POTC Marathon El Capitan Theater Hollywood, CA Report (Long) Part 1

[WatchYourHeadNStep]

This report is from our long day at the Pirates of the Caribbean Marathon held at the El Capitan Theater on May 24th 2007 in Hollywood, California. This was 9 hour marathon of POTC 1,2, and finally 3 back to back to back with a one hour break in between each movie.
I started the entire process of getting ready at 9:00am so that we could leave by 10:00am and get to the El Capitan by 11:00am for registration. Now that I can get ready under and hour I dragged on a little in order to ensure everything was in place, costume pieces were finished and ready to wear.
Departing from home! Hoist The Colors!





On the road! Time to use the vanity mirror for vainess!
Make up check!

Dangle check!

Rings! New dragon ring…check!

Pirate Elizabeth Swan…….check!

A boogy boogy snickle snickle!

Up the 405 to the 110!

Exit on Crenshaw!

Hollywood and Vine! Anticipation is mind numbing!


Drive by the theater before parking at the Kodak Theater basement!



Down into the depths of the Kodak Theater parking lot! Downwards to the depths of Davy Jones’ parking lot?




The El Capitan Theater marquee! Pirates of the Caribbean Marathon! When we arrived people had already entered the theater and it was already 11:00am so it seems that Disney Management was in control and ensuring that we stayed on schedule!





Signage where the lines were forming to enter the theater. Tradition to get the photos with the AWEsome signage.


Movie posters!


Registration line! Just a quick shot of PES picking up our tickets whilst I had news cameras in my face!

Entering the theater we were taken aback with all the lobby and theater decorations. Of course the Wulitzer organ was playing my favorite song………Yo Ho Yo Ho…A pirate’s life for me!



Our first movie was Curse Of The Black Pearl and we had some special guests that came out to make a few comments! Pirate Marty (Martin Klebba), Giselle (Vanessa Branch), and Scarlett (Lauren Maher). The all commented about how fun it was to do all three movies and that it was one of the best experiences they ever had. Lauren Maher stated how fun it was to slap both handsome gentleman as in Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. At that point Marty Klebba lowered his head in sadness (jokingly) and he got a hug from Lauren Maher (but she didn’t slap him!)
We also had to quickly turn in our coupons to claim our popcorn and drink. Getting seated was a pain because we had so much stuff as in costuming props that had to be shed before sitting!
We also heard the screams of some crazy women in the upper balcony each time some POTC-CoTBP character said, “Keep to the code!”

[WatchYourHeadNStep]

After CoTBP we had one hour to pick up our lunch and start viewing all the movie props found throughout the theater.
Jack the Undead Monkey’s two costume changes:



Teague Sparrow’s (Keith Richards) movie props:



Lunch in purgatory……..a peanut! So many Jack’s so little food! The nose scene was a hilarious intro to Captain Jack’s entrance!

The compass and NOT a Master Replica version:

Captain Jack Sparrow’s colors:

Various costumes from Captain Sao Feng, Captain Hector Barbossa, Captain…..I mean King Elizabeth Swann, Tia Dalma………..or that other scary goddess, and Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?







Various movie props from EITC and weapons:







Now off to our food…lunch! Lizzie searches for the coupons or the heart of Davy Jones?

Hey this looks familiar! The carpet from the Disneyland premiere. This was found on Main Street! Almost decided pillage and plunder said carpet but there was too much security around!

On our way out we ran into a familiar face! Why it is Captain Jack Sparrow! This also happens to be the same cast member portraying Captain Jack Sparrow from a year ago that inspired me to head down the Captain Jack Sparrow costuming path! I still think Disney costumers need to take a look at their costume arsenal and upgrade their Captains to the correct versions. They also need to stop mixing up the costume props! Someone please fix this man’s bandana……Sorry I digress! OCD-Obsessive Costuming Disorder! Back to the pictures!




This was our Red Carpet area! Pirate Lizzie searches for the condiments for our lunch served in POTC-AWE plastic buckets!



Really cool character signage suitable for photographing!




A fellow Captain Jack Sparrow costumer! We could figure out which one of us was hallucinating the doppelganger!!!


Martin Klebba (pirate Marty) was nice enough to join the fans out in our Red Carpet area for photographs. Unfortunately he was there for a short while and we were cut off from the line! As we passed I yelled, “Marty we missed you a Pirates & Plunder! Hope your feeling better!” He looked up, smiled, and said “Thank you!”


After our one hour lunch we quickly were hurried back into the theater for POTC part two…Dead Man’s Chest! But before the movie we had some more POTC actors that were in all three movies as well! Poochie the Dog, Mr. Cotton’s parrot, and Captain, Commodore, scruffy, rum soaked former Commodore, Admiral, scruffy Jack Davenport (James Norrington).

[WatchYourHeadNStep]

After the movie was over we once again exited to go get our ice cream sundaes provided to us by the Disney Soda Fountain and some more viewing of props and costumes.
Also look who we ran into! Singapore Elizabeth Swann! Excellent costume! Two Lizzies for the price of one! This was the only Singapore Elizabeth Swann so pictures were a must!


