A movie you'll never forget...

[lspencer534]

For me it's The Last Picture Show.

Released in 1971 to critical acclaim and public controversy, The Last Picture Show garnered eight Academy Award nominations and was hailed as the most important work by a young American director since Citizen Kane. A surprisingly frank, bittersweet drama of social and sexual mores in small-town Texas, the film features a talent-laden cast led by Jeff Bridges (The Mirror Has Two Faces), Cybill Sheperd (TV's "Cybill") and Timothy Bottoms (The Man in the Iron Mask). Cloris Leachman (TV's "The Mary Tyler Moore Show") and Ben Johnson (Rio Grande) each won Oscars for their work in supporting roles.

The episodic, bleak and mournful film was shot on location over an eleven-week period in northwestern Texas in a dusty, wind-swept, one-horse, declining small-town that was on the verge of being forgotten in the early 1950s. Director Peter Bogdanovich's work recaptures and recreates the period of the early 50s (between WWII and the Korean War). One of the film's posters declared it as "the picture show that introduced America to the forgotten 50's."

I can still recall how moved I was when I first watched the movie in a theater. It was quite a change from your usual film back then.

The Last Picture Show - Trailer - YouTube

Yours?

[DukeAllen]

I have a lot of favorites, but as far as unforgettable for being touching or deep...I can't think of many. I remember seeing Awakenings and leaving the theater feeling down...

[MrPeabody]

For me I guess it was American Graffiti. It was ten years later, but I lived the life depicted in that movie ten years after the period it was set in, which means I was living it when the movie came out, and I was pretty much in the same locale.

I always thought I enjoyed watching the movie so much (I've seen it close to 100 times) because in my youth I knew someone who was like each of the characters in it. Of course, having one of the faster cars in town, my ego made me think I was John Milner. Then I saw an interview with George Lucas and he explained that the movie was autobiographical, and it told the story of everything that happened to him in high school condensed into one night and spread out among a handful of characters.

And I realized that was exactly it. Some nights I was John Milner, some nights I was Ron Howard's character, some nights I was Toad, etc. If I was ten years older and I knew George Lucas, I'm sure we would have had some wild times together.

[Grey Ghost]

I loved Friday, growing up. Being out of school and the whole weekend ahead of you. I would get a new model kit to build over the w/e. Go to the movies or drive-in that night with my friends. It didn't matter what was showing. It was just the thing to do and place to be. Then more junk food after the show. A simple and inexpensive routine full of fun and memories.

My first R rated movie was the original 'Walking Tall'. Parents had to go with us.

[Giraffe (He/Him)]

Jaws, 1975. Not a fukin' care in the world in '75.

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by Grey Ghost

I loved Friday, growing up. Being out of school and the whole weekend ahead of you. I would get a new model kit to build over the w/e. Go to the movies or drive-in that night with my friends. It didn't matter what was showing. It was just the thing to do and place to be. Then more junk food after the show. A simple and inexpensive routine full of fun and memories.

My first R rated movie was the original 'Walking Tall'. Parents had to go with us.

I didn'y lmpw that Walking Tall was R-rated. The violence?

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by MrPeabody

For me I guess it was American Graffiti. It was ten years later, but I lived the life depicted in that movie ten years after the period it was set in, which means I was living it when the movie came out, and I was pretty much in the same locale.

I always thought I enjoyed watching the movie so much (I've seen it close to 100 times) because in my youth I knew someone who was like each of the characters in it. Of course, having one of the faster cars in town, my ego made me think I was John Milner. Then I saw an interview with George Lucas and he explained that the movie was autobiographical, and it told the story of everything that happened to him in high school condensed into one night and spread out among a handful of characters.

And I realized that was exactly it. Some nights I was John Milner, some nights I was Ron Howard's character, some nights I was Toad, etc. If I was ten years older and I knew George Lucas, I'm sure we would have had some wild times together.

Very interesting! Did you listen to Wolfman Jack?

[Grey Ghost]

Originally Posted by MrPeabody

For me I guess it was American Graffiti. It was ten years later, but I lived the life depicted in that movie ten years after the period it was set in, which means I was living it when the movie came out, and I was pretty much in the same locale.

I always thought I enjoyed watching the movie so much (I've seen it close to 100 times) because in my youth I knew someone who was like each of the characters in it. Of course, having one of the faster cars in town, my ego made me think I was John Milner. Then I saw an interview with George Lucas and he explained that the movie was autobiographical, and it told the story of everything that happened to him in high school condensed into one night and spread out among a handful of characters.

And I realized that was exactly it. Some nights I was John Milner, some nights I was Ron Howard's character, some nights I was Toad, etc. If I was ten years older and I knew George Lucas, I'm sure we would have had some wild times together.

