Behemoth 1980 was a very good film release year for the Flick cinema. In fact, if diversification is taken into account, it may well have been one of the very best. It was also a pretty nice one for me personally, with a new girlfriend, a very nice two-week vacation, and a belated but much needed go at higher education at the local technical college.
Joel, the other manager at the Flick, saw in the new year by starting a romance with a girl from New Jersey, that quickly led to an engagement. Unfortunately, though, that relationship was to hit a rough spot down the road and had to be put off for a while. We'll certainly get to that intriguing little story in a bit.
Pop T picked four of the top ten blockbuster movies that first year of the new decade, with features that generally scored big, like Superman II, Stir Crazy, Private Benjamin and The Fog. The latter is a creepy one with Adrienne Barbeau and a very young Jamie Lee Curtis. It was directed by the talented and insightful John Carpenter.
The Flick also played Coal Miner's Daughter with Sissy Spacek and The Blue Lagoon with Brooke Shields, along with Smokey and the Bandit II starring Burt Reynolds, Jackie Gleason, and Sally Fields again. This second outing of the Smokey series pleased and delighted audiences nearly as much as the first one had, even though Citizens Band radio, or CB, and its driver "handles" were losing popularity by then, folks still, and probably always will, love fast cars and cowboy hats.
Joel, the other manager at the Flick, saw in the new year by starting a romance with a girl from New Jersey, that quickly led to an engagement. Unfortunately, though, that relationship was to hit a rough spot down the road and had to be put off for a while. We'll certainly get to that intriguing little story in a bit.
Pop T picked four of the top ten blockbuster movies that first year of the new decade, with features that generally scored big, like Superman II, Stir Crazy, Private Benjamin and The Fog. The latter is a creepy one with Adrienne Barbeau and a very young Jamie Lee Curtis. It was directed by the talented and insightful John Carpenter.
The Flick also played Coal Miner's Daughter with Sissy Spacek and The Blue Lagoon with Brooke Shields, along with Smokey and the Bandit II starring Burt Reynolds, Jackie Gleason, and Sally Fields again. This second outing of the Smokey series pleased and delighted audiences nearly as much as the first one had, even though Citizens Band radio, or CB, and its driver "handles" were losing popularity by then, folks still, and probably always will, love fast cars and cowboy hats.
One of Pop T's and Mr. B's old drive-in projection rooms.
Behemoth bested by Pacman ...
More great features were shown like Urban Cowboy starring John Travolta, with Debra Winger as his love interest, and the very first Friday the 13th with a debuting Kevin Bacon. There was Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull starring Robert De Niro and Somewhere in Time with Jane Seymour, and the actor who became a Superman in real life, Christopher Reeves.
It was while Urban Cowboy was playing that our twenty-something, Neandertal-looking friend from the 1979 chapter called Behemoth (self-named by the way), came into the theater one afternoon to play some Pacman. This was the first of the new game machines Pop T had installed in the lobby, quarters split 50/50 with the game company. After a while, Behemoth became highly upset when he wasn't doing as well as he wanted to on it. Newbie employee Ricky added to his building rage by making the mistake of calling him no good at the game.
It was while Urban Cowboy was playing that our twenty-something, Neandertal-looking friend from the 1979 chapter called Behemoth (self-named by the way), came into the theater one afternoon to play some Pacman. This was the first of the new game machines Pop T had installed in the lobby, quarters split 50/50 with the game company. After a while, Behemoth became highly upset when he wasn't doing as well as he wanted to on it. Newbie employee Ricky added to his building rage by making the mistake of calling him no good at the game.
The normally unconsciously rude, but placid Behemoth, stopped playing at this and began to kick and spit on the newly installed dot gobbler. When this action failed to alleviate his anger enough, he turned and stalked out of the lobby, calling Ricky and myself whores and bitches the whole time. We thought, hey, it's over - until I spotted the crazed boy gunning his car straight for the pane glass doors at the entrance to the cinema that is!
Fortunately for all concerned, he stopped just short of a catastrophic collision, then backed up a bit and roared out of the parking lot, cursing all the way with his window down. Behemoth had been a very bad boy that day and was banned from hanging around the lobby for three months, after which he returned like nothing wrong had taken place or happened. Yes, we were pretty decent folk at the Flick I reckon.
