# When did movies stop being quotable? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 8, 2017, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594 "2017-01-08T00:20:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/61 "2017-01-12T19:38:25Z")
> [@bump](#): > > You must not have been watching the same movie… the whole “WITNESS ME!!!” bit of the warboys was the real quotable thing from that movie. “Oh, what a lovely day!” was so popular the distributor quickly distributed posters with that phrase on it. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/62 "2017-01-12T21:49:16Z")
People don’t speak in film quotes so much any more. They wear film quotes on their T-shirts instead. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/63 "2017-01-12T22:19:13Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > “Oh, what a lovely day!” was so popular the distributor quickly distributed posters with that phrase on it. I kind of think that phrase was more or less astroturfed. Not that I have any proof, but it just wasn’t that overwhelmingly memorable. Even Immortan Joe’s "AH! MEDIOCRE!"gets more requoting among people of my acquaintance if someone fucks up. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2017, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/64 "2017-01-12T22:35:39Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > All I have for myself is from _Marvel’s The Avengers_: “Dost Mother know thou wearest her drapes?” which has limited usage. CAP TO IRON MAN: “It – seems to run on some form of electricity.” IRON MAN TO CAP: “Well, you’re not wrong.” Limited usage, but I manage to throw in one or the other whenever possible. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/65 "2017-01-12T23:18:12Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > In 1996, there was no internet as we know it today. There was no YouTube, no Hulu, no HBO original series, no Netflix, no Pandora, no iTunes, no Amazon, etc. There were HBO original series: The Larry Sanders Show and Dream On both spring to mind immediately. > [@](#): > > Movies were distributed to theaters and then released to the home VHS market. DVDs were pretty popular in 96, especially with all the extras and commentaries which was a new thing at the time. Minor quibbles, both. ---
**Author:** ![psiekier](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psiekier/32/116_2.png) [@psiekier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psiekier)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/66 "2017-01-13T19:31:51Z")
We went to The Melting Pot fondue restaurant to celebrate my daughter’s birthday the other night. While we were trying decide which of the fondue courses to select for our dinner, my son pointed out the seafood-heavy course called “Pacific Rim”. Is suggested that would be [2,500 tons of awesome](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUR1IoPdBg8). 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/67 "2017-01-13T19:44:36Z")
This thread makes me want to come at you like a spider monkey! I’m all hopped up on Mountain Dew! ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/68 "2017-01-13T19:45:17Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > There were HBO original series: The Larry Sanders Show and Dream On both spring to mind immediately. Tales From the Crypt, Kids in the Hall, and 1st and 10 would like to have a word with you… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/69 "2017-01-13T20:11:58Z")
> [@magnusblitz](#): > > “Puny god!” “If it’s all the same to you… I’ll have that drink now.” ---
**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:** [January 13, 2017, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/70 "2017-01-13T20:59:30Z")
“I understood that reference!” ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/71 "2017-01-13T21:17:39Z")
Tuesday. > [@jtur88](#): > > “Multipass” “Chicken good.” [“Everything is awesome!”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cQgQIMlwWw) [Thanks Satan.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBA6ev5HMe4) ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/72 "2017-01-13T21:36:01Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > DVDs were pretty popular in 96, especially with all the extras and commentaries which was a new thing at the time. > > Minor quibbles, both. I don’t think I agree with your timeline. DVD players were on the market in 1996 but I don’t think I knew anyone who had a DVD player before 1999. A lot of people were convinced to by PS2 and XBox game systems in 2000 and 2001 because those systems could also play DVDs. I’m betting that was the tipping point for DVDs. This chart of UK sales shows that in 1999, only 200,000 DVDs were sold. The next year, DVD sales were 20 times larger. That suggests 2000 was when DVDs became popular, in the UK at least, which matches my recollection. [DVD and Blu-ray sales statistics | AVForums](https://www.avforums.com/threads/dvd-and-blu-ray-sales-statistics.2004986/) I don’t know which DVD had the first audio commentary, but this Wikipedia article ([Audio commentary - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_commentary)) suggests that in the fall of 1997, audio commentary tracks were still sufficiently novel that film reviewers still didn’t know what to make of them. Audio commentaries didn’t yet seem to be driving the popularity of the medium. ---
