An article about a snake popping up at a movie theater during a showing of (what else?) “Anacondas” has at least three juicy tidbits that lend themselves rather well to snarky commentary, what commentary you’re unfortunately going to have to supply yourself. The three bits are as follows:
- the snake people believe it could be a Burmese python
- “Just because we didn’t see one doesn’t mean it’s not there”
- it was unlikely a python would have just wandered in
…here’s the entire article:
No, it’s not a 3-D creature feature: A Houston movie theater – one that was showing “Anacondas” among other films – has shut down while workers hunt for an 8-foot snake.
A maintenance worker said he saw a snake about a week ago that was thick as a man’s arm slithering along a wall, said Terrell Falk, a spokeswoman for Cinemark USA Inc.
“As soon as he saw it, he left,” she said. “I think everyone who was working left.”
When the owners of the 16-screen theater heard of it, they closed the place and brought in snake experts.
“We have looked throughout the theater and we haven’t found a snake yet,” said Ramon Cardenas, owner of Critter Control of Houston, a company that specializes in wildlife control.
It’s unclear if the animal escaped or remains inside. Based on the description, the snake people believe it could be a Burmese python.
Houston animal control officers also searched Wednesday but found no trace of the snake. “Just because we didn’t see one doesn’t mean it’s not there,” Houston Health and Human Services Department spokeswoman Kathy Barton said.
Pustejovsky said it was unlikely a python would have just wandered in, and probably was brought in by someone or let loose nearby.
Falk said the theater was losing money by being closed, but said the safety of customers and employees is more important.
(AP: “Theater showing ‘Anacondas’ evacuated over python on the loose” [October 1, 2004])