There was only one other business in town that would tolerate his loafing and rambling on about movies like the 1959 monster film called The Giant Behemoth ( his favorite I suppose, since that's where he took his moniker from) and, Haley Mills in Disney's 1961 film Pollyanna, not to mention his never ending diatribes against women wearing pants. You've heard of chest and leg men, well, odd-acting Behemoth was definitely a dress man. He simply couldn't talk enough about his disgust with pants wearing women.
He'd get kicked out of one place for a while and then just go to the other one till they booted him out for whatever period of time. Back and forth is what it was with the, ahem, lovable fellow. This semi anti-social dude could only get a job delivering newspapers and magazines to the convenience stores late at night, where there was minimal contact with the public; but, we really did enjoy and try to help the boy, when he behaved that is. And that was most of the time believe it or not.
Fortunately for all concerned, he stopped just short of a catastrophic collision, then backed up a bit and roared out of the parking lot, cursing all the way with his window down. Behemoth had been a very bad boy that day and was banned from hanging around the lobby for three months, after which he returned like nothing wrong had taken place or happened. Yes, we were pretty decent folk at the Flick I reckon.
There was only one other business in town that would tolerate his loafing and rambling on about movies like the 1959 monster film called The Giant Behemoth ( his favorite I suppose, since that's where he took his moniker from) and, Haley Mills in Disney's 1961 film Pollyanna, not to mention his never ending diatribes against women wearing pants. You've heard of chest and leg men, well, odd-acting Behemoth was definitely a dress man. He simply couldn't talk enough about his disgust with pants wearing women.
He'd get kicked out of one place for a while and then just go to the other one till they booted him out for whatever period of time. Back and forth is what it was with the, ahem, lovable fellow. This semi anti-social dude could only get a job delivering newspapers and magazines to the convenience stores late at night, where there was minimal contact with the public; but, we really did enjoy and try to help the boy, when he behaved that is. And that was most of the time believe it or not.
A Diamond nail file and an anti-mugging whistle Mr. B would present to many ladies when he first met them.
Spring films, Mr. B's antics and his Elvis recollection ...
Steven Spielberg's film 1941 should have been a winner. With Jaws and CE3K behind him, exhibitors had high hopes for this 1979 Christmas time release. Starring Saturday Night Live star John Belushi in a World War 2 comedy/drama with the hottest director in town, it certainly had all the right ingredients for success.
The movie had decent moments and taken on a scene by scene basis, it is a good film; but the scenarios just didn't fit as well together as they might have, and above all, Belushi just plain out wasn't that funny in it. The people were expecting an Animal House hilarity but this one didn't deliver so the movie dive-bombed, badly. Before watching it on Netflix or something recently, the only part I could really remember well was the Ferris wheel rolling down on it's path of mayhem and destruction at the end.
The movie had decent moments and taken on a scene by scene basis, it is a good film; but the scenarios just didn't fit as well together as they might have, and above all, Belushi just plain out wasn't that funny in it. The people were expecting an Animal House hilarity but this one didn't deliver so the movie dive-bombed, badly. Before watching it on Netflix or something recently, the only part I could really remember well was the Ferris wheel rolling down on it's path of mayhem and destruction at the end.
Coal Miner's Daughter opened in March of 1980 and surprised even non-country music fans with its engaging story and singing. Sissy Spacek was perfect in the role of Loretta Lynn and fully deserved the Oscar she went on to win. The audience for it built quickly by word of mouth and the fact that Sissy did her own vocals was widely talked about and admired. It was also a first glimpse by many of the actor Tommy Lee Jones, who played Loretta's husband Mooney Lynn.
Mr. B from Memphis paid one of his visits to the Flick around this time for another inspection trip to the drive-in movies he and Pop T had a percentage in. I drove the two gentlemen as usual. While eating out one evening at a Chinese restaurant, Mr. B began to toss bunched up napkins at a little girl sitting at a nearby table to elicit a reaction from her.
He could get away with this kind of behavior because of his venerable age, ever present suit and tie, and ability to quickly get across to parents the playful intentions behind his antics. Remembering from previous chapters that Mr. B acted a bit like the 1930s movie star and comedian W.C. Fields, should help the reader imagine the napkin tossing scene if they're familiar with that great legend.
