Maltageddon crashes, and tops box office
Spoof-blockbuster Maltageddon may have topped the box office at Eden Century cinemas in its opening weekend but during the premiere it sparked more laughs than intended - not for the right reasons.
As the second half began, a technical hitch caused the video to run without sound. The computer system then had to be restarted in front of a full auditorium of people who waited in bouts of laughter and clapping.
After an error sound beeped, Windows XP appeared on the massive cinema screen and the film window minimised. A mouse cursor then proceeded to click on the Start button to reboot the system.
The incident was captured on a mobile camera by an audience member who uploaded the footage on YouTube. The video has already had thousands of views and is being posted and discussed on Facebook and other social networking sites.
During the clip, an audience member is heard shouting out the movie's catchphrase "We are Maltese..." prompting the rest of the audience to complete the sentence "We take no sh*t", followed by a loud applause and chortle.
Before the film continued, another audience member is heard wondering whether they should ask for a refund. Other internet commentators defended the filmmakers saying the incident was out of their control.
When contacted, a spokesman for Eden Century said there was a slight glitch with the system which, as with all computer or mechanical systems, "can sometimes occur".
"Fortunately, it was fixed within one or two minutes. It is indeed unfortunate that it happened for the premier of this film and it is certainly a rare occurrence that such glitches occur," the spokesman said, adding that Eden Cinemas showed over 85 films a day and close to 600 films a week.
The spokesman also clarified that there was nothing wrong with the format of the film in question because there had since been 25 viewings without incident.
"The film has already entered our top 10 films of the year in less than a week of exhibition with a number of sold-out shows. It is likely to end up within the top three of the year," the spokesman concluded.
Due to popular demand, this week the film will be shown in the two best theatres: Cinema 16 and Cinema 11.
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JK Farrugia
Dec 14th 2009, 09:32
if its so popular, and topped box office etc etc,,why do i go to watch the 1730 movie, which is clearly listed on the newspaper and cinema screen and they apologise and tell us its not showing?? lets hope its a worth watch as comments i heard where not that good..especially with the stale jokes that had been cracking some 20 years ago that are repeated over and over during the movie ...
i m anyway looking fwd to watch it.... if its still on!
Becky Pace
Dec 13th 2009, 23:36
It was a mistake, these things happen. Apart from that I think it was a great film, I had a really good laugh....and not because of the techinical difficulty!!!
Joe Fenech
Dec 13th 2009, 21:47
It was a mistake on Eden's part to show such mediocrity and amaterusim!
robert micallef
Dec 13th 2009, 20:51
when schindlers list was launched in Eden it crashed...twice and i do not think that schindlers list was filmed in Malta. These things happen. but i think its a good think that we Maltese do not build aeroplanes.
A. Fernandez
Dec 13th 2009, 18:17
"Even I was surprised to see them using this free player to make people watch something for which they pay. "
@ Joseph Schembri:
First, I doubt that people were "made" to watch the show. Second, it is evidence of a simple minded mentality to believe that something is better the more one has to pay for it. Is a painting worth less if it was painted using cheap brushes instead of expensive ones?
"VLC is good, its free and has several plugins, but its never stable..."
@ Edward Vella
Judging by your comment, you don't really know what you are talking about(maybe you do, but it doesn't look that way)
Joseph Anthony Xuereb
Dec 13th 2009, 16:44
this film is just like other maltese films,very drab and no storyline.i fear the maltese always tend to get excited over maltese films because they are maltese,and not because they are good.maltese actors are not that good compared to the british ones,and it shows in the so called performances.silly maltese film
Joseph Schembri
Dec 13th 2009, 15:43
VLC is the one player that will play anything you throw at it but I understand the surprise of those who saw eden cinema using it.
Even I was surprised to see them using this free player to make people watch something for which they pay.
But then again think of the browser that we use. I use Mozilla Fire Fox, many people use Microsoft Internet Explorer. They are the best out there and yet they are both free and using anything else would not make sense for me.
fabian muliet
Dec 13th 2009, 12:07
Watched the movie yesterday and i must say that it was a fun night out for all the family. Well done to all the people involved. i don't know why some people have to compare this to foreign films!!! I think that the producers went out to make a funny movie on a shoe string budget and they managed. But then ofcourse there those who say they can actually do better complain on what they saw, but ultimitaly fade away into oblivion...
Edward Vella
Dec 13th 2009, 09:36
VLC is good, its free and has several plugins, but its never stable, they could have used a different program to show it. if people complain about the video quality its not their fault, probably with the budget they had if the producers were to use a studio HD recorder it would have cost them probably more than the budget because it needs alot of rendering after, or even putting it on a film reel instead of a cd.
