Dirty Water Bubbles before movie in 1980s cinemas

tomyhome · 07-05-2012 3:57pm #1

Do any of you remember what they used to show before the movie in the 1980s. This was before the advent of mobile phone ads and movie trailers. It looked like a collection of dirty water bubbles moving across the screen. Do you know where I could find an image of this? My kids don't believe me when I try to explain it to them!!!
Thanks,
Olivia

fergal.b · 07-05-2012 5:41pm

I think this is what your thinking of "liquid slide projection"

tomyhome · 07-05-2012 5:58pm

Thanks Fergal,
Thats exactly what I was looking for!
Olivia

xzanti · 08-05-2012 7:47am

WTF?

fergal.b · 08-05-2012 7:57am

xzanti wrote: »

WTF?

I take it you don't remember it

xzanti · 08-05-2012 8:50am

Nope, never heard of it..

What was it? The gel in the projector slides moving around or something

fergal.b · 08-05-2012 9:16am

It was just projected on the screen before the movie started as there were no adverts in the small town cinemas.It might be a throwback from the 60's/70's I always wondered what it would be like to be tripping out while watching it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_light_show

.

Ann22 · 16-05-2012 12:45am

I remember one local cinema that had something similar...big coloured bubbles floating about. There was a dead fly on the screen for yonks. I remember first noticing it before watching 'Ruthless People'.

tomyhome · 16-05-2012 7:44pm

Think we went to the same Cinema..!! The screen was so dirty it made the bubbles grey... not something I ever felt like tripping out to!!!
Olivia

ongarboy · 08-06-2012 4:15pm

Wow, I haven't thought of that in about 20+ years - now that is a flashback! I thought that was something only our old dingy cinema in Tralee used to show - did all Irish cinemas show them then?

tomyhome · 10-06-2012 12:31am

Bet you feel old!! Sounds like all the screens were dirty and had dead flies attached!!!! Makes you yearn for the olden days!!

Iwannahurl · 10-06-2012 12:36am

Ah, takes me back to the bad old days.

Usually accompanied by the same James Last tape played over and over, IIRC.

tomyhome · 10-06-2012 1:12am

Funny you should say that, I have 30 of James Lasts albums (vinyl) and record player stacked in the back room!! Kids were facinated!!! And lost interest just as quick!!!

TheIrishGrover · 10-06-2012 9:27am

Yep, had them in Clonmel. Especially during the Sunday matinees. There would be a Disney nature short about some Indian kid and an eagle or bear, then the blobs would appear for about 10-20 mins while the cinema went MENTAL until the sweet shop woman would come in to scream at us to calm down

before the main movie started

Iwannahurl · 10-06-2012 10:16pm

tomyhome wrote: »

Funny you should say that, I have 30 of James Lasts albums (vinyl) and record player stacked in the back room!! Kids were facinated!!! And lost interest just as quick!!!

James Last and the liquid lights were meant to work together to maintain interest. If you want to get some added value from your LP collection, perhaps you need to invest in suitable projection technology...

Salt001 · 30-06-2012 6:13pm

Had them in Dundalk too boy that takes me back

Dirty Water Bubbles before movie in 1980s cinemas

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