Drunken Overseas Bettor said:

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It's been all downhill ever since.

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My first film was also Star Wars. I was not yet 4, my brother 7.

I've shared here before I have two flashbulb memories of movies. The first being Star Wars. The second Aliens.

My dad took me to see Alien at the Palms in the summer of 79. After the guy went to get the cat and the big monster grabbed him by dropping out of the ceiling, I went to the bathroom. Their restroom facilities were tiny if I recall right, but when I opened that door that evening, the first thing I noticed was a ceiling tile missing - big ass gaping hole in the ceiling.

I never took care of my business as fast as I did that evening.

AGinHI said:

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Drunken Overseas Bettor said:

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It's been all downhill ever since.

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My first film was also Star Wars. I was not yet 4, my brother 7.

I've shared here before I have two flashbulb memories of movies. The first being Star Wars. The second Aliens.

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Do you mean Alien? Or did you go almost a decade between seeing movies (missing The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Return of the Jedi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Back to the Future before going to see Aliens)?

Pinocchio in 1984…Pleasure Island donkey transition was scary as hell for a 4 year old.

bam02 said:

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Probably The Wizard of Oz. Really was traumatized by the witch. I remember recurring nightmares to this day. I'd splash water on her but she would never melt.

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Disney's Return to Oz was nightmare fuel.

It's 2025 and theres gotta be generation of folks that still beware the Wheelers.

Cinco Ranch Aggie said:

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AGinHI said:

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Drunken Overseas Bettor said:

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It's been all downhill ever since.

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My first film was also Star Wars. I was not yet 4, my brother 7.

I've shared here before I have two flashbulb memories of movies. The first being Star Wars. The second Aliens.

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Do you mean Alien? Or did you go almost a decade between seeing movies (missing The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Return of the Jedi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Back to the Future before going to see Aliens)?

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What I meant was there are two movies for which I can vividly recall - a snapshot in time as flashbulb memories are known - sitting in the theater watching (i.e., the seat, the location in the theater, particular scenes).

I've seen all those other movies, and many more, but can only recall in detail Star Wars and Aliens, ages 3.5 and 13 respectively, which speaks to the impact of those two films.

A strange emoji for not understanding my statement btw.

CyanideJenkins said:

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Star Wars. At a drive-in movie theater with my parents. I was like 2 1/2 years old. It's my earliest memory.

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Same but I was 4.

I'm thinking it was probably Bambi. And, more than likely, at the old Broadway Theater in San Antonio.

I feel like I watched that, but I don't remember the wheelers so maybe I did not. At least it certainly did not leave a lasting impression like the original one did with the witch.

The emoji was to convey some humor on my part. I was picturing you sitting in a theater in 1977 watching Star Wars, thinking this movie theater sucks, then going off like Bruce Wayne for Batman Begins, returning in 1986 in time to see Aliens.

But I wasn't sure if you meant the original Alien which some seem to forget exists when talking about that series, claiming Aliens is the best when it is not, not by a long shot in fact.

Went to some drive-in in central texas in 1973 when I was 7 (killeen/copperas cove area) and saw

The World's Greatest Athlete - a farcical movie about a (white) tarzan like athlete found in the jungles of Africa who can outrun a cheetah for example.... and comes to the US with these college coaches on a scholarship as a track athlete to save their terrible athletic program.

Starred Jan-Michael Vincent, the great John Amos (Good Times and later Coming To America) and Tim Conway which will give you an idea of how bad it was.

Zombie Jon Snow said:

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Went to some drive-in in central texas in 1973 when I was 7 (killeen/copperas cove area) and saw

The World's Greatest Athlete - a farcical movie about a (white) tarzan like athlete found in the jungles of Africa who can outrun a cheetah for example.... and comes to the US with these college coaches on a scholarship as a track athlete to save their terrible athletic program.

Starred Jan-Michael Vincent, the great John Amos (Good Times and later Coming To America) and Tim Conway which will give you an idea of how bad it was.

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That movie was awesome and my cousin and me watched it on HBO a lot.

Oh I agree - I loved it when I was 7.

As I recall he brought his pet tiger with him from Africa on the plane.

Cinco Ranch Aggie said:

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The emoji was to convey some humor on my part. I was picturing you sitting in a theater in 1977 watching Star Wars, thinking this movie theater sucks, then going off like Bruce Wayne for Batman Begins, returning in 1986 in time to see Aliens.

But I wasn't sure if you meant the original Alien which some seem to forget exists when talking about that series, claiming Aliens is the best when it is not, not by a long shot in fact.

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You're choice of emojis for humor is terrible.

