Do you remember the first time? (And other oddities)

[Mike Upchat]

Prompted by The Boston Crab post on movie soundtracks.

Bugsy Malone was my first film seen in a cinema unaccompanied by an adult. (Mother gave the stern admonition that if any strange men came up and sat beside me, even if they offered me sweets, which in a bloody swizz never happened "Get up and tell the usherette." ) For younger viewers an usherette was someone employed to show you to your seat using a torch so feeble of beam it could have been used in the London Blitz without giving any offence to any Air Raid Warden.

First actual film memory was a misplaced one, where for years just remembered this one scene where a man was on the moon then next minute being chased across a desert. Presumed it was some sort of misrembered sci-fi only to find out years later it was the Moon buggy scene from Diamonds are Forever. Excited at finally placing this, told my Mother about it who then told me that was the time that when Jill St. John appeared in a bikini I'd loudly announced "Cor, you'd like that  wouldn't you Dad?"

Odd other first and a bit of an oddity. living out in the sticks meant not seeing much at the cinema, especially as this was the pre-multiplex era but it turned out that the Dune the 1984 David Lynch version was booked to play at a part-time cinema/bingo hall in the town 15 miles away. Unable to wangle anyone else to provide transport I gamely cycled the whole way there. At the box office the girl at the desk asked "Do you want us to put this on for you?" "Well, yes, I've cycled 15 miles to get here." "Oh, it's just no one turned up Tuesday and you're the only so far tonight, I'll just go and check then." She wandered off for a couple of minutes and then came back to reassure me that they would indeed put the film on for their solitary customer. So that was the first time had a cinema to myself. Managed it a few times since, nearly always early showings at empty weekday multiplexes, it gives one a strange sense of superiority having a whole cinema screen to yourself.

So anyone else remember their first film? Ever had a screen to yourself? Any other cinema going stories?

[Kazuo Kiriyama]

Watching Attack of The Clones in a small local cinema that's a few months behind the rest of the country saw me living out a Beano-style cliche. For the first third of the movie, it was just me and an actual tramp who was sheltering from the rain. He left when the weather had evidently cleared up.

[Ginyard]

Ahhh, ATOC.

Searching memory banks:

Cinema: Some weird little cinema in Borehamwood (again a few years later at an afternoon screening at the Hatfield Galleria)
Date: 2002
Date: Pritti something or other
Boredom level: 8/10
Food: Popcorn and BANGERS

I actually remember seeing Star Wars at the cinema as a dot. It didn't open over here till ages after the yanks' screening and stayed on the screens for quite a long time. I've worked out that I must have seen it in the half term in october 1978. I even recall being given a star wars pamphlet when I went in, attached to which was a jigsaw card of this exact picture:



One had to endure half-hour of Pooh Bear first before the ice cream interval and the main film back then. It was a shame they changed it to the one-film-then-fuck-off mentality beloved of the multiplexes now.

[Serge]

I couldn't for the life of me tell you what the first film I ever saw at the cinema was, other than it would inevitably have been a Disney, as that's all I remember seeing as a kid.

The first film I went to see on my own - or, at least, without an adult - was 'Teen Wolf', though I barely went to the cinema in my teens, for some reason.

The first (and so far, only) film I've ever been the only person in the place for was 'The Last Seduction', completely unfair for such a great film. Though I went with a friend to see 'Welcome To Collinwood' and we were the only people in there.

The first DVD I ever bought was '2001'.

[gmoney]

The first film I saw was Stay Tuned, a comedy about a family that get stuck in their television. I remember it fondly, but I'm scared to see it now, as it'll no doubt be shit. Though hardly anyone remembers it, and I don't think I've ever seen it on DVD.

The first film unaccompanied by an adult was Men In Black, I think. Even though this was 1997, before the feature we were entertained by a magician, who I can remember nothing about other than the fact he was there.

I've never been the only person in a screening, but a couple of times it's just be me and a friend. Once when I saw the truly appalling Jason Lee vehicle, It's A Guy Thing, we got so bored we tried to see if we could hit characters on screen with M&Ms, and if we could walk down the screen walking only on the arms of the chairs. Sorry Cineworld staff. Another time me and a friend saw The Assassination of Richard Nixon, we were alone until a man who looked a bit like Colin Stagg came in, sat a couple of seats away from us and sniffed loudly during the whole thing.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

The first Film I remember seeing at the pictures was either The Land Before Time, or Short Circuit 2. Neither one a classic really, although the scene in SC2 in which Johnny 5 gets smashed up by the baddies scarred me for life.

