Kim Longstreet, a physical therapist from Phenix City, has had a yearlong countdown on her cell phone. “See the little countdown?” she said, pointing to her phone, where pictures of Robert Pattinson, the actor who plays “Twilight” vampire Edward Cullen, adorn the screen. “It now says zero, it started at 365.” “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1,” the second-to-last movie in the Twilight franchise, premiered at midnight. In order to get good seats, some fans showed up at Carmike Cinemas more than 12 hours before the screening.
The first person in line, Jan Kennington, showed up at 8 a.m. and posted a picture onto her Facebook page declaring as much.
Carmike 15 general manager Daniel Keigans said the theater sold out its 3,500-seat building for the midnight premiere around 3 p.m. Thursday and decided to add a 2:30 a.m. showing today.
Ben Wright, manager at Carmike Ritz 13, said ticket sales for the midnight show were strong but the theater was not sold out at press time.
Longstreet and her friend, Melanie Kelly, a speech therapist who drove to Columbus from Alexandria City, Ala., arrived at Carmike 15 around 2 p.m. Thursday wearing “E the Vampire” shirts.
Fans were greeted with a wedding aisle and arch where a life-size cutout of groom-to-be Edward was waiting for photo opportunities. Despite the vampire’s place at the altar, it wasn’t long before adoring fans were hauling a Jacob cutout into the scene as well, placing themselves in the role of “Twilight” heroine Bella Swan, torn between two loves.
In the two years since “Eclipse,” the third film in the “Twilight” saga, arrived in theaters, Longstreet and Kelly have been waiting for last night’s premiere. To keep themselves busy, they’ve been tracking down the franchise’s stars.
“Last November we said we were going to meet as many people in the movie as we could and we met seven or eight of the stars so far,” Longstreet said. They traveled to various “Twilight” events as far away as Nashville, Tenn., and have met Ashley Greene (Alice Cullen), Peter Facinelli (Carlisle Cullen), Jackson Rathbone (Jasper Hale) and Nikki Reed (Rosalie Hale), among a few others. They got autographs and pictures with the stars they met, which went into a special book they’ve been compiling of their “Twilight” encounters.
“The first page is empty for Robert Pattinson, for when we finally get to see him,” Kelly said.
Both women took two days off work for the premiere and plan to see “Breaking Dawn Part 1” three more times today.
“We’re trying to beat how many times we saw ‘Eclipse,’” Longstreet said. “We saw ‘Eclipse’ 12 times at the theater.”
Longstreet said they’ll be sad to see the film series come to an end after next year’s “Breaking Dawn Part 2,” but they take comfort in the fact that they’ll have the DVDs to watch at home.
If Longstreet and Kelly were representing Team Edward, 17-year-old Lauren Wilson, clad in a Jacob shirt and toting a life-size photo cutout of the teen werewolf, was solidly Team Jacob.
Wilson said she’s been with the series since the beginning, even before the first movie came out.
“I’m an original Twi-hard,” she said with a laugh.
She’s anxiously awaiting next year’s “Part 2” because “I want more,” she said. “When it’s over I don’t even know what I’m going to do.”
Ditto for Longstreet and Kelly who say that The Twilight Saga has ruined all other movies for them.
“Actually ever since we started watching these movies it’s hard for us to go to other movies,” Longstreet said.
“It’s almost disappointing,” added Kelly. “You sit down, expecting that feeling and you’re like (makes sad face).”
According to national box office analysts, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1” is expected to bring in over $140 million this weekend.