Mr. B always carried a flask of ten year old "Old Charter" bourbon in his coat pocket. A favorite stunt he liked to pull in restaurants, after that first stiff drink, was to place the empty glass on top of his head, get up, walk around between the tables and diners a bit, then sit back down with the glass still atop his head. He'd then announce, "Yep. I can have another one." I never once saw the glass slip off his nearly bald pate throughout those many years either. At expensive country clubs he liked to dance with young dates of mine, the few times there were any, and he'd finish up the night with a green Grasshopper drink. I never learned if those nightcaps had any alcohol in them or not, and still don't know to this day.
Mr. B from Memphis paid one of his visits to the Flick around this time for another inspection trip to the drive-in movies he and Pop T had a percentage in. I drove the two gentlemen as usual. While eating out one evening at a Chinese restaurant, Mr. B began to toss bunched up napkins at a little girl sitting at a nearby table to elicit a reaction from her.
He could get away with this kind of behavior because of his venerable age, ever present suit and tie, and ability to quickly get across to parents the playful intentions behind his antics. Remembering from previous chapters that Mr. B acted a bit like the 1930s movie star and comedian W.C. Fields, should help the reader imagine the napkin tossing scene if they're familiar with that great legend.
Mr. B always carried a flask of ten year old "Old Charter" bourbon in his coat pocket. A favorite stunt he liked to pull in restaurants, after that first stiff drink, was to place the empty glass on top of his head, get up, walk around between the tables and diners a bit, then sit back down with the glass still atop his head. He'd then announce, "Yep. I can have another one." I never once saw the glass slip off his nearly bald pate throughout those many years either. At expensive country clubs he liked to dance with young dates of mine, the few times there were any, and he'd finish up the night with a green Grasshopper drink. I never learned if those nightcaps had any alcohol in them or not, and still don't know to this day.
Mr. Boswell had a good heart under the tough-as-nails Scrooge exterior, or maybe he was just hedging his bets for the hereafter, but I believe it was the former. On second thought, I know it was the former. That will be explained fully in the last chapter of the Flick story someday. Later on, a few years after the Flick closed its doors for the last time, Mr. B and I went into business together; and that my friends, was a better business education on salesmanship than the technical college in town had ever been for me.
One time Mr B had me read a 1967 best-selling paperback called The Peter Principle. Actually I read it more than once. The premise of the book was that everyone eventually reaches their level of incompetence in business and work and can advance no further. To sum it up, folks would be much happier if they just stayed at their level of competence. From all I've seen and experienced in the business world, this book's revelation is spot on.
The Variety Clubs International is the main charity arm of the Hollywood movie business, or at least it used to be. Mr. B once held a high position in the clubs organization and the one in Memphis was where he occasionally spent his evenings for relaxation and camaraderie. Mr. B intuited to me that every member was treated the same there, all being equals-among-men, and lady guests, too, so to speak.
Elvis Presley often showed up at the place to hang-out and shoot a little pool. One regrettable evening however, a new Jewish doorman was on the job. This pompous fool actually had the nerve to tell "The King" that he had to have a coat and tie on to get inside, which he probably didn't, being who he was and a regular member and all. The freshly-hired doorman had surely been told about Elvis dropping by on occasion, you would think.
Mr. B said Elvis stared at the guy in the face for a second, took a quick look around, then turned on his heels and left, never to grace the place with his presence ever again. Needless to say, that was the doorman's last night of employment at any Variety Club. Some people is all you can say about that guy I guess. It's hard to imagine he didn't know who Elvis was. Nah, no way, he just wanted to play an ego- tripping Mr. Big-shot right then with the legendary lady loving megastar is what it was.
One time Mr B had me read a 1967 best-selling paperback called The Peter Principle. Actually I read it more than once. The premise of the book was that everyone eventually reaches their level of incompetence in business and work and can advance no further. To sum it up, folks would be much happier if they just stayed at their level of competence. From all I've seen and experienced in the business world, this book's revelation is spot on.
The Variety Clubs International is the main charity arm of the Hollywood movie business, or at least it used to be. Mr. B once held a high position in the clubs organization and the one in Memphis was where he occasionally spent his evenings for relaxation and camaraderie. Mr. B intuited to me that every member was treated the same there, all being equals-among-men, and lady guests, too, so to speak.
