Remember the Alamo: Shaun of the Dead Quote-Along

October marks the beginning of many fall traditions that, for most people, involve an inordinate amount of pumpkin spice.  My fall traditions, however, involve movies.   When the weather starts getting crisp and damp, I climb under some blankets on the couch and revisit some of my favorites.  Star Wars Trilogy; classic science fiction.  Kill Bill; my favorite Tarentino.  Seven Samurai; dramatic Kung Fu masterpiece.  Kung Fu Hustle, immediately follows Seven Samurai for a comedic balance.

And then there's a film that transcended horror and zombie movies, creating a genre all its own (the Romantic Zomedy), Shaun of the Dead.  Fall wouldn't be complete without a trip to the Winchester.

This year, however, I upped the geek/obsession ante, and went with two friends to the Shaun of the Dead Quote-Along at Alamo Drafthouse.  I hadn't seen Shaun of the Dead on the big screen since it was originally in theaters, so just being able to see it at that scale would have been treat enough, but they armed every patron with a complimentary foam cricket bat, a personalized sale's assistant badge, and one shotgun shell (read party popper). The Alamo provided a full-on Rocky Horror Picture Show-esque experience.  I had never been to a Quote-Along, and at first I thought the "extras" might ruin the movie for me; too many fan boys/girls trying unsuccessfully (and obnoxiously) to prove they're the bigger uber-fan, or perhaps too many ametuers drinking to an insufferable degree and slurring along loudly.  But the crowd was laid back and the props we were given were not in any way extraneous; the bat to attack our neighbors during zombie attack scenes, the party popper to be used during the scene where the bar fire sets the box of shells off, and a Foree Electronics employee name tag just for grins and giggles.

The best "prop" for me, though, was bringing along a friend who had never seen the film, so I was able to enjoy the jumps, the laughs, and the tough-call decisions through her, as though it was the first time.

From "You've got red on you..." to "We're not using the zed-word" and finally "Player two has entered the game," every shout felt like a cheer, and every cheer felt like an all-inclusive high-five.

Thank you, Alamo Drafthouse, for a great night, and helping me properly welcome in Fall.  Winter is just around the corner, so let's get cozy, grab a pint, and wait for all this to blow over.