The first film I (and my sister) saw without our folks would have probably been something like Batman Forever or Casper, when we were 12. Again, hardly classic stuff.

The first film I saw in an otherwise empty screening room was Being John Malkovich. The Cineworld had only recently opened in the Keynes and had yet to establish itself against The Point (Britain's first multiplex cinema, trivia fans) nearby.

Attack of the Clones (yet again, not a great film by any means) was something of an event as well. It was the first midnight screening I went to, not just in terms of the hour but the whole atmosphere. It was the first showing in town and the audience consisted mainly of people from my university. High spirits abounded, which helped cover up the films failings. Before it had even begun, people were going mental for the trailers. And there was a mighty cheer when Yoda turned up to fight Christopher Lee at the end.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Star Wars was one of the first, but I'm not quite sure when I saw it as it was re-released a couple of times. I have very strong memories of seeing Flash Gordon in a now demolished cinema in Sutton, and absolutely loving it, and Battle Beyond The Stars was caught soon after. I'm one of the very few people in the world who will admit to watching BMX Bandits at the cinema as well, to my eternal shame.

The most freaked out I've been at the cinema was during The Eye (the original, not the remake) - I was completely alone, and one sequence had really made me jump, only for me to look down and see a rat scuttle across the ground. I wasn't a happy SMBH after that.

I saw From Dusk Til Dawn in a packed cinema with two friends, and we were the only ones laughing throughout - literally everyone else was completely silent, and we got shhh'd a couple of times which seems ridiculous to me, I mean, it's not like you can help laughing at something that ludicrous.

The first film I saw was Stay Tuned, a comedy about a family that get stuck in their television. I remember it fondly, but I'm scared to see it now, as it'll no doubt be shit. Though hardly anyone remembers it, and I don't think I've ever seen it on DVD.

It's actually not too bad. I mean, it's no classic, and there are a lot of lazy jokes, but it's a fun enough film and one I'm secretly fond of too.

[VegaLA]

I have very strong memories of seeing Flash Gordon in a now demolished cinema in Sutton,

You referring to the Cannon ABC at the top of Sutton High St? That building was then used for Legends Nightclub but not sure what became of that building after 2003. Unless you are chatting about some other Cinema in Sutton which was before my time, mentioning Flash Gordon may well be the case.

Grandpa.

[Ginyard]

The first film I saw in an otherwise empty screening room was Being John Malkovich. The Cineworld had only recently opened in the Keynes and had yet to establish itself against The Point (Britain's first multiplex cinema, trivia fans) nearby.

I remember my dad driving me and my sister all the way from Watford to watch something at The Point. Its allure as a major tourist attraction in the south midlands must have been quite something.

[SavageHedgehog]

I'm not sure but it's quite possible the first film I saw at the cinema was The Rescuers Down Under supported by the (more memorable to me personally, for some reason) Mickey Mouse et. al version of The Prince and the Pauper. I saw it at Cinema City in Norwich which at the time mostly specialised in cheapie showings of films that had already been out for a while or perhaps had even been released on video, and now essentially fuctions as the city's "art house" cinema. I also saw such "gems" there as Tom and Jerry: The Movie and Hulk Hogan's Mr. Nanny.

I've never been to the cinema solo, but I went in a group of two to otherwise empty showings (not without reason) of Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star and Beauty Shop. There was only one other guy there for the remake of Sleuth too.

[Small Man Big Horse]

You referring to the Cannon ABC at the top of Sutton High St? That building was then used for Legends Nightclub but not sure what became of that building after 2003. Unless you are chatting about some other Cinema in Sutton which was before my time, mentioning Flash Gordon may well be the case.

That sounds about right, it was a long time before the multiplex opened and I can't remember any other cinemas in Sutton.

Grandpa.

Hey, at 36 I couldn't...Hmmm, actually, it is possible now. Bugger. Ah well, the main thing is that if I am, I don't know about it.

[Viero_Berlotti]

First film I saw on my own without an adult was Flight of the Navigator in the Concord cinema on Kingsway in Burnage, Manchester. It was this tiny one screen cinema that was above a Kwik-Save supermarket.

I remember going to see Alien 3 as an (underage) teenager in 1992, when you were still allowed to smoke in cinemas. I must have got through a 20 pack in about two hours. Smoking in a public space like a cinema just seems like a completely alien concept now though.

