Draven

Oh I could also talk about watching movies like Spaceballs and Goonies until my VHS tape broke or when my dad made me come downstairs to watch the Black Knight scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and I loved it so much at watched the whole move three times the next day. I'm just old enough to remember the theater first.

davidlynchfan

Good, of course. "Fondest memories" right? We were like, that was such a trip. Perhaps, that was the one that propelled me more into the Cult, Avant-garde, Arthouse stuff.

GoldenJCJ

Plus, a lot of use grew up with 21” tube TVs in our living rooms. Not exactly the most “home theater” experience. Though I could probably list a handful of horror movies I watched late at night with friends during sleepovers. I also remember when CBS played The Wizard of Oz once a year and my mom would make popcorn for it.

As far as theatrical experiences:

Return of the Jedi isn’t just one of my earliest movie going experiences, it’s literally one of my first memories, period. I was 3 years old and still remember my mom leaning over closet to me so she could read me Jabba’s subtitles.

Seeing Jurassic Park for the first time as a 13 year old was about as good as it gets. I’ve never been one to see the same movie multiple times in the theater (I’ve honestly only done it with 4 or 5 movies) but I saw JP numerous times in the summer of ‘93.

Seeing the OT Star Wars re-releases in the late 90s was a lot of fun. The crowds were always sold out and the theater I saw them at would do trivia contests prior to the movies playing. Also, at the time, I was excited to 1. See the movies for the first time on the big screen and 2. See the “cool” new additions to the movies. Granted, #2 didn't age to well but at the time it was awesome!

It may not be considered high art but probably the single best movie going experience of my life was seeing Independence Day on opening night just prior to the Fourth of July. The whole experience felt like an event. The people waiting in line were friendly. Everyone was happy and excited. It was something that you rarely see anymore.

Troy Stiffler

Oof. A lot. some…

The emotions I experienced watching the Lord of the Rings movies. Still holds the record for most I’ve ever felt watching a movie.

Seeing The Proposition with my dad. He loves westerns more than me. Felt like I took him to see something he really liked. It was also my introduction to Nick Cave who became a top five favorite musician.

Starship Troopers was the first R movie I ever saw. Dad took me. The shower scene was super awkward because my parents were ultra conservative about nudity and swearing.

Watched Robocop with my dad on a Sunday morning on our 25” TV. Murphy’s death shocked my brain. I never saw violence like that before.

I watched Die Hard 3 for the first time ever on a 19” TV sitting on a desk. My dad said I could watch it and I was like cool. I really had no idea what it was. But I liked watching the first two. Didn’t know there was a 3. I was a kid. Unforgettable.

Watched Die Hard for the first time on network TV when I was a kid.

I snuck Nightmare on Elm Street 3 VHS and watched it. Probably my first scary movie. It was the first time I saw a boob. The first and third are probably the best.

When I first joined this forum, and was getting good dvd deals, I really expanded. I watched stuff like Raging Bull and Boogie Nights for the first time after blind buying. I’d have to really think about it all. But imagine the first time you watched the best movies without understanding what was coming.

I watched Goodfellas for the first time with my best friend on his bedroom tv. I never heard of it. I was about 16. Again just floored.

My dad told me about watching Last House on the Left when it came out. There were people sitting on the stairs. And everyone was mortified by it.

Like it or not, people cried and cheered watching Armageddon.

Troy Stiffler

Kinda crazy how many great movies I watched on a 19 and 25 inch crt tv with full screen pan and scan. I’m watching The Departed on a 75” right now. Can’t imagine watching it like I did when I was a kid.

Dan

First time seeing Reservoir Dogs and Desperado on VHS while my parents were away, because my brother's friends rented them.

Seeing my first Widescreen VHS (99% sure it was Pulp Fiction)

Watching Bringing out the Dead at like 2am, and feeling incredibly tense throughout.

After a heavy night of high school partying, chilling in a friend's basement and watching A Clockwork Orange until the sun came up.

First time seeing Monty Python and the Holy Grail at a brother's friend's house, where their old tube TV had a bit of a green tint to it and I thought that's how that specific movie was supposed to look.

Watching Speed like 30 times on VHS, over and over and over.

Buying and watching Natural Born Killers: Director's Cut and realizing that the movie was amazing (it still is.)

All of these are fond "sit on the couch" movie memories.

No.

Troy Stiffler

Brazil brought on serious anxiety. I remember watching it when I was maybe 14 on Sci Fi channel.

