welcome to the movies

March 2nd, 1979, suburbs of Toronto. The theatre's manager, Tom Cleaver, pulled a last-minute switch which isn't reflected in this ad. The Eastwood film, Every Which Way But Loose, was placed in the largest cinema. It was a good call, because the place was packed for the next 2 or 3 weeks.

Now, let's get this out of the way right up front: The movie (EWWBL) was no piece of art. There are no deep themes, no academy performances, nothing that should warrant academic study. Further still- the comedy was painted with very broad strokes and the two epiphanies experienced by the main character would be obvious to most teenagers. What the movie represented was a bit of escapist fun- chicks, music, bikes, a funny animal and a pretty basic road-trip plot.

A few of the characters were unexpectedly engaging; I loved Ruth Gordon as Ma, I had the hots for Beverly D'Angelo and the Geoff Lewis character seemed like the sort of buddy anybody would want as a wingman. Okay, and the main character, Philo Bedoe, despite not being the sharpest knife in the drawer, was someone we could all grudgingly admire. 

So what, then, is the attraction here? Why am I about to waste several hours of my time over the next few days blogging about this movie?

I don't really know, to be honest.

I suppose because it was the first movie I saw in my job as an usher at that theatre. Maybe because it was also the first movie I would see more than once, memorizing the lines, re-experiencing the better bits, joking around with my co-workers at the movie theater... And, probably more than anything- because now, 36 years later- I'm looking back nostalgically at that period of my life.

Let's mix in a fascination with the mechanics of film-making, a desire to know a little of the magic that goes on behind the curtain. Add my love for a city I've never spent enough time in and a curiosity about a part of LA that I've never seen. Enjoy the bit of detective work involved in finding some of the locations, experience the odd sensation of bringing something almost legendary and intangible back to earth...

Yeah, it's a bit OCD and a total waste of time. But, what the heck- my friends and neighbours are watching tv or playing Candy Crush. At least I'm entertaining myself and presumably you, dear reader, if you've lasted this far.

So let's enjoy the next couple of posts together...