Elvis Presley often showed up at the place to hang-out and shoot a little pool. One regrettable evening however, a new Jewish doorman was on the job. This pompous fool actually had the nerve to tell "The King" that he had to have a coat and tie on to get inside, which he probably didn't, being who he was and a regular member and all. The freshly-hired doorman had surely been told about Elvis dropping by on occasion, you would think.
Mr. B said Elvis stared at the guy in the face for a second, took a quick look around, then turned on his heels and left, never to grace the place with his presence ever again. Needless to say, that was the doorman's last night of employment at any Variety Club. Some people is all you can say about that guy I guess. It's hard to imagine he didn't know who Elvis was. Nah, no way, he just wanted to play an ego- tripping Mr. Big-shot right then with the legendary lady loving megastar is what it was.
Mr. B was rather fond of talking about how the folks in the movie business there in Memphis looked on Elvis as just one of the boys, granted, with great talent and singing ability, but definitely no superstar treatment ever afforded to the idol of millions. Like I said before, everybody was treated equally at the Variety Club to hear Mr. B tell it.
And Elvis must have liked that kind of atmosphere at times, in places like the Variety Club. He would also occasionally rent The Memphian movie theater in downtown Memphis after the regular shows were over, for himself and friends and sometimes dates; all to enjoy each others company in a public place, but privately, away from the admiring, autograph-seeking crowds. As Forrest Gump so memorably put it, "It must be hard being a king." Well said, Forrest.
And Elvis must have liked that kind of atmosphere at times, in places like the Variety Club. He would also occasionally rent The Memphian movie theater in downtown Memphis after the regular shows were over, for himself and friends and sometimes dates; all to enjoy each others company in a public place, but privately, away from the admiring, autograph-seeking crowds. As Forrest Gump so memorably put it, "It must be hard being a king." Well said, Forrest.
Business partners with Mr. B
SUMMER SHOWS, LOVE IN THE PROJECTION ROOM, FLASHER COUSINS AND JOEL'S FIANCE'S REVENGE
Urban Cowboy did very good business with John Travolta as the blue collar cowboy and Debra Winger as his love interest. It also featured Gilley's Club, the biggest nightspot in the U.S. at the time with its multiple bars and world famous mechanical bull, el Toro. In 2011 the two guys on the TV show American Pickers bought a beat-up looking original Gilley's Club piano for around $1300 and had it appraised for nearly $10,000.
The ladies really liked Travolta in his cowboy attire and there was a definite uptick in our female patrons ticket buying for this movie. The rough shape that the American Pickers guys bought that piano, with its Playboy bunny rabbit logo, shows what a wild place the nightclub must have been back in those days, with dudes like Jerry Lee Lewis and Mickey Gilley banging away on its keys.
If anyone had told us way back then that Friday the 13th was going to gross close to a half billion dollars in a dozen pictures over the next thirty years, we probably wouldn't have been surprised. The first slasher in the popular series was made on a $550,000 budget and grossed nearly $60,000,000 the first time around -- whew! The Flick got its fair share of that pie with a largely under thirty crowd. Young folks just love to be frightened by movies like this and I suppose they could be compared with thrill rides at theme parks in a way. The part where Jason jumps up out of the water at the end caused one of the biggest audience screams I can ever remember hearing at the theater.
The ladies really liked Travolta in his cowboy attire and there was a definite uptick in our female patrons ticket buying for this movie. The rough shape that the American Pickers guys bought that piano, with its Playboy bunny rabbit logo, shows what a wild place the nightclub must have been back in those days, with dudes like Jerry Lee Lewis and Mickey Gilley banging away on its keys.
If anyone had told us way back then that Friday the 13th was going to gross close to a half billion dollars in a dozen pictures over the next thirty years, we probably wouldn't have been surprised. The first slasher in the popular series was made on a $550,000 budget and grossed nearly $60,000,000 the first time around -- whew! The Flick got its fair share of that pie with a largely under thirty crowd. Young folks just love to be frightened by movies like this and I suppose they could be compared with thrill rides at theme parks in a way. The part where Jason jumps up out of the water at the end caused one of the biggest audience screams I can ever remember hearing at the theater.
Two other films in the summer of 1980 were Used Cars and The Blue Lagoon. The former was a comedy starring Kurt Russell and concerned the internecine business wars between used car lots and had a great deal of humor and clever script-writing in it -- no major movie but it was fun. Kurt can be a very comedic actor when the role calls for it as this one shows.
