Blockbuster Movies
Yesterday was the opening of another summer blockbuster, the 6th movie in the Harry Potter series. Since the ds is at college orientation, I haven’t seen it yet. We’ve seen all the other movies together, have gone to the book release parties together, so it wouldn’t be right not to wait.This release had me thinking about other blockbuster movies.
“Jaws” was considered the first summer blockbuster. I was 9, so my mom didn’t let me see it.
“Star Wars,” we saw. All three of them. I think my mom even went to “The Empire Strikes Back.”
“ET” we saw in NJ when we were on vacation. I remember watching with my cousin who later was my maid of honor and my son’s godmother. We ate Reece’s Pieces. I don’t think I knew what they were before that.
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” we saw 4 times. It was when my uncle was living with us after his divorced and he LOVED that movie. We did, too.
“Jurassic Park.” My friends and I had read the book (I was already teaching, so I was in my 20s.) We were so excited about this movie. I remember they showed the T-Rex on GOOD MORNING AMERICA the morning the movie was released. I went to buy tickets for the evening movie at 11 AM (this was before Fandango) and the line was SO long! Then we met up to go see the movie, and loved it. I remember Denise snatching her legs up onto the seat when the little girl fell through the ceiling, and I remember standing outside the theater rehashing our favorite parts afterwards, and lamenting the parts that were left out of the book.
“Batman” with Michael Keaton—Prince on the soundtrack made this a win. Michael Keaton was no one’s pick for Bruce Wayne, but he was awesome. This was the first movie we bought on VHS.
“Ghostbusters 2”—I loved this movie. I was just married and we all went to see the late showing after work, my boss, my co-worker and the dh.
“Independence Day” Will Smith was GOLDEN. Jeff Goldblum, too. Who knew he was buff? Okay, I liked him in “Jurassic Park” but there was no muscle shirt involved. ANYWAY. Exploding landmarks, dogfights with aliens, and terrific dialogue. I know the resolution was iffy but it was so much fun. I can watch this movie over and over.
“King Kong” with Jessica Lange. Okay, it wasn’t a summer blockbuster but it’s the first movie I stood in line for. The line wrapped AROUND the theater. Again, before Fandango. Loved this one, too.
“Pirates of the Caribbean” HAD to see this one. HAD to. I remember it came out the week before we went to NYC for RWA National the first time I finalled in the Golden Heart. We saw the movie twice before we left, then bought the bootleg in Chinatown and watched it again the night we got home.
“Godzilla” I think this one released the last day of school one year. I remember being so excited about going to see it, because I LOVED “Independence Day” and the same guys did it. I HATED the movie. HATED.
“The Mummy Returns” We didn’t see the first Mummy movie in the theater, though I wanted to. But when we did see it, we loved it. So when the second one came out, we were there on opening night. It wasn’t nearly as good, but boy, did it have action. When we came out of the theater, it was storming, and we ran to the car through the flooding parking lot. We said we were like Rick, Evie and their son. My son loved the movie so much that we went to go see it at the IMAX before we left for New Orleans for the RWA conference. (Yes, the movie is that old.) I remember tricking him that we were going to see an “educational” movie, and we saw “The Mummy Returns” again.
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” wasn’t a summer blockbuster either. I remember being awed by how true to my vision Chris Columbus made the world. I went a second time with my step-dad and my brother and from the first strains of the theme, I was happy.
“Lord of the Rings”—I was dragged to this one, and was shocked at the cliffhanger ending. LOVED the second in the trilogy, though my son, in middle school at the time, had nightmares about it. Saw the third four times in the theater.
What blockbuster movies have you loved?
Labels: MJ Fredrick, summer movies
posted by MJFredrick @ 12:50 AM
7 Comments:
I recall when the second Star Wars movie came out - we picked our son up from school and surprised him with a trip to the theater.
