Q: What is Movieoke?

A: In a nutshell, Movieoke is 'karaoke for movie lovers.' Instead of singing songs, participants perform scenes from their favorite movies. Movieoke is an entertainment format that was created and developed by Anastasia Fite in 2003. Finally, a karaoke offspring for those who can't sing!

Q: When is Movieoke?

A: Every Wednesday from 9pm to Midnight. It's located in The Den of Cin, which is underneath Two Boots Video and Pizzeria, 3rd St & Ave A, New York City. The space is a cozy basement room with tables, couches, and a bar.

Q: How do you Movieoke?

A: You choose the movie and the scene to play. Then you get on stage, DVD subtitles are activated, and the movie is projected on a screen behind you. You take it from there, using a small monitor in front of the stage as a reference point.
    A lot of performance styles have evolved out of Movieoke. Some people do mimicry - playing movement, voices, and timing with eerie accuracy. You don't have to know the movie by heart, though. Ad libbing and ensemble pieces are encouraged. If you're not comfortable performing alone, then drag up a few friends, too. In the end, as long as you give it your all, both you and the audience will love it. And beer helps.

Q: Beer?

A: Movieoke at the Den of Cin currently serves many kinds of bottled beer, as well as fine wine (by 'fine' we mean it tastes fine). There's also soda for the teetotal among you. The first beer is free!

Q: Who is Anastasia Ariana Fite?

A:

Anastasia is a filmmaker living in New York City, who originally hails from Los Angeles. The idea for Movieoke came from a 25 minute film that she wrote, directed and starred in which features a character who could only speak in movie lines. Whereas that character ended tragically, having become completely alienated from society, Anastasia used the same structure to create Movieoke in order to achieve the opposite end: bringing people together based on their love of movies past, present, and future.

After graduating from Cornell University, Anastasia secured the position of Directors Assistant on The Sopranos; she worked as a film curator at an independent theater and ran various educational film screenings around the city and in the gallery she ran in Brooklyn, in an attempt to expose the youth of today to the important films and actors of yesterday. This is a woman who takes her movies seriously, and she has a message she is furiously attempting to broadcast. It has something to do with good taste, and humor, and the ability to laugh at oneself. These things are all wrapped up in a beautiful and fun little package called Movieoke.

Q: What kinds of scenes are usually done?

A: Participants are welcome to try anything they can fit on a small stage. Pretty much any movie scene available on DVD is worth a try, and 95% of DVD movies have subtitles. Comedies and Dramas are the most popular, but all genres from science fiction to animation have been sucessfully Movieoked.

Q: What are some popular scenes?

A: The Breakfast Club sees a lot of action, especially "No dad, what about you!" Also, we've enjoyed many renditions of The Princess Bride's battle of wits, not to mention some spectactular broom-handle swordplay. Zoolander's walk-off is a consistent crowdpleaser, as are Anastasia's famous dance scenes from The Wicker Man and Flashdance. Other movies that have graced the stage include Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Evil Dead II, Disturbing Behavior, Casablanca, Desperate Living, Coming to America, The Nutty Professor, Grease, Dirty Dancing, Aliens, The Matrix, Glengarry Glen Ross, O Brother Where Art Thou, The Neverending Story, Ghostbusters, Fight Club, Taxi Driver, Showgirls, The Jerk, and The Two Towers.