What are people's rituals when watching a movie at home (1 Viewer)

[JohnE]

I was just thinking that when I watch a dvd at home there are certain rituals I seem to always follow. I really only just noticed this recently.
For me it's wait for nightfall. I don't have a dedicated home theatre and glare from sunlight on the television drives me nuts. I also need peace and quiet, so I try to plan movie night when I know I have nothing else going on and friends won't be calling or stopping by. I like to pour myself a scotch, light up a cigar, lay down on the floor with my dog and just forget about the real world for a couple of hours.
This ritual of mine is acually killing me this week. I won't be able to meet my own criteria until next sunday, and I'm sitting here with a copy of LOTR in my hands.

 

[CaptDS9E]

For me its pretty simple. My home theater is in our basement so im left alone. No one ever goes down there but me. I go down, grab a soda. Open up the window in the back of the room(no glare at all) . pop in the dvd, put my feet up and relax. Thats about it

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

My HT setup is in the brightest room in the house, with three huge windows which take up basically two whole walls, so I have to worry about glare too. I like to wait for nightfall too, but I don't always. My only real "ritual" per say is popping a bag of Orville Redenbocker's[sic] pop corn.

 

[Bryan_ZZ]

My pre-movie checklist:

Pop some corn, pour a coke, kick back the recliner, jack up the Denon and enjoy!

The audience varies depending on the time of day and the movie - my wife, two year old and seven month old sons watched Fantasia with me Sunday afternoon.

I was all alone for Scars of Dracula Friday at midnight!

Bryan

 

[Jaxon's Dad]

The only thing I do is watch the trailers/teasers first to try and capture the wonder of the days leading up to the theatrical release of the evening's feature. No food or beverage ritual per se.

Off-topic: The only trailer that I've come across that still grabs me despite the fact that I've seen the film dozens of times is for Oliver Stone's JFK. I'll start a new thread so that others can post their nominations for trailers with punch.

 

[Matt Pasant]

I have been looking into recreating the experience alot lately.

To this end, I made a disc of old trailers from various sources, I have about 20-30 groups of three and I like to fire one of those up before I start the movie, and when I have [people over they get a big kick out of it too. Seeing the old movies trailer.

In fact, its also made me want to go back and visit alot of those old titles on my shelves that I havent taken a swim through in a while.

I am thinking of making a slideshow also, with various screen caps, little trivia questiions, films facts, etc. Excpet no ads.

-- Matt

 

[Geo Gabor]

I usually preface the movie with a cartoon. No kidding!

 

[Matt Pasant]

I would love to find like a dancing candy and hot dog short like the old drive ins had for an intro.

-- Matt

 

[Jeff Pryor]

6-pack of 16-ounce Red Dogs in the fridge--check.

Nachos--check

Shade pulled down--check

Subwoofer on--check

Hit Power and enjoy.

 

[Andrew W]

Put the damn cats out!

 

[Julie K]

Light the candles, sharpen the dagger, check the ropes on the sacrifice, and

oh wait, wrong ritual. Sorry. :b

I just sit down and put my feet up on the coffee table.

 

[Max Knight]

1. Warm up set

2. Listen carefully to see if anyone in the apartments above and below are home. If no one, listen at ref -10, if someone listen at ref -15.

3. Pour tasty beverage

Enjoy!

 

[Robin Warren]

I always play a THX or DD or DTS trailer before I throw on the movie. I like it, like it a lot. I just keep a demo disc handy near the player for this purpose. Love those trailers.

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

Drink an entire bottle of Scotch and wake up nine hours later to the sounds of the DVD main menu repeating some kind of annoying theme song/sound effects sequence that's way too loud...

 

[DaveN]

I really like the idea of doing a few previews prior to the main feature. Is such a disk commercially available? Is someone here willing or able to burn their collection onto another disk?

What a great idea! For me, the previews represent one of the highlights of going to the movies.

David

 

[Jason_H]

My ritual: first, I light exactly 13 black candles and place them in a circle around my viewing area. The interpretive dance that calibrates my HDTV takes a while, and finally I lead the sacrificial goat into the center of the HT and pray that my offering will be enough to the Edge-Enhancement gods and they will not lay their mark on the film I'm about to experience.
Or, when I'm feeling really lazy I just pop open a beer with my girlfriend, dim the lights, and enjoy!

 

[Paul McElligott]

Other than a brief twinge of guilt about what I should be doing instead of watching DVD, not much else.

 

[AllanN]

My 10 steps to movie watching.*
1. Turn on the TV receiver and DVD player.
2. Get drinks/food that I/we may wish to consume over the feature.
3. Turn off all the computers accept for the house server (luckily it makes very little noise).
4. Run around frantically shutting all the shutter style blinds in the room, closing all the doors, and shutting off all the lights.
5. "Plop and proceed to loaf" on the couch.
5.5(Optional) Girlfriend: She lays down next to me. Date: She sits down next to me (hoping that we are laying down cuddling by the end of the movie).
6. Watch latest TXH trailer at ref.
7. Watch trailer for current movie.
8. Watch movie somewhere between -10db to -20db below ref.
8.5(Optional) Make out with girlfriend/date.
9. Watch bonus material.
10.a Go to bed.
10.b Take date home.
10.c Repeat steps 7-9. Different movie, usually same girlfriend/date.
*Please note, this is not an exact science.

 

[Marc Colella]

Or, when I'm feeling really lazy I just pop open a beer with my girlfriend...

I usually use a bottle opener.
I simply warm up the HDTV for 20-30 minutes with whatever's on the dish, turn down the blinds and arrange the seating so that I'll be comfortable.
That's pretty much it.

 

[Mike_G]

Most of the time I'll pop on some trailers before the film. I rip the vobs straight from the DVDs so that my PC can play them back in Dolby Digital, and in a playlist.

Tostitos are a must.

Mike