The latter one had a teenage Brooke Shields and blond Christopher Atkins cavorting about semi-naked on some paradisiacal island: it did only fair biz at the cinema, although it was the 10th biggest grosser that year over-all for the picture show industry. Also, the beautiful and blue-blooded Brooke went on to win a Golden Raspberry Award for worst actress of the year in the controversial film. Pop T and Mrs. Dot later met The Blue Lagoon boy and other young stars at one of the theater-owners' conventions and took photos of them, which they showed to the delight of all the Flick's employees.
Joel and I both found serious girlfriends at this time. Wendy was a curly brown-haired beauty of nineteen. She and I were together for almost three years. It was that magic time of a first love if you know what I mean. Wendy was built to please, with flawless skin and lovely, big brown eyes. We had a mostly magical three year relationship and even got engaged near the end of the love affair. More on how this progressed and turned out in the last chapter someday.
On occasion we'd strip off a bit and make romance book-like erotic love in the projection or office room late at night with the door locked, which brings to mind the following event: Barry was a tall, skinny, long haired twenty-something, working for the Flick at the time whose older brother would often come by to be with him in the evenings. These two country bumpkins were both a bit strange, to say the least.
The latter one had a teenage Brooke Shields and blond Christopher Atkins cavorting about semi-naked on some paradisiacal island: it did only fair biz at the cinema, although it was the 10th biggest grosser that year over-all for the picture show industry. Also, the beautiful and blue-blooded Brooke went on to win a Golden Raspberry Award for worst actress of the year in the controversial film. Pop T and Mrs. Dot later met The Blue Lagoon boy and other young stars at one of the theater-owners' conventions and took photos of them, which they showed to the delight of all the Flick's employees.
Joel and I both found serious girlfriends at this time. Wendy was a curly brown-haired beauty of nineteen. She and I were together for almost three years. It was that magic time of a first love if you know what I mean. Wendy was built to please, with flawless skin and lovely, big brown eyes. We had a mostly magical three year relationship and even got engaged near the end of the love affair. More on how this progressed and turned out in the last chapter someday.
On occasion we'd strip off a bit and make romance book-like erotic love in the projection or office room late at night with the door locked, which brings to mind the following event: Barry was a tall, skinny, long haired twenty-something, working for the Flick at the time whose older brother would often come by to be with him in the evenings. These two country bumpkins were both a bit strange, to say the least.
The brothers had a young blonde female cousin they'd bring around who had supposedly once been a male, although I'm not sure about that.. In any case, these two clowns liked nothing better than to surprise people by having their cousin flash her amazingly large and natural-looking breasts. It gave then great guffawing pleasure to see the startled looks on folks wide-eyed faces, including mine once. Of course, after the time they pulled that on me and then catching them doing it again in the lobby, I told the boys and their cousin some other place would have to be their new bodacious ta-ta's playground. My oh my, what an era to be young, free, happily indiscriminately in the mood for love on occasion and, uninhibited with open doors.
One night I went up the stairs to the projection room for something and found the brothers, one on each side of our lady flasher, loving and kissing their cousin up while she stood there looking bored, puffing on a cigarette, while watching some dumb movie. Definitely surprised by this unexpected sight and a tiny bit disgusted, I then turned, shut the door, and let the rustic dudes go at it to their hearts content.
Although I didn't know it at the time, once when Barry thought I was mad at him over some little trifle - which I wasn't - he and his brother vandalized my Rally Sport Camaro in the theater parking lot late one night. They ran up to the office all innocence and concern to tell me about their "discovery". Finding out through a secret informer some months later who the culprits really were, I confronted Barry on the cowardly deed after calling him upstairs for a sit down in the office.
All the boy did was give an embarrassed, aw shucks, mule- in- the- brier- patch grin at this revelation. The insurance company had paid for repairs and the situation had cooled for me ( which was the secret informer's intention all along in waiting to tell) so I let it go at that point. After all, what could one expect from kissin' cousins who smooch and feel-up their transgender relative in a projection room anyway?
Joel rather quickly became engaged to his new girlfriend from up north. He had a best buddy, however, who was very determined that Joel not get married so as to keep him in the group of guys that all hung together. Most of these fellows were decent types who looked on Joel as some kind of super cool dude. Joel was smart, personable, and no threat to potential women for them as he wasn't that kind of guy. He also was thin , wore granny glasses, and had shoulder-length straight black hair.
