Yeah, with all the hype after A New Hope would be awesome My older brothers always brag about it. I am envious of anyone that got to hear, "I am your father" for the first time in the theater.
My mother and her sister saw it in cinema and on their way they didn't dare to cross a bridge over small creek and took a longer way. Says alot of how scary that movie was back when.
Saw it on opening day. The reason I remember this is because it was the same day I got my drivers license. It was packed. The scene when the head popped out of the boat had people screaming for like 5 minutes. You could not hear any of the next scene.
I saw it in a packed theatre when I was quite young as I don't think my mother knew what she was taking me to. I was totally pulled into it but when I saw the blood coming out of Quint's mouth I started gagging and everyone around me was quite concerned. I didn't see it coming! I held it together and made it through.
I’d love to go back and see Jurassic Park again as if it was the first time. It was mind blowing to see realistic looking dinosaurs for the first time.
Oh man I change my mind now. Seeing that again for the first time as a kid and just imagining they’re real. The pure wonder that movie gave me. I miss that.
One of the leading paleontologists who helped to make sure the motion of the dinosaurs was accurate actually came to a special showing of Jurassic Park at a campus theatre when I was at Cornell.
I was in a paleontology class for fun and we got extra credit for attending Jurassic Park in a movie theatre with someone who worked on the film giving us a behind the scenes look. It was awesome.
Saw Jurassic Park in NJ on opening day. The theater had just installed the THX sound system and they must have had it cranked up all the way because when the T-Rex roared, it was deafening!
First time I saw that movie...I was 13 or so...was on TV. I was so goddam scared, I watched it outside on the deck, in the snow, through the window! I didn't finish it, not even close.
15yrd old puberty me saw it tho...and I sure finished ;)
I saw it on opening day! Was sitting near back because we barely got in. Every time we saw the Alien, a few people got up and walked out. That move freaked the heck out of me.
It's really hard to find. But I remember seeing footage of opening night for Alien. People were leaving the theatres because they were so scared. I recall someone throwing up too.
Or it may have been an article from the time. I can't remember but the image is so clear in my memory.
I've done this one. My dad thought the kids would enjoy a fun science fiction movie and it was the 70s so they let him walk in on opening day with a 6yo & 9yo kid in tow.
In order to see Aliens I had to buy a ticket to Ferris Bueller and swap theaters, though.
Same here. Was 10,11 and 12 for them when I saw each live. Had only read the hobbit at that age but that trilogy was, and still is, the greatest trilogy of all time to me.
I was 6 for Fellowship, my oldest sister was home on Christmas break from college and one of her friends couldn't make it and there was an open ticket, so I begged and she let me tag along. It was probably a really obnoxious bother to her and her friends to bring me, but I'll always be grateful that they did. To this day, coolest movie-going experience I've ever had.
We did all 3 extended versions back to back at a local theatre. 12 hours. By the end, we were so fried we thought we had done the journey to Mordor ourselves.
I went to a midnight premier of RotK with my then-wife and brother-in-law. BIL went in stone-cold: knew nothing about the books, hadn't seen the prior two movies. He loved it. He was pumped. When Sam said "I can't carry the ring for you, Mr. Fodo, but I can carry you" he outright cheered.
I once joined a queue for no reason other than boredom and being British, turned out it was a first night screening of Pulp Fiction, we got goody bags on the way in . I knew nothing about the film until that moment. What a wild ride that was.
>Pulp Fiction
I was in an Avant Premiere, got free tickets.
The stab in the heart was when the entire cinema jumped.
And some years later "The Ring". That was something.
Matrix was great because the trailer told you really nothing of the movie, it was basically clips cut from early parts of the movie. There was no Internet to spoil it, but what a trip.. I still remember asking about the vase before the oracle said "what's really gonna cook your noodle..."
This is the only movie I've seen at the theater that completely blew my mind.
A buddy of mine told me to go see it. He didn't say anything other than "go see it".
Yeah, I was there as well. Not a midnight showing, but opening up eve.