William Turner and Elizabeth Swann’s costumes. We heard that Elizabeth Swann’s costume had hand sewn beading and cost over $150,000 to make.




Off to the Disney Studio Store to shop for some AWEsome pirate swag and Limited Edition pins. I found some of the DMC/AWE rings that Captain Jack wears that were supposedly exclusive to the El Capitan but after inspecting and speaking with a Cast Member they turned out to be Master Replica’s versions.







More cool props in the lobby! It was cool seeing the angel from the bow of the Black Pearl. Although it was a duplicate it was actually used in some close up shots in POTC 1 and 2.





Back onto our Red Carpet area for our ice cream sundaes. More signage photo opportunities.



Back into the theater we went for part three. Pirates of the Caribbean – At World’s End. You could feel the anticipation in the theater and people were very excited for the movie. The hosts got us all excited by making us compete against either side of the theater in a Yo Ho Yo Ho singing competition. Our side won! Possibly due to “really bad eggs!” And to add to the excitement we had our final POTC actor or should I say actress to join us. Naomi Harris (Tia Dalma) came up and gave us a great talk at how great it was working on the two final movies. Her portrayal of Tia Dalma and some other character were some of the best times she said she had on set. Naomi Harris said farewell but without first saying in her finest Tia Dalma accent, “Arr! You ready to go to seek out witty Jack At World’s End?” That is when the theater erupted and the excitement was overwhelming. We couldn’t wait any longer!











The theater went dark and we were entertained with a 2 ½ minute show of lights, moving seas, moving ship’s mast, and a silhouette of the Black Pearl in lights followed by air cannons going off on either side of the theater to a shower of cursed Aztec Gold. The theater than went completely dark and the new Disney logo appeared on screen….it was time for Pirates of the Caribbean – At World’s End! Nothing was going to make us fall asleep now after having sat in this theater for over 6 hours!
No pictures here because we were told that all cameras had to be “stowed” considering that this was technically the first showing of AWE on the West Coast.
After the movie was finished everyone exited the theater! There were actually some people on our side of the theater that were crying due to the final ending! Stick around for it! It sets up interesting possibilities for a fourth installment of Pirates of the Caribbean!
A final drive by of the theater to see all the people lining up for the first official (non 8:00pm showing) of AWE. The El Capitan wasn’t able to add an 8:00pm showing to their list because technically it was already scheduled from 7:00pm to 10:00pm for the marathoners.


Pirate swag!









Conclusion:
The movie was excellent and filled with eye candy. So much eye candy that we will be attending another showing of AWE sometime in mid June and possibly in costume again. It will definitely be much easier sitting around as Captain Jack Sparrow but not for 12 hours ever again! This was one of the best movie marathons I have ever attended. The theater staff were extremely polite and helpful in getting us in and out of the theater to our snacks/lunches, the timeline was well planned and executed, and seeing seven different stars from all three movies made it a moment to remember.
Is it an end of Captain Jack Sparrow? We shall see as the box office numbers continue to roll in over this holiday weekend. $17 million in Thursday box office receipts alone. We have four more days to go! Spidey 3 watch out!

[Burnt Toast]

Hey! Awesome costume man... you totally should have been brought up to the stage before the first movie.

We were sitting in row F on your end of the theatre, middle section. I was the one that won 2 1-Day Park Hoppers, which is funny because I'm a Cast Member and get free admissions anyways.

I had a BLAST though, awesome event and I made sure to thank someone in charge for their hospitality and their work. I thought, for their first marathon, that they did an awesome job. I know I really appreciated having "outside" time between the movies.

Very well worth the $100 ticket price!

[aerinpegadrak]

Drat, I did so want to post my report first. Ah well. You've got some pictures that are far superior to mine. Silly work.

It was $100 very well spent. I'm absolutely thrilled that I got to be there.

[Kuzcochik]

Awesome pictures guys! I think that I totally saw both of you walking out the the theater when I was heading to get in line for the Midnight showing ^_~

[Alchimedes]

Watch, your costume is really well done, so much detail(and hard work) put into it. Thanks for sharing your visit to the El Cap. [smilie=4,23,17]

[Opus1guy]

Wow.

Just wow.

[ragrobyn]

Your costumes are unbelivable! Great trip report!

[disney lady]

Great report and pics. Thank you!

[wolfy]

Great TR....have to give you credit for spending all that time there! We're heading there today, but of course just to watch World's End. Looking forward to seeing all the props!

[Josh&Robert]

Very nice, But since I am in New Mexico and I saw it that Thursday at 8pm that would technically be one of the 1st showing in the west coast since we are ahead of CA

[wolfy]

You saw the Marathon starting at 8PM......wow! Somehow I don't think you read this thread completely.

[seenoevil]

Great TR! I loved your costumes and pics! It looks like you had a fantastic time! *swallowing jealous tears*

[WatchYourHeadNStep]

Yes this was a fun event but now that it is over there is this rather large void! Seems like the Captain Jack Sparrow run may be over until Pirates of the Caribbean - Quest For The Fountain Of Youth begins pre-production work.