Growing up in the 90's from the USA: (first half of chp.2 up

[Wrightfan]

Since I've seen that some (ok, a good chunk ) of you didn't grow up in the 90's or were too young to remember, I thought I'd write some threads dealing with different aspects of it. I'm 25 so I remember each of the decade pretty damn well (except for perhaps 1990 as I was only 5.)

The 90's were more of then just bright colors, slime, and kids with acid washed jeans. It was a time to escape a harrowing thing...the 80's Pop culture was everywhere thanks to new advances in technology (mass produced cell phones, cable news networks and something called "the Internet.") But it was more then that. In some ways, the way of life was different in regards to viewpoints and transition to other viewpoints. Acceptance was something to strive for perhaps more then any other decade.

In this series, I will be taking a look at several aspects of the 90's (pop culture, technology, news, daily life, food, etc...) and take a look at how nostalgia may or may not be a good thing. I plan on doing one aspect a day.

[Azdgari]

Sounds like a very interesting idea. I look forward to seeing what it was like from your perspective. ^^

[Wrightfan]

Chapter 1: "Stale popcorn memories forever." The movie theater experience of the 90's.

I still remember my first time I was offered to go to the movies. It was in 1992 and I was seven years old. My younger sister and a friend have offered me to join them to see the new Disney film "Aladdin" but I refused. For some reason, I was afraid of the huge ass screen like it was going to devour me or something I regretted it later as Aladdin and TLK are on level ground for me (I know, SACRILEGE!) I've already explained my first theater experience in the theater with TLK (see my introduction thread) and will elaborate on it at a future date.

Back to the theater, maybe it's the faulty memory talking but I kinda miss the dinginess of the local theater in my old stomping grounds of Rockland County, NY. The stale popcorn, candy sitting out for god knows how long and of course...the "hot dogs." Sitting in a local theater compared to say a Loews or a AMC had (and maybe still has) a weird aura around it. Another thing I miss is the type of promoting they would do for these movies. I think the promotions were much more clever then they are today (I particularly remember Pizza Hut and their Aladdin promotion. Those toys were pretty cool ) I think the Internet has altered the advertising of movies for good but I think in some cases, for worse. Mostly gone are the days of physical toys, peel off instant win games and coin scratch offs. Internet promotions have replaced many of those facets.

These days, you can easily get a bootleg of a movie through "EVIL MEANS " but back then, you needed to "know a guy" or know a guy who knows a guy who knows "big Sal." You also had to get it in a "big clunky black plastic case" but...that's a story for tomorrow

[Wrightfan]

Chapter 2: Be kind, rewind. VHS tapes and the video rental stores that are beginning to fade.

Back before the digital revolution with DVD's and files, Video Home Systems tapes (VHS) were pretty much the only way to view the latest movie releases (there was also laser-disc...more about that in another entry.) They would come in cardboard or clam shell cases (TLK came in the later form as did many if not all Disney films then.) Putting in a tape was a challenge at times. Would it play? Would the tape come out of the cassette? (Boy, I'd be a rich man if I had a dollar every time that happened to me) Would the tracking be eliminated? (I'M HITTING UP AND DOWN BUT NOTHING IS HAPPPPPPENINGGGGGG!) I much prefer a smudge on a DVD/B-R then that. I never liked VHS but Laser-disc was just too expensive and too clunky.

I'll finish chapter 2 tomorrow. Really not feeling the greatest right now.