A Question for the Oldies

[nice90sguy]

I remember seeing the 1942 'To Be or Not to Be' in a college class with 90 or so students. We were rolling in the aisles in laughter. Decades later, it wasn't the same seeing it alone on my TV. Crowds make a different experience.

Due to the dimensions of my living room wall, 4X3 aspect ratio movies (like that one) look just great at home. Wide-screen stuff comes out a little underwhelming. So I watch a lot of 30's, 40's and 50's stuff at home. Mainly Noir movies and screwball comedies.

 

[alohadave]

Seats were much smaller and nothing like the big reclining seats that many theaters have now.

The cliche of sticky floors was real because people would spill their soda, and popcorn on the floor was a common sight.

They typically had enough people working that they would actually clean theaters between showings.

Food sizes weren't the crazy sizes they are now, and prices weren't nearly as high as they are now, even accounting for inflation.

First run theaters were less than $5 in the 80s, and it creeped up with inflation over time.

There were second run theaters where you could watch older showings for $1-2, and the one in my town often had double features.

Going to the movies was a family outing. You'd look in the newspaper for the movie listings for the day to find out what was even playing. And you could take the family and it wasn't a break the bank expense like it is now.

People went to movies as a social outing. Dates at the movies were commonplace. Meeting up with friends for a movie was common.

You bought tickets at the window when you got there, no buying ahead or buying tickets online. If they sold out, you watched something else or you left.

You had only the reviews in the local paper to know what the movie was about, or you heard about it from people who'd already seen it. In the 80s-90s there were shows like Entertainment Tonight, and E! (When they first started) that had promotional spots about current movies.

 

[onehitwanda]

I’ve heard people talk about a sense of wonder. Of occasion. Not sure I’ve ever experienced that at the theater.

Em

We're spoiled now. Everything is bright, shiny, loud - engineered to wow us, to amaze us.

Star Wars, Jurassic Park etc were the genesis of modern cinema. The experience was turning on an electric light in a room that had only ever been lit by candles - suddenly the grime on all the familiar stuff leapt into stark contrast.

The only modern media experience I've had that is even close to reproducing the childlike awe I felt was seeing Phantom of the Opera live for the first time (I bawled my fucking eyes out), watching "Arcane" (@Jackie.Hikaru looking at you here, babe) or playing Skryim for the first time.

nothing else comes remotely close.

 

[Djmac1031]

Apologies for any age-sensitive terms used. At least I didn’t mention hearing aids, not that you would have heard .

Sorry. Sorry. So very sorry.

Em

Im sorry, what? Speak up, you young whippersnapper.

Oh, and...get off my lawn.

 

[alohadave]

I’ve heard people talk about a sense of wonder. Of occasion. Not sure I’ve ever experienced that at the theater.

Em

It was different back then. Movies were a spectacle. Now it's just a choice of the many formats available to watch it.

 

[BodieOhl]

The audience was there to experience something and not just to say "I saw it" on their social media platform of choice. Depending on the film, audience reactions were definitely part of the experience!

 

[EmilyMiller]

Im sorry, what? Speak up, you young whippersnapper.

Oh, and...get off my lawn.

I’m sorry. I have impulse control issues .

Em

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

I think that Jurassic Park is the first big-budget Hollywood movie I remember seeing in a cinema.

Jurassic Park was my first too!

 

[PennameWombat]

What was it like going to see one of the 1970s / 80s blockbusters at the theater? Given my fandom, I’ll go for A New Hope or Raiders, but feel free to substitute.

Was it different to the movie experience now?

I’m kinda thinking because I often wait to see things on streaming. Oppenheimer and Barbie for example. What was it like when that wasn’t an option. And when you didn’t have websites dedicated to your fan obsessions.

Em

First off, it was simply "Star Wars." None of us heard the name "A New Hope" until well after the fact, at least for me (I was a late teen when "Star Wars" hit the mutliplexes), not until after "Return of the Jedi," or, um, after that.

"Star Wars" wasn't, on day one, a blockbuster, but there'd been buzz. It ramped very quickly, but for me and my peer group, it wasn't until it'd been around a week or thereabouts that we went to see it. By that point, there were already the nutcases who were attending nightly. Yeah, those people existed. One of my close friends didn't quite fall that far, but he did go see it something like a dozen times during the first run, which lasted weeks. The queues got a bit shorter once it branched out from whatever theater it'd started in. I don't remember which ones, we had a couple of old-style places that hadn't been carved into multiple screen (multiplexes), but by then most had.

As to my personal experience, meh. I enjoyed 'Star Wars,' knew immediately "there'll be a sequel." For "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" there was weeks of anticipation, radio stations ran promotions to allow you to win "pre-opening night" tickets, that sort of thing. Once it officially opened, there were long queues, since mostly around us most places didn't sell tickets ahead of time. So to get in at all that night, you queued and stood and waited and hoped you'd get into one of the showings that day. I don't recall any running 24 hours, but they did add late night and early morning showings for a while.