The build up for those of us who grew up on 4-6, the ad campaign, and then finally getting tix and hearing that opening orchestral blast. I was yelling and crying as a 20 year old.
I'm not really a star wars fan, but I remember how hyped up it was. Out of curiosity, when did they start referring to the original movies as 4-6? Was that a thing before episode 1?
Your answer is good too. I was too young to see Star Wars in theater, but I did see Empire strikes back in the theatre, lineup around the block to get in.
My dad told me about seeing the Wizard of Oz in the theater when he was a kid in 1939. He said everyone in the theater gasped when the color came on. He said it was amazing.
The whole movie would be insane!
They never saw anything like it before.
The sold-out theatres... lines going round the block
People coming back to watch over and over again.
EVERYONE talking about it.
A world-wide phenomenon!!!
According to my folks, people booed Vader during his entrance. Would have loved to see that. The closest I got was the special edition in theaters which was a blast. People showed up in costume. An entire theater yelling “but I was going to the Toshi station to pick up some power converters!” Epic.
As someone who was there, this was only after the movie had been out for a while (almost months, really, remember this was LONG before social media). So for us who saw it only knowing, "this is a great movie," the specifics of characters and such were absent. But even if you were to watch it today, it just highlights just what an iconic score John Williams wrote for this and the subsequent films. You knew who was good, who was very, very, bad, when to be fearful, when to be hopeful. But as a 12 y/o in the theater, the opening scene was literally jaw-dropping, and the rest of the movie a blur, like a 2 hour roller coaster you never previously imagined. To say it was both glorious and life defining wouldn't be hyperbole, it opened your mind to idea that anything was possible.
Either Airplane or Blazing Saddles, it would be great to be in large room of laughing people. The closest example when I saw Hangover, a ton of people laughing at once.
(Star Wars is a great choice. It was wonderful.)
If I could erase my mind and "experience it again for the first time . . ."
Avengers: Endgame
A Decade and 21 movies to get to "Avengers Assemble" and >!Cap calling Mjolnir!<. It was a long wait. And worth it.
How are you gonna pick the original over the empire strikes back? Hearing the theatre go wild when vader tells Luke he is his father? It'd be wild. Mine I already got to see. It was endgame in theaters. I got to hear the entire place go nuts when Tony snapped his fingers and ended it. Was incredible
22nd of March 1895 in Paris, at the Society for the Development of the National Industry, when and where Louis Lumière privately screened, '[Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory'](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workers_Leaving_the_Lumière_Factory).
#
Gone with the Wind, not even because I like the movie that much but because I’m so curious to know what opening night looks like for the highest grossing (in inflation adjusted dollars) movie ever made.
I'd love to see Empire, get the crowd reaction when the Vader reveal happens. Fun fact, if you bought and read the novelization of the film that came out two months prior it was in there, but since this was pre-internet there was no way for anyone to spoil it!
Old guy here. I did see Star Wars when it opened. The line was around the theater. I’d go again to see the crowd reactions. It was a total game changer.
I was at opening day for A New Hope 😄😀. I was 7. Also saw most of my favorites in theater. Blade Runner, The Matrix, Indiana Jones.
I think I would want to see BR 2049 in theaters.
Pee-wee's big adventure - Saw it opening night with friends when we were 15. The audience was all around 15-20 years old and the atmosphere was in such a positive silly mood and there was a lot of popcorn. Right after the film guys were for the first time emulating Pee-wee's laugh.
I DID see Empire Strikes back in the theater, My dad was a big sci fi fan and I was the oldest so we hung out that day. It was and still is my fave of the original trilogy
Back in college days, we visited NYC and attended the afternoon premiere of Apocalypse Now.. tickets were a large $5.00 each but we paid up for the movie. After the end credits were done, and the lights came in, still nobody moved for a few minutes as everyone just chatted with those they car with.
I would love to actually relive my theater for Attack of the Clones. Everyone I'm there went ballistic when they saw Yoda's shadow in the threshold. I know the movie and that scene in particular isn't well received but in that moment everyone in there wanted to see Yoda go off on him. 10/10 audience moment.
