Today’s topic, class, is the movie that you watched with your parents that you really, really wish you hadn’t. Or they wish you hadn’t. Or both. This prompt is sponsored by the memory of my mother taking 14-year-old me to see “The Last Picture Show” in 1971 and my heartfelt wish for the floor to open up and swallow me alive during that long, joyless, bedspring-creaking sex scene between Timothy Bottoms and Cloris Leachman. Being good WASPs, we never spoke of the matter, on the car ride home or ever.
Sitting next to my friend's father -- a deacon in our evangelical church -- for the Arthur Charles Herbert Runcie MacAdam Jarrett scene in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life. https://www.hilobrow.com/2012/10/29/shocking-blocking-38/
You’re funny Ty. I did not see that movie with either of my parents but I have just gotten over being embarrassed with my 92-year-old Catholic mom as we watch movies all the time and there are many sex scenes. I ask if she would like to watch something different and she just says, “Marilyn, you are 63 and I am 92. You don’t need to put something different on. Neither one of us are prudes but they sure don’t make movies like they used to!”
My erudite father took me but to one movie in my youth. Never quite figured out why. Hitchcock. Frenzy. The office scene made me drop my popcorn, watch the floor for several minutes. He didn't say a word afterwards.
I watched the original Straw Dogs with my parents a few years back and that went about as well as one might expect. During *that* scene, my mom just turned to me and said "That's enough, please fast forward." The film ended and we sat in awkward silence and my mom said "I don't remember the movie being that dark."
My new husband (of different race) figured he’d would bring a film my parents might like on a visit with our new baby- so he chose a New Woody Allen Flic thinking it would be intellectually funny. The Mighty Aphrodite - with the cute Mia Sorvino- seemed a good choice. But it starts with the most foul language from an actress “evah”! They said good night early and we were duly embarrassed. Always preview!!b
Jeeze, can't beat that one! (Though my sister's old boyfriend went to see "The Last Tango in Paris" with his grandmother, thinking it was some kind of dance movie. This is what movie reviews are for, people!
My parents took my brother and I to see The Dirty Dozen at the Drive-In, so I have to assume it was ‘68 or ‘69, making us in the 11 or 12-year-old category. I remember squirming in the back seat as the men were treated by Lee Marvin to the barracks encounter with the prostitutes, but I really recall Telly Savalas (soon to be Kojack!), foaming at the mouth about perversion, and not daring to question my parents what that was all about.
About 15 years ago, when I was 55, I had my 80 year old mother and 75 year old aunt over for dinner and a movie. I chose Love Actually and like so many others I remembered only the fun, romantic, safe stuff ... I didn't remember the sex scenes, particularly those involving the porn actor characters, until there they were on my TV. Ah well, I don't recall what we watched instead, but I'm certain we never got close to finishing Love Actually. And I know that the three of us NEVER spoke about it later! :)
Ty, we definitely had the same mother. I remember Mom taking me to see "What's New Pussy Cat". It was rated "R". I was 15(?) and the lady at the ticket counter gave Mom a hard time about bringing me to the movie (I looked younger than I was). She said she was my parent and there was nothing I couldn't see. I think I felt more embarrassed when the lady questioned Mom than anything in the film. Mom was actually pretty cool - sometimes...
My mother has a habit of misremembering movies she watched before myself and my siblings were born. She has a habit of totally spacing on sex scenes and generally randy dialogue. I like Victor/Victoria, but at age 10 it was not a movie to watch with my parents. Not the worst for sure on regards to sex stuff, but there are certain things like, "But King I'm horny," that were a bit than I wanted to hear in the company of my mom.
Sophie’s Choice with my mother, who was terribly upset. My sisters and I believe she was identifying with the choice— that she knew she would have chosen our brother.
In 1965 I saw "Ipcress File" with my 50ish unmarried aunt. An attractive woman asks the protagonist played by Michael Caine if he ever takes off his horn-rimmed glasses. He, of course, says he only takes them off when he goes to bed. The woman proceeds to take off his glasses. A sex scene ensues. I wanted to crawl under the seat.
My folks took me to see The Picture of Dorian Gray when I was about 10 and I had shuddering nightmares for months. Think they tried to console me but it occurs to me now that I started wondering whether their real selves were moldering in a cupboard or closet kept locked.
Oh, this is easy for me (and have written about it on Twitter).
