I'm sorry, but in my neck of the woods, the deer are worst than the pizza-eating rats in NYC. They are so numerous where we are that they have thoroughly destroyed the understory vegetation, and, in some places have compromised the steep slopes surrounding the creeks that comprise the headwaters in our region's rivers.
Beautifully written as always! I come from a family of movie-watchers. Dad would rent movies and then use two VCRs to copy them. We were rebels! My husband and I bonded over the Star Wars movies and I'd hang out with him at the second-run theater where he worked. I worked in a theater, too, for a year back in 2013 and while the late nights were rough, seeing a movie start on the screen from the projection booth never lost its magic.
I love that you guys worked in a movie theater. I briefly dated a guy who did that too. It was THE job for teens back in the day! And your description of seeing the movie from the projection booth is magical. You need to put that in one of your books-or have you already?
This post was like a trip down memory lane. I left home to go to university right at the end of the 80s and was lucky enough to go to a city with a wonderful cinema that played all of the films you mentioned here, it was an art house/alternative cinema and I loved it. I was in there several times a week for the three years, I lived there. You are so right that it seems harder to find films like that now. I rarely watch films these days as those are my preference and I can’t seem to find them. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places.
We must be around the same age because I left for college in the late 80s too! One place I've found some good foreign and small studio films is on Kanopy. My library gives us a free subscription to the app (which I can download to my TV). I know a lot of libraries offer the service with their library cards. You might want to check it out. I think Hoopla is also available through libraries and they offer both books and movies. Here are some that I've loved lately: Miller's Girl (it's a bit racy), Phantom Thread (Netflix) as I mentioned, and Jeanne du Barry (don't let Johnny Depp dissuade you) (Kanopy). All of them are gorgeous to watch. We have a small theater in our little downtown that shows a mix of art and mainstream movies, so that make me happy too.
You've mentioned so many movies that I've heard about, but never watched: Cinema Paradiso for one. I'm always a bit intimidated by "artsy" movies -- when I do put myself out there I enjoy them, but too often I just reach for an easy film that doesn't require more from me than to just sit and passively take it in. You've inspired me to stretch (not as far as Blue Velvet though -- that movie pushed a couple buttons for me). Love this piece -- you took it in several really thought-provoking ways.
In a way, watching movies together is like reading a book with friends but you're doing it at the same time and able to have snacks.
So true. But I also have snacks when I'm reading. Let's face it, I can always find a reason to have snacks.
I'm sorry, but in my neck of the woods, the deer are worst than the pizza-eating rats in NYC. They are so numerous where we are that they have thoroughly destroyed the understory vegetation, and, in some places have compromised the steep slopes surrounding the creeks that comprise the headwaters in our region's rivers.
Beautifully written as always! I come from a family of movie-watchers. Dad would rent movies and then use two VCRs to copy them. We were rebels! My husband and I bonded over the Star Wars movies and I'd hang out with him at the second-run theater where he worked. I worked in a theater, too, for a year back in 2013 and while the late nights were rough, seeing a movie start on the screen from the projection booth never lost its magic.
I love that you guys worked in a movie theater. I briefly dated a guy who did that too. It was THE job for teens back in the day! And your description of seeing the movie from the projection booth is magical. You need to put that in one of your books-or have you already?
I haven't but it's a good idea.
This post was like a trip down memory lane. I left home to go to university right at the end of the 80s and was lucky enough to go to a city with a wonderful cinema that played all of the films you mentioned here, it was an art house/alternative cinema and I loved it. I was in there several times a week for the three years, I lived there. You are so right that it seems harder to find films like that now. I rarely watch films these days as those are my preference and I can’t seem to find them. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places.
We must be around the same age because I left for college in the late 80s too! One place I've found some good foreign and small studio films is on Kanopy. My library gives us a free subscription to the app (which I can download to my TV). I know a lot of libraries offer the service with their library cards. You might want to check it out. I think Hoopla is also available through libraries and they offer both books and movies. Here are some that I've loved lately: Miller's Girl (it's a bit racy), Phantom Thread (Netflix) as I mentioned, and Jeanne du Barry (don't let Johnny Depp dissuade you) (Kanopy). All of them are gorgeous to watch. We have a small theater in our little downtown that shows a mix of art and mainstream movies, so that make me happy too.
Just noticed you are in the UK-don't know if you have Kanopy or not. I know it gives me a ton of British shows. Father Brown is my comfort watch.
You've mentioned so many movies that I've heard about, but never watched: Cinema Paradiso for one. I'm always a bit intimidated by "artsy" movies -- when I do put myself out there I enjoy them, but too often I just reach for an easy film that doesn't require more from me than to just sit and passively take it in. You've inspired me to stretch (not as far as Blue Velvet though -- that movie pushed a couple buttons for me). Love this piece -- you took it in several really thought-provoking ways.
You were partly responsible for the inspiration of this essay! I’ll convert you yet!