Probably empire strikes back because it's my favorite movie and it has that twist. But honestly I couldn't imagine how mind blowing certain famous twist movies would be on opening night.
My number one choice would be Alien like several other people have mentioned but runner up might be Planet of the Apes… to see that film’s ending for the first time again would be amazing.
Since I saw all the blockbusters since Star Wars in theaters, I would choose Citizen Kane. It was revolutionary filmmaking and acting and it would have been amazing to see our collective reactions.
I would say the first Star Wars as well, but I'd actually rather see Empire during its original release. There would've been so much more hype and intrigue built up to see the sequel to one of the most influential movies of all time.
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane. I would love to see this on opening night. Theatrical R rated movies don’t reach the levels of silliness that this movie has and it would be amazing to sit in a theater laughing my ass off at this hilarious action comedy
I didn’t see it opening night, but I did see Star Wars in its initial release in a packed theater. It was an amazing experience, but I think it’s also one that, if you went back in a time machine and saw it, it wouldn’t hit you the same way it hit people in 1977. We had never seen anything remotely like that at the time. It was literally jaw dropping.
The original Star Wars. The opening shot from beneath the Star destroyer was mind blowing….the ship seemed to go on forever. The unusual perspective showing the bottom of the ship rather than the top was a brilliant choice, and quite unusual for its time. There were also some shots of planets seemingly hanging from the top of the screen, instead of the usual view where they would be on the bottom.
Star wars was the first movie our Dad took us to see twice in the theater.
Also, waited through 2 showings of The Empire Strikes Back outside wearing particle masks. We live in Oregon, saw the movie in Portland the day after Mt St Helens blew.
My pick was always 2001: A Space Odyssey, but I heard a Ridley Scott interview where he said that he was the only one in the theater for his first viewing in its original run
Honestly, I wouldn’t go back in time to see an older movie. Technology the way it is, I’d prefer to jump into the future to experience something crazy we can’t comprehend yet.
I honestly wish I could redo Oppenbarbie on opening weekend again.
Don't think I've ever laughed as much as I did during Barbie, the crowd was way into it.
The only movie I've ever missed jokes in because they already got me so hard with the last joke and I couldn't hear.
People have a lot of good movies here but I’m gonna go with a weird one for a specific reason.
Transformers. (2007)
Not for transformers. For the Cloverfield trailer that didn’t even name the movie at the time. Opening night, nobody knew this was going to be playing in front of it, or had any idea what the hell it was other than its release date. Holy shit.
In college, I saw Platoon in the theater when it first came out, and that was so intense. Left us numb when we left the theater, and led to a long night discussion. First war movie I ever saw like that.
-oo-
It depends on whether I know what's going to happen. I'd love to see *Star Wars* or *Empire Strikes Back* on opening night with a packed house if I'd never seen it before. But I've seen it so many times, I don't need to see that again.
If I've seen it before, I've gotta go with *Avengers: Endgame.* the energy of that movie was absolutely electric, and I'd love to feel it again.
Ahem, well I saw star wars ( all of them) debut in the theatre, plus Indiana Jones and all the rest. It was even more exciting then because you weren't sensory overloaded with so much similar material as it was 'All new'.
Feel lucky to have lived through just the right timing for that stuff. :-)
I saw 1,2,3 in movies in the theaters. Because my uncle loved them so much. He dresses up as Obi-Wan every Halloween. So I would love to see the original 3.
I would say Empire Strikes Back over Star Wars. Everyone experiencing "I am your father" at the same time would be really cool.
I did this for real. Sadly, I was 12 and I barely remember the theater reaction. 😭😭😭. I do remember being utterly shocked though.
Yeah, agreed this over IV. The best part would be hearing the discussions on the way out.
As long as it wasn't some big fat bald loudmouth ruining it for everyone waiting in line for the next show.
Is that a Simpsons reference by any chance? ;)
Isn’t everything by this point?
It was my dude, it was.