A. Fernandez
Dec 12th 2009, 17:55
@ Charlot cauchi: Are you saying that you could have done a better job as there is something wrong with VLC because it is available for free?
@ Lawrence Attard: This is not a blog(like most people seem to think), it is a collection of comments to a news item and people here are making comments, not blogging. Writing comments here does not make a person a blogger. Crashes at home cannot be compared to those in professional environments.
A lot of home users use cheap hardware which may not be as stable as that which one would expect to find in a professional environment. ... and yes - at the end of the day any hardware could theoretically crash. The problem could have been avoided by having a second machine running at the same time - one crashes, just switch over to the other one. Not something I'd suggest for every show, but for important ones like premiers it is really not too much hassle.
Lawrence Attard
Dec 12th 2009, 10:45
OK sure it can be funny when something goes wrong, we all like a laugh, but the way this technical hitch has been blown out of proportion is ironically, what we need to stop about 'being Maltese'... li niehdu kull opportunita biex inkasbru, nmaqdru u ngergru! Come on, any one of you reading this blog on your computer never had your computer crash or jam before??? This one just happened during the premier, that's not 'being Maltese', nor is it some disgrace. I've seen much worse issues in international conventions with budgets of millions. Let's grow up and stop being 'Maltese gerger'...
Joe Fenech
Dec 12th 2009, 02:17
From Xarabank to Hollywood. Dalle stalle alle stelle!!! Well done for this historical moment in Maltese cinema!
Charlot cauchi
Dec 12th 2009, 00:29
I watched the film or @ least tried for most of it and i could decide not to watch maltese films @ the cinema ever. the whole story is so cheap and pathetic seems like who did it just wanted to have a laugh @ the people who watched it. Editing and acting... well, there is not even a basic idea how things should be done and so much better can be done with actors not famous yet rather then the usual we see on TV or theaters who are so in the wrong career. I could say that this movie puts behind the idea of ever doing a good famous movie which could compare with the ones abroad. I hope next time this same company puts on anothe ridiculus movie like this people realise how crap it is so wont be robbed. Oh and the movie was played via a VLC player (free online to download) which means i could have done a better job for sure. Disappointed
Anni Csmilleri
Dec 11th 2009, 19:57
i was there as audience :) it wasnt producers fault, deffinately eden!! a bit shamefull for it to happen, especially on a premiere night, i saw the producer, forgive me as i forgot her name, lyona? running to the room. they should have just switched off the screen shot till fixed, not seen : Cursor * Start * Restart *....... they charge so much for films they don"t have upgraded technology?? lets face it, it wasnt vista now was it :))) don""t worry producers. you didnt look silly eden did to me...
A. Fernandez
Dec 11th 2009, 17:42
@ G.Pisani: Any computer system that is set up properly will run... and a non Apple system can be set up for a fraction of the price it would cost to get an Apple machine with the same processing power. I do a lot of things with 3d and video on XP. The only problem I occasionally run in to is not having enough RAM. Which has nothing to do with the operating system in my case. MACs crash as well by the way. It is however always an amusing classic when Windows crashes anywhere it is being used to display something publicly on a big screen. Especially when you can see the operator making frantic mouse-clicks to fix it - hilarious.
M.Caruana
Dec 11th 2009, 17:09
No one should blame the film producers as it was Eden Cinemas Computer that crashed. maybe they should invest in a more serious system. I watched the movie last Tuesday and the bill for two persons totalled 37euros for 2hours 15 mins. its was too much considering that the parking is 8.90eu, two tickets are 13.80 eur and we had some refeshments. i noticed that chocolates cost 50cents more than normal shops. i rarely watch films at a cinema but this was the last time.
victor pulis
Dec 11th 2009, 14:54
This is PR at its best! I'm sure the producers and all the actors aren't expecting to win any oscars so the glitch didn't really hurt their intensions. in fact i think it added some flavour to the whole project by getting the audience involved. Any one can have problems even the most advanced industries. Remember Heuston we have a problem? well with us it was Eden we have a problem!!!
Dylan Olliver
Dec 11th 2009, 14:37
What do you expect from this cinema? I find it so disgusting that you have to pay that amount of money and the cinemas stink. The seats are disgustingly dirty and there is always a musty smell in the cinema. And what about the car park? You pay through your nose to park there in what must surely be one of the dingiest car parks in the EU !!!
Malcolm Debono
Dec 11th 2009, 14:14
I don't see why most of you are blaming the producers of Maltageddon for this incident, when in fact it was Eden's computer that crashed! Had it been the producers' mistake, the video file wouldn't had played correctly during the second time, so please STOP blaming them! After the hard work that they did, they deserve much more than that!
