Friday, September 22, 2023

Something Old is New Again

 With the vast selection of movies available on TV now and with the big screens to watch it on, I forgot about actually going to a theater.  I wasn't fond of the sticky floor, the fake butter on the popcorn and the effort of gong somewhere.

I can't even remember the last time I saw a movie in a theater.  

The theater we used to go to finally closed and was replaced by a new one attached to a nearby shopping mall.  It looked lovely from the outside, but I didn't consider actually going there.  Until this week.  I'm not sure why I agreed to go.  Was it the need to go out in the world, the fact that tickets were cheap, or the movie was  based on an Agatha Christie book that I had tried to read several times and never found out who did it. ?  

When we walked into the building, I felt like I was a stranger in a strange land.  The snack bar was more elaborate then the old popcorn, candy and soda offering from the old theater.  I was glad I wasn't thirsty because the array of drink dispensers with all kind of things to choose from was actually overwhelming.  No more ticket booth-- just machines.  And no more tickets--its all on your phone now.

The theater itself was an improvement over what it replaced.  There were buttons to make the seat recline and a little table for your snacks.  I declined the recline.  It was after nine and I was afraid too much comfort would send me off to sleepy town.  

Since it was late on a Tuesday night, the theater was mostly empty.  

 The movie finally began and with the big screen and the dark room, I got lost in it.  I forgot about time and all the things I needed to do.  No one interrupted  with something they needed right then.  It was a complete escape.  

A Haunting in Venice is very loosely based on the book I kept trying to read.  A major character in the book isn't even in the movie.  I enjoyed it anyway and it turns out the killer was the same in the movie and the book the book that was called HALLOWEEN, even though the circumstances were different. 

When it was over and we walked out in the parking lot,  I felt refreshed and understood all over again the appeal to going to a theater to see a movie.  Next up BARBIE.

10 comments:

Miss Merry said...

Love Barbie, I hope you do too.

I returned to the theater for the Downton Abbey movie. It was stupendous on the big screen. I took my own self, all by my self, twice - the second time just to look at the rooms and decor.

Patty said...

Good morning -- Going to the movie is fun -- we go every few months. Don't want to be a spoiler but I didn't enjoy the "Barbie" movie -- it wasn't at all what I was expecting. When I was 10 or so -- that was a long time ago -- we got a quarter on Saturdays to go to the movie -- a nickel each way for the bus, a dime for admission and a nickel for a bag of popcorn. Sometimes we walked home so we'd have another nickel to spend on treats. We never buy from the concession stand now -- smallest container of popcorn was $5.50 -- ridiculous.

I thoroughly enjoyed your Writer for Hire books -- great plots and the descriptions of Veronica's neighborhood are perfect. The storyline about the girl making ice cream was interesting. A man from Michoacan, Mexico, which is called the Ice Cream Capital of Mexico, opened an ice cream shop in our little Texas town. Made all sorts of different flavors -- avocado, rice pudding, cactus flower, corn, pickle juice. I was amazed at how good the corn was. My husband liked the pickle juice -- not to my taste.

Amazon says the new Molly book will be delivered on the 26th -- I'm ready!!

Another thing about the Writer book -- the fluoroscope brought back lots of memories. My mother was the bookkeeper at a family shoe store -- they had a fluoroscope and my brother and I thought it was great fun watching our toes wiggle inside of our shoes. Didn't seem to do us any harm.

Enjoy your weekend -- my grandson's 14th birthday is Monday -- we're celebrating over the weekend.

Betty Hechtman said...

Miss Merry, I still haven't seen the second Downton Abbey movie. I bet it was great on a big screen. I am fascinated by the rooms, too.

I am looking forward to Barbie.

Betty Hechtman said...

Patty, I used to go to the movies when I was a kid, too. In those days, the offering changed every Friday. I think it was a quarter to get in. fifteen cents for a box of plain popcorn and twenty-five cents for buttered popcorn.

Now, I don't really like to eat anything when I'm watching TV or a movie. I like to totally watch with no worries about dropping food on my clothes. But the prices are crazy. My son said he saw a father spend $83 dollars on popcorn and drinks for his family.

My uncle had a shoe store in Iowa. I went to visit and spent my time playing on the fluoroscope and with the monkey he kept at the store.

It was fun thinking up weird ice cream flavors for the book. I was inspired by seeing such flavors as goat cheese and olive at a local ice cream place and some olive oil and almond flavor I saw at the grocery store. Vanilla is still my favorite. Pickle juice ice cream! Not my taste either.

I hope your grandson has a happy birthday.

Linda O. Johnston said...

I've been going back to movies in theaters for a while because of a discount we get, every couple of weeks. Just saw Barbie and enjoyed it. A Haunting in Venice is next on my list. Good to hear your review of it!

Betty Hechtman said...

Linda, the interesting thing is that they toned it down from the Agatha Christie book. In the book the victim is a 13 year old girl and in the movie, the victim is an adult.

The discount thing is great. I think the tickets were $7.00.

Sally Morrison said...

I still love going to a movie theater. I went a lot as a kid and right up until Covid years. Then I think I lost the habit. I've gone a few times in the last two years. Still love it. I'm looking forward to seeing A Haunting in Venice. I'm skipping the Barbie movie because I'm not in the mood for the controversy. I loved playing with my Barbies growing up and I just want to stick with those memories.

chkntza said...

I started going back to the movie theatre when I had about 5 covid shots in me. I go in the afternoon and the theatre's are mostly empty. Except for the Barbie movie which was packed. I enjoyed the movie. When the trailer for the movie came out I thought I would never go see a Barbie movie but it was so good. I also just saw A Haunting in Venice and enjoyed it. I have not read the book yet.

Betty Hechtman said...

Sally, I had forgotten about how nice it was to be away from everything for awhile. I also appreciate the more comfortable seats. Hard to believe the used to straight backed and close to the row in front of you.

Betty Hechtman said...

Chkntza, we went to a late show on a Tuesday and it was empty. I am looking forward to seeing the Barbie movie because I have heard so much about. Halloween Party is totally different than A Haunting in Venice. Only some of the names are the same. Personally, I liked A Haunting in Venice more than the movie version of Halloween Party.