ms. Martin runs Pirate’s Instagram account. Her husband, Greg McQuaid, 48, used to work with Ms. Bertolini, who asked if Pirate would lend his celebrity to the event.
As show time approached, Mr. McQuaid and Pirate made their way to the stage, accompanied by Kristin Hoff, adoptions manager at Muttville, a senior dog rescue organization in San Francisco, and Ms. Hoff’s foster dog, Ela. There, they made a pitch for adopting older dogs, and then Mr. McQuaid reminded human attendees that dogs should be taken outside if they became aggressive or upset. Even Pirate might need a break. “He’s kind of a grumpy old man,” Mr. McQuaid said. “He hates joy and merriment of any kind, so we’re not sure a Wes Anderson film is the best choice.” Pirate wagged his tail.
In the second row, Winston, an 18-month-old cocker spaniel mix, sat up and panted at them. Leila, worn out from all the excitement with her seat, was falling asleep in Ms. Happe’s lap. Toward the back of the theater, Charlie Bucket settled in and waited for the show to start. Someone growled, just a little. The lights dimmed.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/20/movi ... -dogs.html
Aisles of Dogs
Sonner Kehrt
March 20, 2018
SAN FRANCISCO — It was Charlie Bucket’s first trip to the movies, and he dressed up for the occasion. Looking sharp in a flowered bow tie, he glanced around the historic theater and took in his surroundings. Then, without warning, he tried to crawl under the stage.
Charlie, an 18-month-old Yorkie-cairn terrier mix, was one of many first-timers at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco on Monday night. The theater was holding a sneak preview of Wes Anderson’s new film, “Isle of Dogs,” with a particularly appropriate twist — the screening was B.Y.O.D., or Bring Your Own Dog.
Outside the sold-out event, pups posed for photographs on a red carpet before heading into the 234-seat theater to find their spot. “Dogs get the seats,” said Isabel Fondevila, the Roxie’s director of programming. “And we have a lint roller ready for after.”
After finding his way under the stage, Charlie Bucket took a seat with his owner, Stephen Holland. But as the theater filled up, the seats proved a bit challenging for some of the guests. Leila, a 7-month-old Chihuahua-cocker spaniel mix in a pink-and-red-striped sweater, couldn’t seem to get comfortable. No matter which way she turned, something more interesting was happening in the other direction. And when she twisted around to sniff the theater behind her, the seat popped up, folding her inside. “She’s too light,” said Emily Happe, 21, scooping Leila onto her lap.
Scout, a 7-year-old Yorkie-terrier mix, was too excited to sit at all. She sniffed around on the ground, pointedly ignoring Danielle Hobart, 30, who patted a seat, trying to encourage Scout to hop up. “She’s a suburban country dog; she likes chasing sheep,” said Ms. Hobart, who borrowed Scout from her father-in-law for the movie. “This is all new.”
Monday’s event was conceived by Andrea Bertolini, a senior account executive with Allied Integrated Marketing, which is publicizing “Isle of Dogs.” The stop-motion film, opening nationwide on Friday, is set in the fictional Japanese city of Megasaki, where all the dogs have been banished to a dump called Trash Island. Ms. Bertolini said she knew as soon as she saw the trailer that she wanted to hold a dog-friendly screening.
“I thought, ‘Who would be amenable?’ A lot of chain theaters probably would have said, ‘Have a nice day,’” Ms. Bertolini said. (There are also dog-friendly screenings scheduled this weekend in British theaters.) But the people at the Roxie Theater were excited about the idea — and they had experience. For the last two years, the New York Dog Film Festival has traveled to the theater, which has welcomed canine customers alongside their humans. “We love dogs,” Ms. Fondevila said. “We had no doubts.”
Inside the theater, Iko, a 9-year-old Shiba Inu, wasn’t quite as sure. Shawn Hatfield, 44, held Iko on his lap. “I think he’s just trying to figure out if this is the vet or not,” Mr. Hatfield said. “He sees lots of people and dogs. I think he’s waiting for needles.”
And the night’s official host, a one-eyed bichon-Shih Tzu rescue named Pirate with a skull-and-crossbones pendant hanging from his collar, was also battling nerves. “It’s certainly his first time hosting a premiere,” his owner Samantha Martin, 44, said. Ms. Martin runs Pirate’s Instagram account. Her husband, Greg McQuaid, 48, used to work with Ms. Bertolini, who asked if Pirate would lend his celebrity to the event.
As show time approached, Mr. McQuaid and Pirate made their way to the stage, accompanied by Kristin Hoff, adoptions manager at Muttville, a senior dog rescue organization in San Francisco, and Ms. Hoff’s foster dog, Ela. There, they made a pitch for adopting older dogs, and then Mr. McQuaid reminded human attendees that dogs should be taken outside if they became aggressive or upset. Even Pirate might need a break. “He’s kind of a grumpy old man,” Mr. McQuaid said. “He hates joy and merriment of any kind, so we’re not sure a Wes Anderson film is the best choice.” Pirate wagged his tail.
In the second row, Winston, an 18-month-old cocker spaniel mix, sat up and panted at them. Leila, worn out from all the excitement with her seat, was falling asleep in Ms. Happe’s lap. Toward the back of the theater, Charlie Bucket settled in and waited for the show to start. Someone growled, just a little. The lights dimmed.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/20/movi ... -dogs.html