Top 6 theater experiences

[75Live]

I've decided to do my own kind of list finally.  I haven't seen one like this yet but if there has been one, I'll still take credit

 

This is my top 6 movie/theater going experiences.  Not necessarily my  top  great movies, just the experience at being at the theater and all that goes with it.

 

We all have those times we just never forget.  It doesn't even have to be a good experience, but we all have them.  Whether it was a midnight showing when those were big, an early screening, or just a time you can never forget.

 

So I decided to compile my top 6 of these and share with the forums.  I had it at 5 but had to add one

 

Hope you like it  

Edited February 23, 2017 by 75live

[75Live]

6.  Godzilla (2014)

 

 

Yep, coming out of the box swinging here.  I know this movie wasn't for everyone and it still gets mixed reactions.  It wasn't necessarily that it was a great film to me, although I do really like it, it is about the whole day and surrounding it.  I am a big Godzilla fan so I knew I was going to see it from the jump.  I decided to see it in IMAX figuring this is the type of movie that needs that kind of scale and boy was I right about that.  When the first MUTO hatched and was coming out of the containment and you saw it rise in front of the guy standing there, I was hooked.  It was such a great use of perspective.  

 

Now to why it made the list, it was the preview screening and the crowd was just into the movie hook, line and sinker.  The reactions to everything was perfect and it made the movie even that much more special.  When you started to see the blue light showing up behind the dust of destruction, you could hear a pin drop and gasps and people just grabbing their chairs and when he did the atomic breath, the whole place roared in excitement and a couple "holy sh**ts and F**k yeahs" also were heard  It was truly a time where the crowd assisted the movie which is why I love going to the theater so much

 

 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2017 by 75live

[75Live]

5.  Twilight

 

 

 

yes you read and saw that right, TWILIGHT!!  

 

Again, not saying it was a great movie or anything, but it was about the experience, a friend of mine at this point, you'll hear more about her in selection 2, wanted to see the movie in the theater after she saw it on dvd.  So when New Moon came out, they were doing double features so she bought a ticket for just the first Twilight so I went with her.  To say that was an interesting crowd would be a severe understatement,  I never have seen so many 40+ year old women with Team whoever shirts on in one place.  Kind of scary actually  But moving on,  as they were a part of this experience.

 

 So she wanted pretzel bites and they were sold out due to this crowd, so that was funny, as well.  As we sit and just look around at the people, it was a bit crazy.  So the movie finally starts and here is where the real fun began.  People were literally dictating the entire movie as it went on, word for word.  The supposed fans were ripping the movie to shreds as it was playing.  I had a huge smile on my face and I felt a lot more comfortable so I was making cracks at the movie and the crowd was laughing.  To this day, I have never seen a fanbase kill their own movie like that while it was playing.  So I actually had a really good time watching Twilight and I'm sure @baumer will agree with , maybe due to all that, I still think it's the best YA series so far, but still not all that good though

 

My friend was so angry afterwards and I had a huge smile and I was asking "what's wrong?".  She said they ruined the experience for her, but it conditioned her to what was coming when she saw the next 3, because it happened then too.  So that wacky fanbase actually will always get me to remember that one time in the many, many times I have seen movies in the theater.

Edited February 23, 2017 by 75live

[75Live]

For those wondering how this list will go, it's gets more "normal" from here on out  

[75Live]

4.  The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

 

This was my first taste of standing in line forever to get a ticket and to this day, I would do it again.  I know people hate lines, but I have a take about that in my number one so I will leave that for later.  But it was the whole, "wow, where does the line actually start" type experience.  It stretched from the theater, down the strip mall attached, to a group of restaurants down the road.  Hard to describe, but let's just say, I guess I learned some patience that day and what my legs can handle

 

 

yes not my actual line, but figured it fit even though it has ROTJ on the sign  

 

 But to be in my first crazy fan driven movie experience was both nuts and fun and got me prepared for years of fandoms and driven movies to come.  To follow up on Star Wars would have been enough, but just the energy that surrounded the whole thing was intoxicating.  That moment helped add to my love of the theater experience.  I don't think I have to talk about the movie much, but yeah again, totally mind blowing and further entrenched me into the galaxy far, far away

Edited February 23, 2017 by 75live

[75Live]

3. Star Wars/Psycho (1978 or 79 when I watched)

 

 

 

I know people are like a tie, that doesn't count.  I put them both in because it's the first movie going experience I ever had, or remember at least, and it was at a drive-in and that was the double feature.  Since both are in my top 10 of all time movies, I didn't realize until later how big this really was for me.  

