Sunday night dinners have always been a family affair in our house. Any of the kids near enough to get to the “parental unit’s” house would make the trek to share dinner, conversation, and some laughs.
When we were dating, my wife had a bit of a rude awakening to the strangeness of Hodson-family dinner conversations. In between stories about the grandkids, the latest updates of the week, and occasional rants about politics and pop-culture we had the ability to carry on full conversations using only movie lines.
Growing Up with Movies
We love movies. Many Friday nights were spent waiting in lines at the local theater to see the newest blockbuster of the week. Weekend late nights consisted of a double-feature accompanied with popcorn, soda, and candy. The typical favorite candy was red and black licorice but the best was sprinkling M&M’s over the hot buttery popcorn. The M&M’s would partially melt inside while the candy shell kept them intact making the combination of popcorn and chocolate unstoppable.
Dad was a theater manager and projectionist when I was young. It’s rumored I saw Star Wars: A New Hope many times before I could speak in full sentences. I wore out my Indiana Jones VHS collection watching it so much. Movies even ran in the background while we did chores or worked on projects. (There’s nothing better to do homework to than The Empire Strikes Back by the way).
Movie Quotes as Vocabulary
With all of this movie watching, we were bound to pick up a few lines here and there. We ended up picking up a lot more than that. My youngest brother especially appears to have a photographic memory when it comes to movie dialogue. Without realizing it, over time, we began to use favorite movie phrases in regular conversation.
We got pretty good at it. It became a game to see who could come up with the most clever way to use a movie phrase in normal conversation (usually judged by what made us laugh the most). Our dinner conversations had became a bizarre list of esoteric movie phrases and references. It all seemed perfectly normal to us but it took an outsider like my wife to make me realize just how impenetrable our conversations had become to those not as informed on everything movies.
A Sampling of Some Classics
“It’s a sweater!”
Said each time a gift was opened on Christmas morning that contained any type of clothing.
“We’re going to play a little Twister and have a great time.”
When referencing a get together, movie night, or any other type of party.
“You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious.”
When planning a trip through the bad part of downtown.
“Kids, we’re gonna have to eat this by ourselves. Your Uncle Joey didn’t make parole again.”
Said while sliding a newly cooked dish of food on the table for dinner.
“You just digested the bad guy.”
Said when someone’s stomach growled.
“Did you get me my Cheez Wiz, boy?”
Said when someone came back home from the store to make sure they bought what you asked them to get.
Bonding and Quoting
I fully realize it makes no sense to anyone else, but to us, it’s a fun little bond we all share. It’s like a secret language only we know how to speak and frankly, the quotes get funnier every year.
Bonus points if you can name the movies the above quotes came from. Maybe you can join our little club.