I always love reading about other people’s cinematic classic film viewing experiences. Some films were simply meant to be seen in the cinema, as is the case with Gone with the Wind. Last weekend, GWTW was screened at the magnificent Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. This venue, home to the American Cinematheque, is a haven for film nerds in the movie capital and has a special place in my heart. So, when I learned a couple of my friends were meeting up and going to the screening, I immediately invited one of them to write about her experience for vivandlarry.com. Luckily she said yes!
Marissa recently relocated from New York to Los Angeles where she is currently enrolled in the Archival Studies graduate program at UCLA. This past May, she attended A Weekend with the Oliviers, the event put on through vivandlarry.com in London. Over in LA, as someone who has always loved film and film history, Marissa is enjoying all the city has to offer.
++++
No other film has made more of an impact on my life or means as much to me as Gone with the Wind, and just as I’ll never forget watching it for the very first time when I was eleven, I’ll never forget the experience of seeing it for the first time on the big screen. This is something that I had hoped to do for a long time and was able to experience last Saturday.
I had the great fortune to see Gone with the Wind at the beautiful and historic Egyptian Theatre. The grandeur of the theatre is a sight to behold in itself. Kendra, a very thoughtful friend, put me in contact with her friend Mark and I was able to share the experience with him and his friends, which made the viewing all the more enjoyable.
Before the film was shown, the programmer said that our socks would be knocked off and he was right. Viewing the digital print and hearing Max Steiner’s score at the Egyptian Theatre added even greater depth to the movie. Being part of a large audience was truly a unique experience that enhanced and heightened moments of humor and tension.
There are so many exceptional elements that come together seamlessly to make Gone with the Wind so very special, but above all it’s the brilliant performances by Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable and the rest of the cast that always mesmerize me. The experience of seeing it on the big screen was even better than I imagined and, as always, when watching it, I didn’t want it to end.
++++
If you’ve had a chance to see a Vivien Leigh or Laurence Olivier film on the big screen and want to share your experience with other fans, feel free to get in touch.
Check out more Cinema Experiences here.
Wow Marissa, how lucky you were to see GWTW in such a historic place !! I will be in Hollywood at the end of January and how I would love to have the same opportunity !! But I guess that GWTW won’t be screened there again for quite some time now !
The first time I saw GWTW was in France where I grew up, in a big theater on the Champs-Elysées in Paris… It was at the beginning of the 80’s, and that summer, GWTW was re-released,in several theaters. I was with one of my cousins. For years, as we were growing up, she would tell me about that book and movie, and how she was a fan… I didn’t know what she was talking about until I read the book myself… And a few years later, the movie was re-released… And so I was, on a sunny afternoon, in this big theater, enjoying GWTW for the first time ! I will never forget what I felt, all through the 4 hours of the movie, hearing Vivien Leigh’s voice for the first time, discovering her enormous talent, watching “Scarlett” – and the others- come alive, very close to how I had imagined her, admiring the costumes, the old-fashioned beauty of so many scenes and shots, and being swept by the story – again.
In the following weeks I went back to the same theater, for a few evening screenings, once with my parents, and once with my brother and his girlfriend (who wasn’t impressed at all by the movie… I guess I still resent her for that LOL )… Each time, the theater was crowded and GWTW’s magic operated wonderfully !
Eric
GWTW screens more in California than in any other state! Be sure to check out my website for GWTW showtimes with a new feature to find screenings by state at http://www.gwtwshowtimes.com
I had heard about Gone with the Wind when I was a youngster in California while growing up. My mother always raved about Gone with the Wind. But I didn’t become interested in the film until I was about 20 years old.
First I read the book and the book was so wonderful (the story even better than the movie)
that I was hooked! All I could think of was seeing Gone with the Wind.
I was able to locate the film (this was in the early 70’s) in a theater in Orange County California. I had my poor husband drive me out from Inland Empire Ca. to see the movie.
The theater was packed and of course sitting in back of me was an amateur announcer
talking about what was going to happen next! Really infuriating for me and I was too shy
to tell him to stop. But I thoroughly enjoyed the movie anyway! And the guy finally shut up.
When Clark Gable was first shown at the steps of Twelve Oaks checking out Vivien Leigh
the entire audience of women cheered loudly! The men in the theater looked amazed!
What really amazed me was how beautiful Vivien Leigh was as I didn’t know much about
her at the time. I had never seen any actress as beautiful as Vivien and boy could she act!
I believe Vivien Leigh was born to play the part of Scarlett O’Hara! And after seeing
the try outs by other actresses I know this fact is true.
I also am a Scorpio female. And I can understand the role perfectly.
The author of Gone with the Wind was a Scorpio, the two actresses playing Scarlett’s sisters were Scorpios, and Vivien Leigh was a well known Scorpio!
Scorpio women have strong personalities in my opinion. Emotionally weak actresses
look silly trying to play Scarlett. It just doesn’t work. Have you seen the tests? Hahahah
Vivien was perfect for the role and had the great looks to match.
I love little Peggy Marsh for having the brains and character to write this great story and
if you don’t know this many, many male writers were jealous of her accomplishment (I read their criticisms).
They were jealous of you Peggy!
I also love Kendra for posting all these wonderful photos of two of the greatest actors that
ever lived!
Where did that Gorilla come from? Gee!