Surveyin da Situation: They don’t make them like they used to

By John Matonich

I have always been a fan of movies. I like all different types from action to comedy to gangster to westerns. I am not a fan of horror movies, though. I like to laugh or think or simply smile at what I am seeing, not be worried about having a heart attack.

We have a really cool theatre here in the area. I believe it just celebrated its 100^th anniversary. I think that is just great. It is located in the heart of the downtown where many of the older theatres around the country were or still are. Long before busy state highways or interstates. It is a grand building and because of the support of a number of the folks in the area, it seems to be doing well.

I remember going there with my dad as a young lad. We went to see a documentary type outdoor movie about some famous hunters and the film was all about their trip and their success. I guess it was a forerunner to today’s YouTube. I remember a lot of my friends were there with their dads. It was fun to sit back and watch the movie with dad and the popcorn was pretty good too.

I went to that same theatre a number of times after that, but going to see the Godfather in 1972 really sticks in my mind. I wasn’t old enough to go without an adult, but a friend talked his dad into being our chaperone that day. That movie has to be one of my all-time favorites. I probably have seen it a 100 times and never tire of watching it. It was on one of our TV channels late the other night and I couldn’t hit the sack without watching it one more time.

Another movie I have watched a dozen times is Caddy Shack. I think it is a classic with a superb cast and a great storyline along with a whole bunch of side stories bouncing in and out of the spotlight. The antics of many members of the cast keep the movie moving very well and also keep the laughs in large numbers.

I don’t get to the theatre much anymore. A new more modern theatre is on the highway not too far from the old one and they seem to have a good selection of new releases. There are still movies I would like to see, but seem to be content waiting for them to hit one of the movie channels or Netflix. I guess the comfort of watching a movie at home beats the timing of a new movie. I may need to re-think this position and pay closer attention to what’s going on at the old downtown theatre. It is quite a drive from our place to the theatre, but it would be a fun night out and I would bet the popcorn tastes as good as it did when I sat there with my dad.

And that’s the situation as I survey it …

After a 35-year career downstate livin’ amongst da trolls, during which he built a successful engineering and surveying business, John Matonich is back home in da U.P. His column will appear here occasionally, don’tcha know. His book “Surveyin’ Da Situation” is available on Amazon.com.

Image credit: Mark Hessling on Unsplash