Nick Danger

Another good memory is Monty Python and the Holy Grail in first release. The whole theater was roaring with laughter by the time "a moose once bit my sister", and we never stopped.

jfoobar

Yup. I try and go to movie theaters as little as possible and prefer to watch films at home, but I still try to go at least occasionally, especially for films that I just simply cannot wait to see or that really and truly demand the huge screen experience (e.g., the upcoming Dune will be one for me). Just some fleeting memories that could only have taken place in theaters:

• The way the crowd roared and cheered in response to "Get away from her, you bitch!" in Aliens, and the way we stood and applauded when the closing credits rolled because everyone knew we had just seen an absolute high-tension masterpiece.
• I saw L.A. Confidential in a matinee and there were maybe 15-20 people in the theater. Even with so few people, I will always remember the collective gasp and the vocalized "Holy shit!" from several rows behind me when Kevin Spacey's character meets his end. I looked over at a complete stranger about 10 seats away and said, "Wow, didn't see that comin'." He just chuckled at me and responded, "Nope."
• The loud, fake coughing fit that wiseass threw as the closing credits for Contagion started rolling that made everyone in the crowded theater stop in their tracks and then laugh somewhat nervously.
• Going to see Platoon in the theater with my dad and seeing the emotional impact it had on everyone in the theater when they shuffled out, quiet and introspective.

I could probably think of several more if I spent some time reflecting. None of this is critical to the enjoyment of film, obviously, but I don't think I could ever completely stop going to theaters and watching certain films with the crowd (pandemic aside).

TomOpus

When I was young, my dad and I would watch Universal monster and sci/fi movies on the weekend. That started my love for horror & sci/fi movies. It was on an old b/w tv but I miss those days with my dad (rip).

THAT is how memorable watching movies at home can be.

IBJoel

I hated learning film threading because I'd wake up doing the motions in my sleep

I even had a dream about threading film a few months ago.

OldBoy

indeed that is. sorry to have to bring that up, but thanks for sharing. i don't think nowadays would be as memorable to watch movies on tv however, perhaps in your or a similar situation today, yes, of course. i think i remember 2 movies i actually saw on tv, one for first time and one for second that were memorable. hardly any others spring to mind.

The Questyen

I've had way more movie experiences ruined by a crowd then I've ever had enhanced by one. House (one of my favorite movies obviously) I saw a screening of at an indie theater years ago and I knew it was going to be a terrible experience within the first 5 minutes. Literally within the first couple minutes of the movie people were just cracking up hysterically at every thing that happened. Don't get me wrong there are funny parts in the movie but it's not a laugh out loud riot where people should be cracking up every 30 seconds. It continued throughout the movie and I couldn't enjoy the movie like I do watching it at home.

I can't think of a single time that a crowd make me enjoy the film more. The big screen/sound system is definitely a great experience but at least for me it doesn't outweigh the negatives of dealing with other peoples behavior.

beavis69

Kill Bill Volume 1 - Loving this so much I ended up seeing it 10 times in theaters.
Gladiator - Saw this with my dad and 25 minutes left in the movie the fire alarm goes off in the theater. We go outside and my dad doesn't want to stand in the GA sun, turns to me and says "well I've guess we've seen enough". I was like what the hell but didn't see the ending until it came out on vhs a couple months later.
The Dark Knight - Saw this at a special IMAX screening with about 50 other people the night before it came out. I remember the entire theater was dead silent the first 10 minutes of the movie, just in a trance. The audience reactions throughout the whole movie were just great and really made the viewing special.
Requiem for a Dream - The feeling of complete hopelessness at the end of this movie was something I had never felt watching a film and wouldn't feel again until watching Melancholia. Both of those changed my mood for days after them and I just couldn't shake it.
Avengers: End Game - "On your left". The emotion in that theater is rare and I was lucky to experience it.

And finally, not movie specific, but getting a job at a video store in high school and discovering movies. My family never really had anything beyond Disney movies, so being introduced to older films as well as more mature movies was mind blowing. I worked their during the transition from vhs to dvd, so vhs were dirt cheap and I rented everything I could.

Draven

The Marvel and Star Wars movies on opening night have always been great.

I saw Bad Boys in a packed theater where I'm pretty sure my friend and I were two of only a handful of white people and it was an EXPERIENCE

devilshalo

I've had memories and experiences, but barely a handful that were looked upon fondly.

• From Beyond - Opening night with a packed crowd. I'm not into horror, but for some reason this crowd was really loud and raucous and made the experience fun and exciting.
• Big Trouble in Little China - I was a big fan of Shaw Bros films and to see this American version of one was weirdly a proud moment for me. Like Carpenter had gotten it right.
• Creed II - I yelled at the screen as if It were a real fight the first time Creed & Drago fight. DQ!! And I was on my seat for the ending and felt touched that everything turned towards making amends between fathers and sons.

mewmartigan

Ghostbusters 2 - Made my dad leave after the ghost train ran through Winston cause I was scared.

Jurassic Park - amazing experience and I remember squirming in my seat when Timmy was climbing the electric fence as Ellie was turning on the breakers.

Finally being able to see the Original Star Wars trilogy in theaters....even with the stupid changes.

Seeing The Phantom Menace a whole bunch of times with my brother when it moved into the $1 theater.

Seeing Event Horizon. The movie is awesome and me and my 3 friends were the only ones in the theater.

L. Ron zyzzle

After a long time of searching my memory banks: drove 175 miles to Seattle for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (wasn't showing where I lived). It was rousing enough to get a round of applause at the end. That was nice.

