I remember the first time I ever went to a movie theater. It was with my parents. The movie was “To Kill a Mockingbird” and I remember what it felt like sitting in that dark theater and being totally pulled into the story that was playing out on the big screen. It was in black and white and maybe that gave it some sort of otherworldly appeal or permission for me to fully commit and just be there. What I mean is, I understood on a very basic level that what I was watching was another story and not mine. And yet for those two hours and nine minutes it was and could be my story. I could — and did immerse myself into that world. I felt a close kinship to Scout. She was about my age, and I identified with her and I admired her and I felt scared for her and I was ashamed of her and I was proud of her.
I didn’t really understand what the story was all about when I was that age, all of the truly teaching moments embedded in there about racism and “them-ism,” classism — and and how cruel and judgmental people can be. But when I revisited the story years later by reading the book by Harper Lee in a high school English class, those underlying themes became more apparent.
Going down that movie memory rabbit hole began when I heard about Robert Duvall’s death on Feb. 15. What a great actor, giving us all great movie moments as “The Great Santini,” and Tom Hagan, consigliere to Don Corleone in “Godfather I” and “Godfather II.” Duvall’s first film role was as Boo Radley in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” RIP, Robert Duvall.
Misty memories
Which gets me to the crux of this column. It all made me think about how certain movies stand out in our memories, flashing on the marquees of our lives, some marking life’s passages, some perhaps leaving indelible marks in our psyches that may have been instrumental in shaping our lives. I remember watching the 1931 version of “Frankenstein” with Boris Karloff and being so scared during the scene where the monster is on fire that I kept running up to the TV and turning it off. Other movies etched into my childhood include “The Wizard of Oz,” which, when I was growing up was shown annually for years around Thanksgiving. Then, there was “Old Yeller,” one of the saddest movies ever. Just thinking about it nearly brings me to tears as I am writing this. My dad took me for a rare movie outing to see a double feature: “Dr. No,” and “From Russia with Love,” turning me into a James Bond fan for life and making a unique father-daughter memory.
When I was in junior high, I saw “2001: A Space Odyssey” and it blew my mind, no psychedelics involved, just as I imagine it did for about everyone. It was so beautiful and at the same time so ethereal and spooky. And it opened our minds to imagining the “what if” of space travel, offering us a glimpse that made it seem possible, as if it could be as natural and ubiquitous as getting on a bus to go downtown.
I could go on and on about my “movie life,” but enough about me. It’s all made me wonder about other people’s experiences … what movies may have shaped their lives.
My daughter Tracy’s first big movie experience was “Star Wars.” I don’t remember which one it was, but I do remember that she was so excited to see it, she insisted we all sit in the front row of the theater.
Individual favorites
If you would ever get into a movie conversation with either of my two boys, they might tell you how I scarred their lives when they were little by letting them watch “It.” In my defense, it was a two-part miniseries showing on ABC in prime time — how could it be so bad?
On Thursday I went to lunch at T. Paul’s Supper Club (it’s their 26th anniversary year) and asked our server, Hailey, about her movie-watching experiences. She didn’t skip a beat. “Hannah Montana: The Movie,” was one of her first big movie moments. And “The Notebook” is one she likes to revisit, she said.
“The Neverending Story,” was momentous for The Astorian’s office manager, Anne Williams. Other meaningful productions included some on the smaller screen, including “Anne of Green Gables” and “Anne of Avonlea” — the ’80s mini series on PBS — plus the ’80s BBC rendition of “Secret Garden.”
Reporter Jay Corella said the first movie he can remember watching was “‘Cars,’ which I tortured my parents with rewatches for years.” And when he was in fifth grade, “The Avengers” came out. “It was the first time I had ever been excited to see a movie in a theater. On that Friday, my father picked my brother and I up from school where we went directly to the theater to see it. … That movie is what made me appreciate the experience of seeing a movie in theaters.”
“Cars” was also a magic moment for Paul Matli, sports reporter. “I became a racing fan after ‘Cars,’” he said.
For reporter Aislin Tweedy, movies were often a family affair. “I recall a phase for years where we would have yearly 12-plus-hour straight marathons of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ — the extended (version). ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is a transformative movie.”
Other movies “that truly shaped me through my childhood would have to be ‘A Bug’s Life,’ ‘Brother Bear’ and ‘Howl’s Moving Castle.’” Aislin said “Brother Bear” was one of the only movies “that had an ounce of Indigenous representation; I believe the story was important for me as I grew up. Seeing people who shared my features was rare growing up.
“A Bug’s Life” fostered her love for journalism and “‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ is still one of my favorite movies today. The animation, story and flaws of each character are organic and human. I also am a huge fan of Studio Ghibli.”
AOL email was launched in 1993, just in time to be a huge plot point in our newest reporter’s favorite rom-com, “You’ve Got Mail.” It’s her “ultimate comfort movie,” said reporter Abigail Jablon, and it continues to be a force in her life. “(It) romanticizes love, yes, but also sharpened pencils, vintage books and cappuccinos. Even now, when the world is all just a bit overwhelming, I think ‘What would Kathleen Kelly do?,’ and I always come to the conclusion that she would watch a Norah Ephron film under a cozy blanket. So that’s what I do.”
Another movie that left a mark in Abby’s life includes the first one she saw in a theater, “Polar Express. My dad took me when I was 3, and my memory of the film itself is fuzzy, but the magic of the holiday season compounded with the enchantment of the movie theater made me feel like the luckiest kid in the world. My dad even bought me a little Polar Express snow globe that I showcased on my bedroom shelf for years to come.”
Heather Douglas, Our Coast Weekend editor, has a movie memory that may be close to home for many of you, dear readers.
“There was an outdoor drive-in theater in Gearhart in the 1980s and my parents loaded up our station wagon and my sister (I rode in the back) in our pajamas — no seat belts in those days — and we saw ‘E.T.’ I remember vividly how sad it was when E.T. got sick and he was lying in the gutter.”
Another movie moment for Heather was watching “Napoleon Dynamite,” which is highly underrated, she said. “Nothing is out of place and it’s a masterpiece. It was created on a shoestring budget. When I saw it in the theater, my friend was laughing so loudly I thought we were going to get kicked out.”
Want a sequel?
Movies can take us away from shocking news headlines, from a dreary sad day … from ourselves. Movies can make us laugh, cry or ponder the great “what ifs.” I’ve read recently that the movie industry is dying, not enough people are going to theaters and so the studio bigwig muckety-mucks are re-thinking the whole industry. I hope that’s not true, and I encourage you to keep making your own movie memories.
And by the way, what are some of your favorites? Send them my way and if I get enough, we’ll be doing a “Movie magic moments” sequel. Stay tuned.
Jeanne Huff is the editor at The Astorian. You can reach her at: jeanne.huff@dailyastorian.com