Zombie Jon Snow said:

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Went to some drive-in in central texas in 1973 when I was 7 (killeen/copperas cove area) and saw

The World's Greatest Athlete - a farcical movie about a (white) tarzan like athlete found in the jungles of Africa who can outrun a cheetah for example.... and comes to the US with these college coaches on a scholarship as a track athlete to save their terrible athletic program.

Starred Jan-Michael Vincent, the great John Amos (Good Times and later Coming To America) and Tim Conway which will give you an idea of how bad it was.

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Another post-Walt, Ron Miller special. I remember it well. Disney was really beginning to flounder at that point.

I think Rocky III is my earliest movie theater memory, looks like it was released shortly before ET. But who knows as popular movies ran in theaters for a long time in those days. I honestly can't recall seeing a cartoon in a theater until like the B&B/Aladdin era...I guess my parents didn't want to sit through them (it was a bad cartoon era I guess).

Hmmm

I think in the theatre it was Fox and the Hound, bed knob's and broomsticks or The Empire Strikes Back.

At home, probably Old Yeller or The Wizard of Oz.

Was taken to see The Shining in the theatre when I was 6. That's a pretty vivid memory.

GoAgs92 said:

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This is crazy but the same movie as Zombie John and Eclipse posted.

ha.

The World's Greatest Athlete

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Ha I guess if you were of the right age that year that was the family movie to see. It was out earlier in the year so pretty sure I saw it that summer. It grossed over $12 million which was good for 12th that year.


I looked at other top films in 1973 and there really isn't much I would have been taken to see at 7 years old.

Robin Hood - the Disney cartoon version was released late in the year - pretty sure I did see this sometime but I don't recall specifically.

The rest of these - no way
Serpico
The Way We Were
Live and Let Die
Poseidon Adventure
The Exorcist
The Sting
Magnum Force
Last Tango in Paris
American Graffiti
Jesus Christ Superstar
The Day of the Jackal
Enter The Dragon
High Plains Drifter

Planet of the Apes ( Charlton Heston original!) at the drive-in. My parents would put us in pajamas with blankets and pillows in the back seat so we could go to sleep if we got tired. I think I stayed up for the whole thing, though!

The earliest one I recall is Escape to Witch Mountain. released in 1975 which put me at 9 years old. I don't really remember the movie but I remember my parents taking me and a neighbor kid to the theater and just dropping us off. Said they'd be back when it was over. Those were the days! I do seem to have some fleeting memory of The Worlds Greatest Athlete though as well. I wonder if they showed it on The Wonderful World of Disney? Used to watch that every Sunday.

I took this to mean in theaters, but I think maybe the first movie I remember seeing is Grease around age 5. Neighbor teen girls were my baby sitters and they dressed me up in jeans, white t shirt and leather jacket and took me to the movie.

I saw the Incredible Melting Man and Piranha in theaters when I was like 6 or 7. Those either scared or disturbed the hell out of me - not appropriate for that age.

My parents took me to see Airplane! around age 8 I guess. When the plane is losing control and everyone is falling and stuff is flying and that naked lady with huge tracts of land comes out all a-jiggling I remember my dad laughing as loud as I had ever heard him laugh.

Those are my earliest movie memories.

Oh, actually another huge one was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but I watched that on TV. Age 4 or 5? Scary, funny, weird, it was memorable.

Yeah I took it to mean theaters.

I vividly remember watching Wizard of Oz on TV at 5 years old and before I ever went to a movie in a theater. Those damn flying monkeys scared the beejeesus out of me.

OP specifically says not necessarily in theaters.

I really don't remember that one.

Honestly the first movie I remember watching was The Cowboys, in 1972, my mom, dad, and sister went to San Antonio for the weekend and it was premiering at the Majestic Theatre! I was 10 yrs old but that is still my all time favorite movie!

That is an awesome first movie and theater experience!

so another memory tells me that Escape from Witch Mountain probably wasn't my first movie theater movie but the first one I do remember actually going to.

My family is straight laced Christian Right Wing Conservatives. the kind Ray Wylie Hubbard says you can find in hell.

I recall being with my mother at her friends house. She had a couple of kids my age and we were all going to go to a movie but had to pick one out. We go to the movies page in the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram. Remember the movie page? A full page or two with movie banners for the main attractions!

I see a quarter page banner for Blazing Saddles with Cleavon Little in his full suede outfit on his white horse, rearing up! That was my pick to go see!

I don't remember what was picked but we did not go see Blazing Saddles.

In theater, it was Bambi. At home, it was between Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang, Oz or The Hallelujah Trail.

Probably Ghosbusters.

The Aristocats

CyanideJenkins said:

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Star Wars. At a drive-in movie theater with my parents. I was like 2 1/2 years old. It's my earliest memory.

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Almost exact same thing for me. Was at a drive in theater in Big Spring. It was a double feature with Star Wars and something else. But don't think I made it through whatever the second movie was.