Anyway, the friend's plan went like this: On the night before the wedding, he brought a cute little girl named Trixie to the theater. He'd picked her up somewhere (she was to became quite a hanger-on in the lobby and Joel's temporary love-gal) to tempt his best friend with. The chap's plan worked perfectly and Joel's fiance caught the two in bed together the next morning. As can be imagined, the wedding nuptials were angrily and quickly cancelled for the day.
The fiance got her revenge on Joel by attempting to sleep with all his many friends, and by golly if she didn't almost succeed with flying colors! Myself and one other dude being the only ones, as far as I know, to fully resist her unclothed charms. Some years back I heard they were now a happily married couple going on twenty years of wedded bliss. Guess all one can say to that is "...the things we do for love". Popular hit song lyrics back then.
One night I went up the stairs to the projection room for something and found the brothers, one on each side of our lady flasher, loving and kissing their cousin up while she stood there looking bored, puffing on a cigarette, while watching some dumb movie. Definitely surprised by this unexpected sight and a tiny bit disgusted, I then turned, shut the door, and let the rustic dudes go at it to their hearts content.
Although I didn't know it at the time, once when Barry thought I was mad at him over some little trifle - which I wasn't - he and his brother vandalized my Rally Sport Camaro in the theater parking lot late one night. They ran up to the office all innocence and concern to tell me about their "discovery". Finding out through a secret informer some months later who the culprits really were, I confronted Barry on the cowardly deed after calling him upstairs for a sit down in the office.
All the boy did was give an embarrassed, aw shucks, mule- in- the- brier- patch grin at this revelation. The insurance company had paid for repairs and the situation had cooled for me ( which was the secret informer's intention all along in waiting to tell) so I let it go at that point. After all, what could one expect from kissin' cousins who smooch and feel-up their transgender relative in a projection room anyway?
Joel rather quickly became engaged to his new girlfriend from up north. He had a best buddy, however, who was very determined that Joel not get married so as to keep him in the group of guys that all hung together. Most of these fellows were decent types who looked on Joel as some kind of super cool dude. Joel was smart, personable, and no threat to potential women for them as he wasn't that kind of guy. He also was thin , wore granny glasses, and had shoulder-length straight black hair.
Anyway, the friend's plan went like this: On the night before the wedding, he brought a cute little girl named Trixie to the theater. He'd picked her up somewhere (she was to became quite a hanger-on in the lobby and Joel's temporary love-gal) to tempt his best friend with. The chap's plan worked perfectly and Joel's fiance caught the two in bed together the next morning. As can be imagined, the wedding nuptials were angrily and quickly cancelled for the day.
The fiance got her revenge on Joel by attempting to sleep with all his many friends, and by golly if she didn't almost succeed with flying colors! Myself and one other dude being the only ones, as far as I know, to fully resist her unclothed charms. Some years back I heard they were now a happily married couple going on twenty years of wedded bliss. Guess all one can say to that is "...the things we do for love". Popular hit song lyrics back then.
The 1980 films of Fall ...
Superman 2 was released outside the USA in 1980 so will be included for this year. It did outstanding business and was a favorite with our moviegoers. The three bad Aliens expelled from Krypton before its destruction were perfect foils going up against the Man of Steel.
Although part two was filmed with the original, it still held up on its own very well. The recent comic book announcement that Superman has given up his U.S.citizenship, would have been unthinkable back then and still is for many fans today. Superman a casualty of globalization I suppose. At least Chris Reeves became a superman in real life after his tragic accident -- without giving up his American citizenship.
Christoper Reeves also starred that year in one of the most romantic movies ever made called Somewhere in Time. The picture did only fair business at the Flick but leaves a strong impression on the memory with its very sad twist-ending. That ending is superlatively poignant and is a strong favorite among love and romanced-themed movie aficionados.
Private Benjamin with Goldie Hawn was the 7th biggest film of the year with nearly $70,000,000 in total box-office receipts. Goldie was charming in it, but it didn't do as well at the Flick as we'd hoped it would. All I can really remember of it is Goldie wearing a helmet, looking cute, and crying in the rain. Besides, to be perfectly frank, at the time I was heavily occupied making-love to the girlfriend and beach music dancing with her half the night away at a local nightclub, two or three times a week.
