Not long ago I had a wonderful opportunity to see my all time favorite movie on the big screen the way it was originally shown some 70 years ago. Saying the big screen these days could mean many things like, “I watched it on my big flat screen at home.” That is not the case here. I have not made the jump to light speed from my 31 inch, 200 pound monster to a flat screen yet…YET, but my pennies are adding up!!!! No, in this case I am talking about a movie theater.
For the 70th Anniversary of the release, it was being shown for one night at theaters across the country. The movie, Casablanca . Now some of you might be saying, “Wait, isn’t that on VHS, and DVD?” My response is yes, yes it is. And I own it. As a matter of fact I watched it just a few days before I went to the theater. But there is something about watching a movie in a theater, a full theater at that. It’s a different atmosphere. That was especially true with Casablanca. I was one of the first people in (I did that on purpose) and I watched as person after person filed in, people of every age and color. It was amazing to see.
There was also a mischievous side about my thinking. As I sat there and watched I thought, “OMG, there are people walking in here old enough to have probably attended the original theatrical release in 1942.”…and then they walked in, an entire family, four generations worth…Great grandparent, grand parents, parents, and children. Needless to I was right in my thinking. They took seat right behind me and I listened closely as the older folks talked of how they saw that original screening in 1942. The chief comments though were the difference between what they paid then (.35 to .50 cents) vice the $13.50 they just had to pay. Either way, I was sitting in awe and just thought how cool was that that they all could all come together to see the show? It reminded me of how I am now sharing my love of classic TV and movies with my family. My boys sit with me as I watch McHale’s Navy, Hogan’s Heroes, M*A*S*H, the original Hawaii Five-0, and many movies from the golden era. But that’s another story…
Now I have to confess. Casablanca wasn’t always my all time favorite. I didn’t fall in love with it right away. It’s not that it took me several views to get into it…it was more like…well...Once upon a time I bought Casablanca as a Laser Disc. Anyone remember those? It looked like a DVD although bigger, and played like a DVD, but was very reminiscent of a record not only because of its size but also in that you had to turn it over half way through the movie to see the second half. OK, back to the story…
I have a really bad habit of trying to start a movie late at night after a long day at work and just before bed. Needless to say, I would fall asleep shortly after the movie started. My slumber had nothing to do with the movie mind you. I can fall asleep through movies like, Gladiator and the Patriot during an action scene if it was late enough. Out of frustration, I finally made it a point one Saturday morning after a decent night’s sleep to sit and watch the movie. With coffee in hand I hit play on the remote…it was love at first sight.
For the 70th Anniversary of the release, it was being shown for one night at theaters across the country. The movie, Casablanca . Now some of you might be saying, “Wait, isn’t that on VHS, and DVD?” My response is yes, yes it is. And I own it. As a matter of fact I watched it just a few days before I went to the theater. But there is something about watching a movie in a theater, a full theater at that. It’s a different atmosphere. That was especially true with Casablanca. I was one of the first people in (I did that on purpose) and I watched as person after person filed in, people of every age and color. It was amazing to see.
There was also a mischievous side about my thinking. As I sat there and watched I thought, “OMG, there are people walking in here old enough to have probably attended the original theatrical release in 1942.”…and then they walked in, an entire family, four generations worth…Great grandparent, grand parents, parents, and children. Needless to I was right in my thinking. They took seat right behind me and I listened closely as the older folks talked of how they saw that original screening in 1942. The chief comments though were the difference between what they paid then (.35 to .50 cents) vice the $13.50 they just had to pay. Either way, I was sitting in awe and just thought how cool was that that they all could all come together to see the show? It reminded me of how I am now sharing my love of classic TV and movies with my family. My boys sit with me as I watch McHale’s Navy, Hogan’s Heroes, M*A*S*H, the original Hawaii Five-0, and many movies from the golden era. But that’s another story…
Now I have to confess. Casablanca wasn’t always my all time favorite. I didn’t fall in love with it right away. It’s not that it took me several views to get into it…it was more like…well...Once upon a time I bought Casablanca as a Laser Disc. Anyone remember those? It looked like a DVD although bigger, and played like a DVD, but was very reminiscent of a record not only because of its size but also in that you had to turn it over half way through the movie to see the second half. OK, back to the story…
I have a really bad habit of trying to start a movie late at night after a long day at work and just before bed. Needless to say, I would fall asleep shortly after the movie started. My slumber had nothing to do with the movie mind you. I can fall asleep through movies like, Gladiator and the Patriot during an action scene if it was late enough. Out of frustration, I finally made it a point one Saturday morning after a decent night’s sleep to sit and watch the movie. With coffee in hand I hit play on the remote…it was love at first sight.
