The most vivid memory I have of going to the movie theater was in 1993.
I was seven going on eight years old and I desperately wanted to see the movie that the world seemed to be talking about at the time. It was an adventure flick directed by, uh, you know who I'm talking about, that guy who made the shark movie..? Steven Spielberg, that's it! Anyway, this new movie had all kinds of creatures that I'd only read about in books at that time, and not only that, but these fantastic beasts existed as the same time as us!
The movie was called 'Jurassic Park', and I couldn't wait to see it at the Lyric Theatre in Outlook.
The problem at that time was my age. I had to convince my mom to let me go with Marc and his mom to go see it, and she called Marc's mom Charlene to set up a sleepover at their house after the movie. It was all good in my book; go see the global blockbuster that everyone on Earth was raving about, and have a sleepover at my friend's house. Life was good.
All these years later, and I still have that memory burned into my brain. That's the power of the movies, you see. The power of GOING TO the movies.
I've been going to movies at the Lyric - now called the Reel Theatre - for many years now. It's a great local spot. The second you walk in, that smell of the popcorn hits you, you throw down a bill or two (strictly a cash operation here, folks), and you enjoy a flick. Fridays and Saturdays are great, but I'm a fan of Cheap Tuesdays, where every seat is $5. Grab some corn, a cold drink, and enjoy the ride for the next 90 minutes or couple of hours.
I have great memories of going to that theater over the years. My high school days meant that it was a priority hangout spot for my friends and I, where we saw a whole lot of entertainment and had a whole lot of fun. I can remember seeing Sam Raimi's 'Spider-Man' there and just being completely swept up in the story and the action. Or the remake of 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre', where we grinned and clapped at Leatherface's handiwork with a saw. Or when my buddy Kyle and I went and saw 'The Ring', an American take on a Japanese horror story that stayed with us for months. I still laugh when I remember that one of the girls in our class, who was seated a few rows behind us, screamed like, well, a girl at one of the scenes, putting the entire theater on edge. Or how about the time Outlook screened that infamous movie 'The Blair Witch Project' back in 1999? The movie that tried convincing everyone that it was 100% legitimate and that the events that take place are actually happening to real human beings? That one was an experience, that's for sure. The theater was absolutely packed, people brought in coolers of beer, and I could even smell some weed being lit up and passed around. Brother, it was a scene!
All these years later, and I still very much enjoy the theater-going experience. That damn Covid pandemic tried its best to snuff it out entirely, but the movies have roared back in passionate fashion. A movie about the iconic Barbie doll, for instance, has grossed more than $1.44 billion as of today. In another instance, a movie about the life and career of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, has grossed just under $1 billion. And in the most recent flurry of activity, a concert movie featuring superstar Taylor Swift has been making money hand over fist, prompting her fans to fill up many seats at movie theaters seemingly everywhere.
That last one is a rather remarkable marketing strategy. Apparently, Swift's team couldn't come to terms with a streaming service, so they bypassed everyone at once and took it straight to movie theaters. I can attest to its success, as I was just out to the movies this past Saturday night up in Saskatoon, and the Cineplex I was at had a ton of young ladies dressed to the nines who were all lining up to watch this concert flick.
And you know what? I smiled, because good for the movie theater! The pandemic may have forever altered our way of life in other ways, but I happen to believe that the movie theater is almost an essential service as far as getting some enjoyment out of life. People love to say today, 'Aw, I'll just watch it at home', and to that, my response is this: Go ahead and watch it at home, but just know that you will never, ever match the experience of seeing a horror, action, or superhero movie in a dark movie theater along with dozens of fellow movie lovers. Me, I'd rather go and support my local moviehouse to ensure it'll still be here a year from now. In a lot of ways, streaming has become overrated. You have to make your own snacks (which you also have to pay for, so that "my food is free!" argument is already dead), your TV just can't match the power of a massive HD projector screen (unless you're in a whole different tax bracket than most of us), and let's face it, you're inevitably going to pick up your stupid phone.
The movie theater? Nah, forget about all that other noise, be quiet, and just watch the show.
As for the Outlook moviehouse, I'm delighted to discover that it will be undergoing a bit of a cosmetic facelift with some renovations in November. I'm very curious about the direction that our local theater is headed into next. Onward and upward, in my book.
For this week, that's been the Ruttle Report.
