Remembering the movie theaters, family traditions, first dates, friendships, and memories that made going to the movies about so much more than what was playing on the screen.
If you’ve been around our websites for long , you probably know my family love going to the movies. But my love for movie theaters didn’t just happen overnight. It’s something that has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and when I started thinking about all the theaters I’ve visited throughout the years, I realized just how many memories are attached to those places.
Some of those theaters are still around. Others have sadly closed their doors. And some of the people I shared those movie experiences with are no longer here. But the memories? Those are still with me. Which I am grateful, thankful and blessed to have and to share with you.
This is one of the reasons I wanted to start Beyond the Big Screen: Discovering DFW One Theater at a Time here at Greatful Moments. I want to explore the movie theaters throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and surrounding North Texas communities, but I also want to take a little trip down memory lane along the way.
Because sometimes the best part of going to the movies isn’t even the movie. It’s the people sitting beside you. I don’t remember going to the movie theater very often as a little girl, except for one particular occasion. Our air conditioner had gone out, and if you’ve ever lived in Texas during the summer, you know that can quickly become miserable.
When the temperatures start climbing toward 100 degrees, being inside a house without air conditioning isn’t exactly a good time. My dad decided to take us to Seminary South to see a movie indoors because it was cooler than staying at home. Thank goodness for movie theaters and their air conditioning!
I don’t remember everything about that day, but I remember the reason we went. Sometimes a movie theater can be a little escape from everyday life, and that day it was a welcome escape from the Texas heat. Just like when David, Charlie and I would pack up the car and head to Coyote Drive-In for the evening.
As a teenager, I remember going to a drive-in theater over in Fort Worth. I wish I could remember the name of that drive-in, but I was a teenager. Let’s just say I had other things on my mind! But I bet you if I asked David or his mom they would know the name of it.
And what was playing? No, not Grease. It was Saturday Night Fever, starring John Travolta. If you know me, you know I was probably more interested in seeing John Travolta on that big screen than anything else. I got to bring my best friend Tina, and my mom went with us, too. Tina has sadly passed away, but I will never forget that night and getting to share that movie with her and my mom. Funny how a movie can take you right back to a moment in your life and remind you of the people who were there.
As I got older, there was another theater down at Richland Plaza where my girlfriends and I would go to see movies. One movie I remember wanting to see was North Dallas Forty, starring Burt Reynolds. Now, anyone who knows me knows that Burt Reynolds was going to be my husband if I couldn’t get John Travolta or Elvis. Laughing out loud!
My girlfriends and I begged, pleaded, and tried everything we could think of to get inside to see that movie. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t let me in. I guess that one wasn’t meant to be! Sadly, that theater has closed, too. It’s funny how something that seemed so ordinary when we were teenagers can become something we wish we could visit again years later.
Then there was Movies Eight on Grapevine Highway, where they showed dollar movies. This was one of my favorite places to take my daughter and my nephew. We would arrive when the theater opened and stay until lunchtime. Then we would head across the street to North Hills Mall, which has also sadly closed, and have lunch at Luby’s.
After lunch, we’d go right back to the theater and watch movies until it closed. Yes, sometimes that meant staying until nine or ten o’clock at night! If you was to ask Charlie, he would say this was before the dinosaurs walked the face of the earth which might have been true. LOL
I loved those days. We could spend practically an entire day watching movies, taking a break for lunch, and then going right back for more. And honestly? If I could still do that today, I absolutely would! Although I would have to take David because my mom and Suzzane are gone and Charlie refuses to see movies. Before you ask yes, he is my child and no, I don’t know why he doesn’t like movies but yes, I still love home.
I also have my mom to thank for my love of movie theater popcorn. She always had to stop by the Isses Theater in the downtown Stockyards to get her popcorn fix. That was part of our movie-going routine, and I guess some traditions are passed down without us even realizing it. I still love movie theater popcorn today. There’s just something about getting that big bucket, settling into your seat, and enjoying a movie. You can make popcorn at home, but somehow it just isn’t quite the same. Is it?
When I got to high school, I started spending a lot of time at North East Mall. My friend and I went to the movies practically every weekend. Sometimes we watched one movie, sometimes two, and sometimes three. It all depended on what was playing and how much time we had.
You would think that after watching that many movies over the years, I might have been tired of going to the theater by the time Charlie came along. But nope! I still loved going, and I wanted to share that love of movies with him. But somewhere along the way he didn’t pick up my love of movies.
Some movies stuck, like The Fast and the Furious, while others didn’t quite catch his attention. Charlie isn’t really someone who wants to sit in a movie theater for hours, and that’s okay. We all have our own ways of enjoying entertainment and that is what makes us a family.
These days, David and I still enjoy going to the movies. It’s part of our date nights, something we do for Greatful Moments, and occasionally I can talk Charlie into joining us. Sometimes it’s Charlie and his friends, and sometimes we even get a family movie day. The movie-going tradition hasn’t disappeared. It has simply changed as our family has grown.
There are so many movie theaters throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and the surrounding North Texas communities, and I want to discover what makes each one special. Some theaters offer dining experiences. Others have trivia, bingo, games, arcades, special events, retro movie nights, classic cartoons, and family activities. And then there are the theaters that bring back memories of the places we visited growing up.
Through Beyond the Big Screen, we’ll be exploring theaters throughout the area, looking at what they offer, discovering special events, and sharing experiences that might give families another reason to get out of the house and spend time together. We’ll also be looking for those classic movie experiences that remind us of the good old days. But I want this to be more than a collection of theater listings. I want to hear your stories, too.
Now It’s Your Turn!– Let’s take a little trip down memory lane together.
- What’s your favorite movie theater in DFW today, and what makes it special?
- Do you remember a movie theater from your childhood that has since closed?
- Did you have a favorite drive-in theater?
- Do you remember going to the movies at the mall, grabbing pizza or eating at the cafeteria before or afterward?
- What’s one movie you will always remember seeing on the big screen, and who did you see it with?
Maybe you remember a first date, a family outing, a Saturday afternoon with your best friend, or taking your children to their very first movie. I’d love to hear about it! And if there’s a theater in North Texas you think we should visit, please tell us about it. We want to discover the big chains, the independent theaters, the historic theaters, and those little places that might surprise us.
Because at Greatful Moments, we believe some of life’s best memories happen when we’re spending time with the people we love. So grab your popcorn, find your seat, and come along with us. We’re going Beyond the Big Screen, one theater and one memory at a time!
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.
GreatfulMoments.com
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