 

I could go on and on about Star Wars, but most people have heard the same stories.  Regardless, it blew me away on so many levels.  I don't even think i remember hearing my dad at any time during the night. I was mesmorized.  I am still a huge Star Wars fan to this day and I still have toys, merchandise and more from 1977 on.  Yes I have original toys from back then still and most are in good condition.  But even just the idea of a drive-in was new to me.  You mean I get to sit in a car and lay back and have food brought to me.  This is heaven

 

As for Psycho, yeah being about 3 or 4 probably was a bit young to see it and I think they thought I would be asleep, but I stayed up for most of it.  Of course it scared me, but I guess it started my love for horror/thrillers. So that alone was worth it  

[75Live]

2.  Titanic (1997)

 

 

Who could forget the movie that was doomed to fail just like the ship the movie was based on?  Too high a budget, the release date got moved, is Cameron just crazy?  Well we had to find out.

 

 I was always a Titanic buff to a point, I was so hyped when the found the wreckage in 1985, I even did a school project on it.  The girl I was with at the time of the movie was a big Titanic buff too, so we were truly anticipating this film.  

 

This movie is one of those bad and good times that I remember.  We would up seeing it on the first Sunday, and the bad part about it was, my grandmother died late night that Saturday.  We were all over my grandparents how and I got to seem the gurney her out in the body bag and see my grandfather's reaction which I will never forget.  Obviously a sad time for me.

 

 So that was overnight, i went to church and didn't tell anyone and just went home and slept a bit.  My friend then called me to see the movie and I was fighting it, but figured it would be better if I went out and I am so glad I did.  I loved the movie and yes the one part with the old couple in the bed got to me, but the whole night was magic after the tragedy I had less than 24 hours before.  The audience was really into it and I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. Now I told my girlfriend after the movie what happened and she felt bad since we saw basically a bunch of people dying, but I told her thank you for getting me out.  Together we would up seeing it 10 more times for a total of 11, and I saw it 12 times overall.  So I always attach the movie to her and my grandmother.  But all the events leading up to and including in the theater is what will make this always memorable.

 

I even took that girl to a Celine Dion concert to of course hear this:

 

 

 

[75Live]

number one will have to wait as I have to finish up something at work  

[75Live]

1.  Batman (1989)

 

 

I was 14 at the time when this was released and by the time the opening weekend was about to hit, my excitement was through the roof.  The  build up of finally have Batman on the big screen was off the charts.  They had the Prince tie-in, the Michael Keaton controversy, just having Jack Nicholson as the Joker was big news.   My friend, his step sister and I were going that first Saturday. I had on my Joker shirt and stood in this huge line that resembled the lines you see in the old photos outside the cinema like I showed above.  But we loved it.  The other fans and us were talking and getting even my hyped up about it as we spoke.  

 

By the way, I think movies lost some luster due to this being gone.  I get people don't like lines, but I'm sorry, some magic is gone when you just hit a button for tickets at home, then just walk to your seats.  You lose some of the interactions and other things that go with it. That energy I talked about before is lessened to a point and I really miss that.  

 

But moving on, so we get semi-close to the ticket window and it is just too hot, so we get the step sister to keep our spot in line while we walk to the strip mall that the ticket line is going in front of, to go into TCBY to grab a quick drink to share.  Yes THAT TCBY for those that don't know

 

 

While we were waiting in that short line, i hear someone say my name and realize the step sister got out of line to join us!!  We were fuming.  She said, well the guy said he'd keep our spots.  I was about to lose it, so we get the drink and run back to the line where we knew we were, and to this day, my friend says she is lucky to be alive, because the guy let us back in where we were.  

So we finally get the tickets and get in the theater and the concession stand is selling Batman merchandise.  That doesn't happen any more.  They had t-shirts, water bottles, etc.  So of course we each got at least the water bottle.  Then we settled into our seats and loved every second of the film.  

 

Now it would have been great just seeing the movie, but the whole thing is now a life long story and has even more added to it.  Plus it parlayed my Batman fandom into being in the football scene many years later for The Dark Knight Rises.  

 

Besides who can resist Batdance?