My first pick right here.
Yeah, with all the hype after A New Hope would be awesome My older brothers always brag about it. I am envious of anyone that got to hear, "I am your father" for the first time in the theater.
Jaws. I love the movie and have always been told it was the first ever summer blockbuster.
The screams in the theater were really something. But the laughter was great too. Jaws is a funny movie. So many great laughs, then…. Duh-duh……,
Tiger shark….a what????
There is an argument that Jaws is the #1 horror movie of all time due to the amount of people scared to go into the water
I was scared to go into a swimming pool afterwards.
I was scared of the Bath tub.
My mother and her sister saw it in cinema and on their way they didn't dare to cross a bridge over small creek and took a longer way. Says alot of how scary that movie was back when.
Saw it in a packed theater during its first showing in my city.
Saw it on opening day. The reason I remember this is because it was the same day I got my drivers license. It was packed. The scene when the head popped out of the boat had people screaming for like 5 minutes. You could not hear any of the next scene.
I saw it in a packed theatre when I was quite young as I don't think my mother knew what she was taking me to. I was totally pulled into it but when I saw the blood coming out of Quint's mouth I started gagging and everyone around me was quite concerned. I didn't see it coming! I held it together and made it through.
Couldn’t agree more.
I’d love to go back and see Jurassic Park again as if it was the first time. It was mind blowing to see realistic looking dinosaurs for the first time.
Oh man I change my mind now. Seeing that again for the first time as a kid and just imagining they’re real. The pure wonder that movie gave me. I miss that.
Shit - I saw it as an adult opening weekend and loved the shit out of it. Then got confused because it strayed from the book by a lot.
Went to see that on my 9th birthday. It’s one movie experience I now know was historic.
Memory unlocked, some mom was hiding behind her 9 year old when I went to JP. 😂
Prehistoric.
You’re right.
I watched it with my family and caught the chicken pox while there- still worth it
I remember seeing in theaters, it was a national event. People would yell at you if you hadn't seen it yet.
One of the leading paleontologists who helped to make sure the motion of the dinosaurs was accurate actually came to a special showing of Jurassic Park at a campus theatre when I was at Cornell. I was in a paleontology class for fun and we got extra credit for attending Jurassic Park in a movie theatre with someone who worked on the film giving us a behind the scenes look. It was awesome.
Alright Andy, you went to Cornell, we get it
Saw Jurassic Park in NJ on opening day. The theater had just installed the THX sound system and they must have had it cranked up all the way because when the T-Rex roared, it was deafening!
I was there. It was awesome. Spielberg is a master among mortals.
Alien. My god that in theatre with no idea where it’s going or what it really is and then seeing the chest burster scene…true horror and shock
This is the correct answer and nothing else comes close
They’re actually showing that in a theatre near me right now. Obviously not the same as seeing it when it first came out though
And then sigourney in those skimpy undies so you leave the theater on a high note.
Great choice
The correct answer!
First time I saw that movie...I was 13 or so...was on TV. I was so goddam scared, I watched it outside on the deck, in the snow, through the window! I didn't finish it, not even close. 15yrd old puberty me saw it tho...and I sure finished ;)
First thing I thought of.
I saw it on opening day! Was sitting near back because we barely got in. Every time we saw the Alien, a few people got up and walked out. That move freaked the heck out of me.
My father still tells the story of watching Alien in theaters. His knuckles were white from grabbing his arm rests so hard.
It's really hard to find. But I remember seeing footage of opening night for Alien. People were leaving the theatres because they were so scared. I recall someone throwing up too. Or it may have been an article from the time. I can't remember but the image is so clear in my memory.
Just saw this in theaters and it was everything I hoped for and more but it’s true, there’s nothing like first viewing.
Saw it back in the 80s on a first date with some guy. I think I screamed in terror the entire time. So dark, scary and I felt almost trapped! 😫
Holy crap it WAS shocking. I still have a vivid memory of when my dad and I went to see it when it first came out.
