My Films

Where to start. I first saw this, like most people my age, on TV. If I'm not mistaken, the premiere. That was ITV, Sunday the 24th October 1982 from 7pm till 9pm. I've researched this pointless information and retained it. I would have been 5. Like anyone who had a video in 1982, we taped it. I think I got to watch a bit before I went to bed but I'm sure I remember sneaking down early before I went to school to watch as much as I could before I went. It was like a window into another world as a child, a real one! From them on all my toys were Star Wars toys as were my friends. Star Wars WAS my childhood. It was everywhere and I loved and lived it. One of my biggest regrets is taping over my "original" copy even though I have some 5 versions of the film. Why? Because it was the only copy I had with the mono soundtrack. Why is that important? Because I know that version of the film so well, any out of place or different sounds or dialogue stick out like a sore thumb to me. Fortunately, I was able to construct my own DVD copy a few years ago. The special editions? Saw the first one in the cinema (Bromley Odeon, must of been one of the last times went there) and all I remember were people laughing and taking the pi**. "Obi-Wan is here - the force is with him" (laughter). I don't like or watch the S.E's. I understand why George Lucas did some of the stuff but it's not the same film to me. They were a gimmick to me in 1997 and they still are.

Saw this in the cinema when I was 7. I don't remember much other than how huge the Bromley Odeon seemed, everyone in audience jumping in unison when the library ghost lunged and how much I loved it. Only Star Wars a couple of years before had this much of an effect on me as a child. Rented it as soon as it came out, along with Gremlins, which IIRC we watched at my birthday party. I also remember having to "book" it as the video shop only had a few copies and write your name on a clipboard to reserve it. Fortunately, I only had to rent films once...
On the DVD commentary, Harold Ramis quotes a review from the time saying "the whole film is like a perfectly told joke" and I think that sums it up for me.

I'm pretty sure we had this film even before it was in the cinema and I remember everyone watching our copy at various times. My friends, my friends parents, then some relatives, then some more relatives and so on. They all came to our house to watch it or we took it to them. All the grown ups cried. This was a huge film in it's day and I seriously doubt we'll ever see anything like it or the effect it had again. No other film takes me back to my childhood quite like it. Thankfully the original version is preserved on a nice remastered DVD and more recently Blu-Ray. Although, I still have that first copy and I'm quite nostaglic about it.

Saw this in the cinema twice as I knew it's be a long time (it was in those days) before it'd come to video. Probably my most anticipated cinema visit of all time. Bromley Odeon naturally. Once in the big screen and once in the small. I also remember very clearly all the laughter moments and there was a lot. IIRC I had the soundtrack before I saw the film and remember getting that (on cassette) in a shop whilst on holiday in Bridport. I think they had a big cardboard cut-out of the cover art, posters and I also remember it being the first time I'd seen lots of CD copies of anything.

This was one of many films I first saw through my dad. Although I vaguely remember seeing the very end at my aunties one Christmas, it was him that introduced me to it. I still think it's the perfect romantic comedy. From casting, location, wardrobe, photography, lighting to music, everything. We'll never see the like again. Un-PC? Not in my book, The remake? never have and never will.

Probably the first "horror" movie I saw. Not a bad start eh? All of the three classic Universal monsters in one picture and one of the great comedy duos of all time too to boot. They are so superb in this film, so completely satisfying it's perhaps both odd but at the same time unsurprising that I've never actively seeked out any other Abbott & Costello films. I've seen several over the years but while funny, this really is in a class of it's own. I have fairly clear memory of watching this with my Dad one sunny Saturday morning when I was perhaps 5 or 6. I'm also pretty sure I watched the scene in "McDougals House Of Horrors" from behind his armchair. It was all very creepy to me but I knew it was funny too. Of course it's a lot funnier now though. I watched this (along with Will Hay's "Windbag The Sailor") so many times as a kid (they were/are both on the same tape) that I even remember the commercials (which we thankfully didn't cut out) as well as the film. One of the original and for me, the quintessential horror comedy.

Will Hay is without doubt my favourite English comic actor of all time. Maybe even my favourite comic actor of all time. This was the first of his that I saw and may still be my personal favourite. Again it was my Dad that introduced me to him. I've never not found his films funny and they seem to get funnier the older I get. If pressed I (like most) prefer the films he did with Graham Moffatt and Moore Marriot but I still love the ones he made after the trio split up.

Best college comedy of all time and one of my favourite comedies. It's better than Animal House. And for a huge John Belushi fan to say that, is almost heresy.

Underated sequel. I enjoy it nearly as much as the original. And I don't club this in with the two TV movies that followed it which so many other people seem to do.