Well, other people did. I've never been that interested in a movie to queue up like that.

I personally waited a week. Didn't care, was never that interested. Same with "The Return of the Jedi" and the other block-busters. I really enjoyed watching these movies, and others like "Indiana Jones" in the theatres, but I had zero interest in going back repeatedly.

I was quite excited for Peter Jackson's "Fellowship of the Ring" and the others in that trilogy, and definitely wanted to see them on a big screen. Fortunately, by then, you could buy tickets ahead for specific showings and not have to queue and deal with that crap. But that's well after your time frame.

 

[nice90sguy]

The last movie I saw was at an Indian Film Festival - The projector broke down and we ended up watching what was clearly an .mp4 movie on somebody's laptop using VLC. It actually looked fine, because the screen was only about 10 feet wide (yeah, it was art-house stuff)

 

[EmilyMiller]

come here and be appropriately punished.

May I ask how long the punishment will be. I don’t get out of bed for less than 30 minutes.

Em

 

[Djmac1031]

I’m sorry. I have impulse control issues .

Em

That's okay. I apologize.

Here. Have one of these hard candies that's been sitting in this candy dish since 1962 and let me tell you about how we used to walk to school in the snow, uphill both ways.

Don't worry, I'll nod off in the middle of my story and you can quietly sneak out.

 

[BodieOhl]

let me tell you about how we used to walk to school in the snow, uphill both ways.

... and we liked it!

 

[EmilyMiller]

We're spoiled now. Everything is bright, shiny, loud - engineered to wow us, to amaze us.

Star Wars, Jurassic Park etc were the genesis of modern cinema. The experience was turning on an electric light in a room that had only ever been lit by candles - suddenly the grime on all the familiar stuff leapt into stark contrast.

The only modern media experience I've had that is even close to reproducing the childlike awe I felt was seeing Phantom of the Opera live for the first time (I bawled my fucking eyes out), watching "Arcane" (@Jackie.Hikaru looking at you here, babe) or playing Skryim for the first time.

nothing else comes remotely close.

Not a big gamer. I had a PlayStation, but was seldom glued to it. I bought Shadow of the Colossus for not very much a few years after it came out as I read an article somewhere about it. That had a real sense of wonder. Went back and found a copy of Ico afterwards. But haven’t done anything bar goofy iPad point and clicks with my bf in years.

Em

 

[XerXesXu]

In the 50s, as a treat, my Granddad took me to the cinema to see African Queen and Forbidden Planet. They were quite good, but I didn’t go again.

 

[nice90sguy]

Last night I watch Pretty Woman for the second time in my life, the first time being in 1980 at the cinema. I was preparing myself to cringe at it's 80s-ness, but ended up enjoying it. I cried when they wouldn't let her shop.

 

[Djmac1031]

@EmilyMiller this is your fault; you got this "oldie" reminiscing...

While Cinaplexes were becoming a thing in the 80s, I saw most movies at an old theater just a few blocks from my house.

Originally built in 1924, it used to be an actual live stage show theater, then turned into a single screen movie theater.

They got one new movie every weekend; most of us in the neighborhood went to see it, didn't really matter what was playing.

We'd hang outside the theater before and after, socializing, smoking, drinking if someone could get their hands on some.

When breakdancing became a thing, there were also boom boxes and cardboard for kids to do their moves on.

Felt my first boob in that theater. Got into my first fight outside it.

I still remember seeing the first Nightmare On Elm Street movie then having to walk home in the dark after. One of the few horror movies to ever freak me out.

Eventually the theater closed. But it's still there. Been restored and again puts on live stage performances.

I was just in there today. Inspecting their fire system. Looks nothing like I remember. And smells a hell of a lot better.

I keep meaning to go see something there. One of these days.

 

[intim8]

What was it like going to see one of the 1970s / 80s blockbusters at the theater? Given my fandom, I’ll go for A New Hope or Raiders, but feel free to substitute.

Was it different to the movie experience now?

I’m kinda thinking because I often wait to see things on streaming. Oppenheimer and Barbie for example. What was it like when that wasn’t an option. And when you didn’t have websites dedicated to your fan obsessions.

Em

First, "A Question for the Oldies" Get off my lawn, you hooligan.

It was really different. You saw a movie when it was playing, and when it was gone, that was it. No options for seeing it later or again until VCRs got common and affordable sometime in the 80s. No R-rated movies until the early 80's for me. Not anywhere, ever. Sneaking in could happen, but I don't remember doing it.

"Blues Brothers" (1980) was hugely controversial. It was R rated, and nobody, not even parents, thought there was any reason for it. I remember parents bringing their kids and theaters refusing to enforce the age restrictions.

A lot changed with VCRs. Now there were options. The theaters no longer had a stranglehold. You could just skip the theater and rent it from Blockbuster later. You could see a great movie over and over again. You could even eat the microwave popcorn that Blockbuster also sold.

