I Saved a Movie Theater from Burning Down

So maybe it wasn't quite as dramatic as the title, but it WAS a pretty wild way to pass the time before the movie began.  (hehehe)

Sunday night, Travis and I decided to go see Quartet.  I couldn't wait to see it, as we love most of the actors in it, and husband LOVED the idea of musicians (actually) being able to retire one day.  The movie was fantastic - the characters are both charming and hilarious, and the story line is great.  We were excited  the movie was playing at the West Newton Cinema - my favorite.  

The excitement started right before the previews began.  Know how they'll usually show a "5", "4", "3", "2", "1", counting down to the previews?  Well, something got hung-up on the projector, and the film froze on "4".  We all sat there, waiting for things to pick back up, and I noticed a small black spot forming in the bottom right corner of the screen.  Travis and I watched it, wondering if it was part of a preview...you know the kind these days where there's a scene and some alien will burst out of the screen and terrorize the planet?  

We kept waiting for the alien to come, but the black spot just got bigger and bigger.  Then we started to see white in the middle like the center was tearing.  About that time we wondered (loud enough for the people around to hear us)...um....do you think something is wrong?  Is someone in the film booth?  Does anyone know what's going on?  

THEN we started to see smoke rise from the black spot and we knew no one was in the film booth and this was about to be bad, so I scooted down the steps, across the theater and out to the lobby.  Thankfully the lobby was pretty empty besides staff at the concession stand, or I would have certainly caused a panic, as I leaned over the balcony and hollered "Umm...I think the film is about to catch on fire in theater 3!!"

The staff FLEW into action, and zoomed up the steps, into our theater, and into the film booth, and quickly rescued the projector.  

And that, dear friends, is how I saved the West Newton Theater.  You're welcome.  :)