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Author Topic: Celluloid life changing moments ...
Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005


 - posted June 13, 2018 11:02 AM      Profile for Osi Osgood   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
A post that i put up today made me think of a question that I'm betting that may not have been asked before on this forum, (well, I don't remember it!)

What was the earth shattering, life changing moment for you, as a film lover, in the movie theater?

I'm not talking about our private theaters at home, but at the cinema?

My moment?

1977, OSI, age 10 and a half, seeing STAR WARS for the first time, in that front row, as that first scene began. The Rebel Blockade Runner being hotly pursued by the Star Destroyer.

I had loved science fiction for years, but I had seen "Logans Run" the previous year, and it didnt have that same feeling that i felt when I first saw STAR WARS.

It really was a life changing moment, as well as a Film business change moment when Star Wars was released.

You're life changing moments, ladies and gentleman?

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Rob Young.
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1633
From: Cheshire, U.K.
Registered: Dec 2003


 - posted June 13, 2018 11:26 AM      Profile for Rob Young.     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Osi, a lot of my family was involved with working in local cinemas. My great uncle was a projectionist, my grandmother worked at the local cinema when my mam & dad were kids. So my parents always loved the pictures.

My mam (it's a north-east of England thing instead of "mum") was always a keen film fan and I remember seeing Dr. Who & the Daleks, Herbie & Bambi when I was very young.

All of these made a lasting impression on me and I was always fascinated by the mechanics of the show as well as the entertainment.

I first saw Star Wars when I was 6, then numerous times again in the following years. Star Wars changed everything. Suddenly, anything was possible. Then The Empire Strikes Back showed a young kid that there literally was a whole universe of possibility out there.

But the one that really changed everything for me was Raiders of the Lost Ark. I was 11 and first saw it on holiday with my family on a small Scottish town. I knew about Lucas, I knew about Spielberg, but this was just amazing...action, laughs, real scares...I remember on that first of many, many viewings thinking, but who is responsible for how that shot looks, who makes that music, etc...

I'm pretty sure that movie is why I do the job I do now.

It's still my favourite film of all time, and as good as the Blu-ray is, it's still great to settle down and watch my super 8 feature now and again...every time, I feel 11 years old again.

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005


 - posted June 15, 2018 11:22 AM      Profile for Osi Osgood   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks for that story Rob!

There was actually a movie theater in Boise Idaho that had, on one of it's screen, "Raiders" playing for a whole year or more!

These day, you'd never see that kind of thing as films are pretty much a month or two tops.

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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David Hardy
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 955
From: Johnshaven Village , Montrose, Scotland
Registered: Jan 2015


 - posted June 16, 2018 04:50 AM      Profile for David Hardy     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The first film i saw in a cinema was "THE WIZARD OF OZ" I saw this with my mother when i was only 2 years old. I still have slight memories of this event. However when i was 4 years old and my father had to take me out of the cinema briefly as i was crying and absolutely terrified at what i was seeing in that darkened hall.

However he did convince me that what i was seeing was not real but an illusion on a big white screen and i returned to see the film and was fine after that.

That film was " THE 7th VOYAGE OF SINBAD " and i never looked back and my love for both those films and other films and cinemas remains to this day. I am now 64 years old.

It was that love that led to my career as a traditional old style cinema projectionist right up to the dawning of the digital movie era.

[Smile] [Smile] [Smile]

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" My equipment's more important than your rats. "

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Allan Broadfield
Master Film Handler

Posts: 452
From: Bromley, Kent
Registered: Nov 2010


 - posted June 16, 2018 05:09 AM      Profile for Allan Broadfield   Author's Homepage   Email Allan Broadfield   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Too far back to remember, but I may have worked with your great uncle, Rob, if his name was Jeff Young.

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Robert Crewdson
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1031
From: UK
Registered: Jun 2013


 - posted June 18, 2018 05:44 AM      Profile for Robert Crewdson     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Two films; De Mille's 'Ten Commandments'; I remember several of the scenes, the burning bush, the commandments being burned into the tablets, and the parting of the Red Sea, like it was yesterday. The other film that had an influence on me was 'Jason & the Argonauts'.

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Rob Young.
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1633
From: Cheshire, U.K.
Registered: Dec 2003


 - posted June 18, 2018 06:18 AM      Profile for Rob Young.     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi Allan, his name was Les, so unfortunately it wasn't him.

