Tuesday, April 24, 2007

I wish I was at the movies

Splotchy graciously refrained from tagging me with this one, so I tagged myself.

I love movies, and I don't know why I don't see that many in theaters any more...I really don't see as many on DVD, either.

First movie you saw in a theater?

You Only Live Twice
at the drive-in with my parents. Then, maybe Planet of the Apes, also with my parents at the drive-in.

Last movie you saw in a theater?

Grindhouse.
I loved the trailers, really liked Planet Terror, and was not that impressed with Death Proof. Seeing a bunch of chicks sitting around talking like Quentin Tarrantino was less than impressive, but the car chase almost made up for it.

Crappiest moviegoing theater experience?

I can't remember one, really. I vaguely remember seeing some slasher and kung fu movies at the old Essanes Woods in the Loop, sticky floors, rodents and all. But it only cost a buck or two to get in and I was usually drinking.

Best moviegoing theater experience?

A couple of things come to mind. First, one of my favorite things to do is go to the movies in the middle of the summer, when it's hot out and intensely sunny. The feeling of settling into a darkened theater when it's sunny and 90+ outside is great, and then I love that blinded, dazed feeling you get when you go back outside. Second, I will always remember when Pee Wee's Big Adventure came out--the opening of that film was so fun and manic, and I realized I was seeing something totally different from anything I'd seen before.

What's a movie you *have* to see on the big screen?

Gone with the Wind
?
I don't know. All movies are better that way.


Have you even seen the same movie more than once in the same day?

Oh yeah. Young Frankenstein when it came out, Star Wars too.

Have you ever snuck into a theater to see a movie?

Yes, after seeing another movie in the same theater that I'd paid for. Matter of fact, that's one of my favorite things to do, but I can't get my cursedly ethical kids to do it with me. One of life's great pleasures is having an entire afternoon free, and hopping from feature to feature at the multiplex. Sticking it to the man, while consuming his corporate-produced entertainment.

Ever walked out on a movie?

Nope. Any movie I've had doubts about I've waited to see on video/DVD. Even then, the number I've given up on is slim--usually forgettable direct-to-video horror crap. The only feature film I remember deliberately not finishing was David Lynch's Lost Highway.


Movie snack of choice?

Chocolate covered almonds alternated with handfuls of salted, buttered popcorn.



5 comments:

Splotchy said...

I'm glad to hear someone else who has seen the same movie twice in one day. It's nice to be that excited about something!

It's been a long since I was able to see a movie in the middle of a hot summer day. You're right on about that dazed feeling -- very nice (man, is it me, or do the words "very nice" put together now carry the voice of Borat??).

Ah, and the snacks -- the yin and the yang, the salty and the sweet. Very nice. I trust you have sampled chocolate-covered pretzels, no?

Joe said...

Chocolate covered pretzels are a near-perfect snack food.

Barbara Bruederlin said...

Yes, always alternative the sweet and the salty. That's why dessert should come in the middle of the meal.

One hot stinky humid day, when my kid was wee, we headed to a theatre for relief to watch some Disney thing and we were the only people in the theatre (and it was one of those big old theatres). That was quite surreal.

Mob said...

Lost Highway? Really? I loved the 'dream logic' wierdness...

I may have to do this one the next time I'm stuck for blog material.

Trust me, it'll be soon...

Oh, and I loved the 'cursedly ethical kids' line...

Joe said...

Thanks for the compliment on the "cursedly ethical" line.

I like David Lynch--I've seen Eraserhead like 20 times, and I loved Blue Velvet, and Wild at Heart, and I liked Mulholland Drive...for some reason Lost Highway just didn't connect with me.