Did you do this?

When I read "Can you believe we did this?" For a moment I thought this post was about Brexit ....... Haha
Good old Saturday morning pictures at the Cintra cinema Harpurhey Manchester.
To entertain us while we queued they had a big bird cage in the foyer with budgies and canaries - or did I dream that bit ??
Don't forget the yoyo competitions on the stage .

Ginny. Me too. Well we wanted our money's worth so why not sit through it again?

Yes absolutely, did it all the time, seem to remember we were in the cinema for most of the day when "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help" were released. Certainly got our money's worth. Happy Days

Also Saturday morning pictures, the film always ended at an exciting part,to make sure you went back the following week. And also going on stage when it was your birthday . Great memories.1q

Oh and we went to Saturday morning cinema as well remember the song that went something like "Here we come along on Saturday morning, greeting everyone with a smile...... forgotten the rest

I remember doing that, I loved the cinema when I in my teens.

My husband to be would want to go in halfway through a film. He thought it was normal but I hated it so tried to avoid. I also remember trying to go in as a child when film was U but trying to get into anA film as an adult. I would have been 16/17.

My Dad always did that every Monday after work ?

Yes, and I remember queuing to get in - no pre-booking and not always guaranteed a seat, so we’d go back again the next night.

I remember it too. I watched The Young Ones (Cliff) and Blue Hawaii (Elvis) multiple times and knew the dialogue and songs word for word.

Memories, memories!!

In the 1930s if we went to Tooting Astoria at midday it cost four pence. For that we got two films, Pathe news, adverts and Reg Dixon at the organ.

I remember Saturday morning pictures. We sang a song I can remember the tune of but not all the words. Something along the lines of 'We are the boys and girls of..... something something ABC' and we all shouted the ABC bit.

Later on, older and a bit naughty, we used to go to Lewisham Odeon on a Saturday afternoon. One of us would pay to get in, go down to the exit, open the doors and let the others in! We used to smoke (I accidentally set my hair on fire on one occasion lighting one of my 5 Park Drive and wearing hair spray!) and snog boys in the back row.

Then afterwards there would be a Wimpey.

Ah those were the days of crime

The Commissionaire, in his smart uniform, informing the queue "2 seats in the 1/6d, 3 seats in the 2/-d!
Even though the cinema was quite cheap, in those days, Mum couldn't spare the money every week. If she did, we walked 2 miles each way to save the bus fares.
When I started work I often used to take a sandwich for my tea, and go straight to the cinema, I would watch 2 films, a cartoon and a newsreel, see the first film over again and come out when the performance had finished. Now we watch one film, several 'trailers,' and far too many noisy adverts! There are also far too many noisy customers fiddling with their phones, chatting, and guzzling mountains of expensive junk food!
I also miss sitting in the 'Gods' at our local repertory theatre, seeing some wonderful performances from stars of the future, and falling in love with the likes of Shakespeare, Shaw, Ayckbourn and Bennett. A night out at the theatre, or a concert, is so expensive now.

Oh Bijou is that now the Bank of Baroda? The Tooting Granada still has its amazing cinema organ which I believe has a protection order on it.
I used to go to Waterloo with my grandpa and he'd take me to the cartoon cinema by Platform 1. That was on a loop and you could stay as long as you liked! It was his form of childcare!

DH is keeping the trend going by taking DGDs to cinema this afternoon..but just for one sitting!

Bradford lass - I’m so glad you do this too! I’ve been teased about it by shocked ‘serious’ booke readers. I really like it because I can also see how the author builds the plot (at least that’s my excuse ....) ☺️

We were talking about this with friends the other day. Funny how we never minded having to stand for the ones coming in behind us or leaving before. We had 4 cinemas close together and it was a weekly treat.

What about Saturday Morning Pictures. We would all take little brothers and sisters or cousins. At 5 and 7, my brother and I were responsible for taking 3 year old twin cousins with us. We all walked the half a mile together, crossing the roads. Then we brought them back to my aunties for mash potato sandwiches.

Do you remember that cinema advert, ‘Don’t forget the Kiora, Auror. We had a girl of that name at our school and she was plagued by people calling that out to her. Her name was Aurora Fricker, I wonder if she is on GN

I don't remember ever walking in when film had started but we did sit through the programme twice quite often- especially if it had someone we fancied - Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen etc.(anyone remember Horst Bucholz? probably spelt it wrongly)
I took my 3 young DGC to see the Lego Movie this week- £42 for tickets & then I had to pay £3.50 for a bottle of water! I always take my own sweets as the prices are so mad but I forgot a drink. What amazed me was we seemed to be the only ones in there not partaking of burgers, ice cream sundaes, coffee etc It must have cost them a fortune- we had lunch before we left home.
I was just glad they all stayed awake- last time we went to cinema youngest fell asleep (& actually so did I!)

My mother detailed a neighbour's slightly older son (6) to take me to the 'odeon club' I can't remember whether it cost 4d or 6d.
What I do remember is that the evil Michael, just after the main film had started leaned over anxiously and said' You DID keep your ticket , didn't you? they won't let you out without it'
I burst into tears and remember crawling between the rows of kicking feet and swing seats.... to try to find one.... anybody's

He was called 'Michael Hopwood, should he still be around nearly 73 years later. Show any remorse yet, Michael??

This brings back memories. It was perfectly normal back then and going to the pictures was a real treat. I remember the massive queues for the Cliff Richard films and the disappointment when they announced the cinema was full and you couldn't get in.

We used to go to the cinema every Boxing Day. I don't know why, it was just a tradition. But it always gave us something to look forward to after the anti climax of Christmas Day. There was always a queue.

Sometimes we saw the film near to the end and then stayed until 'this is where we came in.'
DH used to say that you had to be careful (in the Saturday morning rushes) not to sit downstairs just beneath the balcony edge or you could get some ice-cream dropped on your head!
I don't know if this actually happened but the thought of it makes me chuckle.

Mad stampede for the exit door before the National anthem was played Seadragon