As a teenager, I went with my (male) best friend to see the 1978 movie Coming Home. During the (graphic for the time) sex scene between Jane Fonda and Jon Voight, I was proud of myself for watching with my (male) best friend and keeping my cool, even though both of us were sexually inexperienced at the time.
THEN--the lights come up, and who else is in the theater? MY MOTHER. She had been widowed for about 5 years by then, and finally starting to date. And she's there ON A DATE with a guy who was about 20 years older than her. And I realize my mom had just watched the SAME sex scene on a DATE with a guy 20 years older.
All these many years later, I still cringe at the thought of my mom seeing a sex scene. (For the record, as an adult, I learned my mother quite enjoyed sex, thank you very much, even though for me it was TMI because, well, MY MOM.)
Nothing has ever topped that movie-going cringe, and I can't imagine anything ever will.
when I was 9 years old, my parents took me to see "Love With the Proper Stranger", a 1963 movie in which Steve McQueen gets Natalie Wood pregnant after a one night stand...there a scene in which Steve McQueen takes Natalie for a back street abortion....I was so confused during the whole movie, especially that scene and thought about it for years...my parents never uttered a word after the movie......when I saw the movie again as an adult and finally understood the plot, I was blown away that my parents took us to see this (6 and 12 yes old sisters too)....
Lol, Ty, truly cringe worthy. As a 22 something I recall shuddering to this scene and no mom nearby, cannot recall anything close to such a trauma. Stay well, your a true survivor.
My father took me to the assassination bureau when i was 11, and the brothel scene was quite eye opening. I still love that movie though. On the flip side, i took my kids to see a show on Broadway when my son was 8 and my daughter was 12. I knew there was a nude scene, but assumed it would be fleeting and female. Nope. The guy playing Cupid was 100% naked for an entire scene. My daughter hid behind her playbill and my son, eyes wide, whispered to me “he must be the bravest man in the universe!”
Watching Frankie and Johnny (Michele Pfeiffer and Al Pacino) down at the cape with BOTH of our mothers. (Fortunately the kids were in bed so it was only a two generation cringe, instead of a 3 generation dumpster fire!)
Tuesday Thread: Cringe Cinema
When I was 6 and my babysitter took me to "One Million Years BC."
Also watching "Bridget Jones" with my older, Waspy mother in law. Remembered there was a lot of comedy. Did NOT remember all the sex scenes.
Sitting next to my friend's father -- a deacon in our evangelical church -- for the Arthur Charles Herbert Runcie MacAdam Jarrett scene in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life. https://www.hilobrow.com/2012/10/29/shocking-blocking-38/
You’re funny Ty. I did not see that movie with either of my parents but I have just gotten over being embarrassed with my 92-year-old Catholic mom as we watch movies all the time and there are many sex scenes. I ask if she would like to watch something different and she just says, “Marilyn, you are 63 and I am 92. You don’t need to put something different on. Neither one of us are prudes but they sure don’t make movies like they used to!”
She’s a gem. You’d like her, Ty
My erudite father took me but to one movie in my youth. Never quite figured out why. Hitchcock. Frenzy. The office scene made me drop my popcorn, watch the floor for several minutes. He didn't say a word afterwards.
I watched the original Straw Dogs with my parents a few years back and that went about as well as one might expect. During *that* scene, my mom just turned to me and said "That's enough, please fast forward." The film ended and we sat in awkward silence and my mom said "I don't remember the movie being that dark."
My new husband (of different race) figured he’d would bring a film my parents might like on a visit with our new baby- so he chose a New Woody Allen Flic thinking it would be intellectually funny. The Mighty Aphrodite - with the cute Mia Sorvino- seemed a good choice. But it starts with the most foul language from an actress “evah”! They said good night early and we were duly embarrassed. Always preview!!b
Jeeze, can't beat that one! (Though my sister's old boyfriend went to see "The Last Tango in Paris" with his grandmother, thinking it was some kind of dance movie. This is what movie reviews are for, people!
I have a vivid recollection being a kid watching Sleeper with my parents when the orgasmatron scene came on.
Who knew the real cringe was simply watching a Woody Allen film!
My parents took my brother and I to see The Dirty Dozen at the Drive-In, so I have to assume it was ‘68 or ‘69, making us in the 11 or 12-year-old category. I remember squirming in the back seat as the men were treated by Lee Marvin to the barracks encounter with the prostitutes, but I really recall Telly Savalas (soon to be Kojack!), foaming at the mouth about perversion, and not daring to question my parents what that was all about.
