When I was young, my grownup cousin, Sandra, tried to describe what a movie theater was like. She said a bunch of people could sit in rows, all facing the same direction, and somehow everyone could watch a movie on a giant screen.
How could they see over each other’s heads? I couldn’t picture it. I was very short, so I couldn’t imagine seeing over a tall person’s head. Nor could I imagine the size of a movie screen bigger than our small TV set.
Sandra said the ground was slanted so everyone could see the screen. Well, how in the world could you walk on slanted ground without sliding? I grew up in Miami, so hilly terrain was unknown to me.
The only way I could understand was to see the big picture for myself. That’s just the way my young mind worked. My mom, Joy, agreed I could go with my Aunt Florence and cousins to see a movie she thought I’d like: Fantasia. That experience opened a whole new world for me, and I became an instant fan of the silver screen.
The 1970s Movie Theater Experience
Back then, we couldn’t press pause at the movies if we missed something or call up a show whenever we felt like it. If we wanted to see a movie, we waited for it to come to the theater—sometimes for months—and even then, it wasn’t guaranteed we’d get in. If it was a blockbuster film, we either waited for days until the crowds dissipated, or we got in line early and hoped there were still tickets left when we reached the window.
But when we finally got in, the experience was incredible. The squeak of the folding seats, the smell of popcorn, the hush that fell when the lights dimmed—it felt like stepping into another world, one we couldn’t carry home in our pocket, but one we often carried home in our mind.
The seats didn’t recline back then, either. I still remember how amazed I was years later when theaters added reclining seats. It felt so luxurious.
My First 1970s Theater Movies
When Aunt Florence and my cousins took me to see Fantasia, I was amazed by the swirling colors and music, and how big everything felt in that dark room. I had never seen anything on a screen that big before. While I wouldn’t want to see that particular movie again—those marching brooms gave me nightmares—I could easily listen to the musical score at full volume with a laser show. That would be pretty amazing.
We saw Fantasia at a movie theater in downtown Miami Shores. At the concession stand, they sold plush animals as well as treats to eat and drink. Aunt Florence bought me a small plush cat—one of those little surprises that turned into a well-loved friend at home.
When I was a little older, my first movie with my friends was on a field trip with the Biscayne Park rec center. We went to see Kidnapped, and I spent the rest of the year acting out the story in the backyard with my friends, turning each tree and hedge into a secure location to escape danger and plot the next adventure.
One time, my mom drove my friends and me to see a Sinbad movie at the 163rd Street shopping center in North Miami. We were running late, and she got a speeding ticket on the way. I had never seen that happen up close, and it felt like a big event, even bigger than the movie we were going to see. It’s funny how the ride there became part of the memory.
When we finally got to the theater, the movie had already started. As we got settled, I realized the movie seemed very different from what I expected. Turns out they were showing a short film of The Three Stooges before the main feature. I didn’t know that was a thing.
At first, I felt confused and ripped off because I had been expecting an adventure film. Finally, the short film ended, and the main feature started. That’s how I first learned about short films.
Growing up into PG Movies: Star Wars and Grease
Movies felt like a big step into growing up too. Star Wars hit the theaters in 1977. I can still hear the theme song playing as the words, “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away” scroll across the screen. It was my first PG movie. I went with my Aunt Florence and cousins while we were all visiting Grandma Nellie in Jensen Beach, Florida.
I was so excited. I had been listening to the Star Wars theme song and cantina band music on the radio and looking at magazine pictures of that cute little robot, R2D2. I couldn’t wait to see the big screen phenomenon everyone was talking about. It did not disappoint. Once was not enough. When I got home, I went again to see Star Wars with my friends.
Star Wars was all about the special effects: blaster bolts, light sabers, and spaceships that looked like they were flying right over our heads. If you look at the original today, and realize all of that was cutting edge for us, it’ll give you a glimpse into the cinematic experience of the 1970s.
R2D2 was my favorite character. I loved all his whistling sounds and the way he rolled right into challenging situations. He was short like me, but brave like I wasn’t. I wanted to be more like him.
While that little robot stole the show for me, I admit my friends and I all had a crush on the young Mark Hamill. He was another attraction of the show for 11-year-old girls.
The next summer, my great aunt Ruby took me to see Grease at the 163rd Street shopping center theater. You may wonder why I always went to movies with other people. My mom just wasn’t a big movie goer, but she was always glad for me to enjoy the experience.
Grease was all about the music. I listened to the radio, Y-100 in Miami, all the time. The hit songs from Grease became my favorites, even before I saw the movie. Couldn’t wait to hear the music on the big screen.
What I enjoyed most about the show was seeing how Sandy had to transfer to a new school for the fall term. My mom, dad, and I were about to move to a new city, and I was getting ready to start junior high. Grease marked the beginning of my last summer in Miami, and the story gave me encouragement as I anticipated the coming months.
Movie Adventures Stay with You
Back then, going to the movies wasn’t just about what was on the screen. It was about the adventure of getting there, hoping there would be tickets left, sitting with friends or family, and letting a story inspire our imagination in a way we couldn’t pause or replay later. We watched, we felt, and then we carried the memory home with us. All these years later, I remember those moments like it was yesterday.
Today, you can watch nearly any movie you want, any time you want, often without leaving your couch. But if you ever get the chance, go see a movie on the big screen with people you love. Let yourself be surrounded by the story without the option to pause or check your phone, just for an hour or two.
The movie theater gives a bigger-than-life experience that’s fun, entertaining, and often inspirational. But it’s those smaller moments—who you were with, what you felt, and what you carried home in your heart—that stay with you, long after the closing credits roll.
Exploring Generations 