Krys and I just got back from the screening of the This American Life live-to-tape movie cum radio show. This is a filmed representation of a live event that took place a few days ago, and which was broadcast live to a range of movie theaters all over the USA. The radio show (also available as a podcast) in a gem, but it is hard to accurately classify in a few words. My best shot is to call it a weekly collection of touching stories that range from amusing to bittersweet, and which often have an ironic or literary feel.
The Montreal event too place in a cineplex, and one with fairly large screens. The place wasn't sold out, but it was probably over 50% full, which is way more people than were there for any other Sunday-afternoon screening. Amazingly, in the two minutes it took to find a seat Krys spotted two other people we know, suggesting the crowd was biased, somehow, towards whatever circles we move in. There wasn't much live clapping at the end, but there was
some, which is a pretty positive indicator for a subdued Canadian movie crowd.
Paying to see a recording of a radio show being made was definitely on odd experience, and one of the striking things about it is that it brings home the substantial difference between radio and visual media like TV or movies. I'd say it's a worthwhile experience for a fan of the show, and it's probably a good introduction to those who have not listened before, but I don't think I would do this on a regular basis. While it was interesting to see how the show was made, and the personal connection to the authors was stronger when you can see them, a certain personal touch is lost with the additional of the visual component. In some sense, the host Ira Glass or Starlee Kine could be the people that I expected and imagined them to be when I only heard them: now it turns out that they have their own identities and appearance independent of my imagination.
