Monday, November 30, 2009

Monday Memories—Picture Shows

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Tonight Calvin and I are going to a movie for family home evening. Blindside has been sold out both times we’ve tried to see it so we’re hoping family night is a lucky night.

We called movies “picture shows” when I was a kid and we went once or twice a year. It was a big deal to go to a show. Then, picture shows began with a cartoon, were usually shown as double features and often had intermissions half way through. Larger than life Moses parting the Red Sea in The Ten Commandments and Frauline Maria dancing in her blue dress with the Captain on the veranda left big impressions and had intermissions, while The Boatniks and Swiss Family Robinson were shown as a double feature. And another thing, movies made the rounds; the movies were shown year after year after year. If you didn’t see The Sting one year you could see it the next.

You could also take your own big, brown grocery bag of homemade popcorn and a sack of candy bars into the theatre. No one dared post “No Outside Food or Drink Allowed.”

Another place we saw picture shows was at the drive-in. The boys would fill the back of one of the cattle trucks with fresh straw and then we’d spread blankets on top and jump in for the 25 mile ride to the drive-in. Sometimes we’d stop and pick up another family along the way. I don’t ever remember staying awake until the end of a drive-in picture show, but it didn’t matter, I could just burrow deeper into the straw and wait until someone woke me up at home.

One last place we got to see picture shows was at the church. Once a year our congregation would rent a movie from the Universal Studios catalogue and show it on the chapel wall (our chapel was our cultural hall and our cultural hall was our chapel depending on the day of the week). The women dipped and deep-fried corn dogs and sold popcorn, baked goods and homemade root beer and kool-aid. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was my favorite church picture show.


What's your movie memory?

15 comments:

Gwen said...

Cali and I acting out Seven Brides for Seven Brothers when we were little. She was always Dorcus because of her dark hair and I was Ruth. Hmmm, I'm thinking it's time to introduce Lydia to that movie!

Deidra said...

We get to see Blind Side Saturday morning at 9:30. Hooray for work holiday parties, because we've been looking forward to seeing it.

I loved reenacting and singing along with all the Disney movies with my little sister and cousins. Every once in a while some phrase will remind of us of lyrics, and the next thing you know, our google chat is filled with us going on and on.

Anonymous said...

We often went to drive-in movies in our slate blue Pontiac station wagon with all the seats put down so that all the kids (5 of us) could lay out in our pajamas on the sleeping bags and pillows. My mom would pop a brown paper grocery sack full of butter-drenched popcorn and everyone but my dad and me would fall asleep on the way home. I don't remember ever going to an indoor movie theater as a child, though. Hmmm.

Glad you had such a wonderful Thanksgiving,
BRENDA

Barb said...

Drive in theater with my brothers, for sure. We saw Rocky (or one of the sequels).

Derek-Jenny-Kaitlynd-Ethan-Dylan said...

I remember the summer that my Mom bought us summer movie passes. Each time we were able to get a kid pack that included a drink and treat.
This was the best thing about that summer. We would walk the mile and a half in the hot sun to get to the theater and then sit in a nice cool dark theater. Aww, those were the days.

Susan said...

Maybe I shouldn't tell this story, but what the heck!

When I was a child, my sisters often had to take me places if they wanted to go, you know, snitch style. So I went to more than one drive in show with them. I distinctly remember going to a Bruce Lee movie, but the drive in charged by the person, no discounts for age, or lack thereof. So they hid me and another girl in the trunk of the car until we got in and parked. I'm pretty sure that's why I'm not so fond of enclosed small spaces....

The first movie I can remember seeing in the theater, The Aristocats. Good times.

Kathy’s Korner said...

Something like "You've Got Mail" or "One fine day".

Ande said...

My movie memory is watching movies with Dad with you sound asleep (and snoring) on the couch.

Deidra said...

I LOVE Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. All of the girls would watch it during priesthood session at my house. :)

Blindside was a great movie. I cried.

Grace said...

We would go to the dollar theater when we were little. My mom would take us to Albertson's grocery store and we could pick out a bunch of ten cent treats. Theater candy was too expensive.

Donna Chapin said...

We went to see the "Blind side" movie last night too for FHE. I loved this story and reminded me to be more charitable.
I remembered going to the movies and seeing the Sound of Music, Oliver and Bednobs & Broomsticks. As for drive in movies, I don't recall ever staying awake long enough to watch them. That what happens when you live up North it was always so late before the movie started.

Lucy said...

The first movie I remember seeing in the theater was Annie. It probably wasn't my first, but it's what I remember as my first.

I've neer loved going to the movies. Yeah, the big screen and huge sound are nice, but since I can't control everyone around me and how loud they chew or if middle schoolers are allowed (they should have their own private showtime) I would often rather simply watch it at home. How's that for grumpy old woman??

I DO want to see blindside, though.

melanie said...

Oh man Lucy, I totally get the 'chewing' thing. What is it with some people and their popcorn? I guess it's my ADD and losing focus but someone else's popcorn can ruin my whole movie. I'm sure that means I need help with the ADD thing. :)

The first movie I remember in the theater is either ET or Annie. Both came out in 1982 so I guess that was a good year for going to the theater because I remember no other movies after that until high school.

I LOVE Seven Brides. Love it.

michelle said...

I am so surprised about watching movies at the church! I've never heard of that.

The first movie I saw in a theater was Snow White, and I loved it SO much.

I remember watching The Sound of Music, Gone With the Wind, and The Wizard of Oz every year when they would come on TV.

I remember seeing The Little Mermaid with some college friends during our freshman year at BYU.

And I remember seeing Toy Story in the theater when Max was 4 and Lucas was just a baby. Later it was his favorite movie ever.

I remember watching scary movies with Marc every October.

I have never even thought about movie memories before!

michelle said...

Oh! And how could I forget taking a bunch of friends to see Footloose for my 12th birthday??