This is the first in a series of themed movie nights we have planned that are perfect for those of you who enjoy spending a night inside with someone special. On our first movie night we decided to go with a retro theme. All it took was a cheap dinner out to a 50’s style restaurant (which could easily be done at home), a few candy treats, and a classic movie.

SHE SAID:

Sometimes I feel like I was born 30 years too late and missed out on what seems like the simpler times of the 50’s, the decade filled with swing music, lollipops and poodle skirts. If someone could transport me back in time, the 50’s are the first decade I would make a stop in. Since we couldn’t figure out a way to take ourselves back to the 50’s, we went out and got the 50’s for ourselves!

If you’re going to have a retro movie night, you must first treat yourselves to a retro meal. Luckily, we live pretty close to The Chickenburger, a classic retro drive-in style restaurant complete with vintage jukebox.

I have loved visiting The Chickenburger ever since I was a little kid and couldn’t believe when I found out while dating Brad that he had never eaten there before! I love that their cheeseburgers are just the right size, made of real meat and come in a cute paper wrapper. Obviously I ordered one of these with shoestring French fries.

For those of you without a unique retro style restaurant nearby, there’s always A&W. For those of you without an A&W, we feel for you. The next time you go into town, buy yourselves some ice cream and bananas and whip up some good ole’ fashioned banana splits.

No retro movie, or any movie, is complete without candy. Before we headed home from The Chickenburger we made a pit stop at the Freak Lunchbox, a candy lover’s dream come true. Some of the treats we picked without really knowing what they were (i.e. pink elephant popcorn). While some candies are better left in the 50’s, none can compare with gummy cola bottles and candy necklaces.

Finally, we were home and ready to watch our movie. We decided on Grease because – hold your horrified gasps – we had never seen it in completion before. I liked it for the most part, but Sandy lost me when she started into her slow songs. If you’re typically not into musicals, but want to give them a try with your retro movie night, I would highly recommend Hairspray, even though it’s not technically retro. I had a great time with Retro movie night and look forward to our next themed movie night.

HE SAID:

Movie nights are always a good idea in my books. Sure I love getting outdoors and finding new and exciting things to do, but there’s just something about settling in to watch a good movie that I really enjoy. Retro movie night seemed like a simple way to put a twist on the typical night in without having to spend an arm and a leg.

As Susan mentioned, I had never been to the Chickenburger in Bedford before I met her. I’m pretty sure, even if just for a moment, she had some serious second thoughts about me when she found that out. I’m glad she showed me the light because I really enjoy it now. Sure it’s kind of greasy and is basically just fast food, but at the Chickenbuger none of that matters. I love the atmosphere, the prices are really cheap, and the food really does taste great.

I did have one problem with the Chickenburger though. I’m pretty sure the men’s washroom door weighs as much as an elephant. Let’s be honest, I’m not the biggest or strongest guy by any stretch of the imagination, but I tried four times to get that door open and I couldn’t do it. It was actually quite embarrassing. Here I was taking running leaps into the door trying to get it open, but it refused every time. Then an old man came by and pushed it open with one hand. I think he muttered something about kids these days as he passed by…I then walked away in shame as we moved on to the Freak Lunchbox to get our candy.

The thing about the Freak Lunchbox is that there are so many choices it can be overwhelming. Our biggest problem was that a lot of the candy they have is packaged to look retro, but we honestly had no idea what was and wasn’t authentic. All that aside, it’s a fun place to go with all the various treats and trinkets they sell.

Finally, we arrived home and popped in the classic John Travolta movie Grease. I had never seen it before so I was actually looking forward to watching the old musical. Although it didn’t end up in my top 10 list, it was enjoyable and suited the rest of our evening quite well.

Remember, the purpose of everything we write about is to spend time with another person and do some out of the ordinary things. Watching a movie at home may not seem very special, but when you give it a theme it gets a whole new life. It ends up being more than simply watching a movie. I had a lot of fun with retro movie night and I hope you give it a try. What are some of your favorite retro movies, candies, or restaurants? Let us know in the comments.

Cost – Free if you own an old system and games, up to $75 if you buy one second hand.

Who can’t remember with fondness sitting in your basement in the 80’s with a white knuckled death grip on your Nintendo controller and eyes peeled to the television screen as you tried to rescue the princess in Super Mario Brothers? Who can remember begging and pleading with your parents to get you the 72 in 1 game for Christmas (72 games in one cartridge!)? Who can also remember their parent’s secret addiction to your NES as they stayed up into the wee hours of the morning playing Tetris? If you can relate to any or all of the above, it’s time to unpack that old system from the attic and blow the dust out of those cartridges one more time.

SHE SAID:

I am not a modern gaming girl. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to be able to sit down and enjoy an hour of Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 gaming glory like Brad, but it always ends in ruin. I can’t get my mind around all of the buttons, multiple perspectives and rumbling remotes. So when Brad suggested we dust off the old NES and SuperNintendo, I was more than game (no pun intended).

We only had one game cartridge for the NES, but luckily it was the 72 in 1, so we had more than enough game options. After several attempts to get the game started, we made it to the menu screen and smiled giddily at all of the options. I was in my glory as we shot down tanks in Battle City, gobbled up ghosts in Pacman, clubbed seals in Ice Climber and ran from vicious cats in Mappy. I loved that the screens only went one way and I only had to worry about going left and right and two other buttons.

Even though Brad was still better than me, I didn’t care because it was nostalgic and fun. I would suggest, though, that you make an agreement beforehand not to leave each other behind in games such as Ice Climber (cough, cough, Brad). I only wish we had kept Duck Hunt. How I would love to aim that orange little gun at the screen and marvel at how the TV knew I had shot the ducks.

I will definitely be pulling out the ole NES again for as long as it will reset. I think it’s a fun way to go back in time and pretend you’re five again for a few hours. It’s great for “remember when” conversation and next time I think I’ll buy some retro treats like Warheads and Ring Pops to complete the experience.

HE SAID:

Retro gaming night has been on our to-do list for a while and my thumbs have been just as anxious as the rest of me to walk down my gaming memory lane. At first I was concerned that the games may not live up to my childhood memories. In some cases that did happen, but overall it brought back those same feelings of fun and excitement I had as a kid.

I love that my experience with my old dusty NES lived up to all the cliches that belong to that system. I popped in the game, hit the power button, and groaned as the screen filled with random colors and characters. I tried hitting the reset button with no luck. So I did what any seasoned NES owner would do when a game won’t load. I blew on it. After a few more attempts it finally worked and we started gaming.

I found that most of the games on my 72-in-1 cartridge only held my attention for a few minutes, just like they did years ago. But there are a few hidden gems that brought back some great memories. Frantically trying to get back on my motorcycle after a big fall in Excite Bike, fighting a rough looking dude in a back alley in Urban Champ, and owning my opponent in Tennis all took me back to my childhood. Of course we left the best for last with Super Mario Bros. That game still holds up after all these years. Remember that invisible box in the first level with the hidden 1-UP, or taking as many warp tunnels as possible to get through the game in record time? Awesome.

Although we didn’t spend as much time playing the Super Nintendo, it wasn’t for a lack of love for the console. Super Mario World is a fantastic game, and NBA Jam helped pass many an afternoon growing up.

The great thing about retro game night is that Susan and I both had fun. Usually when I power up the Xbox 360 she runs for the hills (I have better luck with the PS3 because we use it mostly for movies), but I think we were equally excited to play some old favorites. The games are easy enough to pick up that you can give this a try even if you didn’t both grow up playing these games. So what are you waiting for? Dust off an old gaming console, have some fun for two, and let us know some of your favorite video games growing up.