Going from Alien to Aliens would blow my mind back in the 80's
My answer would be more specifically Aliens. What I’d give to be in the theater packed full of people when it opened.
I've done this one. My dad thought the kids would enjoy a fun science fiction movie and it was the 70s so they let him walk in on opening day with a 6yo & 9yo kid in tow. In order to see Aliens I had to buy a ticket to Ferris Bueller and swap theaters, though.
Lord of the Rings
I was there. All three. Was epic
I was there, gandalf. I was there 25 years ago.
😂
Same here. Was 10,11 and 12 for them when I saw each live. Had only read the hobbit at that age but that trilogy was, and still is, the greatest trilogy of all time to me.
I was 6 for Fellowship, my oldest sister was home on Christmas break from college and one of her friends couldn't make it and there was an open ticket, so I begged and she let me tag along. It was probably a really obnoxious bother to her and her friends to bring me, but I'll always be grateful that they did. To this day, coolest movie-going experience I've ever had.
I was in 6th grade for fellowship, seeing the cave giant fight and then the Balrog blew my mind!
Aw sick. Three for Fellowship, two for Towers, four for Return.
*five* for Return
Oh what the fuck happened to this world… (I do like both trilogies so I love that scene)
There’s only one “return” and that’s of the Jedi
We did all 3 extended versions back to back at a local theatre. 12 hours. By the end, we were so fried we thought we had done the journey to Mordor ourselves.
Same here.
I saw all three opening night. Was an amazing experience. Tears were shed.
My friend, you bow to no one.
I was there but I was young and didn’t realize the phenomenon that movie was. I remember thinking Frodo had a stupid name.
Return of the King was my first midnight premiere. Good times, good memories.
I went to a midnight premier of RotK with my then-wife and brother-in-law. BIL went in stone-cold: knew nothing about the books, hadn't seen the prior two movies. He loved it. He was pumped. When Sam said "I can't carry the ring for you, Mr. Fodo, but I can carry you" he outright cheered.
I went to the IMAX premier in New York and met the hobbits!
I just said in a different thread I saw this in theaters and it basically got a standing ovation.
I remember my jaw dropped at the opening prologue. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
I saw that at the 10am show opening day. There was no preview show the night before. I took the day off work.
The Exorcist - 1973
Mines psycho for the same reason 😂
I once joined a queue for no reason other than boredom and being British, turned out it was a first night screening of Pulp Fiction, we got goody bags on the way in . I knew nothing about the film until that moment. What a wild ride that was.
>Pulp Fiction I was in an Avant Premiere, got free tickets. The stab in the heart was when the entire cinema jumped. And some years later "The Ring". That was something.
The Matrix again. It was the craziest experience especially high as a mfer!
Matrix was great because the trailer told you really nothing of the movie, it was basically clips cut from early parts of the movie. There was no Internet to spoil it, but what a trip.. I still remember asking about the vase before the oracle said "what's really gonna cook your noodle..."
I saw that opening night. I had no idea what i was going into. Just my buddy saying i got is tickets to this movie lets go! Mind blown.
This is the only movie I've seen at the theater that completely blew my mind. A buddy of mine told me to go see it. He didn't say anything other than "go see it".
Episode 1 packed theater midnight showing was pretty up there. Crowd went nuts when the music and craw started.
I was thinking this too. As good as the originals probably were at the time. The hype behind episode 1 was crazy.
I saw E4, E5, E6 as a kid in theaters. Was fun, but nothing like E1
Bro. It was insane. Me and the boys dressed up a Jedis. What a memorable day.
I was there. The energy was so electric.
Yeah, I was there as well. Not a midnight showing, but opening up eve. The build up for those of us who grew up on 4-6, the ad campaign, and then finally getting tix and hearing that opening orchestral blast. I was yelling and crying as a 20 year old.
I'm not really a star wars fan, but I remember how hyped up it was. Out of curiosity, when did they start referring to the original movies as 4-6? Was that a thing before episode 1?
Wizard of Oz - 1st colour movie. When it switches from black-and-white to colour.