Going to a midnight screening of the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre when the BBFC finally passed on uncut version in 1999 was a cinema going highlight. Also worth mentioning, was seeing a screening of the 1925 version of The Phantom Of The Opera with live musical accompaniment by the Halle Orchestra at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.

[Famous Mortimer]

First film I ever saw at the cinema was probably Ghostbusters, and I'd have been 8 or so. I remember the queue for it being literally round the block, which was awesome. I was one of the last people to see a film at that very cinema too, when they stopped repairing stuff and showed "The Exorcist" (this was 1993 or so).

Had a cinema to myself once - for a late night showing of The Wedding Singer. The heating was jammed on maximum too, so I got free drinks and a voucher for a free extra ticket. Me and my two friends also were the only people in a showing of "Sling Blade", back when Cineworld did arthouse Wednesdays.

First DVD? Too difficult. First VHS tape? Beating "the best of Eddie Murphy: Saturday Night Live" by about a week was "Batman: The Movie". The original one, mind, not the Tim Burton one (which I've still never seen).

[HappyTree]

First film I ever saw without parents was the original Star Wars. I have a vivid memory of being more interested in my packet of Fox's Glacier Mints. I don't think I understood much of what was going on but it was very exciting! I feel all nostalgic for the old skool theatre feel of cinemas back then. I loved the second films they showed.

Maybe someone here remembers this one: it was probably a Disney film, could have been shorter than a long métrage and the story was about some weird chemical or potion that was put into milk. A remember a cow drinking it from a cereal bowl and becoming super strong. I think the film was about a dog. Not much to go on, I know.

First film I saw with an 18 certificate, underage, was Bladerunner. I hardly need to comment on how entrancing the atmosphere was in that film, plus the excitement of being underage and breaking the law!

First DVD I owned was the box set of Reginald Perrin, original series.

I've had the cinema to myself several times. Back when I was at uni I was a film reviewer for the student rag. I got a pass for the local arthouse cinema, the Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT). My favourite seat was right at the back in the middle. At that cinema people can sponsor a seat and have their name on a plaque on the underside. My seat was sponsored by none other than Woody Allen, which made it all the better.

Nothing beats having the cinema to yourself!

[alcoholic messiah]

First film I saw with an 18 certificate, underage, was Bladerunner. I hardly need to comment on how entrancing the atmosphere was in that film, plus the excitement of being underage and breaking the law!

I draw the rt. hon. gentleman's attention to the bottom right of this image:



You're not bragging about getting into a '15' film when you were 17, are you?

I saw french explicit sex thriller Romance in an almost deserted screening room. To the detriment of my CaB reputation, I passed on the opportunity to knock one out. Sorry.

[HappyTree]

Ahh, right. It was a 15 and I was 12 years old. Right concept, wrong figures. It still felt naughty!

[alcoholic messiah]

Apology accepted.

[HappyTree]

None given.

[dr beat]

I have vague memories as a very wee nipper, of my folks taking me along to see Gregorys Girl, ET and Chariots of Fire so my first film will have been one of those three. 

In terms of having the cinema to oneself, me and an ex went to see Amelie in a great little cinema in East Oxford which was like something out of the Wild West - all wooden panelling on the front and the ticket booth was outside, which then led direct into the cinema itself.  Quite a romantic evening, if I recall.

I also saw 500 Days of Summer with the cinema to myself, and later that same day I met a lass and then pretty much lived out that film for the next 9 months :(

[MojoJojo]

Ahh, right. It was a 15 and I was 12 years old. Right concept, wrong figures. It still felt naughty!

A quick look at imdb.com reveals that it's original rating was 'AA', which the BBFC website tells me means 14  or over. 15/18 certificates were introduced that year.

A bit surprised, really - I'd have thought it would be an X. I guess it's down to the mood of the film. There's nothing particularily graphic in terms of sex and violence in it that I can think of in, but it feels a more brutal and adult than, say, Commando (which got an 18).

First film I can remember is the Empire Strikes Back. Chewbacca scared me, and I told my mum I needed a wee so she'd take me out. Although I'm not sure if I really remember it, or just my Mum telling me about it afterwards.

[Ignatius_S]

Another one for Star Wars as the first film at the cinema – I was very young and my dad took me to see it five times as I loved it so much; I remember having to queue up round the street for one of the showings.

My parents took me to see The Jungle Book and I wouldn't stop bawling when I thought Baloo was dead at the end. They were incredibly embarrassed, but apparently the rest of the audience found it rather sweet and weren't annoyed in the slightest... I was an incredibly cute 25 year old.

