Indy and Hitch

I believe it was Star Wars in 1977 that started the trend of blockbuster movies opening on or near Memorial Day weekend. In 1984, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom continued the tradition. I saw the movie at the Continent multiplex in Columbus on opening day (actually the Wednesday before Memorial Day) at a special 6 a.m. showing with free donuts. I was pretty near the front row and I remember how much fun the opening musical number was.

That weekend, a reissue of Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much opened in Columbus. A handful of Hitchcock's mid-career movies (including Vertigo, Rope, and Rear Window) had been out of circulation for some time and they were re-released in theaters in the mid-80s. I saw all of them at the Drexel, Columbus's thriving art house theater, and crowds always showed up. Notice how the Drexel cleverly co-opted the Indiana Jones tagline for Hitch's movie!