As a first time viewing experience.

I think I'd choose Alien personally. Although to be fair I haven’t seen Close Encounters of the Third Kind in ages and hardly remember it (even though I do own the Blu-ray).

Alien, easily. I was never a big fan of Encounters.

Alien!

As long as I'm renting a theater for a night, I might as well make it a double feature.

Close Encounters, easily. It would be awesome to see on the big screen.


I know it’s not an option in the OP but one of my best theater going experiences ever was watching Independence Day on opening weekend. It would be fun to see it again on the big screen someday.

I'd say Alien because I love that film and am only mezzo-mezzo on Close Encounters. But GodenJCJ is right, Close Encounters is one of the most beautiful films ever shot. Stunning cinematography that would look amazing on the big screen.

One of our local theaters is renting out their theaters for like $100/2 hour - 2.5 hour block which is a cool, movies or you can just play videogames.

I'd probably go with Close Encounters because I've never actually seen it beginning to end.

We have a theater that’s offering it’s space for rent for movies or whatever too. I’ve considered looking into it.

My friend runs a local theater in Indiana. He explains to me that the studio demands a payment any time a movie is shown there, whether there is a crowd or not, whether you charge admission or not.
He does point out that you are allowed to "test equipment" though, and he does that A LOT in his free time. I do wonder what the rules are for renting a theater out to the public. I would imagine that you aren't allowed to show your purchased theatrical movies to friends and families.

It’s been years since I’ve read the FBI Warning at the beginning of a movie (Do they even have them on newer releases?) but isn’t it just about charging a fee to watch it? I could potentially pay to rent the theater and invite my friends in for free and be able to run the movie, right?

Alien it is. This theater will allow you to bring a Blu-ray, (and has a scant selection of those to choose from). But they also have 35 mm prints (of which Alien is one), so I wasn’t even considering a disc.

Yeah from my understanding of it, the loophole is the viewers have to provide their own material - Bluray, Reels, VHS, etc; since it isn't a public exhibition at that point. Older stuff has different rules.

I have been texting back and forth since GoldenJCJ asked the question. My friend says that the rule for screening applies for all movies and for Blu Rays as well as for film.
He is renting his theater out for $2500/night. That includes all clearances. They have a booker who books the film. They have contracts with all the studios except Disney, so they can't show any Disney films.

We did the latter a few times when I was a projectionist. I ran Batman 1989 just for myself, Blacula, Black Dynamite, and Batman Begins/The Dark Knight the week before The Dark Knight Rises with my manager. We also had some Smash Bros. and Halo tournaments on the big screen. I know another projectionist definitely ran Aliens for himself and a few other films. When we made the switch to digital, the pre-show projectors we were using became more automated by corporate, so we had to stop, which sucked.

As for the thread, if the theater was packed, I'd go for the more visually-impressive, crowd-pleasing Close Encounters. If It's just me and a buddy, I'd go for the isolation of Alien. Depending on the auditorium, the seat backs in your peripheral vision might look like eggs.

Thats interesting. I guess the difference is commercial use (theater) vs. home use? I could understand it a little more if it was a public event but privately renting the theater seems like those restrictions shouldn’t apply. It’s MY Blu-ray I’m bringing in, I’m just borrowing the theater’s equipment

Alien belongs to the Fox library. Would it not now be a Disney film?

Close Encounters--not even a contest. I would like to be filled with wonderment than terror.

Coincidentally...

https://drafthouse.com/personal-theater/

Only two locations so far. You pick a movie and a date, and you can have up to 30 people show up. Neat idea... And only $150.

Good question. I'll ask him that.

Love both films. Would show Close Encounters (theatrical version).

Even though I like Alien more, I'd have to go with Close Encounters. Just the awe-inspiring widescreen visuals, the amazing score, and just the sense of wow would be amazing to see in a theatre, but probably even better outside at a Drive-In movie theatre. I remember seeing movies like E.T. and Jurassic Park at the Drive-In Movie Theatre and they were fantastic experiences...I'd still check out Alien if it was at a movie theatre, but I just feel like staring at Close Encounters on a big-screen with a ton of other people would really be cool...

I also think that watching Aliens on the big-screen at a drive-in would be pretty amazing. A double-bill with the original would be ideal.

Other movies I've always wanted to watch on the big-screen at a drive-in would include Die Hard, the original Halloween, John Carpenter's The Thing, and John Carpenter's The Fog. I just think all those movies would be great on the big-screen with a big, ruly crowd...

^ Exactly like Goonies said. I like Alien more, but in a theater setting I think Encounters would look and sound glorious.

Oh, man, that just reminded me how awesome it would be to see The Goonies at the Drive-In theatre. Especially if it was double-billed with Gremlins. That would be epic.

He says some Fox films do and some don't. He doesn't know about Alien. He would have to ask his booker.