Solid Snake

Again..I'm a nostalgia nut lately...but...I'd like to see what's the earliest film we can remember or saw. Mine is Robocop (saw it around August or September of '89)...actually that's the earliest memory I can remember..which is pretty cool..and sad.

My 1st memory in my life is, oddly enough, when Murphy gets his hand blown off and after that my memory is very vivid in detail of my awe of the film. Now I clearly remember it in greater detail, owning it on VHS and DVD. I was 3 years old when I saw it. My older cousins (who are both girls and to this day don't know why they saw it or let me see it cuz it's not their type of thing), they were probably 10 or 11, had it on and since that day...I was in love with Robocop. Again since Robocop I've never been able to be afraid of gore or anything in film actually. I'll get the aura of the fear and suspense but I've never been afraid of something from a film. Horror films have never scared me. For sure..it desensitized my view of violence and gore.

pinata242

I had Star Wars memorized by the time I was 2, so I'm told. That was 1980.

First movie I remember seeing at the theater was E.T. in 1982, unless there was a re-release later because I feel like I was older than 4. If it wasn't that, it was Return of the Jedi with my dad.

I hope my daughters are making little memories like that.

My Other Self

My first theater-going memory is Ghostbusters II the second week it came out. I still remember walking down the dark hallway and sitting in the theater. The first film I saw in theaters but don't recall is Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

The first movie I remember actually watching was Ghostbusters on tape. I couldn't have been more than 2 at the time.

Charlie Goose

My first movie memories are of some of the Disney classics and not-so-classics.
I remember being totally crazy for Herbie the Love Bug.

shizawn

The earliest I can remember is Empire Strikes Back.

Maxflier

Star Wars.
Not a bad place to start.

mike45

Disney's The Jungle Book. First release.

visitor Q

Same here.

Mendon drive in back in '77. I still remember the Empire's "Star Destroyer(?)" or whatever the ship was called chasing Princess Leia's ship as an opening. Even at just 5 years old it was memorable.

Mondo Kane

One of the Benji movies.

After just checking IMDB, I think it might've been The Magic of Lassie.

Matthew Chmiel

In terms of television, either Killer Klowns From Outer Space or Poltergeist III. Odd, I know.

In terms of theatrically, the first one for a fact was Ducktales: Treasure of the Lost Lamp followed by Home Alone and Problem Child 2.

fiver

My earliest memories are of my dad taking the family to Raiders of the Lost Ark. I just have a few flashbacks to being scared of the skeletons scene - I was probably 6 at the time and my mom made us leave because me and my brother weren't handling it well.

I didn't see the movie in its entirety until I was a teenager because of that.
My other early movie memories are of seeing Poltergeist and Salem's Lot when I was about 7. My bed used to be right across from a big window so I was always terrified of the scene with the vampire boy clawing at the window.

Poltergeist scared the crap out of me too.

Alas, no good movie memories until a few years later

Michael

mcnabb

I did see Star Wars at 5 years old in 1977, but can't remember anything about that movie experience. I do remember seeing Empire Strikes Back in 1980 and wincing when Han Solo cut open the Taun Taun's guts!

Fist of Doom

We must be the same age. I remember seeing Star Wars at a drive-in, but can't remember anything specific, other than seeing it with my best friend. Was it common knowledge that when Empire Strikes Back came out?

Ash Ketchum

That's a pretty amazing story, Solid Snake, and I appreciate your sharing it and asking the question of us. I think it's important for film buffs to maintain these kinds of memories and, where possible, try to research these earliest experiences. I've actually gone through newspapers on microfilm at the library to figure out when I saw particular movies as a kid.

I'd like to share two early moviegoing experiences that were most vivid to me. Both date back to when I was five. The first was a double bill reissue of THE ROBE (1953) and its sequel, DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS (1954). We saw DEMETRIUS first, which was great for me because it was full of swordfighting action and starred the first movie star I was aware of, Victor Mature. THE ROBE was very long (2 hrs. & 15 min.) and talky and it was hard to sit through without squirming. (If I squirmed my father would have gotten mad.) A few months later, my father took us to see THE SEVENTH VOYAGE OF SINBAD (1958), which was probably the best of my early moviegoing experiences.

These weren't the first times I went to the movies. I believe the first was when I was three or four and we all went to a reissue of Disney's CINDERELLA. We saw reissues of all the early Disney animated movies back then (SNOW WHITE, PINOCCHIO, PETER PAN, etc.), as well as SLEEPING BEAUTY when it was new.

I'm still upset that my parents took my older siblings to see THE TEN COMMANDMENTS but wouldn't take me because the movie was so long (nearly four hours). It was the same year I saw THE ROBE and DEMETRIUS, and their combined total was four hours and I sat through those! I had to wait till TEN COMMANDMENTS got reissued when I was 13 to finally see it.

On TV, we saw movies like ONE MILLION B.C. (with Mature), THE THIEF OF BAGDAD with Sabu (another early movie star favorite), MIGHTY JOE YOUNG, SON OF KONG, anything with dinosaurs, and assorted Tarzan and Jungle Jim movies. Plus lots of surreal old cartoons. We didn't get to see KING KONG until I was 8 and it came on Million Dollar Movie.

JasonF

I was born in 1974. I remember Star Wars, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the 1978 Pinnochio re-release, and the Black Hole.

wakwak007

The earliest films that I could recall took place somewhere around 70'-71'. I remember going to the theatre as a little boy to watch OLIVER, SCROOGE (There was a musical version that I later found out the lead was Albert Finney,) PINOCCHIO, and WILLY WONKA. On TV I remember seeing scenes from KING KONG and PLANET OF THE APES. I also remember just specific scenes from JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS and THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD but it took a few years before I figured out the names films. I probably didn't see the whole movies at that age but saw the scenes by accident.

Recalling these times, I can see that they had lasting impressions on me. Growing up I always loved the stop motion animation films, the Apes series and of course King Kong. I also joke with family and friends that the earrings I wear stem from the impressions from watching the Sinbad/Pirate movies as a kid; I had wanted earrings since the early 70's.

zombeaner

I remember seeing E.T. in the theater vaguely, I would've been three.

mcnabb

No, I did not know anything of the plot twist walking into Empire. It was a different time back then, probably because there wasn't the internet, and everyone respected friends who didn't see it yet.

I can honestly say I walked out of Empire and my head was spinning. That was NOT what an 8 year old kid was expecting, in a good way

tellybox

I remember being really excited as a child to go and see the first Beethoven, but have no recollection of actually seeing it. As far as films at home, I remember my parents renting Child's Play II and allowing me to watch it because they didn't think it would be too bad.

They were right, I wasn't phased at all :P

TheMovieman

The first one I can remember, either at home or theaters, was Masters of the Universe (1987) although I'm sure I also saw Ghostbusters (at home) since I was uber excited as a kid when I saw the trailer for the sequel on TV...

AnonomusBob15

The Brave Little Toaster

Vipper II

The Pinocchio re-release in the early '80s.

Luther Heggs

The Candy Snatchers - I would have been three. For years I had a vague memory of discovering a little breathing tube buried out in the woods, not realizing until middle school that it was something I'd seen in a movie.

Dan

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Giantrobo

Man, there's some young bucks in this thread. Some of you just barely had your balls drop.

My earliest movie memory was seeing Disney's animated "Robin Hood" either at a drive in or regular theater back in the 70's.