[Ben Lahnger]

I saw an "Action Pack" showing of Starship Troopers at the Alamo Drafthouse, including live, in-theater pyrotechnics! And it was a blast!

My friend and I forgot about the pyrotechnics (the movie has a long set-up segment before the heroes actually start frighting the alien bugs) and so when the first explosion went off it really surprised us. And everyone immediately cheered very loudly.

Before the show started, there was an introduction while cap guns (along with 72 caps) were handed out, and we were told to ONLY shoot them off when there was actual shooting (the space marines shooting at the bugs) going on in the movie. Then there was a contest where two audience members had to compete to see who could suck the brains (frozen alcoholic beverage) out of a pair of mannequin's heads the fastest. That got us in the mood quick.

We definitely had the right audience for this one. People knew the best lines from the movie, there was lots of participation and some of the best laughs came from audience members using their cap guns inappropriately, like shooting at Johnny Rico's rival when the bozo asks Johnny's girl to dance! LOL!

I actually managed to make my 72 caps last through the whole movie (unlike some people who were impotently clicking their cap-less guns halfway through the film).

I've always liked this movie, and like Verhoeven's other great sci-fi film Robocop, the combination of visceral violence with the right balance of social satire makes this a film I can always come back to for a good time. But seeing it on the big screen (from a 35mm print) for the first time ever, in this venue, was the best time ever!