Movies

Wow! I am almost done sharing my favorite person's experiences with media. To end this blog on a rather dull note, I'll be talking about Grandma's usage of movies growing up. It'll be interesting because Grandma only went to the movies once. But, onward we go...

Reflecting on Grandma's movies experiences, she shared that her nearest movie theater was the Uptown Theater, about two miles away from her house. The reason why she only went once is because Grandma didn't get the notion that you had to hold the theater seat down when you sat, so when she let go...well, you know. Needless to say, she never returned.

Grandma shared that the theater had a screen that wasn't as big as it is today, long velvet drapes covering the room, a quieter sound system, and fewer seats than there are today.

│"If you didn't know to hold down the seat, you were on the floor."

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/5109

Grandma remembered matinees being more popular than evening shows because of how late the shows usually ran. Aside from the movie theater, Grandma attended the drive-in a few times. She didn't experience any seating troubles there. Grandma would park in the middle of the drive-in, which was a relief to me— because I know what happens in the back of the parking lot.

She remembers watching people drive off with their speakers attached to their windows, yanking the speakers right out the ground. At the drive-in, there wasn't much else to do besides watch the movie. There weren't any playgrounds or places to take children to. 

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Where-have-all-the-drive-ins-gone-3202404.php

Some of Grandma's favorite films were Snow White, Cinderella, Godfather, and Gone with the Wind. Her favorite types of films were drama and Disney. The only time she attended a matinee was when she saw Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte, a notorious scary movie. That might have also contributed to Grandma not going back to the movies. She didn't like to watch scary movies even though it was popular to watch with your significant other.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hush...Hush,_Sweet_Charlotte

Since there weren't any ratings on movies, Grandma's mother didn't restrict what they could watch. There was a large perception that all movies of the time were safe because no one was there to tell them otherwise, Grandma explains.

It was popular for couples to go to the movies on a first date, especially at the drive-in. Grandma recalls it being one of the only places a couple could go to in a small town. She shares that it was more common for people to go to the movies when they're in a relationship, than with their friends.

丨"It was cool because you could, you know, hug and kiss and do whatever you wanted to."

Since Grandma didn't have a DVR, she didn't necessarily rent movies for the home. She never went to Blockbuster, but she does remember the culture surrounding it. She remembers that the movies would already be rented out, and Blockbuster always had business. There was one movie that she adored, and was able to watch over and over and over again... The King and I.

丨"John [her husband] knew, whenever it came on...we were watching it. I didn't even care if NASCAR was on."

Reflecting on her current use of movies, Grandma shared that she doesn't watch movies now, just like how she didn't watch them back then. She does watch documentaries on TV, though. Grandma enjoys watching history documentaries, crime documentaries, informative documentaries, etc. She recently watched a segregation, murder, and Vietnam War documentary. While she doesn't classify documentaries as a movie, I think it shows that she does watch movies today.