I remember going to see Star Trek with my sister, my uncle, my dad and Les. That was at out local cinema in Durham City.

So that was about 1979 and I was only 8, but I vividly remember at the end as the credits were running and we were leaving, the door to the projection booth was ajar and you could see the magic of the spools whirring.

Anyway, Les shoots off to the door and says, "let's see what they're using in here..."

My uncle tries to stop him with, "Les, you can't just go in there."

Les retorts with, "Of course I can, I'm a projectionist!"

And off he went.

Funny how you remember certain things. [Smile]

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Allan Broadfield
Master Film Handler

Posts: 452
From: Bromley, Kent
Registered: Nov 2010


 - posted June 19, 2018 05:13 PM      Profile for Allan Broadfield   Author's Homepage   Email Allan Broadfield   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks, rob. It was a long shot.

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Dave Groves
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 508
From: Southend on Sea, Essex, UK
Registered: Feb 2015


 - posted June 20, 2018 04:35 AM      Profile for Dave Groves     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The single screen Classic had paid £500 to have the stereo refurbished. The manager said 'Dave, you must come and see 'Close Encounters'. It's the big one' I joined the queue (all three of us) on that afternoon to be enthralled by a fantastic presentation. At the point where everyone is waiting for the spaceship/s to arrive, we see the uninvited interlopers also waiting in the rocks. Suddenly, this massive, gold, twinkling thing thing arises, filling one's viewpoint. My reaction was 'wow'. It was at this point I became aware of a feeling I had long forgotten. The feeling of awe and wonder. It lasted but a few seconds but it made such an impact I've never forgotten it.

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Dave

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Melvin England
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 707
From: Hull, East Yorkshire, UK
Registered: Feb 2016


 - posted June 20, 2018 06:32 AM      Profile for Melvin England     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
My Celluloid Life Changing Moment came precisely 3 minutes and 20 seconds after projecting my first ever 50' reel of Kodak KII that I had taken with my own camera!

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"My name is for my friends!"

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David Michael Leugers
Master Film Handler

Posts: 264
From: Fairfield, OH, USA
Registered: Feb 2004


 - posted June 21, 2018 01:01 AM      Profile for David Michael Leugers   Email David Michael Leugers   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Going to the great Paramount theater in Hamilton Ohio at the age of 5 to see my first film. A double bill with Gordon Scott as Tarzan in "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure" along with "The Man Who Could Cheat Death". What a great time.

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Live Free or Die

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005


 - posted June 21, 2018 11:39 AM      Profile for Osi Osgood   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Dave ...

You mentioned what I would have picked as my second film. I remember being awed at that moment as well. I hadn't seen any TV promos for it but my friends said, "You've got to see this!"

... so my dad and I went to the theater, (but dad hung out at the bar next door for first two thirds of the film), and it was cool to watch the remainder iof that film with Dad.

Another excellent example of special effects done right! I'm so glad that I grew up when I did. Special effects when they truly were special effects to be sure.

If I could add another that I would pick as my third one, the final special effects shot in "Poltergeist", when that house collapses in on itself and disappears! To this day, (since I've never watched how they did it), I am stilled awed by that special effect!

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Bryan Chernick
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 654
From: Bothell, WA, USA
Registered: Mar 2010


 - posted June 22, 2018 06:43 PM      Profile for Bryan Chernick   Email Bryan Chernick   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Osi, I think for me it was the same as your Star War experience. I was about the same age as you when I saw Star Wars in the theater. Right after that I begged my father to let me use his Bell & Howell 8mm camera so my friends and I could film our own Star Wars movie. We made space ships, painted a large black backdrop with stars, made androids... We dangled the space ships with fishing line and shot our space battle scenes. The end result was horrible but it did spark my interest in movies as well as shooting 8mm film, a hobby that I still pursue today.

Like you I had seen other science fiction like Star Trek reruns, Space 1999, etc, but Star Wars was so well done and had such great special effects it just blew me away. I'm sure it had the same effect on many people at the time, those special effects were groundbreaking.

I think Jaws was also a big one for me, at least it made me stop and think before I go swimming to this day.

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005


 - posted June 26, 2018 11:46 AM      Profile for Osi Osgood   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
It's funny that you should mention making you're own space film.

I made a little animated bit in honor of "Empire Strikes back", but I made each drawing so small that I didn't realize when i photographed it, I was way too close and it was all bluured out!
[Frown]

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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