Mumsnet users share their cinema memories with ODEON

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Whether you go often or it’s a rare treat, trips to the cinema often leave memories in a way watching a film at home rarely would. ODEON would like to hear about your memories of going to the cinema - either when you were a child or when taking your own children now.

Chris Bates, Commercial Director at ODEON UK & Ireland said: “The festive period is a special and magical time for the whole family, and what better way to celebrate than by enjoying one of the most highly anticipated films of the year – Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns. Across our cinemas, we’ve been busy sprinkling a little bit of extra magic on the cinema-going experience – including live performances from magicians, decorating our foyers, and a special Magic Mix deal on food & drink. Tickets to see the return of everyone’s favourite nanny are available to book now and we can’t wait to welcome guests through our doors to watch this truly magical film with ODEON."

Do you remember a particular film? Perhaps you have memories of a family member laughing so loudly it was embarrassing? Maybe you remember going without your parents for the first time? What are your favourite memories of taking your own children to the cinema?

All who post their memories below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

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My first ever film was a screening of Mary Poppins! It was in 1983 & I was 5. My local Cinema was a 2 screen Odeon (they added more screens later, but it eventually closed down 10 years ago) & we watched it from the balcony. I vividly remember the curtains opening & the interval with a lady selling ice creams from a tray around her neck.
My Mum always fell asleep in films & I remember waking her up throughout it. Mary Poppins has been my favourite film ever since. I’m taking my daughters & nieces to see the new one over the holidays & am so excited. I was meant to take my lovely Mum too , but she sadly passed away suddenly at the end of September, so it’ll be a bit bittersweet.

The first film I took my 3 year old ds to was Peter Rabbit. He was so excited he was shouting out "what's gonna happen?!" and squealing at the exciting bits. Luckily there were only a few others watching so they didn't seem to mind. I now take him a few times a year just me and him as our special one on one time away from his baby brother.

My memories of Saturday mornings at the cinema are magical. There'd be two films shown (it was sort of like a shorter first film and then the main film) and the cinema would be packed (there was not quite the same range of activities for children in a 1970s small town as there is now), and it still had an organ in it (I can't actually recall if it was ever played or whether I am imagining it). I love the cinema now - especially our local independent one - but don't go nearly as much as I'd like. One of the brilliant inventions of recent years is the live screenings of plays so you can watch locally and without the price of a theatre ticket. Love the cinema.

The first film we went to see as a family was when my youngest sister was a few weeks old, my middle sister was 2 and I was 5. It was Pocahontas and we were absolutely transfixed by the colours and the music and I still get a little bit of that magic when I watch the film now. We had popcorn with chocolate peanuts mixed in and my baby sister slept all the way through it. I can't wait to take my almost 3 year old to see his first film.

My dad took me to see Clash of the Titans when I was 4. It was amazing on the huge screen (hardly any cinemas have huge screens now - I resent paying for what's essentially a big telly), with smoke wafting over the aisle to us from the smoking section, and an ice cream. There was some short film first which made me very upset as I thought we were in the wrong film! It was about Pele, making him for years the only footballer I'd heard of.

Then the cinema was knocked down and legal stuff meant it wasn't reopened until I was an adult. My friend and I got the last tickets to see Jurassic Park, front row right at the side. My neck ached which helped me find the film less terrifying!

We used to love going to the cinema growing up. I remember seeing Honey I shrunk the kids at the old Odeon we had in our town centre. Then we got a box new multiplex one and used to go often to see things. I'm remember watching The Witches and finding it super scary! And seeing Jurassic Park numerous times. My kids are still young but we're hoping to try some kids movies with them over Christmas at the cinema :)

Ds was three and so patient when I was pregnant with dd, too ill to do much with him. His only request was that we see the Muppets movie when it came out. I figured that 2-3 weeks before due date I could get the bus from our door which stopped outside the Odeon and then sleep through it.

Then of course I was too ill to leave the house and gave up birth early, and then ds asked about the film. It was only on for one more day. So I figured out how to get dd in a sling, and off we went.

5-day-old dd started feeding in the ads and stayed put for the whole film. Ds loved parts of it but as the first half is pretty depressing he wanted to leave but thankfully I managed to keep him there until the wonderful finale, which is the only bit he remembers. That, and that dd and I kept my promise.