"Redneck" car chase comedies have long been a staple of my film diet. Like much of this list, since childhood. For my money, Burt Reynolds had an untouchable run of these types of films throughout the latter part of the 70's to the early 80's. Wasn't it Frank Sinatra himself who said something like, "he's the guy all the women want to sleep with and the guys want to have beer with". High praise indeed. Watched this film along with the two Cannonball Run's endless with my friends. I even had a BMX in Black and Gold like the Bandit's Trans Am!

Not as good as the first but has some great moments/lines.

(Ahem) I like this - quite a lot. I know it's bad but 1983 bad makes 2012 bad look like Citizen Kane. I'd love to see the original version if it still exists anywhere. It was pretty incredible to see the recently un-earthed trailer proving once and for all (unless they filmed the trailer before they started the film!) that Smokey Is (was) The Bandit.

They don't make um' like this anymore and they couldn't if they wanted too. I could never trust anyone who doesn't like this film.

Probably watched this one more as a child than the original. Still great fun and if you don't get - you never will.

Love this. Possibly the most un-Disney thing Disney ever made which is probably the reason I like it so much! The production design and score are beautiful. The acting and the plot sufficient. Thank gawd for the recent (and lonnnng overdue) release of the complete score! I actually watch this film more than Star Wars these days, a lot more. Apparently they're remaking this now too. I'll give it five minutes once it makes it to the smaller screen but I know I won't like it. Same as Tron. They're products of their time and should be left alone. If Hollywood can't come up with new ideas, which it obviously can't, tough titty. Leave my childhood alone. As for the "if you don't like it, don't watch it - it doesn't effect the original" arguement, I won't and in my view it does. It de-values. Taints the memory. When I think of he film Arthur for example, there's probably always going to be some little lingering thought of remake there too. Having said that I'm getting used to ignoring these abominations now. Even if I have too close my eyes cup my hands over my ears and go "la la la la I am not listening to Jeffery". Back to film, it's great, I love it.

Probably not a particularly good thing but I first saw this when I was about 13. Not that it's especially violent or rude. When viewed by todays standards it's probably pretty tame. I love most of Bakshi's films. The ones that aren't LOTR, Wizards and Fire and Ice (although the lead female character in that is smokin!) basically anything without Wizards, Warlocks, Trolls, Dragons ect in. That pretty much goes for all films in general. One of the things I like most about this film is the soundtrack. It even stood out to me in the late 80's when I first saw it. It eventually got released in 2006 and the guy who wrote and recorded it claims it was due in no small part to me. I'm proud of that odd little accomplishment.

Like Star Wars, saw this on the TV premier. Still have tape. Unless I'm mistaken, The Black Hole was on the same night and I burnt my hand by picking up a recently extinguished sparkler by the wrong end. I then spent the rest of evening watching either this (or The Black Hole) with my hand in a fish bowl full of cold water. The fish wasn't in there BTW.

Another "Dad film". He used to talk about it whenever a Peter Sellers film came on. Seemingly it wasn't on TV for about 15 years because we didn't have a copy. As far as I know it was also unavailable to buy. I think we eventually taped it off Sky. I watched it and thought, hmm ok, not great. But within hours I wanted to watch it again and again and again. This is a very special film and I don't know of another one like it.

Rented this along with Ghostbusters and watched this at my birthday party. One friend was told he had to leave the room during the microwave scene. We then played hide and seek in a darkened house and were scared sh*tless by the shadow of one of our cats washing itself on the wall. The shadow that is.

Blimey. Like the Cannonball Run's, I don't think I could ever trust someone who doesn't find this funny. And if it offends you, I don't even want to be in the same room as you. Is it un-PC? I suppose so but that thought never crosses my mind when watching it. It's just funny, very funny and one of the most quotable comedies of all time. The first couple of sequels are quite enjoyable (particularly Bobcat Goldthwait) but once they got to part 5 they were really out of steam and trying too hard to be more family friendly.

Stumbled across this late one night towards the end of 80's. Scared the pajamas off of me. I see this as the "lost Speilberg film". We know the credits say directed by Tobe Hooper but from top to tail this looks, sounds and feels like a Speilberg film. Like E.T's nasty cousin.

It's funny, considering it's stature now, I don't remember there being any hype about this when it came out. At the most I imagine, I must of seen a trailer on another rental VHS, liked the look of it and then either went and rented it or waited until it came out. Regardless, everyone I know instantly fell in love it.

There are several things that can take instantly back to happy childhood memories and the sound of Cyndi Lauper's voice is one of them. Although this never quite resonated with me as much as say, Ghostbusters or Gremlins, I still love it. Great score again. And like Poltergeist (although not to quite the same degree) this feels very much like a Spielberg film, which is no bad thing. Also Kerrie Green was hoooot.