'Event' films of yesteryear

[Guest shukocarl]

As a rather 'Old Git' who started his movie - going as a kid in the 1960's...I feel that I miss the whole 'event' feel of big movies these days. You know that special feeling that you were seeing something special. Qeueing for ages outside the cinema to get in sometimes. These days with multiplexes even good films (few and far between IMO) it's not the same level of anticipation. The Cinema's have changed, the films aren't as good (effects instead of a good story) and the experience lasts only to the car park.

What does everyone think?

What are your 'event' memories?

Here's some of mine:

Thunderball (aged 7)

2001(aged 10)

Jaws, Star Wars, Exorcist, Enter the Dragon, CE3K, Superman,

(all in my teens)

[Guest Daisho2004]

OK I won't call myself an Old Git but I was born in 68' so I do remember when a movie theater only had either 1or2 movies showing at a time, and how long it took to see a sequel look at "Star Wars" look how long it took from each episode to episode to come out, you felt like it was an eternity for the next sequel now they come out every year with a new part. I remember waiting to see the "King Kong" remake in 1976' standing in line for about 4hrs or more in the freezing winter to see this movie. And seeing Bruce Lee in "Enter the Dragon" on the big screen I must've been about 10or11yrs old at the time and I was like WOW!!! But I do still get excited waiting to see a good movie come out now a days like "LOTR" great series. I wish they would just bring back the older movie to the big screen for the younger kids to see as well as myself who would love to see some great old school movies back on the big screen.

[Guest shukocarl]

There are some great old movies that are begging for re-release to a younger generation. It seems the whole point of Cinema today is to sell the dvd of the film a few months later. I saw Goldfinger recently (The Summer of British Film series) with a packed audience who loved it!

Hopefully that series of movies will re-ignite the appreciation of some great 60's to 80's classics

[Guest froffeecoffee]

It's unfortunate there's no such thing anymore. Dvd, pay per view movies, and the such have taken away the theater experience in such a huge way. All the movies you mentioned, I remember getting excited for and waiting for months to see at the theater. For me it was the 76' King Kong remake, the original Star Wars trilogy, Jaws, and others like that. Nowadays, studios have run event movies into the ground tryin' to make all their movies event movies just to make money. There's no love or care for making good films anymore, except for independents and the occasional foreign film here in the U.S.

Some of the recent Event films that live up to the hype were 300, the Lord of Rings trilogy, and nothing else comes to mind right away. But still, the best movies are the ones that have no expectations and have what most movies lack today; story, character, and heart.

I'd love to see some of the films you all mentioned re-released for the big screen. The younger generation just can't appreciate what makes these films so influencal in the 1st place without SPX and loud noises.

[Guest shukocarl]

Totally agree froffee!

[Guest teako170]

Here's one event I'll never forget. Seeing this ad in the NY Daily News back in 1978.

Don't think many movies today still play in theaters ONE YEAR after their initial release.

Oh man, them were the days! :smokin

[Guest Daisho2004]

If you recall "Star Wars" was brought back out in the Big Screen about 10 years ago and all 3 movies played about a month apart, I remember taking my Ex-Girlfriends (2)little Boys to see all 3 movies and they loved them, and to see them Digitally remastered with the added scenes was great also.

[Guest monwobobbo]

as another old git i'll add a couple. when i was a kid and teenager

A NEW GODZILLA MOVIE - anytime a new godzilla flick poped up it was a big deal as i was (and still am) a huge fan. of course there was never any warning on when for these back in the day.

PLANET OF THE APES FILMS see above. these at least would get some press in "famous monsters of filmland" mag so i usually kinda knew when they were coming out.

FRIDAY THE 13 sequels always a big deal in the 80s

i do miss that thrill as now you know 5 minutes after the first film is released when the sequel will come out. with all the media these days you know about every movie coming out a year ahead of time and its often anticlimatic when it does.

[Guest Senor Quack]

Agree with what everyone has stated so far, just wanted to add the first two Indiana Jones movies. Those were HUGE and everyone loved them (even if Temple of Doom was a bit of a letdown from the first). I also remember the Star Wars films, particularly the first two, playing for very long periods of time. The local theaters (and yes, with only one or two screens) would have print ads that said things like "now in it's 35th smash week"! That'll never happen again! Now that I think about it Speilberg made a lot of "must see" films at the time. While I didn't go nuts over it, I remember a big "to do" over E.T. as well. With product placements being so common now does anyone remember what a big deal it was that "Reeses Pieces" were used as the candy instead of M&Ms because supposedly M&Ms wanted too much money. Probably put Reeses Pieces on the map!