Throwback Theater Experiences

FINALLY saw Breakfast Club on the big screen last night. Was a-a-a-amazing.

Didn’t see Pretty in Pink—actually, I only saw that one last year, on DVD—am not catching Ferris Buehler (never really got into that one, except for the principle getting the Buford T. Justice treatment throughout), and, would have caught Weird Science, but I did see Kelly LeBrock at a con once.

Anyway, down in Texas in a rental car somewhere a year or two ago I caught Halloween at the drive-in, which was amazing, and just a month or two ago I caught that one-night-only pre-Halloween A Nightmare on Elm Street at the cineplex, and here in September I’m catching Friday the 13th at the Alamo Drafthouse, so . . . it’s all working out, my many nefarious schemes to catch up on everything I didn’t see when I could have (we didn’t live where there was a movie theater until . . . man, not even sure. I didn’t start GOING to movies until about sophomore year of high school, though).

Oh, but no worries on Scream: when it made the dollar theater in 1997, I caught it seven nights in a row.

And, Star Wars: nope. The way I knew that franchise growing up, it was by poring and poring over the Sears (or, JCPenney’s?) catalog for hours every afternoon, just dreaming. I knew the characters’ names, but not what they did, what they said, any of that. Think I finally saw them on videotape in . . . maybe junior high? I was all cued up in 99 to see the remastered IV in the theater, but then I got hit in the face and needed many stitches, so, had the ticket, but I was in the ER. Think I made it to the next two, though.

But: come August, I believe I’m finally seeing A New Hope IN THE THEATER. Very excited.

After that, wow, not sure what’s left. I mean, all the 42nd street / grindhouse stuff, but . . . I don’t know. If it’s showing, sure, maybe. But I’m not going hunting, necessarily.

Oh, but one of the coolest screenings I’ve been to, talking grindhouse? Grindhouse. Opening night at the Alamo in Austin, where our cups matched what Tarantino’s cast was drinking from at that diner. Was pretty excellent. Seems Joe Bob Briggs was doing something up front—intro’ing, accepting accolades, don’t exactly recall. But it was an experience, for sure. We ended up in rickshaws that night, running up and down 6th Street.

And, the two OTHER cool screenings for me? Both earlies: Paranormal Activity, which so disturbed me, and still disturbs me just in memory, and The Cabin in the Woods, which Drew Goddard brought to Boulder, since he went through school here.

But probably the COOLEST screening I’ve been to, ever, was a Saw III opening day matinee, Austin. Completely packed theater, and at the end everyone stood up and screamed and clapped. Will never forget being part of that.

Also unforgettable: The Blair Witch Project, opening night, my wife and I. First, nobody’d ever seen anything like that. Second, the place was packed, people standing along the walls even. Third, there were so many babies crying in that theater. People just couldn’t stay away. I loved it. Those babies are all twenty years old now, too, man. Time, it keeps slip-sliding away . . .