1975 At the Movies - First Theatrical Releases

I didn't see many movies as a young kid, since neither of my parents were movie-goers. Sigh. But I've certainly made up for that unfortunate childhood ever since. Watching hundreds of movies each year (on TV, home video, internet, and at cinemas) for the last several decades has allowed me to do some serious catching up. 

I do recall as a youngster being taken to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. That must have been my first visit to the cinema. I was visiting my grandparents at the time, and my grandmother and my mom escorted me to the theatre. I can't recall when this was or how old I was, but obviously, this must have been a re-release (possibly in the late 60's or early 70's?), since this Disney classic first appeared way back in 1937, before even my parents were born. What I remember most of that day was becoming fearful when Snow White dashed through the forest as scary faces appeared in the craggy trees surrounding her. That made an impression... and the movie remains my favourite of all the Walt Disney animated films. 

A movie marquis somewhere, announcing

the first summer blockbuster of all time, Jaws

When I was thirteen years old, I was finally allowed to see movies on my own... well, at least without my parents around. As if they'd go anyway. Some of the films I saw did require that an adult be present, so I'd go with a friend and his cooler parent(s). 

I know with certainty that my first such movie was Jaws back in the summer of 1975. It was a warm June afternoon matinee in my hometown. I can still picture the huge line-up starting at the Geneva cinema and wrapping almost around the block. My friends and I (and a couple of their parents) found a spot in line that wasn't too far from the doors. We chose to sit in the balcony, which back then was sort of reserved for smoking. Ha! The good old days. But hey, nobody cared much about that stuff then. It just felt like a cool experience sitting way up, way back, and freaking out at the great horror adventure before us. I remember first seeing that shocking scene early in the movie when the severed head pops out of the broken hull of the boat. The whole theatre rang with the screams of the audience. It was great!

I'm not one hundred percent sure of this, but I believe I also saw The Return of the Pink Panther at the cinema that same year. I know I caught at least a few of the Inspector Clouseau comedies on their theatrical runs back in the day. Those Peter Sellers gems absolutely killed me! I always anxiously awaited the scene - at least one in each movie - where manservant Cato would leap out from some unlikely hiding place to attack Clouseau... as part of the Inspector's home "training" for surprise attacks. Crazy slow-motion and vocal effects turned these skirmishes into bizarre comedic sequences. Pure gold. 

I think that was it for '75. There were several big movies out that year, but I wasn't old enough to see the Restricted rated ones yet... like Rollerball and Death Race 2000.