NewsBiscuit

Pubs are fighting back against falling profits with a new craze in which members of the public get to appear in classic films alongside the stars. So-called ‘Movie-oke’ is the latest technological innovation from Japan and allows the player to appear in famous cinema roles, saying the lines in place of the original actor.

‘It’s been great for business’ said Mike Thomsett, landlord of The Market Tavern in Middlesborough. ‘The lasses have been queuing up to be Marilyn Monroe in Some Like It Hot. The scene on the beach where she meets Tony Curtis has been different every time. Though I don’t remember Marilyn saying the line ‘ Yer can shag me if yer buys us a kebab.’ Mind you that was the same girl what threw up her breakfast in Tiffany’s.

The craze has been popular with men too, who have tended to opt for more heroic roles. Unemployed lorry driver Ron Naylor tried his hand at playing Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca. ‘In all the bars and all the gin joints in all the world, she walks into mine…’ he said, adding ‘Oi, Major Strasser are you looking at my bird? Cos you spilt my pint and I’m going to smash your face in.’

The craze is equally popular down south, where one pub reported participants joining in the famous chariot race in Ben Hur but tutting at everyone who didn’t slow down for horses. ‘The ending of Spartacus was a little disappointing,’ said one Surrey landlord; ‘One bloke shouts ‘I’m Spartacus’, and then everyone else kept their heads down mumbling ‘ Well you’re on your own then mate – its nothing to do with me.’

NewsBiscuit

Posted: Jun 6th, 2008 by NewsBiscuit