**Author:** ![ElderSign](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eldersign/32/8263_2.png) [@ElderSign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElderSign)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/73 "2017-01-13T22:10:45Z")
I saw Mad Max: Fury Road and don’t even remember “Witness Me” (I just looked it up), nor did I see any of the memes until I just searched. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/74 "2017-01-13T22:33:37Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > I don’t think I agree with your timeline. DVD players were on the market in 1996 but I don’t think I knew anyone who had a DVD player before 1999. A lot of people were convinced to by PS2 and XBox game systems in 2000 and 2001 because those systems could also play DVDs. I’m betting that was the tipping point for DVDs. I may be misremembering. I remember a friend of mine got me the True Romance DVD as a gift sometime around 97, knowing it was one of my favorite movies. I remember loving the commentary track with Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette, and also the Brad Pitt snippets. (“I was offered a chance to read for the main role, but turned it down because I didn’t “get it.” To me, all I saw was this guy who got his dad killed and then nobody ever mentioned it again.” Actually, Brad, that’s kind of a good point.) However, it’s quite possible she actually got me the VHS, and I picked up the director’s cut DVD several years later and just blended the two memories into one. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/75 "2017-01-13T23:34:18Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Ever since **What We Do In The Shadows** , Bisketti has been my go-to pasta. I think of it like this. If you are going to eat a sandwich, you would just enjoy it more if you knew no one had fucked it. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/76 "2017-01-14T01:59:17Z")
> [@edwards\_beard](#): > > Tales From the Crypt, Kids in the Hall, and 1st and 10 would like to have a word with you… 😃 And Not Necessarily the News was already canceled for years by 1996. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/77 "2017-01-14T05:32:52Z")
> [@ElderSign](#): > > I saw Mad Max: Fury Road and don’t even remember “Witness Me” (I just looked it up), nor did I see any of the memes until I just searched. Seriously? You watched that entire damn movie and that didn’t register? WTF were you doing, looking at your navel? It was what the War Boys yelled to each other when they were going to do something heroic and get into Valhalla, or so they thought. That’s what they yelled before the chrome spray paint. It’s what Nux mouths to Capable and the other women as he flips the rig to keep the following forces from interfering. It was basically his heroic self-sacrifice and way of getting into Valhalla. It was kind of a pivotal, iconic phrase in terms of Nux’s character development and the plot of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/78 "2017-01-14T06:29:04Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > People watched, you know, TV. After seeing _The Big Lebowski_ in syndication a few times, things sort of sink in. And not just for you but a lot of people. You know, given imminent events, I can imagine a repeated line from that movie reaching saturation in the near future. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/79 "2017-01-14T06:36:08Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Seriously? You watched that entire damn movie and that didn’t register? WTF were you doing, looking at your navel? It was what the War Boys yelled to each other when they were going to do something heroic and get into Valhalla, or so they thought. That’s what they yelled before the chrome spray paint. > > It’s what Nux mouths to Capable and the other women as he flips the rig to keep the following forces from interfering. It was basically his heroic self-sacrifice and way of getting into Valhalla. > > It was kind of a pivotal, iconic phrase in terms of Nux’s character development and the plot of the movie. Mediocre! ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594/80 "2017-01-14T06:41:41Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Since 2005, the number of viable entertainment options has skyrocketed. The age of the ubiquitous pop song is gone. The age of the TV show that everyone watched is gone. The age of the movie that everyone saw over the summer is gone. Game of What Now? Star Who: The What does What? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-movies-stop-being-quotable/776594.md?page=5)