Resurrection with Ellen Burstyn as a woman who survives a horrible car crash and emerges with the power to heal was an interesting and underrated movie when first released, but fell rather flat in ticket sales, even though she received an Oscar nod for her performance in it. Her career after the stunning shocks and blockbuster sales of The Exorcist didn't proceed like it maybe should have and some folks can't help but wonder if the talented actor didn't fall prey to the well-known Exorcist curse a bit.
Although part two was filmed with the original, it still held up on its own very well. The recent comic book announcement that Superman has given up his U.S.citizenship, would have been unthinkable back then and still is for many fans today. Superman a casualty of globalization I suppose. At least Chris Reeves became a superman in real life after his tragic accident -- without giving up his American citizenship.
Christoper Reeves also starred that year in one of the most romantic movies ever made called Somewhere in Time. The picture did only fair business at the Flick but leaves a strong impression on the memory with its very sad twist-ending. That ending is superlatively poignant and is a strong favorite among love and romanced-themed movie aficionados.
Private Benjamin with Goldie Hawn was the 7th biggest film of the year with nearly $70,000,000 in total box-office receipts. Goldie was charming in it, but it didn't do as well at the Flick as we'd hoped it would. All I can really remember of it is Goldie wearing a helmet, looking cute, and crying in the rain. Besides, to be perfectly frank, at the time I was heavily occupied making-love to the girlfriend and beach music dancing with her half the night away at a local nightclub, two or three times a week.
Resurrection with Ellen Burstyn as a woman who survives a horrible car crash and emerges with the power to heal was an interesting and underrated movie when first released, but fell rather flat in ticket sales, even though she received an Oscar nod for her performance in it. Her career after the stunning shocks and blockbuster sales of The Exorcist didn't proceed like it maybe should have and some folks can't help but wonder if the talented actor didn't fall prey to the well-known Exorcist curse a bit.
Our three big Winter releases were Raging Bull, Stir Crazy, and Flash Gordon. Raging Bull was a masterful movie filmed in black and white with a great performance by Robert De Niro as the middleweight boxer, Jake LaMotta. Someone recently told me that LaMotta's mature, or rather, middle-aged wife, posed for Playboy once and was one of the best centerfolds he'd ever laid eyes on in that magazine.
Martin Scorsese's tight direction may have been the prototype for this kind of historical hardcore pugilist film. It did good box office as TV ads and word of mouth spread for no one had really seen this particular style of stark picture-making before. The fight scenes were not only quite realistic, as the film is in general, but very brutal for those days.
Stir Crazy was a laugh riot with Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder. The part the audiences howled the loudest at was when the pair entered the jail with all the rough-looking cons, and the two saying "Yeah, we bad, we bad." I believe we also showed Meatballs with Bill Murray around this time which was fairly funny as well.
Flash Gordon was a Dino De Laurentiis production with a surprisingly good soundtrack by the rock group Queen. Unfortunately, the movie was more camp than good science-fiction and after a strong start due to saturation TV advertising , ticket sales trickled off to near nothing the last week of its month-long booking.
However my friends, 1980 had been a good year all round for business and self. I even got a quick vacation in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. This boy was moving up it seemed, he just didn't know about some minefields coming his way in the future. But, all's well that ends well.
Martin Scorsese's tight direction may have been the prototype for this kind of historical hardcore pugilist film. It did good box office as TV ads and word of mouth spread for no one had really seen this particular style of stark picture-making before. The fight scenes were not only quite realistic, as the film is in general, but very brutal for those days.
Stir Crazy was a laugh riot with Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder. The part the audiences howled the loudest at was when the pair entered the jail with all the rough-looking cons, and the two saying "Yeah, we bad, we bad." I believe we also showed Meatballs with Bill Murray around this time which was fairly funny as well.
Flash Gordon was a Dino De Laurentiis production with a surprisingly good soundtrack by the rock group Queen. Unfortunately, the movie was more camp than good science-fiction and after a strong start due to saturation TV advertising , ticket sales trickled off to near nothing the last week of its month-long booking.
However my friends, 1980 had been a good year all round for business and self. I even got a quick vacation in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. This boy was moving up it seemed, he just didn't know about some minefields coming his way in the future. But, all's well that ends well.
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