I remember as a small child going to the old Odeon cinema. It was a large cinema with an upstairs balcony area and lots of little lights in the ceiling that looked like tiny stars. Both my parents smoked, so we would always be taken to the upstairs balcony where smoking was still allowed.
The screen was enormous. I remember watching A Christmas Carol as a child, and having to hide my face in my mum's lap during the scary bits.
There would always be a B film before the main screening. Usually something boring like The Steel Industry in Sheffield, or about the knocking down of the slums and the building of a new town.
There wasn't a start and finish time as there is now, with the cinema being emptied in between of people. The films would just play on a continuous loop.
I remember though there would be an interval when the ice cream lady made an appearance with her tray of ice creams.
One of my biggest thrills as a child at the Odeon cinema was when we went to see Herbie and they had Herbie in the foyer!!!! Of course he didn't move or talk, he was just there, but I was still thrilled to see Herbie. I was a gullible child.

I Remember chancing taking my hyper and chatty 2 year old to the cinema for the first time. We watched Puss in Boots, and he laughed hysterically through the whole thing. He’s 9 now, and he still loves it.

Queuing around the block for Back to the Future, only for it to be full. The disappointment was immense!
Practicing my birthday year in the queue in case asked when trying to sneak into a 15!

First film I saw was the Fox and Hound. Still remember the trip, and the film.

It was at a small cinema which was threatened with closure, but, thankfully, Odeon stepped in and it's still going strong. From time to time the people who own the land threaten to sell it, but, so far, they've not done so. It would be such a shame to lose that cinema.

I remember my first cinema trip so clearly. It was a 6 year old birthday treat with one of my best friends at school. I was soooooooooo excited, as I'd never been to the cinema before. We all got dressed up in our party dresses, which were still long in the mid 1970s and went to the local cinema. We were bought a small box of Maltesers to share between 4 of us which seemed the height of sophistication and luxury, as I was never allowed to eat between meals and watched The Rescuers. It was like being taken to a wonderful magical place of mind-blowing colour and sound (we still had a black & white TV) that I'd never imagined could exist.

I still LOVE going to the cinema now, it has never lost that magic.

I remember ending up sat on the floor at the front with a supposedly non-mobile baby, but every time I looked at the screen rather than him, he'd have moved several feet across the floor!

My first film was 101 dalmatians, the first time around! I don't remember a thing as I spent the whole time crawling under the seats and rolling in the aisle. It was a long time before I was taken for a second time .
Sadly we can't afford to take our kids often. It's an expensive treat. Can't wait to see Mary Poppins though!

I remember going to see The Little mermaid with my mum and even now its still my favourite Disney Movie.

I remember going to cinema with my first proper boyfriend, the film was rat race but we spent the whole film kissing so never seen any of it 😁

When I first took my children to watch a movie in 3D, they both started to feel sick because they both suffer from motion sickness, as I learned as a result of our trip to the cinema. Now we only watch movies in 2D. I remember going to watch pride and prejudice without my parents. It was so much fun.

I remember seats tipping up and the fear of being squashed by them!

My older brother rarely came to the cinema with us when I was little. There was a big age gap and he was too cool to be seen with us. He wasn't too cool for Jurassic Park though. It was probably the last film we all saw together and it was jaw dropping.

The first film i really remember enjoying as a child was lining round the block for Flash Gordon at Southampton Odeon loving the film so much that as a family we came straight back out and lined up again to watch it all over again does anyone remember when the lines went round the block for films what wonderful times made it all the more special

The first time that I remember going to the cinema was to see Julie Andrews & Dick Van Dyke in the original Mary Poppins. My brother and I were taken as a special treat by our Auntie while Mum was recovering from surgery. I was absolutely enthralled and enchanted by the film and soon learnt all of the songs off by heart and took great delight in singing them repeatedly, especially Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! I am now very much looking forward to introducing my 4 grandchildren to the new Mary Poppins this Christmas and hope that they will all be as bewitched as I was all those many years ago.

My sister and I would go to my dads every other week and we’d nearly always go to the cinema. He’d buy us popcorn and drop us off so he didn’t heave to watch. I can’t wait until my boys are old enough to do that so I don’t have to watch some of their questionable choices!

When my boys were young primary school age I used to take them to the Saturday morning cinema club which showed children's films which had been shown earlier in the year. The boys loved going to the cinema with me and it was affordable.

I remember going to see Titanic the first film I was allowed to see with a friend instead of going with my parents. I was so excited! First ever film at the cinema was 101 Dalmatians which I also LOVED.

Used to go to the big Odeon in the city centre every fortnight. My dm would sneak me in to see films like Scrooged that were too old for me. I remember dm sending me out to get her a hotdog half way during the film. On the way back I tripped and fell because it was so dark. The whole audience was watching me crawl around the floor looking for the hotdog. She ended up with the crusty bun and some well earned karma.