As you really start to get into the characters you can’t help but relate and enjoy them. The cast; Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, and Claude Raines. As you watch you find it’s one of those films where you can’t imagine anyone else playing those parts, it was a one of a kind cast. They’ve tried to remake Casablanca over the years, it didn’t work. I’m not going to go into details about the movie. If you’ve never seen it, do so.
Casablanca was rated number two behind “Citizen Kane”, another classic from 1941, on the all time 100 best movies ever made. There were also many documentaries made about Casablanca, one of which was shown before the movie in the theater. When you see and hear the stories behind the production you have to wonder how the heck it was completed at all much less becoming a classic. But it is a fascinating story and a wonderful movie. It has a combination of mystery, intrigue, comedy, and suspense. It also gives you a chance to use your imagination, something movies today don’t allow you to do. I’ll give you a hint at what I mean:
Today in movies, in order to kill someone (or something) using a gun, you need a spray of bullets to accomplish the task. You even have to be shown the bloody details. In Casablanca and other classics...one bullet, just one, gets the job done. You don’t have to see the wound, if someone gets shot and they don’t get up, you can safely assume they are not going to. If by chance they do, it usually only takes one more shot, you don’t have to empty your clip.
Today in movies, in order to kill someone (or something) using a gun, you need a spray of bullets to accomplish the task. You even have to be shown the bloody details. In Casablanca and other classics...one bullet, just one, gets the job done. You don’t have to see the wound, if someone gets shot and they don’t get up, you can safely assume they are not going to. If by chance they do, it usually only takes one more shot, you don’t have to empty your clip.
One thing that mystifies me about the movie was the cigarette use. Granted, the movie takes at a time where smoking was the thing to do, it was cool. And of course “Rick’s Café Americane ” is a night club so I guess I have to allow for that. But wow, the amount of smoking! One after another, after another. Humphrey Bogart in practically every scene he was in fired up cigarette if not more than one. And as I watched, one person smoking compelled another to light up. As they are talking one would blow smoke in another’s face and it wouldn’t faze them, not even a blink, not a single cough. If that were now days people’s hands fly around like someone walked in to a swarm of mosquitoes! What amazed me more than anything was Ingrid Bergman; She didn’t smoke (at least not in the movie). How she was able to get through her smoke filled scenes and still kept a straight face is beyond my comprehension.
All that aside, I loved the experience. It was amazing to be in a room with fellow fans and watch such a great movie. The best way to put it is like this…Casablanca wasn’t released 70 years ago. It wasn’t on DVD, or VHS. For those in the room it was right there and then. As many times as I’ve seen it, that night the lines from the movie were fresh. We all gasped where a gasp we needed. We laughed where something funny occurred. We jumped when a shot was fired. I am pretty sure that if there had been a second screening, we all would have stayed for it. It was totally worth the ticket price…and the medium popcorn…with butter…and large soda!
Again, I won’t go into details about the movie, if you haven’t seen it…shame on you!! I urge you to do so. I have noticed that some theaters are now showing some of the old movies on a regular basis…I applaud that. Here’s a suggestion, Cary Grants, “Father Goose” on the big screen!
All that aside, I loved the experience. It was amazing to be in a room with fellow fans and watch such a great movie. The best way to put it is like this…Casablanca wasn’t released 70 years ago. It wasn’t on DVD, or VHS. For those in the room it was right there and then. As many times as I’ve seen it, that night the lines from the movie were fresh. We all gasped where a gasp we needed. We laughed where something funny occurred. We jumped when a shot was fired. I am pretty sure that if there had been a second screening, we all would have stayed for it. It was totally worth the ticket price…and the medium popcorn…with butter…and large soda!
Again, I won’t go into details about the movie, if you haven’t seen it…shame on you!! I urge you to do so. I have noticed that some theaters are now showing some of the old movies on a regular basis…I applaud that. Here’s a suggestion, Cary Grants, “Father Goose” on the big screen!