Galea. L
Dec 11th 2009, 14:05
This is a perfect example of being let down by technology.
Oliver Magri
Dec 11th 2009, 13:42
Personally I found the 'movie' embarassing. I sincerely hope that any foreigners who attempt to watch it are politely turned away at the door. Maybe I expected professional editing, some semblance of a script, fresh wit and humorous political jokes (plenty of material there), this, after witnessing the great improvement in local productions on the small screen. Instead I was regaled with the now stale "Nghidu Iva' and 'Partnership' quips, terrible picture quality, a meteor which has seen better days and a space shuttle (wrongly pronounced En devour )purchased from Legoland. I possess most of Joe Demicoli's CD's since I consider his some of his lyrics to be hilarious, however this 'movie' has done nothing to enhance his reputation. Definitely not value for money when entrance ticket was Euro 6.90 with a further Euro 7 going towards parking.
M.Mizzi
Dec 11th 2009, 13:11
Video has been removed, but the link below still works:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIU0T0W5qXc
The film itself is a blast, but I feel it's makers should have clearly stated it was a computer video and not a film per se. Still, I will certainly watch it again.
T Mifsud
Dec 11th 2009, 12:46
Murphy's Law at its best.
It had to go belly up in the Premiere of Malta's Only in Malta film.
Thank god for XP!
Well here is another similar event during a presentation with none other than Bill Gates! Watch...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgriTO8UHvs
ADRIAN AGIUS
Dec 11th 2009, 12:44
thanks a lot guys, i saw it, it's hilarious!!!!
again,,,,ONLY IN MALTA !!!
And thanks a lot to whoever wrote the article. We are sick and tired of reading just bad news, some smiles are welcome !!
mike farrugia
Dec 11th 2009, 12:42
I have seen the film and i enjoyed every minute of it. The guys deserve a very big PROSIT for the guts they showed to make a political comedy.
In the future, they should start thinking of a sequel, with actual politicians taking part. I am sure some can take a joke. Perhaps it can also be combined with Puttinu cares or community chest fund and some profits can be given to charity.
Once again, welldone!
M.Muscat
Dec 11th 2009, 12:21
This article features 2 news items. One that a computer had a glitch and its youtube video and the other that A MALTESE PRODUCT tops the Box Office at the cinemas.
The auther seems more interested in a computer glitch and in youtube videos then in the fact that a Maltese product is doing better then other Hollywood movies.
Being a Maltese, I am proud to see that the Maltese prefer local products. On the other hand, I am unsure what a computer glitch is of news value. Maybe the author would like to give us more detail on the movie and its performance at the cinemas - thats the news I like to read and not about some computer glitch!!
Antoine Grima
Dec 11th 2009, 12:08
Well it is a comedy !!! I guess that people present got more than they paid for .
Ramon Mizzi
Dec 11th 2009, 11:49
Is this for real or is this a joke? My god, what a shame! Do the producers have no shame or that these people think that film making is a joke not a skill!! What a shame to be Maltese.
adrian agius
Dec 11th 2009, 11:03
it's on again !!!!
Jos Vella
Dec 11th 2009, 10:43
at times similar incidents are hilarious, people went to watch Maltgeddon for a laugh and they got more than they expected. I didn't hear any boos just people laughing. U ejja...let's not make a poor story such as only in Malta...
J. Darmanin
Dec 11th 2009, 10:37
hhahaha the video is hilarious!
Simon Cassar
Dec 11th 2009, 09:58
@ aagius
No the video is still there
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky7S5m70z6k
A. Saliba
Dec 11th 2009, 09:57
This is the actual link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky7S5m70z6k
j.schembri
Dec 11th 2009, 09:45
THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU MADE MY DAY...........HAHAHAHAHA.........AND NO THE VIDEO IS STILL THERE........THANK YOU AGAIN, PROSIT!!!!!
colinstanley
Dec 11th 2009, 09:41
that part was made intentionally, to make people laugh, talk about it,and thus more people will go and watch this film, I hope it does well.
Mario Caruana
Dec 11th 2009, 09:39
@adrian agius
this link works:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIU0T0W5qXc
G.Pisani
Dec 11th 2009, 09:34
Did not expect a Cinema such as Eden are still using Windows XP!. I imagined they use a Mac or something more reliable than Windows!!
C A Camilleri
Dec 11th 2009, 09:28
you can find it here.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky7S5m70z6k
adrian agius
Dec 11th 2009, 09:19
ONLY IN MALTA!!
The video has already been removed from Youtube!!
A. Saliba
Dec 11th 2009, 09:14
It wasn't just some 'audience member' who shouted "We are Maltese," but the protagonist of the movie himself, Joe Demicoli.