TAKE EIGHTEEN

My Empire Bachelor Party

On July 2, 1980, my best friend Blaine and his wife Cindy took me to see “The Empire Strikes Back” at the Center Theater on the corner of State and Third South in Salt Lake City. Watching "Empire" became my bachelor party since tomorrow was my wedding day.

While we waited in line, Blaine pointed out everyone leaving the earlier showing who were not smiling. This did not bode well. I had avoided reading any of the reviews. I was hoping for the best.

I am growing hair out of my ears like Yoda!
Look so good at 53, I do not!

The movie did not disappoint. Blaine and I wanted our own snow speeders. I just added it to my “Star Wars” want list with the Millennium Falcon and an X-Wing fighter. Overall it was a wild ride.

There was no cake, drinking or strippers. Instead I met Yoda, the Emperor and Tan-tans. 

TAKE SEVENTEEN

The Good-Bye Girl

The date movie is so very important in my mind.  The first movie I took Ellen to while we were dating was a midnight showing of “The Good-bye Girl.”  The scene where Marsha Mason walks in on nude and guitar playing Richard Dreyfuss is where I heard Ellen laugh right out loud for the first time:


Mason:         “I thought you said you were decent!”

Dreyfuss:      “I am decent.  I’m also naked.”

TAKE SIXTEEN

Airplane!

"Don't call me Shirley."

Joey gets told how things really are in the NBA.

I decided that I would take my new bride on our honeymoon to see the kind of movie I liked.  We took the bus that look like a trolley to Trolley Square to see “Airplane!”  I cried with laughter the entire movie.  Every sight gag, every quote of dialogue that has now passed into the rich collective of movie quotes all cracked me up.  One problem.

Ellen did not understand "Airplane!"  I never saw her laugh once.  She called the movie strange.  She simply missed the point.  After thirty years of marriage she knows when I stop channel surfing to watch a scene from "Airplane!" or "Hot Shots!" she just shakes her head and lets me laugh.

TAKE FIFTEEN

Summer of 1980. 

I came across a list of movies that came out thirty years ago.  You see the highs (Empire Strikes Back) and the lows (Xanadu).

*Movies I saw that summer.
#Movies I saw later.

Friday, May 9, 1980
•    Friday the 13th
•    The Nude Bomb*
Friday, May 16, 1980
•    Breaker Morant
•    Fame #
•    The Long Riders*
Wednesday, May 21, 1980
•    The Empire Strikes Back *
Friday, May 23, 1980
•    The Gong Show Movie 
•    The Shining *
Friday, May 30, 1980
•    Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!)*
•    Joni
•    The Hollywood Knights
Friday, June 6, 1980
•    Up the Academy*
•    Urban Cowboy #
Friday, June 13, 1980
•    Mad Max *
•    The Island #
•    Wholly Moses!
Friday, June 20, 1980
•    The Blues Brothers #
•    Brubaker #
Friday, June 27, 1980
•    The Stunt Man 
Wednesday, July 2, 1980
•    Airplane! *
•    Alligator
Friday, July 4, 1980
•    The Blue Lagoon 
Friday, July 11, 1980
•    My Bodyguard*
•    Oh! Heavenly Dog #
•    Used Cars #
Friday, July 18, 1980
•    The Big Red One
•    Cheech & Chong's Next Movie
•    Honeysuckle Rose
•    Prom Night 
Friday, July 25, 1980
•    Caddyshack #
•    Dressed to Kill  #
Friday, August 1, 1980
•    The Final Countdown  #
Friday, August 8, 1980
•    Xanadu 
Friday, August 15, 1980
•    The Octagon
•    Smokey and the Bandit II

TAKE FOURTEEN

The Original “Tron.”

The original “Tron” held me spellbound when it came out in 1982.  The color and video game action was exciting.  I saw “Tron” six times.  The original "Tron" director, Steven Lisberger, ran into resistance by the old animators who feared the computer would replace them thus the animation department wanted anything to do with “Tron.”  It was a sad commentary on Disney’s closed corporate culture that would not change until Pixar came on board.  Here’s hoping that “Tron- Legacy” gives birth to a new vision. 

                                               END OF LINE.

              (YOU KNEW I HAD TO DO THAT!!!)

TAKE THIRTEEN

Fans waiting for Twilight. 

Waiting For the Future.

ComicCon just wrapped up and there is new trailer for “Tron- Legacy” to watch.  Five months and counting.  Five.  Four months before we see “Harry Potter” but still a long wait.  And six months to “Green Hornet!”  Gosh, I better start camping!

The reservation system at Jordan Commons does away with standing in lines to see a blockbuster movie.  You lock in a favorite seat and come on down.  I am waiting for two more items to appear.  Flying cars and the ability to fold space and time.

TAKE TWELVE

Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 (TS3) is the best Pixar as EVER done.  The pinnacle.  The top.   Just watch the first TS and compare it to TS3.  Try TS2 and then TS3.  Crayons and paper compared with computers.  (Yes, I know it was all computers but still, take a look.)  And yes, it is Oscar Worthy.

The real question is, what’s next?  Cars 2.  That makes my wife happy.  She loves the rusty old tow truck Mater.  She loves Mater’s buck teeth and voice.  Ok, then.  If I ever get rich, I want a big HD, Blu-Ray and a copy of Cars.  I have seen Cars on Blue-Ray and all I can say is, OOON GAA WAA!