Mostly, though, we wait for the crowds to die down, especially since we live in tourist town, and it becomes an environment less than my ideal for enjoying a movie. We're old fuddie-duddies now, and don't like the commercials (anyone remember when going to a movie included a cartoon or two, and a short subject, NOT advertising that you'd paid admission to see?)
We did 'celebrate' hubby's unemployment by going to an early show last week - we saw The Proposal and were 2 of 3 people in the theater.
I think our entire local multiplex was devoted to Harry Potter yesterday. I can wait.
But I DO want to see the Julia Child movie when it comes out. And hubby does too!
I remember when 'Forrest Gump' came out- my brother and I saw the 'making of' on HBO. I don't remember a lot of publicity about the movie other than that but the theater was packed solid when we got there and the rest they say is history.
When I think of blockbuster movies I think of the ones I waited in line to see: Star Trek (2-6), Star Wars (2-6), Terminator 2, and a host of others. Kind of fun to do that still though if you rattle off that list and there are younger moviegoers you might date yourself a little. And see their eyes go wide when you tell them this was before Fandango. >hee hee<
MJ,
I remember my mom making my sister and I go see Star Wars. We thought we wouldn't like it (because it was science fiction) and were wrong. It was great. Raiders of the Lost Ark was fabulous. I even had the poster in my college dorm room. I loved Purple Rain (my friends and I barely got seats), and the music in the movie was wonderful (my favorites were the title track and Let's Get Crazy). I have the soundtrack, too! Top Gun was another summer fav. Tom Cruise in a uniform--before his couch-jumping days. Recently, I saw The Proposal, which I loved. I'm looking forward to seeing Julia/Julie, too, Terry!
OMG, the typos! Yes, I wrote this late at night. Sorry!
Terry, I bet your son remembers that surprise. I think we did the same with Godzilla. And I think X-Men.
The boy and his girl are going to see HP tonight. They invited us, but my fuddie-duddie dh said no, and I'm behind on writing goals, anyhow.
Michele, I didn't see Forrest Gump until it was on video, and remember wondering what the fuss was about. The ds loves it, though.
There was another movie we waited in line for, besides King Kong, same theater, but I don't remember now which it was. Was the first Star Wars a big opener? I don't think it was.
Maureen, I know I saw Purple Rain in the theater because the dh is a huge fan, but not sure if I saw Top Gun. I think I must have, because remember the music video for "Danger Zone?" Like a long trailer ;)
Ah, summer blockbusters. I've loved many of the ones you highlighted, Mary, but I think my favs were the Bourne movies, which were all released in the summer. Bourne Identity, Bourne Supremacy, Bourne Ultimatum. I don't know why I went to the first one -- I never did find Matt Damon much of an attraction -- but oh, baby! He was a great Jason Bourne.
Sorry to be late adding. My younger brother dragged me to Star Wars ten times. Years later, I took myself to Fellowship of the Ring 34 times, Two Towers 7 times, and Return of the King 4 times. My work scheduled changed obviously. I worked afternoons and evenings with the first one, so I'd go to the first one of the day, and my work would show about the time I returned home.
I just returned from HP6, with my sister, my dad, my cousin, and my niece, three adults and two seniors. Indian Jones 1 I saw several times. IJ2 came out while I was in Thailand, and I saw it there, in Thai. Indy simply wasn't the same without the Harrison Ford voice.
I didn't see Forrest Gump until it came out on video. I've seen some of the Star Trek and wanted to see the last, but haven't made it. I also want to see the Julia Child movie, too!
Norah, I loved the first Bourne movie, but not the others. I think the romance won me over, and you're right about Matt Damon. He never did anything for me before but that first movie...mmm.
Judy!!!10 times for Star Wars? 34 times for Fellowship?? That's amazing. I don't like the theater too much, so the most I've seen anything (Raiders, Star Wars, Return of the King, PS I Love You, Dear Frankie) was 4 times. You may see a theme there-2 of those are Gerard Butler movies. May see The Ugly Truth as many times, esp. since it's summer ;)
You must see Star Trek. It's loads of fun.
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