Latest 'Twilight' Film Attracts 1,500 to Midnight Movie in Alexandria

The management at the AMC Hoffman 22 movie theaters in Alexandria were ready for the crowds last night, as the latest film in the popular series made its debut at midnight.

Extra employees were on hand at the popcorn stand, an Alexandria policeman and a manager made their presence known in the middle of the lobby, a "maze" line kept movie-goers in check and extra ticket-takers manned each theater to double-check ticket-stubs.

It was mainly a female crowd of teenagers, moms and ages in-between who attended, with a few male companions sprinkled in, resigned looks on their faces as they held popcorn or closed their eyes for a quick nap before the film started. Doors for the midnight movie Thursday evening opened at about 9 p.m. and AMC management let movie-goers get their seats and wait out their time in the theaters instead of in a mob scene in the lobby.

During the three-hour wait, movie goers texted on their phones, knitted, read books, napped, chatted and played games in the lobby arcade. The popcorn stand did a brisk business.

Groups of teenagers wearing "Team Edward" or "Team Jacob" T-shirts posed for photos with a lifesize cutout in the theater lobby with the main characters from the film: Actor Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen, a vampire; Taylor Lautner as Jacob, a werewolf, and Kristen Stewart, who plays Bella, an average teenage girl. The films are based on a series of equally popular books by author Stephenie Meyer.

Movie previews began promptly at midnight and cheers and applause filled the air as soon as "Breaking Dawn"  appeared on the screen. A seemingly happy crowd exited the theater at about 2:30 a.m. to bitter cold outside.

Members of AMC's "Stub Club" viewed the film at a special 8 p.m. showing Thursday that was sold-out.