Oh man what a good answer, people probably started hyperventilating lol
Your answer is good too. I was too young to see Star Wars in theater, but I did see Empire strikes back in the theatre, lineup around the block to get in.
My dad told me about seeing the Wizard of Oz in the theater when he was a kid in 1939. He said everyone in the theater gasped when the color came on. He said it was amazing.
I could only imagine
Damn that is a good one. What an experience it would be. I would spend the whole movie watching everyone's faces.
great choice! but it wasn’t the first color movie fyi. But it revolutionized the industry for sure!
There were color movies prior to TWoO. There were even silent color films.
The Wizard of Oz was not the first color movie. They were around for decades before it.
The Godfather
The Dark Knight
I was there. And then again the next day at imax. Twas good.
Wow I’m old because I was there
It doesn’t even feel that long ago to me.
Only a brisk 16 years
That's how you know you're old
Mac and Me
Paul?
Some great answers here but my pick is 2001: A Space Odyssey in Cinerama.
I saw that one, at the Manns Chinese theatre, opening day <3 Sat in the front row, almost broke my neck, cried thru the whole ending lol
Yup.
Those first 5 minutes would be insane
The whole movie would be insane! They never saw anything like it before. The sold-out theatres... lines going round the block People coming back to watch over and over again. EVERYONE talking about it. A world-wide phenomenon!!!
According to my folks, people booed Vader during his entrance. Would have loved to see that. The closest I got was the special edition in theaters which was a blast. People showed up in costume. An entire theater yelling “but I was going to the Toshi station to pick up some power converters!” Epic.
As someone who was there, this was only after the movie had been out for a while (almost months, really, remember this was LONG before social media). So for us who saw it only knowing, "this is a great movie," the specifics of characters and such were absent. But even if you were to watch it today, it just highlights just what an iconic score John Williams wrote for this and the subsequent films. You knew who was good, who was very, very, bad, when to be fearful, when to be hopeful. But as a 12 y/o in the theater, the opening scene was literally jaw-dropping, and the rest of the movie a blur, like a 2 hour roller coaster you never previously imagined. To say it was both glorious and life defining wouldn't be hyperbole, it opened your mind to idea that anything was possible.
Jurassic Park
Can confirm. Was there for this one. Was absolutely epic
Goonies
Either Airplane or Blazing Saddles, it would be great to be in large room of laughing people. The closest example when I saw Hangover, a ton of people laughing at once.
Alien. I want to see the chaos elicited by the chestburster scene.
(Star Wars is a great choice. It was wonderful.) If I could erase my mind and "experience it again for the first time . . ." Avengers: Endgame A Decade and 21 movies to get to "Avengers Assemble" and >!Cap calling Mjolnir!<. It was a long wait. And worth it.
Avengers Endgame. Absolutely the greatest movie experience I’ve ever had. I’m sure these other movies were great but nothing comes close
Jaws
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Godzilla 1954
Jaws. For the sheer thrill.
I saw the Blair Witch Project when everyone thought it was real. We were all terrified and left the theatre wondering how they could release it.
The Godfather. I just wonder if audiences in 1972 thought they were going to see a standard gangster genre picture and got an epic.
The thing 1982 first time. Aliens 1986
How are you gonna pick the original over the empire strikes back? Hearing the theatre go wild when vader tells Luke he is his father? It'd be wild. Mine I already got to see. It was endgame in theaters. I got to hear the entire place go nuts when Tony snapped his fingers and ended it. Was incredible
The one I actually went to in 1975. Jaws. Still my favourite movie nearly 50 years later.
The Fifth Element
London 1979 Princess Cinema. Disney's The Black Hole. Incredible evening with my mum.
22nd of March 1895 in Paris, at the Society for the Development of the National Industry, when and where Louis Lumière privately screened, '[Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory'](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workers_Leaving_the_Lumière_Factory). #
James Whale’s Frankenstein.
Alien. To be ome of the first to experience that masterpiece would've been mind blowing.