... I'm one of the very few people in the world who will admit to watching BMX Bandits at the cinema as well, to my eternal shame....

What do you mean? It spoke for a generation.

The first film I saw was Stay Tuned, a comedy about a family that get stuck in their television. I remember it fondly, but I'm scared to see it now, as it'll no doubt be shit. Though hardly anyone remembers it, and I don't think I've ever seen it on DVD....

Oh, I'm with Small Man Big Horse – not great, but a fun film. Also, the actual concept I think is a good one – I tend to find Jeffrey Jones great value.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Watching An American Tail must be one of my earliest memories. I started crying and we had to leave the cinema due to me annoying everyone.

To be fair, it is a really shit film.

[hamble]

My first film without an older sibling was Bugsy Malone too.Nothing else stands out apart from the time that  Maggie Covany  and I got into see 'The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas' for free because Mrs.Covany worked at the cinema and I was lucky enough (?) to be Maggies best mate that day.

[remedial_gash]

The first film I saw was Stay Tuned, a comedy about a family that get stuck in their television. I remember it fondly, but I'm scared to see it now, as it'll no doubt be shit. Though hardly anyone remembers it, and I don't think I've ever seen it on DVD.

Stay tuned is a righteous classic.

It's a stupid fillum - that's a given... but I adored it at the time (1992?), I saw "So, I married an axe murderer?" alone , and on my fifteenth birthday (I think) - still, you could smoke in cinemas at the time, and I demolished a pack.

Gash
x

[non capisco]

My first film was a trip up to London to see 'Return Of The Jedi'. Now being a regular habitue of a lot of London cinemas I'd love to know which one it was and if it's still there. All I remember was it was preceded by a visit to a defunct burger chain called Huckleberry's.

After that I saw loads of films at the ABC in Gravesend. The first film I saw unaccompanied by an adult was the Tim Burton 'Batman' I think, either that or something undistinguished like 'K-9'. After Kermode's Cult Movie slot on the old Radcliffe Radio 1 show got me properly interested in cinema I practically lived in there for a few years, despite it being a rat-infested pit with itchy seats. It became a Bollywood cinema shortly before I moved away if memory serves, then was burnt down by some n'er-do-wells. On reflection it was a bit of a hole but it was all I had. Even this crap grainy colourless picture of its crap foyet that for some reason looks like it was taken in Victorian times makes my throat constrict with sheer nostalgia. That door in the centre led to FILMS.

Hey, crusader! Have you any nuts?

[The Widow of Brid]

Tickets to that particular cinema were also about £1.50-£2.00 until well into the new millennium, making it practically the only good thing about Gravesend.

[bloogoon]

Grandpa.
[/quote]

When I was 14 some school friends asked me if I wanted to go to the pictures. Being an avid film buff I told them we couldn't go because the film showing that night was an 'X' (the equivalent of an 18 but almost impossible to see, this is before videos even kicked in) called The Exterminator. "Yeah" they said "we know, we wait till half-time (this is in the days when they had double bills!), the woman just shuts the box office and goes home and we just walk in sit down and watch whatever's on" they'd just been to watch Alien. Up to this point in my life I think this was the most excited I'd ever been - apart from snoggin' an that. I don't remember much about the film apart from it was about a Vietnam vet who turns vigilante and might have used a flamethrower on his victims?.

Subsequently we went to see: Inseminoid (I couldn't remember anything about this one apart from it was a bit shit. I googled it and the poster says it all), Goodbye Emmanuelle(Phwooooar!), and The Postman Always Rings Twice, which was a massive let down because it was supposed to be really mucky (which we took to mean more Sylvia Kristel like soft porn, the erotically charged film noir was lost on us apart from the dirty bit! ). Actually that reminds me I went on holiday to France the same year and me and my mate went to watch Sylvia Kristel in Lady Chatterleys Lover in French - imagine that!.

This was between 1980/81 so in response to the above quote I feel I have the right to claim the title "Grandpa".

[Jemble Fred]

We went all the way to Bridgnorth to see it. And yes I did spend most of the running time running up and down the aisles.

[bloogoon]

We went all the way to Bridgnorth to see it. And yes I did spend most of the running time running up and down the aisles.

That's a bit wierd I went to that cinema in Hightown a few times when I was a teenager. I saw Bladerunner there the first time round. The cinema I was on about in my post was the Clifton in Wellington.

[Serge]

We went all the way to Bridgnorth to see it. And yes I did spend most of the running time running up and down the aisles.

[obvious]And this was only last week.[/obvious]