I haven't been to a theater to see a movie in years. From what I hear, the experience is different now than it was even that last time I went. But then, the experience in the theater wasn't all that different from back in the day. More candy, and video games while you wait. A lot longer walk to the theater your movie is in.

 

[AchtungNight]

I loved it. The collective gasp and cheers of the crowd when Aaragorn defeated Lurtz or when Rose welcomed Jack into a steamy car in the hold of Titanic will always be cherished memories.

 

[intim8]

Then BLAM. The opening horns of John Williams brilliant score as it plays over the opening crawl.

The pan down from space to a planet.

A spaceship flies into frame.

And then that Star Destroyer enters...and just keeps coming.

And a ten year old boys life is forever changed.

That's not an exaggeration. 13 years old for me, and it did change my life. It also changed movies forever.

I sat through it twice the first time I went, then went back. Saw it a total of 11 times in the theater. When it finally was gone, no more chance to see it for years. It was probably the first VHS tape I bought. eventually.

That sense of wonder was very, very real. If people don't experience it now, my first guess is that there are no movies worthy of it, no movies that were so incredibly, mind-blowingly different and advanced from what was done before.

The other guess is that with so many options now, there's no room left for wonder.

I got my first full time job working in the theater for "Return of the Jedi". That was kind of mind blowing in its own way.

And, here's "oldie" for you. That theater I worked at converted from two screens when I started to a mind-blowing four after a while. The modern day had arrived. And this was not some backwards ass small town, it was suburban Chicago.

 

[djrip]

In high school my best friend worked at the local theater, so 3 or 4 of us often hung out there and watch the same things over and over. It was 2 or 3 bucks, when we paid, which was sometimes. I saw Twister half a dozen times.

A few years later, a group of us camped out in the line to buy tickets to the Star Wars Prequels, with tents and shifts. All for the glory of Midi-chlorians!

Camping out for tickets kind of fell by the wayside but the next franchise to inspire our enthusiasm was Lord of the Rings, we showed up in a big group for the initial Midnight showing for all three.

You couldn't wait for streaming back then but there was always waiting for video. I'll wait for video or streaming sometimes (most times these days). But what I absolutely cannot abide is paying $30 to rent a movie at home, like they try to get you to do now.

 

[Zootonius]

As a six year old, my family went to NYC so we could watch a showing of Fantasia (a re-release, I'm not that old!) I think it was on the big screen at Radio City.

That Night on Bald Mountain freaked 6-year-old me out.

 

[darkelf9]

Went to see Star Wars when it first came out in 1977 with some friends from school. We made the wrong decision to trust one of our mates to buy the tickets which it turned out was in the front row. Don't remember much of the movie cause to see it we had to turn our heads all the way across the screen. The main thing I remembered was the Starship that kept coming into view and Darth Vadar walking in the door. Was the first time I was allowed to go the movies by myself. And I was hooked on the series. Had to watch it again by myself without my dumb mates to understand the whole story. Don't like going to the movies these days as there is too much noise from the audience and of course the constant mobile phones going off during the movie. Do like the smell of popcorn though so you know you're at the movies.

 

[EmilyMiller]

In high school my best friend worked at the local theater, so 3 or 4 of us often hung out there and watch the same things over and over. It was 2 or 3 bucks, when we paid, which was sometimes. I saw Twister half a dozen times.

A few years later, a group of us camped out in the line to buy tickets to the Star Wars Prequels, with tents and shifts. All for the glory of Midi-chlorians!

Camping out for tickets kind of fell by the wayside but the next franchise to inspire our enthusiasm was Lord of the Rings, we showed up in a big group for the initial Midnight showing for all three.

You couldn't wait for streaming back then but there was always waiting for video. I'll wait for video or streaming sometimes (most times these days). But what I absolutely cannot abide is paying $30 to rent a movie at home, like they try to get you to do now.

Oppenheimer - which we watched at home at the weekend and was the genesis of this question - was $19.99. But that was to buy, not to rent (wasn’t a rent option on Apple).

Plus no overpriced snacks and drinks. And our TV couch is pretty big and comfortable.

Em

 

[Voboy]

Going to the movies in the '80s was very special, especially the Star Wars and early Raiders films, because buying a ticket and making a day of it was literally the ONLY way you were going to be able to see those movies. There was early cable, but it didn't show first-run stuff; there was early VHS, but tapes were ruinously expensive.

So? You went to see Raiders with your friends. And it was transcendent: filmmakers in those days knew how to optimize filmmaking techniques for the big screen, and often there was a double-feature. So you got to watch two movies. Then, you'd go back a few days later and buy another ticket and see Raiders again, because it was THAT GOOD.

The last movie I remember seeing that was special like that was Top Gun. By that time video rentals existed, and HBO had found its feet. You could just tape movies off that, or Cinemax, and there you had it. But still, $3 movies were a thing with my high school ID into the nineties.