A Question for the Oldies

[EmilyMiller]

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

 

[nice90sguy]

It was great, you could grope strange women during the loud bits

 

[EmilyMiller]

It was great, you could grope strange women during the loud bits

Not sure that was quite what I was after.

But… uh… thanks, I guess.

Em

 

[stiffNDN]

It really was nice, no cell phones going off, nobody trying to pirate the movies - everyone was kinda united in the moment. And of course we all knew what was often going on the back rows and balcony...

 

[onehitwanda]

I'm atypical because I grew up on the arse end of nowhere, in a country which was fairly culturally isolated from the rest of the world until the early 1990's, though of course American media and music did make its way in.

We watched Star Wars, Superman, Batman etc on VHS, though for some reason our asshat government was totally okay with Robotech being available on TV when I was... 9 or so? (Lisa Hayes, oh my god, first ever girl-crush I think). Ditto Raiders, Temple of Doom, Alien, Star Trek etc etc.

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

And to answer your question it blew my fucking mind. The entire cinema screamed when the Velociraptor jumped at Lex Murphy.

Also, afair there were no adverts. You arrived for a show at 7 and it started at 7.

 

[BodieOhl]

I saw both of those with my dad. My mom was there for SW, but left the theater before they found the idol in RoTLA (because of the spiders)

We sometimes stand in line for a bit, then get tickets, then maybe wait for a few people to get popcorn/candy/soda (and nothing else, it wasn't like some of the restaurant-concessions they have now). Then you'd go in, talk until the house lights dimed, watch the trailers start, and enjoy them and the show. There were no ads beforehand. The floors were sometimes sticky (from spilled soda I hope). The seats are probably still in some old theaters and they were not stadium.

 

[Duleigh]

Was it different to the movie experience now?

Insanely different!!!
1. It was so much cheaper!!! You could go to the theater 2-3 times a week and not take a big chunk out of your budget
2. Refreshments were much more limited - popcorn and candy, that was about it. Nachos were brought out about then
3. No reclining seats
4. No waitresses
5. The movies were SO MUCH BETTER
6. Drive-ins were still a thing. Need I say any more?
7. There were actual adult films.

 

[BodieOhl]

though for some reason our asshat government was totally okay with Robotech being available on TV when I was... 9 or so?

A local station played My Tutor when I was ~13 (you can guess what happened )

 

[Bamagan]

I think new movies are about 30% louder than 30 years ago. And the commercials before the movies are twice as loud as the explosions.

 

[Djmac1031]

"Oldies?"

Geez. That's not gonna make any of us feel better about ourselves now, is it?

Okay, to answer.

I was ten years old when Star Wars came out, and my memory is very vivid.

It's an almost stereotypical response, but it's the truth.

The screen goes black. The theater is silent.

The now famous opening words appear: "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..."

Again, darkness.

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.

 

[BodieOhl]

^^^^ That could come from the script.

 

[nice90sguy]

Ok, seriously?

I saw Kubricks 2001 and Ice Station Zebra at the Cinerama Movie Theatre in the 1960s'. And they were both mind-blowing. Way better than iMax.

The 70's and 80's blockbusters were loud, tacky and fun (and they look feeble when I watch them a home on my 8foot wall-projector screen). Part of the fun was being in a crowd, of course.

 

[EmilyMiller]

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

 

[Duleigh]

And a ten year old boys life is forever changed.

I was on active duty in Germany when I saw Star Wars

 

[nice90sguy]

Most Netflix stuff is fine to watch at home -- they know the target medium is going to be a small screen

 

[EmilyMiller]

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

Em

 

[Zootonius]

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

One thing I remember was the varying quality of some theaters. Some were top notch. Some had torn screens, lousy sound systems. I do remember seeing Star Wars in a packed theater.

 

[Djmac1031]

I still to this day get stressed if we're running behind to get to the theater.

Despite the fact that our seats are reserved. Despite the fact there's now at least 20 minutes worth of trailers.

Because I was used to having to get there early or wind up stuck in the front row.

 

[nice90sguy]

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

Em

I used to experience a sense of wonder whenever I looked at how much popcorn I was capable of dropping on the floor

 

[nice90sguy]

I still to this day get stressed if we're running behind to get to the theater.

Despite the fact that our seats are reserved. Despite the fact there's now at least 20 minutes worth of trailers.

Because I was used to having to get there early or wind up stuck in the front row.

I like to get there early for the trailers. And I'm a front row guy because I like to stretch out and slump real low in my seat

 

[Zootonius]

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

Em

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.

 

[Djmac1031]

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

Em

I've had some AMAZING theater experiences.

Another vivid one is Poltergeist.

SPOILERS BELOW.

Packed theater, opening weekend.

There's this one scene where a guy is in the bathroom and suddenly his skin starts peeling off his face.

The audience is absolutely freaking out along with him as he peels off layer after layer of skin. Screams throughout the theater.

Then the scene shifts and the guys face is back to normal. It was just a hallucination.

Dead silence in the theater. Could have heard a pun drop. Absolute shock.

It was brilliant.

Another similar one: Jaws.

My dad took me. I was 8 years old.

MORE SPOILERS.

That scene where Hooper dives down to check out the wrecked boat.

Again, tense silence in the theater.

Then that head pops out of the hole in the boat.

"HOLY FUCK!"

It was the only time I ever saw my father actually get frightened.

 

[mirafrida]

Couldn't afford full price, waited until they were at the dollar-movies. Popcorn even more stale and floor even more sticky than at the typical cinema. But we didn't buy the popcorn anyway - snuck in cheap candy from the drugstore.

By the 80s, you'd be able to rent it later on VCR, so it wasn't like in earlier decades when you had to see it now, or who knows when.

Even so, it could still seem like an event. Often fairly crowded if was a really popular movie. And having been dying to see it for months, my personal excitement was amped up high.

For a big hit, lots of people at the dollar movies had already seen it several times before and were enthusiasts - which also contributed to a nice, upbeat tone.

 

[onehitwanda]

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

come here and be appropriately punished.

 

[Djmac1031]

I like to get there early for the trailers. And I'm a front row guy because I like to stretch out and slump real low in my seat

Front row isn't as bad as it used to be.

In many theaters, it was simply TOO close to actually take in the entire screen.