About 15 years ago, when I was 55, I had my 80 year old mother and 75 year old aunt over for dinner and a movie. I chose Love Actually and like so many others I remembered only the fun, romantic, safe stuff ... I didn't remember the sex scenes, particularly those involving the porn actor characters, until there they were on my TV. Ah well, I don't recall what we watched instead, but I'm certain we never got close to finishing Love Actually. And I know that the three of us NEVER spoke about it later! :)
Ty, we definitely had the same mother. I remember Mom taking me to see "What's New Pussy Cat". It was rated "R". I was 15(?) and the lady at the ticket counter gave Mom a hard time about bringing me to the movie (I looked younger than I was). She said she was my parent and there was nothing I couldn't see. I think I felt more embarrassed when the lady questioned Mom than anything in the film. Mom was actually pretty cool - sometimes...
Mr. Fisler, you're not wearing your tie. That's why I loathe them, all makes sense now.
Maybe :-)
My mother has a habit of misremembering movies she watched before myself and my siblings were born. She has a habit of totally spacing on sex scenes and generally randy dialogue. I like Victor/Victoria, but at age 10 it was not a movie to watch with my parents. Not the worst for sure on regards to sex stuff, but there are certain things like, "But King I'm horny," that were a bit than I wanted to hear in the company of my mom.
Sophie’s Choice with my mother, who was terribly upset. My sisters and I believe she was identifying with the choice— that she knew she would have chosen our brother.
In 1965 I saw "Ipcress File" with my 50ish unmarried aunt. An attractive woman asks the protagonist played by Michael Caine if he ever takes off his horn-rimmed glasses. He, of course, says he only takes them off when he goes to bed. The woman proceeds to take off his glasses. A sex scene ensues. I wanted to crawl under the seat.
My folks took me to see The Picture of Dorian Gray when I was about 10 and I had shuddering nightmares for months. Think they tried to console me but it occurs to me now that I started wondering whether their real selves were moldering in a cupboard or closet kept locked.
Oh, this is easy for me (and have written about it on Twitter).
As a teenager, I went with my (male) best friend to see the 1978 movie Coming Home. During the (graphic for the time) sex scene between Jane Fonda and Jon Voight, I was proud of myself for watching with my (male) best friend and keeping my cool, even though both of us were sexually inexperienced at the time.
THEN--the lights come up, and who else is in the theater? MY MOTHER. She had been widowed for about 5 years by then, and finally starting to date. And she's there ON A DATE with a guy who was about 20 years older than her. And I realize my mom had just watched the SAME sex scene on a DATE with a guy 20 years older.
All these many years later, I still cringe at the thought of my mom seeing a sex scene. (For the record, as an adult, I learned my mother quite enjoyed sex, thank you very much, even though for me it was TMI because, well, MY MOM.)
Nothing has ever topped that movie-going cringe, and I can't imagine anything ever will.
when I was 9 years old, my parents took me to see "Love With the Proper Stranger", a 1963 movie in which Steve McQueen gets Natalie Wood pregnant after a one night stand...there a scene in which Steve McQueen takes Natalie for a back street abortion....I was so confused during the whole movie, especially that scene and thought about it for years...my parents never uttered a word after the movie......when I saw the movie again as an adult and finally understood the plot, I was blown away that my parents took us to see this (6 and 12 yes old sisters too)....
Lol, Ty, truly cringe worthy. As a 22 something I recall shuddering to this scene and no mom nearby, cannot recall anything close to such a trauma. Stay well, your a true survivor.
Was 1 M years BC the one where the mom was swept away by the lava flow?
Love Story when I was 12 or so. Seemed pretty racy back then.
My father took me to the assassination bureau when i was 11, and the brothel scene was quite eye opening. I still love that movie though. On the flip side, i took my kids to see a show on Broadway when my son was 8 and my daughter was 12. I knew there was a nude scene, but assumed it would be fleeting and female. Nope. The guy playing Cupid was 100% naked for an entire scene. My daughter hid behind her playbill and my son, eyes wide, whispered to me “he must be the bravest man in the universe!”
Watching Frankie and Johnny (Michele Pfeiffer and Al Pacino) down at the cape with BOTH of our mothers. (Fortunately the kids were in bed so it was only a two generation cringe, instead of a 3 generation dumpster fire!)