Going to the movies in the 60s and 70s
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340106)
Rockingham, Australia
March 15, 2021 9:56pm CST
For starters, in Western Australia, we called it ‘going to the pictures’. The experience was a bit different way back then. Two films were always shown and invariably one would be a Western.
You paid your money at the door and found a seat somewhere in the cinema. The indigenous people all had to sit up the front.
When the lights went out, everyone stood up while ‘God Save the Queen’ was played. Then it was time for a newsreel or two. Looking back, these were often full of propaganda. If you were lucky, there might be a cartoon next then the first film would begin.
After the first film, there was an interval and you raced out to buy an ice-cream or some sweets before returning for the main feature. But first there may be trailers (we called them ‘shorts’) of coming attractions.
Photo of the future King of England - or maybe not.
34 people like this
29 responses
@DaddyEvil (137259)
• United States
16 Mar 21
That sounds similar to going to the movies here back then. Except we would get a cartoon first and the movie next. No propaganda films.
And I didn't like leaving my seat so would buy anything I wanted before going in to see the movie itself.
5 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137259)
• United States
16 Mar 21
@JudyEv Uhm... yes, that's called propaganda. 
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121604)
• Gainesville, Florida
16 Mar 21
I think our propaganda films probably stopped after the Korean War.
4 people like this
@snowy22315 (180799)
• United States
16 Mar 21
You would see things like that at the Drive In...we would have commercials but no political content.
3 people like this
@snowy22315 (180799)
• United States
17 Mar 21
@JudyEv Hmmm, I bet they were singing England's praises in Canada too. That wouldn't happen here lol.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (340106)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Mar 21
@snowy22315 All nations go up and down it seems.
2 people like this
@allknowing (136481)
• India
17 Mar 21
More or less the same scene here as well in the good old days
2 people like this
@allknowing (136481)
• India
17 Mar 21
@JudyEv I have not been to any for years and so really would not know.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (340106)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Mar 21
@allknowing In that case I will say it with more conviction - you don't get two movies for one any more. 
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (471548)
• Switzerland
16 Mar 21
It was the same in Italy, well more or less the same. No two movies, no "God save the Queen" (no one would have cared for the Italian National Anthem) But I remember the newsreels full of propaganda.
A very young Prince Charles... will be ever become King Charles?2 people like this
@xFiacre (13031)
• Ireland
16 Mar 21
@JudyEv That was my experience of cinema in the 60/70s. Malawi only had one cinema and it was rumoured that the president had spies at every showing to spot who talked during the National Anthem. Quite probably true. Lots of propaganda newsreels usually propagating a rather slanted view of the Royal Family running about being important. I really do hope Elizabeth is the last monarch. What is set to succeed her is a bit of an embarrassment and a total waste of space. I could continue at length.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (340106)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Mar 21
I don't think we had spies in our cinema but certainly we stood and stayed quiet while the anthem was played. And yes, there was often film of the Royals or of something wonderful that England had done! lol
Just heard on our news that Prince Phillip is out of hospital. I wonder if he'll make it to 100. Maybe he'll get a letter from the Queen! lol
2 people like this
@xFiacre (13031)
• Ireland
17 Mar 21
@JudyEv I remember queueing outside the British High Commission in Malawi to see a film of the investiture of Charles as Prince of Wales - hadn't a clue what it was all about but it was a day out with coke and a samoosa at the El Brasil cafe afterwards.
2 people like this
@toniganzon (72281)
• Philippines
16 Mar 21
Wow so you can watch more than one film with just one ticket? That sounded nice.
2 people like this
@toniganzon (72281)
• Philippines
16 Mar 21
@JudyEv How interesting. I'm not sure if it was the same here during those times. In the 80s though, there was just only one movie and that's all. However, we could just sit anywhere and we could stay inside the theater for as long as we wanted and we could watch the movie over and over again until the theater closes. But that's not the same now.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (340106)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Mar 21
@toniganzon Here now, they empty the theatre after each movie.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (121604)
• Gainesville, Florida
16 Mar 21
It actually sounds very similar to how our movie-going experience was. Except we didn't stand up and sing God Save the Queen. lol
And I think the propaganda films probably ended after the Korean War.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (121604)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Mar 21
@JudyEv Drive-ins were popular here for a while, but they're all but gone now. A few still remain. Now, we have huge movie theater complexes where some of them can have 20 or 30 theaters under one roof. Of course, they are all closed right now due to Covid...
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340106)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Mar 21
@moffittjc DVDs meant the end of the drive-in era I think. There are still a couple here. I don't know how popular they are.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
16 Mar 21
I think it was called the same thing back when but it may have been close to when movies first for started that they were called pictures.
I don't know how they were set up back then but having two movies sounds a bit familiar although I'm sure I never got to go when I was younger.
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
17 Mar 21
@JudyEv I don't remember going at all when I was in school. Now after I graduated I went to drive-in movies.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340106)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Mar 21
@MarshaMusselman It was a wonderful innovation when our town opened a drive-in.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (102903)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
16 Mar 21
I did not know that your national anthem played before the playing of a movie back in the 1960s.
2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (102903)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
17 Mar 21
@JudyEv That is true since when our national anthem is played at sports events the fans act stupid by not standing at attention.
2 people like this
@cmoneyspinner (9219)
• Austin, Texas
16 Mar 21
I just remember going to the movies with my friends during school breaks like for Thanksgiving and Christmas. And also there was the drive-in theater. I loved the drive-in theater.
2 people like this
@just4him (317089)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
16 Mar 21
By the time I was old enough to go to the movies they no longer showed those shorts and newsreels before the movie. I missed out on that era.
That's a nice picture of the future king of England. I haven't heard that Queen Elizabeth has named William as the future king instead of his father. Is there news of that?
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (178806)
• United States
16 Mar 21
Some things were the same in my day. I don't think Prince Charles will ever be the King of England -- The Queen is not going to give up her throne. :-)
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340106)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Mar 21
@LindaOHio Anna says that can't happen. She has researched it. It has to go to Charles.
1 person likes this