Same, can quote every line LOL My friend even built two tribute cars. I also enjoyed Vanishing Point and Two Lane Blacktop. Aloha Bobby and Rose, had a cool Camaro, but the movie sucked.

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by Grey Ghost

Same, can quote every line LOL My friend even built two tribute cars. I also enjoyed Vanishing Point and Two Lane Blacktop. Aloha Bobby and Rose, had a cool Camaro, but the movie sucked.

I'm sure you know that the '55 in AG is the same one used in TLB.

[C5SilverBullet]

I'll never forget going to watch The Dark Knight. It is while I was living in Chicago (where most of it was filmed), and the atmosphere was just amazing.

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by Thomas

Jaws, 1975. Not a fukin' care in the world in '75.

This scene I'll never forget. Dreyfuss said that as an actor one often has to feign interest in the story another actor is telling, but that Shaw's tale was "one of the most riveting things he'd ever seen or heard."

QUINT'S USS INDIANAPOLIS SPEECH - YouTube

[Grey Ghost]

Originally Posted by lspencer534

I didn'y lmpw that Walking Tall was R-rated. The violence?

Had nudity, too. Brenda Benet (Bill Bixby's wife) at the bar in a black see-thru thing /drool. She was gorgeous. Killed herself after the death of their son.

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by lspencer534

Very interesting! Did you listen to Wolfman Jack?

I lived in San Jose, a little too far north for him to reach. (he broadcast out of Mexico with a signal so strong it was illegal in the USA) I do remember being on a Boy Scout campout in Turlock and listening to him, though. He was more of a southern and central California thing.

They make a reference to the town of Turlock in AG, and at the end of the movie they say Ron Howard's character is an insurance salesman in Modesto. Either of those towns would work as the location of the story. In reality it was filmed mostly in Santa Rosa and Petaluma. The Mel's drive-in in the movie was in San Francisco. It had been closed and had to be renovated a bit for the movie.

The Sequel, More American Graffiti did some scenes at Fremont dragstrip, where I did my drag racing in the late 60s and early 70s. The official at the starting line was the real guy who did that job at the strip.

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by Grey Ghost

Had nudity, too. Brenda Benet (Bill Bixby's wife) at the bar in a black see-thru thing /drool. She was gorgeous. Killed herself after the death of their son.

I didn't remember that. I'll have to watch it again....

[Grey Ghost]

Originally Posted by MrPeabody

I'm sure you know that the '55 in AG is the same one used in TLB.

Yep, I've lusted for a 2 dr. '55 post for a long while. They built three for TLB. The guy said by the time they filmed AG, they had to rob pieces from the others to keep it going for AG. It can also be spotted in TLB form in an episode of Adam-12 (The Dinosaur). I spotted the '32 in an episode of 'Emergency'. There is a cult following for those movie cars. A couple of nice websites with all the history. One guy in Maryland owns the TLB camera platform car. He takes it to shows in TLB setup. James Taylor even had him bring it to one of his concerts for him to see again in person.

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by Grey Ghost

I loved Friday, growing up. Being out of school and the whole weekend ahead of you. I would get a new model kit to build over the w/e. Go to the movies or drive-in that night with my friends. It didn't matter what was showing. It was just the thing to do and place to be. Then more junk food after the show. A simple and inexpensive routine full of fun and memories.

My first R rated movie was the original 'Walking Tall'. Parents had to go with us.

My first R rated movie was Woodstock, I think. "GIMME AN F!"

[aj]

30 Seconds over Tokyo
Bridges at Toko-Ri
Bambi

[The Cripp]

Strategic Air Command (SAC) 1953

Corny... but Jim Stewart enjoyed making that, because it mirrored his post-war flying days in the USAF.

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by Grey Ghost

Yep, I've lusted for a 2 dr. '55 post for a long while. They built three for TLB. The guy said by the time they filmed AG, they had to rob pieces from the others to keep it going for AG. It can also be spotted in TLB form in an episode of Adam-12 (The Dinosaur). I spotted the '32 in an episode of 'Emergency'. There is a cult following for those movie cars. A couple of nice websites with all the history. One guy in Maryland owns the TLB camera platform car. He takes it to shows in TLB setup. James Taylor even had him bring it to one of his concerts for him to see again in person.

Another thing that fascinates me about that movie is how some of the actors went on to be the biggest deals in Hollywood and some of them all but disappeared. I knew a guy who had a one-line part in the movie from community college. He liked to tell the horror story about the extras from the sock hop scenes who had to line up for 1962 haircuts to get a day or two of pay.

I think they used three '55s in AG. the main one, one camera car with the right side cut out, and the one they rolled in the drag racing scene.

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by The Cripp

Strategic Air Command (SAC) 1953

Corny... but Jim Stewart enjoyed making that, because it mirrored his post-war flying days in the USAF.

One of the great aviation movies, for sure.