The first move that I ever watched in a theater (to the best of my knowledge) was a comedy called "Monkeys Go Home". Disney, funny, entertaining to a (then) seven year old. I was with other siblings, I don't recall all that went, but I do know my older brother (1953) was there and I felt safe and happy. All was good. We were kids on our own while my Mom and older sister did some business downtown so we sat right down in the front row, because we didn't know any better. :)
The second movie I ever watched in a theater (to the best of my knowledge) scared the bejesus out of me. I would have been eight years old by now and having filled up my days with stick horses, baby dolls and Dick and Jane books, my oldest brother (1942) decided to take my (1957) brother and me to see "2001: A Spacey Odyssey." I know by today's standards this movie (rated G, by the way) is so low on the horror and scary scale it is beyond ridiculous. But in 1968 to a small girl who could barely keep her eyes open through a Twilight Zone episode and mostly watched the westerns with her dad, I was wracked with fear.
I came away from that theater with a memory of looking at the aisle lights. I recall seeing beautiful red lamps that were high up on the wall (a dim light to help people find their way, I suppose). Now, as I think about it - they probably looked an awful lot like HAL.
Who remembers or knows what relationship the letters HAL has with an infamous computer brand? Kind of neat. Many years later in a training session in Pittsburgh, I found out about a similar naming of computer related acronyms.
4 comments:
I remember not knowing what acronyms were or meant long after most people had assumed all of us knew.
Te first movies I saw in the early forties were westerns and gangster with the likes of Edwin G. Robinson, James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart. The westerns starred Tom Mix, Charles Starret, and Tim Holt. I remember some of the gangster shows being scary. There was a weekly series at the movies called Nyoka, the Jungle Girl. It fun to remember.
So HAL scared you to pieces and you now work with computers keeping them from destroying schools...I see the light!
Bill - there is even an acronym for most acronyms. TLA - three letter acronyms!
Tabor - too funny! Who knows what seed was planted in my pea brain all those years ago.
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