Mary Poppins

I grew-up watching Mexico’s Golden Age of Cinema.  As a family we would gather on Sunday’s after Mass around the television and watch reruns of classic movies and during commercial breaks mom would share her experience of how she had paid a couple of pesos to watch the movie at her neighbors’ house when the movie was first released because back then not everyone had television sets (wink).  Antonio Aguilar, Pedro Infante or Flor Silvestre would burst into song a few times during the movie and mom would then tell us a story of how that specific song had nurtured her through her courting times, dad would raise the volume and we’d intently listen to the tune.  Those were some of the dearest times of my life. 

 El Capitan Theatre

El Capitan still holds many movie premieres.

At university I took a film appreciation class and was introduced to the American Golden Age of film. Singing in the Rain quickly became my all-time favorite musical.  During that semester in college I had to watch many, many classic Hollywood films as homework (smile).  Though, I grew up watching films that would incorporate songs into the storyline I didn’t enjoy musicals.  Thus, Mary Poppins never appealed to me.  Yet, when my coworkers decided to drive to LA to watch Mary Poppins, the 1964 movie, at El Capitan Theatre I gleefully accepted the invitation (I love musicals now). 

 Waiting, listening to the organ player... 

 Full House

For ten dollars, we each got a movie ticket, popcorn and a drink – what a deal!  The theatre was completely packed.  An organ player played some music while everyone got settled, then there was a raffle for movie memorabilia and finally the movie began in a large screen.  The experience was phenomenal it felt like a typical release night at the theatre- only set back in time. Even the lowering of the curtain at the end of the film excited me (smile).  I never imagined the movie to be so good!  The music, the storyline the special effects all blew me away- now I can’t wait to arrange a movie night to see Saving Mr. Banks (film which depicts the making of Walt Disney's Mary Poppins ).