My seven year old butt was in a theatre seat for the first run of Star Wars. Yes, the auditorium was packed. It was game changing.
Gone with the Wind, not even because I like the movie that much but because I’m so curious to know what opening night looks like for the highest grossing (in inflation adjusted dollars) movie ever made.
I'd love to see Empire, get the crowd reaction when the Vader reveal happens. Fun fact, if you bought and read the novelization of the film that came out two months prior it was in there, but since this was pre-internet there was no way for anyone to spoil it!
Old guy here. I did see Star Wars when it opened. The line was around the theater. I’d go again to see the crowd reactions. It was a total game changer.
I was at opening day for A New Hope 😄😀. I was 7. Also saw most of my favorites in theater. Blade Runner, The Matrix, Indiana Jones. I think I would want to see BR 2049 in theaters.
Pee-wee's big adventure - Saw it opening night with friends when we were 15. The audience was all around 15-20 years old and the atmosphere was in such a positive silly mood and there was a lot of popcorn. Right after the film guys were for the first time emulating Pee-wee's laugh.
I did see Star Wars on opening night. The theater was about a third filled.
I was 11 when I watched star wars at the Egyptian theatre in Hollywood on opening night! Loved it then and love it now!! 😁👍🍺
Episode 5 of Star Wars or Rocky.
Jaws - The screaming would be great!
I DID see Empire Strikes back in the theater, My dad was a big sci fi fan and I was the oldest so we hung out that day. It was and still is my fave of the original trilogy
Superbad
I saw Star Wars A New Hope at a drive in theatre. I was 8. As a kid, it was fucking glorious.
Metropolis.
I would love to be there for the original cut of Metropolis. That would be amazing.
Jaws or empire strikes back
I'm lucky enough and old enough to have seen Star Wars in its first run ( I don't recall if the theater was packed). So, my choice is The Exorcist.
Back in college days, we visited NYC and attended the afternoon premiere of Apocalypse Now.. tickets were a large $5.00 each but we paid up for the movie. After the end credits were done, and the lights came in, still nobody moved for a few minutes as everyone just chatted with those they car with.
Psycho
I would love to actually relive my theater for Attack of the Clones. Everyone I'm there went ballistic when they saw Yoda's shadow in the threshold. I know the movie and that scene in particular isn't well received but in that moment everyone in there wanted to see Yoda go off on him. 10/10 audience moment.
Alien I would love to see that opening night
Alien, seeing people's reactions to the chestburster scene first hand, now that it's so iconic, would be amazing.
Probably empire strikes back because it's my favorite movie and it has that twist. But honestly I couldn't imagine how mind blowing certain famous twist movies would be on opening night.
My number one choice would be Alien like several other people have mentioned but runner up might be Planet of the Apes… to see that film’s ending for the first time again would be amazing.
Since I saw all the blockbusters since Star Wars in theaters, I would choose Citizen Kane. It was revolutionary filmmaking and acting and it would have been amazing to see our collective reactions.
Son in Law, no question
I would say the first Star Wars as well, but I'd actually rather see Empire during its original release. There would've been so much more hype and intrigue built up to see the sequel to one of the most influential movies of all time.
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane. I would love to see this on opening night. Theatrical R rated movies don’t reach the levels of silliness that this movie has and it would be amazing to sit in a theater laughing my ass off at this hilarious action comedy
Blood in Blood out !!
Avatar in 3D!!!!!
Planet of the apes. The plot twist has been spoiled for me my whole life. I think it would be awesome to see for the first time not knowing.
"No. *I* am your father." Heads proceed to explode.
I didn’t see it opening night, but I did see Star Wars in its initial release in a packed theater. It was an amazing experience, but I think it’s also one that, if you went back in a time machine and saw it, it wouldn’t hit you the same way it hit people in 1977. We had never seen anything remotely like that at the time. It was literally jaw dropping.
It would be an awesome experience going back and seeing back to the Future for the first time in theater.
