When I was in a fraternity, we had a secret handshake. It was straight out of Animal House (1978). We actually made fun of it a lot. And yet, to this day, I can identify other people who have been in my fraternity by following that same ridiculous ritual. The same sort of rules apply to identifying a fellow movie geek. None of us can keep a poker face when certain topics arise. Here are just 20 signs that you’re a movie geek.
1. Film company idents elicit a Pavlovian response of excitement.
2. You have strong opinions about digital projection.
3. Half of your DVR is full of TCM films.
4. You can name two or more cinematographers.
5. You once broke up with someone because of their taste in movies.
6. The name “Kino” means something to you.
7. You own a region-free DVD player, and…
8. a VCR just in case you can’t find a DVD copy of a movie.
Dead everywhere except the homes of film geeks.
9. You’ve bought multiple copies of the same movie because of the bonus features.
10. The word “subtext” is in your vernacular when you talk about movies.
11. People are too intimidated to talk about movies with you.
12. You have a favorite film movement.
13. The mere mention of Michael Bay’s name makes you angry.
But… but… he cared SO MUCH about movies!
14. You admire Ed Wood’s enthusiasm, if not his quality.
15. You know what a foley artist does…
16. and you have a favorite foley artist.
17. You’ve ever become a bigger fan of a filmmaker because of their Criterion Top 10 list.
This is a thing that happens.
18. Alex DeLarge’s outfit from A Clockwork Orange seems like a great Halloween costume for you… to put on a child.
19. Watching a dubbed movie sounds like nails on chalkboard.
20. You have favorite film critics.
Guess I’m not a real one then, only was able to say yes to about 7 of them…
Ahah, I was thinking the same, Nostra, glad I’m not alone
I think if you can say yes to even one, there’s a good chance you qualify.
I’m real! Fuck yes!
Ha… that’s a fun way of looking at it. “This proves I exist! There’s a face to our obsession!”
Damn, I don’t have a favorite foley artist… And I wouldn’t dress my kid as Alex, not after seeing this: http://img0.joyreactor.com/pics/post/auto-predator-kid-cosplay-214890.jpeg
That is awesome
Holy crap… Predator kid is badass.
My friend (who comments here a lot as “Dude”) joked that for his kid’s first Halloween, he wanted to dress him up as a samurai baby and go as Lone Wolf and Cub.
I’m too
On number 19 I have to disagree slightly. In general, dubbing is the work of the devil, but when it comes to trashy Italian genre movies from the 60s-80s and kung fu movies, dubbing is the only way to go.
A very good point.
Well, let’s see…I answered yes to 16 of the questions, so I guess I’m a film geek.Loved the article!!
Thanks, Karl. Same here.
I kind of love the implication that the 19s have broken up with someone because of movie tastes.
I plead guilty to all of the above! Excellent piece about cinephilia! I love it.
ALL of them?!? I’m impressed!
LOL, this is hilarious!
I check in at 16. It’d be 17 but I haven’t replaced my busted region-free DVD player.
Only missed out on the cinematographers, could only name one, but great article, keep up the good work!
Thanks!
I’m not all of these, but you should make a chart that would define what level of movie geek you are if you got so many correct. I think I fall under 12 of them.
I made one a long time ago:
http://tdylf.com/2011/01/06/take-the-movie-geek-quiz/
#19 came up yesterday while watching “The Host”. I grab violently for my remote when the English track comes up automatically on a foreign film.
Haha… I do that dance, too. Everything goes in slow motion and the word “NOOOOOOOOOOO” oozes out of my mouth.
19 and I’m assuming favorite foley artist will be an uncommon shared point. This was so much fun to read. I knew it would be good at #1, Pavlovian response is the perfect way to put it!
Ha… yep, same here re: the foley artists. I can’t even name one. I’m just glad I know what they do.
My friends feel too scared to have an opinion on anything around me, let alone about films
! And I get a kind of excitement when I see the ‘Scott Free’, ident Screams visual quality.
The Scott Free ident is really, really cool.
At first I got scared, then I was like ‘Wooah!’ when I watched it a second time
HOLY POOP,it’s almost a GPOY to me. Yes I am trying to achieve a region-free DVD in my MAC now.. I know the cinematographers’ name,I love old films. I have a fave film movement. Expect I am the wiki of my class…I only freak at the name of Nolan.
My region-free player broke down earlier this year, and I’ve been kind of bummed about it. I never did replace it. Coby sells one- I think it’s the 224?- that’s REALLY cheap. I think it’s $25-30. But you get what you pay for. I got a year and a half out of it.
OH shucks! That is horrible…in my country it’s hard to find quality arthouse films in yr DVD shop..I only lurk at the library to borrow those films…
I am the same as Nostra… NOT A MOVIE GEEK…
Or should that be FILM GEEK, as a movie is definitely different to a film…
I was thinking about this earlier today. Really, if you answer yes to any of them, odds are good you qualify.
Ha shit, all of these apply to me. Like… really. A proud movie geek indeed!
Ok, so that begs the question… who’s your favorite foley artist?
Ohh does Kevin O’Connell count? Dude has lost the Oscar 20 times. Poor bastard.
Yeah, I’d say he does.
Love this list. There’s a few that don’t apply but I’m damn proud to resist throwing away my VHS player. That would render all my video collection useless!
It comes in handy. Without a VHS player, I never would’ve seen “I Was a Teenage Werewolf”.
21 should be you have a blog with a title that is a reference to Star Wars.
Ha… touché.
Yes,yes and yes,especially 9 and 17.
19: aaaahhh, but wait…I’m with Dave in comments. Have you watched the dubbed Argento horror movies(1970-1987) and dubbed Sergio Leone Dollars Trilogy(1964-1966) Great stuff actually. There, I proved I’m a geek