# Movie moments that are only effective in the theater **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [June 22, 2023, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919 "2023-06-22T03:10:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/41 "2023-06-23T08:48:08Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Theaters are now far smaller on average. For a long time theater screens were getting smaller but recently I have noticed the theaters by me going back to really big screens. I think theater owners realized they have to offer something more than what many people can get at home on their 60" TV. I 100% agree with Star Wars (1977). I’ll also add in “The Matrix”. That opening sequence is just better in a theater. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/42 "2023-06-23T08:55:53Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Not to mention movies that have a fake “film breaking” gag, like Gremlins 2. _Grindhouse_, in particular, was really designed to be seen in a shitty movie theater, between its missing reels and fake trailers and ads in between the two features. I saw it at a run-down drive-in in the sticks, which felt just about right. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/43 "2023-06-23T12:58:29Z")
With all this talk of Star Wars, I’ll clear my throat and pause and say _“Holdo Maneuver.”_ ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/44 "2023-06-23T14:09:14Z")
If I recall, there was a sound effect that went with the Star Destroyer as well- sort of a bass rumble as it passed overhead, that just heightened the menace. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/45 "2023-06-23T14:12:13Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I saw it at a run-down drive-in in the sticks, which felt just about right. When my daughter was 5 or 6, we were going to take her to a drive-in showing _Twister_. Then I read that it was PG-13. My daughter argued that it was about _weather_, and it couldn’t be that scary. Well, the drive-in had a hokey preamble thing where they played an air-raid siren, had a strobe light going, then announced that the National Weather Service observed a tornado heading toward (name of drive-in). It was cute/funny, but it scared the absolute crap out of my daughter. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/46 "2023-06-23T14:19:26Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > … There was a scene in Jaws where a dead body or maybe just a leg popped up on the screen, prompting lots of jumping out of seats and screaming. … Or when the shark pops up right after Roy Scheider complains about scooping chum overboard (IIRC, it’s the first time it appears without being cued by the score). I commented later that the theater staff should probably sanitize the seats between screenings. One that occurs to me is the “lighting of the beacons” sequence in **RotK**. It’s impressive enough on a television, but for me the combination of cinematography and music in the theater was … damn near overwhelming. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/47 "2023-06-23T14:54:35Z")
I remember that scene from the LOTR movie; it was awesome. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/48 "2023-06-23T15:55:05Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > We do an outdoor movie night every Halloween projected onto a screen the size of our garage door. Last year was _Creature_ in 3D. I bought 48 3D glasses and handed out nearly all of them. How did it look? ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/49 "2023-06-23T16:00:45Z")
T-Rex in the rain in **Jurassic Park**. I do not care what kind of high end home theater system you have, if the T Rex isn’t the size of a building on the screen your shit is weak and Steven Spielberg is disappointed in you. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/50 "2023-06-23T17:04:39Z")
The jump scare (literally) in **Wait Until Dark** (1967) when Alan Arkin lunges at Audrey Hepburn. In a dark theater it scared the crap out of everybody. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/51 "2023-06-23T17:29:49Z")
Maybe not “only effective in the theater” but a memorable experience… I was working nights as a projectionist at a local 9-plex cinema when the 1989 Batman movie came out. That film had been preceded by such a marketing campaign that everyone at work was excited about it and couldn’t wait to watch it. On Thursday night, I usually would break down the outgoing films from the platter into their original 20min reels and set those in the corridor for the distributor to pick up–he would swap the old film cans for the new film cans with Friday’s releases. I usually just went home and it was up to the day projectionist to assemble the new films onto the platters. But that night we all decided to have a private showing, so at around 1am when the new film was delivered I set about quickly assembling it on the platter of our largest theater, with the best sound system. A half hour later or so it was ready, so the whole crew took seats in the center of the theater, I cranked the volume a notch, and we watched Batman the night before the rest of America would see it. It was a painful 7am wakeup for my day job. What a fond memory. And that viewing experience could only have happened at the theater. