Originally Posted by
Macca
My great memories of going to the cinema are all from the '70s and '80s. One big screen, huge auditorium with a balcony. Always packed and a real atmosphere. Queuing to get in only heightened the tension.
First the adverts: Pearl and Dean. Smoke from the smoking section would already be hanging in the projector beam. Then the crackly commercial for the Indian Restaurant. There's a pube stuck on the camera lens in some shots, but what the hell, this was the '70s so they used them anyway. Then the lights go back up and they flog you ice creams. Then lights down again and time for the first feature. Usually this would be that film where they rescue the blind pit ponies, but occasionally they would put on the documentary on North Sea oil.
Lights go back up, more ice cream selling,
Finally it goes dark again. Everyone knows this is it so they scramble back to their seats, a hush descends. But no! First it is 'Coming Soon!' ' A U trailer advertising an X rated film'. Usually a horror or sci-fi horror you were too young to be able to go and see. But women would be screaming just from the trailer.
And so, at last, the 'British Board Of Film Censors' notice would come up for the film that you actually came to see. We are a couple of hours in now already. Cue dozens of cat calls and wolf-whistles and cheers. At last! Not only have you paid for this but by now you have fucking-well earned it.
Regardless of how good or bad the film was, coming out was like leaving a football match that you won: a huge crowd shuffling to the exits, everyone on a high. Getting back out onto the street was weird: you'd been in there for that long that the outside world now seemed a strange, alien place that you only barely remembered.
That was an event, easily surpassing what you can have at home, no matter how big your screen or how good the picture or sound. But going to the cinema today is not like that at all anymore.