When I showed my last film in 1991, I went through the receipt book that we kept for all of the film prints as they came and went: there were about 120 films listed that I remembered showing.
Most of them were quite forgettable, but I did see countless films over and over, or at least parts of them. Over and over.
Sadly, the magic is long gone. When I watch a film, I can’t help but see the projection quality and hear the sound quality, noticing the layout of the theater and other stuff that folks in the business would see.
I saw Star Wars six or seven times. It was at the same theater, and it was there nearly a year. The film was getting scratchy by the last couple of showings I saw.
I really don’t remember seeing any other films more than once in any theaters, but I may be mistaken.
Time Bandits. I saw it and really liked it. I told some friends about how good it was and they wanted to see it and I ended up going with them to see it again.
Flashdance. I saw it and then a girl I knew wanted to see it so I took her to it. I remember it was one of those movies that hung around in the theatre for a long time so it was something like two or three months between the two times I saw it.
Toy Story 3. I saw it on a regular screen. Then the theatre installed a 3D projector a couple of months later and brought it back in 3D so I went to see it again in 3D.
I just remembered that when I was working one of my jobs was to be in charge of the movies on weekends. We had a regular theatre set up inside Attica and we’d split the prisoners up into four groups and show the movies twice on Saturdays and twice on Sundays. And I had to be there for all four shows. So there was a bunch of movies I sat through four times in a single weekend - and many of them were barely worth watching once.
Star Wars (about 8 times on original release at age 5, a couple of times in various special editions later on; everything else I saw twice) The Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (once on release, once at college theater years later) The Princess Bride (same as above) Apollo 13
Saving Private Ryan
Gravity
Galaxy Quest a couple of times. In fact, we saw it in the theatre, came out and bought tickets for another showing that same evening! Had supper, and saw it again!
Twice a year documentary producer and film historian Bruce Crawford brings a classic film to the big screen here in Omaha as a charity event. This started years ago as a tribute to Ray Harryhausen on the 65th anniversary of King Kong. Mr. Harryhausen and Ray Bradbury were in attendance and spoke before the movie was screened. We have missed a few, but they are always a good time.
Star Wars: An accurate number would be hard to gauge. I was six, and while it was in the theater, it was the only movie I wanted to see. Its long release forever colored my perception of how long a movie should be in the theater. It was a while before I realized that I couldn’t go see every movie repeatedly for a year, and I continued to be surprised at how quickly successful movies leave the theater. Movies’ quick trip to DVD has exacerbated this.
Ghostbusters: 5 times, at least. I don’t really know why.
Wayne’s World: 3 times. Again, I’m not sure why.
Pulp Fiction: Again, an accurate number would be difficult to gauge. I went to see it by myself opening weekend because I couldn’t wait to see the follow up to Reservoir Dogs. I loved it so much I took just about everyone I knew to see it, even my little brother and mom.
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: Twice, once because I went to the midnight viewing myself, and another so my wife could know how bad it was and be disillusioned herself.