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/52 "2023-06-23T18:11:56Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > There’s a scene where we’re waiting for Lawrence to emerge from the desert. The screen shows a long, unbroken, flat horizon. And then, maybe, just a speck. Even on a huge screen, you can’t really be sure there’s someone there. I don’t think that would remotely work on a home screen. Nitpick, it’s actually Omar Sharif appearing out of the mirage from the POV of Lawrence waiting for him at the well. It’s how Sharif is introduced in the film. A magnificent scene even on a TV, but it’s my great loss that I’ve never had the opportunity to see LoA on the big screen. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/53 "2023-06-23T19:02:49Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > > > We do an outdoor movie night every Halloween projected onto a screen the size of our garage door. Last year was _Creature_ in 3D. I bought 48 3D glasses and handed out nearly all of them. > > How did it look? Mixed reviews. A lot of viewers (like myself) have had corrective eye surgery leaving one eye weaker as a hedge against deteriorating reading vision. That kinda messes up the effect with the old fashioned red/blue glasses. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/54 "2023-06-23T19:34:54Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > A half hour later or so it was ready, so the whole crew took seats in the center of the theater, I cranked the volume a notch, and we watched Batman the night before the rest of America would see it. I bet you folks were far from the only projection crew to pull that maneuver. Were you able to transfer the platter to the correct theater afterwards or did you have to break down the film to move it? ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/55 "2023-06-23T20:38:06Z")
The scene at the end of _Avengers Endgame_ where Cap first wielded Mjolnir. I saw that on opening night in a packed house, and it was _epic_. The whole theater went up in cheers. I agree about the T-Rex in _Jurassic Park._ Even after 30 years the CGI in that movie stands up favorably against all but the top-end modern films. That thing was _terrifying._ ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/56 "2023-06-23T20:44:14Z")
Speaking of Star Wars, the ubiquitous opening sequence with the first bars of the fanfare and “STAR WARS” appearing in giant text on the starfield is definitely an experience made for the cinema. I’ve managed to see all nine in the theater and every single time the audience burst into cheers at that moment. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/57 "2023-06-23T20:46:10Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Nitpick, it’s actually Omar Sharif appearing out of the mirage from the POV of Lawrence waiting for him at the well. It’s how Sharif is introduced in the film. A magnificent scene even on a TV, but it’s my great loss that I’ve never had the opportunity to see LoA on the big screen. Maybe we’re thinking of different parts of the movie. Isn’t there a part where Lawrence has lead his men across a particularly nasty stretch of desert, and after they’re safe they discovered someone is missing? Lawrence goes back alone to find him. The remaining men (and the camera) wait in safety watching the desert to see if Lawrence will come back. Maybe if you’ve only seen it on TV you thought those were shots of an empty desert. Or maybe it was empty desert and I just imagined there was a tiny Peter O’Toole on the screen. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/58 "2023-06-23T21:40:35Z")
All this talk about _Lawrence of Arabia_. Doesn’t anyone remember _Dr. Zhivago_? ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/59 "2023-06-23T22:20:38Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Maybe we’re thinking of different parts of the movie. Isn’t there a part where Lawrence has lead his men across a particularly nasty stretch of desert, and after they’re safe they discovered someone is missing? Lawrence goes back alone to find him. The remaining men (and the camera) wait in safety watching the desert to see if Lawrence will come back. Yes, sorry, we’re thinking of different scenes. I remember the one you mention, there was one member of the party missing in a sandstorm or something like that, and Lawrence against all advices from everyone, decides to go back and rescue him against all odds. Of course he succeeds and becomes a hero. The scene that I meant that impressed me most and exemplifies the vastness of the desert best is when in the first fifth of the film, Lawrence is guided by an aid to a far-out well where he awaits Omar Sharif’s character to meet and go with him to his tribe lead by his father. It’s a bit ironic to post a youtube link in a thread about effective shots for the big screen, but here it is: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TSZ90GMlvHQ/maxresdefault.jpg "mirage") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSZ90GMlvHQ) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919/60 "2023-06-23T22:36:12Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Or maybe it was empty desert and I just imagined there was a tiny Peter O’Toole on the screen. You can recycle this line in _“Reviews of Bad Porno Movies”_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-moments-that-are-only-effective-in-the-theater/985919.md?page=4)