Of course there are times when you want a good film to while away your Saturday night in, when you cant be bothered to go out, or have no money! Now that's when you need a proper film, and that's when Neil and I spend ages trying to work out 'what mood we are in' and what film would suit that mood. It's quite amazing how long you can scroll through films on Virgin Media or Netflix with your partner going "No....no....maybe....no...nope" before you get a little ratty. That cosy 'Saturday night in' could end up with the 'Saturday great fight' instead. Neil and I like a spot of Science Fiction or Action Films, I like Dramas and he likes War films. You can see the problem here? How to find a film we both like that suits our mood. Once we've (finally) picked our film then we have to get the 'munchies'. You know, the popcorn, crisps, snacks, drinks.....alcohol or not?......hot or not. You see the idea is not to move at all once the film starts, so you have to gather everything together and plonk it on the sofa or table, as close as possible to you both, so it's within arms length. Oh, and woe betide anyone that has to pop to the loo during the film and it has to be paused. I accidentally pressed fast forward instead of pause once. It took us half and hour to get back to where we had left the film! Oh the perils of home entertainment.
Bring back the hey days of renting a video. I used to work for Ritz Video, who were then taken over by Blockbuster Video, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The days when everyone wanted the latest video release for their Saturday night, and there was an offer on and you could hire two films for £2.50, were such fun. The place would buzz, and customers would ask your advice on the best films. We were lucky because the films would come in a week early and we could watch them free, the idea being that knowledge was sales. We all watched some films that are absolute classics today. Think Wayne's World, Terminator, The Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, The Green Mile, There's Something about Mary and so on. There would be a number of us working on a Saturday evening, some to serve, and some to 'floor walk'. Great name huh, Floor Walkers, but it was something I was good at. Telling customers what the films were about, directing them to the type of films they wanted, telling them the offers, keeping the shop floor tidy and suggesting the snack and drink offers. Meanwhile my work colleagues would keep the momentum going by serving fast and keeping up the banter. People flocked to our shop and even now, almost thirty years later I still get people recognising me from working there. All I can say is that we got to know our regulars very well, and it was an enjoyable job. When we changed to DVDs it was just as good, except the price went up!
Home Entertainment has changed now. People have computers and Netflix and downloads, and everything is at their fingertips. You don't have to go out and hire a DVD now as you can just buy it on line and stream it.
When Neil and I can afford it we like to treat ourselves to the cinema. The last film we saw was the amazing Bohemian Rhapsody. I thought I wouldn't be able to cope with a Freddie Mercury lookalike, but after a while you just forgot and simply stayed along for the ride. Amusing, entertaining and sad, everything you want for Saturday night entertainment. Just bring your own snacks and drink as the prices are atrocious!!!
I feel a bit old writing about Videos and DVDs and staying in on a Saturday night. Maybe I should write about my clubbing nights? Now that would make you raise your eyebrows. What fun I had. What secrets I have. What hangovers I had! Watch this space...…
PS I did make those cakes yesterday 😀(Snacks for watching films?)
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