my first one

My first one.

7 actors were asked as part of a little documentary series for the NY Times video series  what movie had the greatest impact on them.

Of course it got me thinking about mine. Its a story I’ve told a few times to some but I’d like to share it here, now, for you.

That night I left the house it was dark, it must of been evening because I remember street lights and getting in the car and not being able to see myself.  My aunt was taking me to the movies. I’m not sure who else came along or if it was just she and I. I was so excited which is perhaps why I don’t remmeber all the details or maybe just some details didn’t stand out in my pre-adolescent brain.

Once we were in the theater I remember it being huge, so much so that I remember when I looked up to the screen from my chair it seemed like the distance was so far away that I was about to watch stars – literal ones.   My little feet dangled and I amused myself with the big people around me and my bag of small popcorn all to myself like I was a grown-up who could finish it all. I believe my aunt also had candies although I don’t remember getting  them before we got in but I remember having her handing me some and opting just for my popped kernels. Come to think of it I do remember a machine filling up with with yellow popcorn and a red case. So we did get it there!

I was about 5 or so, I think…  still wearing pigtails and  pants.  

When the theatre darkened I felt like I was outside again but I knewI was encapsulated in a room about to  experience something unlike what I had ever remembered before.  Moving images sounding off in loud colors popped up on the screen right in front of me: bright, talkative, quick, colorful, funny. My eyes were glued and my my hands knew one fluid motion – in the bag and to my mouth. In a few minutes the drawn characters were gone, replaced by a real family.

Annie.

The story of a curly red headed orphan, Mrs. Hannagan, and Daddy Warbucks. I was immediately caught into her world, the dirty streets and smoky pipes, the dirty lady, used up who took her in, the kids in the orphanage, the songs “its a hard knock life for us”, SANDY – i just remembered him now, her desire to dream and have a better life, her fascination with Mr.Warbucks, his enchantment with her, Mrs. Hannagan’s attempt to stop them from becoming a family and that other famous actress who was Mrs. Hanagan’s sidekick and ultimately her journey to a new home and a new world. I cried because I believed the whole story and I was happy that Annie found a daddy.

Its been a while since I’ve seen this film and perhaps I’ll research it to find out when it premiered so I can officially date this moment. Afterwards I remember going home in the dark, getting in the house and it still dark telling my mom how much fun I had. I remember laying in the bed at our old house dreaming about how one day I was going to write to make people cry.

cde