There’s a big part of me that is the movies. There’s also a big part of me that keeps track of everything – Christmas gifts given, guests for holiday meals, animals’ birth/adoption dates, dvds and video cassettes, and of course, movies attended. Yes, before the Excel spreadsheet came along, I wrote on each of my movie ticket stubs the date, and if needed, the movie I attended. I rarely wrote who I went with, since those are ingrained memories. Once in a blue moon, I couldn’t recall whom I went with, and every now and again in the early years, I discarded a ticket stub, so there is no record. But 98% of the time, there was a little colored piece of thick paper to serve as a reminder of a (usually) wonderful experience in a darkened theater.
When I was very young, I hadn’t begun to keep track with ticket stubs, but I do know with whom I went and where I went, just not always the ‘when’ I went. This first potion of the list only includes film release dates, and five out of these first six are at the Drive-In (as only sensible parents would do)!
Let’s take a look at what I saw that inspired my love of the movies when I was young:
1964 The Incredible Mister Limpet (Orange Drive-In)
1965 The Sound of Music (Tustin Theater)
1967 The Gnome Mobile (Orange Drive-In)
1967 The Jungle Book (Orange Drive-In)
I loved this movie so much that I got my first metal lunchbox with this all over!
1968 Blackbeard’s Ghost (Orange Drive-In)
Being the second of a double-feature, I fell asleep about 20 minutes in.
1969 The Love Bug (Orange Drive-In)
One of the above was in a pairing, as I DO remember Blackbeard’s Ghost was the second of a double-feature.
Following these, there are diary entries or ticket stubs to keep record:
1971 Bedknobs and Broomsticks (Cinedome, Orange)
I saw this with my mom, since my older sister was at youth retreat. “Mom & me dates” were plentiful beginning with this movie.
1973 Mary Poppins (re-release) (South Coast Plaza)
1973 Disney’s Robin Hood (Cinedome, Orange)
Again, another “Mom & me date.” Robin Hood is my favorite Disney classic animated feature.
1974 The Little Prince (Cineramadome, Hollywood)
This was for a 7th grade English class field trip. We had just read the book.
1974 That’s Entertainment (Foxx Mann, Costa Mesa)
The film that ‘changed my movie life.’ Mom and I took my grandma and her sister to see this, since it featured many early film stars. We sat in the mezzanine front row, and I became ‘star-struck,’ as one would say. This was followed by the double-LP soundtrack. I can still sing all these songs by heart, and yes, I still have the LP set!
1974 Herbie Rides Again (location unknown)
Another “Mom & me date”, although I don’t recall the occasion.
1976 That’s Entertainment Part II (Foxx Mann, Costa Mesa)
Following these were movies with just a few with one or both of my parents, friends, dates, and eventually my own family.
Nowadays, it’s fun to recall when, with whom, or on what occasion I saw a movie - - and sometimes not.
The fact is, movies make me happy. That’s enough.