Crocker Jarmen

When I was 17, because it wasn't playing in my town, I took a 70 minute bus trip (and 70 minute bus trip back home) to go to Toronto to see Chasing Amy. I'd loved Clerks, was disgusted by Mallrats, but I got the sense Chasing Amy was going to be something different, a real leap forward for Kevin Smith. I'll never forget getting to the theatre, seeing Jay and Silent Bob on the poster for the first time, and my heart sinking, thinking, Damn, this is going to suck.

Fortunately, it did not. Had a great time watching the movie, really thought it was special.

Off-topic:

I also fondly recall my older brother turning on TVOntario one Saturday night at midnight when they played Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I'd seen Fawlty Towers but never Python before. At the first joke of the coconuts simulating the "horse hooves" by brother and I were on the floor laughing. It was so unexpected. I don't know if I've ever laughed harder at a movie than watching that one with my brother.

My parents traveled a lot, and one weekend I was left home alone, and rented Dawn of the Dead and boy oh boy did that blown my mind. I'd never seen a horror movie both that savage and balls out exciting. To this day one of my top five movies.

Autotelik

Theatrical experiences only:

When I was a kid: Parents took us to see Police Story at a Chinese theater in Sydney's Chinatown. It was a matinee, and I suppose back then, there were no fire codes or stuff like that. It must have been the first run because the place was packed and people were standing in the aisles and sitting on the steps. They jammed as many people as possible into that theater. It was an interesting experience, even when I was around 8 years old. A year or two later, my parents also took us to see A Better Tomorrow in the same theater. I was around 9 or 10. I cried a little when Chow Yun Fat got riddled with bullets at the end. It upset me for a long time.

My first movie-going experience with friends only; no adults. Die Hard 2. I'll always remember that awesome day. No adults; just a bunch of us 13 year-olds watching an R-rated movie.

The one that got me loving foreign films: Seeing Kieslowski's complete Blue, White, Red trilogy when I was in college. A triple-feature all in one night.

The first movie I saw with my future wife: Memoirs of a Geisha in late 2005.

The last movie I saw with my wife before she passed away: The Force Awakens in 2016. It was a month before she gave birth to our son and it was raining that night. We really wanted to get out and do something "fun." She passed away a month later after giving birth. I can never get myself to finish the sequel trilogy. Perhaps one day, when our son is older and if he's into Star Wars, I might watch it with him.

The first movie I saw with my son: Toy Story 4. I saved the ticket stubs.

Hulkabrgr

in the fall of 1980, I was five and had to spend a week in the hospital. When I finally got home, I pretty much passed out on my bed, and my dad suddenly woke me up and told me that we had to go somewhere. I was scared, and didn't know where we were going. He took me to the Menlo Park General Cinema to see my favorite film- The Empire Strikes Back. As someone who went to the movies pretty much every weekend growing up, this is by far my favorite movie going memory

Runaway

- When the Empire Strikes Back - SE was in the theaters I was 15 and since my best friend was sick at the time and we planned to watch it together, we waited for his recovery, which didn't happen in time. There was only one chance left to watch in in the theater on a wednesday night at 10pm. My uncle who was visiting that week convinced his big sister, my mom, to let me go to the theater, although I had to get up for school at 6am.
- The Nice Guys this one I watched on the first date with my future wife. After the movie I drove her home and she told me to park at the bus stop. I wanted to be a nice guy made a u-turn stopped directly in front of her house and said good night. To this day she mocks me for not getting a kiss.
- "Demolition", third date, during the movie she lay her head on my shoulder, after the movie we kissed in the rain, super romantic.

OldBoy

another fond memory...Aliens (1986).

it was the last movie i would ever see with my grandfather. he was a movie buff too. he turned me on to the Bond movies (and have some vague memories of seeing a couple, one being Living Daylights with him). but, we saw this in Florida and i remember liking the movie a lot (having never seen the first at this point) and i think i remember being scared in theater, but it was the second movie to ever give me nightmares. the other being the worm in the ears thing in Wrath of Khan. i had such nightmares for months after. i don't have any movies scare me now or leave such an impression as those small few when they originally came out.

yeah, but Aliens was something else and obviously scared the shit out of me. i thought they were in my closets and shit, it was bad.

dom56

For me it was Raiders of the Lost Ark. Me and my brothers went to theater having no ideal what the movie was about but it had Harrison Ford and Steven Speilberg directed. Once the Paramount logo turned into real mountain we know we are going for a wild ride. Indy running from the giant boulder, fight in the bar, Indy shooting at the big sword guy got the biggest laugh and cheer from the crowd, Indy chasing on horse the truck with the Ark. After watching it we both told our late parents about the film and they went and saw at night and they both loved it. Saw it three times in the theater. Good memory.

Troy Stiffler

I was just browsing HBO Max and got nostalgic for this time around 2006 when I moved into my own apartment, and bought DVDs read this forum and watched all kinds of old movies.

My attention to the films was 100%. Unlike now with smart phones and wondering if I can pay bills.