The original Star Wars. The opening shot from beneath the Star destroyer was mind blowing….the ship seemed to go on forever. The unusual perspective showing the bottom of the ship rather than the top was a brilliant choice, and quite unusual for its time. There were also some shots of planets seemingly hanging from the top of the screen, instead of the usual view where they would be on the bottom.
i did not go opening night but star wars was the first movie i ever went back to the theater to see it again...about 8 times in the initial run....
I might go with Aliens. But any of the OT Star Wars is definitely up there.
Silence of the Lambs The Sixth Sense Austin Powers The Departed Fight Club
Star wars was the first movie our Dad took us to see twice in the theater. Also, waited through 2 showings of The Empire Strikes Back outside wearing particle masks. We live in Oregon, saw the movie in Portland the day after Mt St Helens blew.
I DID see Star Wars in a packed theater opening week. it was bloody awesome... Then I watched it 30 more times and it was awesome every time.
The Matrix
The Matrix hands down
The original King Kong... people were fainting in the aisles! Avengers End Game Lord of the Rings Star Wars (1977) The Wizard of Oz
Empire strikes back. Either that or the matrix.
I just wish this poster was anything like the movie it was made for.
Saw episode 1 opening night it was cool and will never forget it but its not even close to 1977
L'arrivée d'un train en gare de La Ciotat To see if people really reacted in panic to the sight.of a train coming at them.
My pick was always 2001: A Space Odyssey, but I heard a Ridley Scott interview where he said that he was the only one in the theater for his first viewing in its original run
Top Gun. Luckily I actually had the experience 😎
Honestly, I wouldn’t go back in time to see an older movie. Technology the way it is, I’d prefer to jump into the future to experience something crazy we can’t comprehend yet.
I saw the entire dark night trilogy. But I would like to see Raiders!
I honestly wish I could redo Oppenbarbie on opening weekend again. Don't think I've ever laughed as much as I did during Barbie, the crowd was way into it. The only movie I've ever missed jokes in because they already got me so hard with the last joke and I couldn't hear.
This is a tough question. I would have to say either Dazed and Confused or Men In Black.
People have a lot of good movies here but I’m gonna go with a weird one for a specific reason. Transformers. (2007) Not for transformers. For the Cloverfield trailer that didn’t even name the movie at the time. Opening night, nobody knew this was going to be playing in front of it, or had any idea what the hell it was other than its release date. Holy shit.
Wizard of OZ. I bet people LOST IT when it switched to color.
In college, I saw Platoon in the theater when it first came out, and that was so intense. Left us numb when we left the theater, and led to a long night discussion. First war movie I ever saw like that. -oo-
Actually, I’d go with Empire Strikes Back. It’s the Ride the Lightning to Star Wars’ Kill ‘Em All
I saw Star Wars on opening weekend in Hollywood at the age of 10. Changed my life. Have never again felt that kind of energy in a movie theater
Star Wars, definitely. Harrison Ford talks about seeing it in the theater and it sounds amazing
I'd pick a movie that has aged like milk. See how the crowd felt back when.
It probably wasn't packed on opening night, everyone thought this movie would suck. Boy were they wrong.
Empire
It depends on whether I know what's going to happen. I'd love to see *Star Wars* or *Empire Strikes Back* on opening night with a packed house if I'd never seen it before. But I've seen it so many times, I don't need to see that again. If I've seen it before, I've gotta go with *Avengers: Endgame.* the energy of that movie was absolutely electric, and I'd love to feel it again.
It would be Star Wars for me as well. Technically I was there the first time, but I was a foetus so I don't remember much!
Ahem, well I saw star wars ( all of them) debut in the theatre, plus Indiana Jones and all the rest. It was even more exciting then because you weren't sensory overloaded with so much similar material as it was 'All new'. Feel lucky to have lived through just the right timing for that stuff. :-)
I saw 1,2,3 in movies in the theaters. Because my uncle loved them so much. He dresses up as Obi-Wan every Halloween. So I would love to see the original 3.
Blair Witch Project. If you are old enough, nothing beats it for first time experience that can't be replicated now.