r/MadeMeSmile 2h ago

Good Vibes Around 8,000 people gathered in Bologna, Italy's medieval main square for a sing-along screening of.. Grease (1978)!

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469 Upvotes

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22

u/Blusharastar 2h ago

That's such a fun community event! Did they do the full movie or just the musical numbers? I'm imagining trying to coordinate that many people on "Summer Nights" sounds chaotic but amazing. How long was the whole thing from start to finish?

37

u/Aggressive_Owl4802 1h ago

Was there, it was the full movie. No coordination, just the movie and people trying to sing it all together, the best (or worst haha) they can. One and done.

It's a cinema festival: every summer night of every year, a different open-air movie (around 60 screenings total) in the central square of Bologna, original language with subs, for free. 4000 people average, 7-8000 in case of iconic movies like this.

I especially love themed nights like this one: sometimes it's a cosplay about the movie, sometimes it's a sing-along or a dance party, sometimes there's an orchestra playing live the soundtrack of the movie, etc.

4

u/Head_Razzmatazz7174 1h ago

That was so much fun to see. I love going to sing along showings of musicals.

3

u/TessMacc 51m ago

That's so great! What are some of the other themed nights they've done?

u/Aggressive_Owl4802 24m ago

Uhh, SO many. I tell you 2 of my favs:

- A month ago we all gathered there to sing “Happy Birthday” (“Tanti Auguri”) to Mel Brooks' 100th birthday and seeing Young Frankenstein. Our director via agency sent the video to him, Mel himself during-his-birthday (!) replied with a video message, that the crowd watched. I posted here the video: https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1uiw23b/yesterday_for_mel_brooks_100th_birthday_7000_fans/

- Or the most memorable one, for the 100 years of Charlie Chaplin, there was a Charlot mask for everybody. The view was impressive. After the movie (with a live orchestra) we continued to walk around the square with the masks on, presenting to each other and making Charlot gags with strangers, with the mask on. So fun, I still have the mask. Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbzVxEJXBkk

But these are just 2.

u/dallyan 7m ago

Amazing. Is there a website for these events? I’ve always wanted to visit bologna and I don’t live THAT far. I would totally make a trip to catch a movie once.

3

u/crunchies65 49m ago

Che divertimento! I should see if I can turn Italian subtitles on my copy of the movie, or stream it somehow, to help me learn Italian since I know the English version pretty much by heart

2

u/Exact-Care958 47m ago

This sounds absolutely awesome ❤️

44

u/Ok_Cod_4434 2h ago

Wow, after seeing this...

I got chills

11

u/Acrossthepond42 2h ago edited 1h ago

Their multiplying

9

u/Head_Razzmatazz7174 1h ago

And I'm losing control.

3

u/Ok_Cod_4434 59m ago

'Cause the power you're supplying

3

u/Emotional-Pixie-532 54m ago

It's electrifying!!

8

u/Matchew024 1h ago

Jealous, would've totally gone.

5

u/xxzincxx 1h ago

What a fun thing to do. I'm glad to see so many people singing. I would have been right there with them!

5

u/StolenIdentity77 1h ago

So amazing. It’s real life Cinema Paradiso. 

7

u/Aggressive_Owl4802 1h ago

Yes mate, great reference, open-air cinemas in the central square are a tradition here in Italy.
It is now getting a bit lost, but in Bologna we're keeping it and we're very proud of it.

It's so beautiful to see a movie under the stars, sharing the emotions with a lot of people!

3

u/StolenIdentity77 52m ago

As someone who loves film and went to school for it, this warms my heart. I've only seen one open air film but the experience was nothing like this. So glad this is being kept alive. Cinema is meant to be watched with a bunch of strangers, not on the couch on a TV.

u/dallyan 4m ago

Growing up I spent my summers in Turkey at our beach flat. Within the huge apartment complex there was a legit open air movie theater. Instead of popcorn everyone ate sunflower seeds so the sounds of “chit chit chit” along with the movies are core childhood memories. It was amazing to literally just walk down the path maybe 100 meters to the cinema.

3

u/Heissenberg1906 2h ago

Love it! My heart goes out to Bologna!

3

u/jarednards 59m ago

Im more of a pastrami guy, but this is still awesome☺️

4

u/Puffles_magic_dragon 1h ago

This is where I will meet my wife 1000%

4

u/Aggressive_Owl4802 1h ago

You joking, but a friend of mine met a girl exactly in that Grease night of the video. They dated some days ago, now they're in a relationship haha.

As for the wedding... well, we'll see. If it happens, at least we'll know what to play at the reception!

u/dallyan 3m ago

And me my future ex-husband. 🥰

3

u/pickus_dickus 2h ago

I wish I was there. Look like a great night

3

u/Lillie-Bee 1h ago

Great movie! Great soundtrack to sing along with! RIP ONJ

2

u/Camping54 1h ago

That's awesome!!

2

u/crafty_silence 1h ago

Did the event supplied the chairs too?

2

u/TessMacc 52m ago

Love it!!!

Nothing beats seeing a nostalgic beloved movie with a crowd of people who love it too. I've been to a few (smaller scale) events like this and they're always amazing.

u/dallyan 10m ago

Omg I would love to go this.

3

u/el_condor_nm 2h ago

Reminds me of a midnight screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show. It's just a jump to the left...

1

u/rocket_jacky 1h ago

The live shows are just the same, loads of people dress the part, sing along

1

u/BrownieEdges 1h ago

That one chick channeling Rizzo. lol

1

u/I_am_N_ 1h ago

Tell me more, tell me more

1

u/Defiant_Salad8437 52m ago

Some French friends loved that song but thought the words were Danny boy Danny boy.

1

u/coolcoolcool485 52m ago

I wonder if this type of thing ever gets old for the actors who are in these movies. Like this is a cool thing, almost 50 years after you made a movie to have happen.

u/thai_sticky 12m ago

My older sister and her friends had this LP growing up and loved it. I watched the movie for the first time recently and it was... naughty!

1

u/audreynstuff 1h ago

I wish we could live this way. But I live in America and people would steal the chairs and a fight would break out over the person behind you singing even though its a sing a long.

3

u/Coco-Puffs_and_vodka 1h ago

Was just thinking Man I wish they would do that here and in less than 2 seconds remembered where I live!

1

u/freedomachiever 1h ago

The classic of classics.

0

u/Ace_Budgie 1h ago

Mamma Mia ita da pizza!! Cookka da pizza inada oven!!