In November 1978, a Notre Dame student could spend one weekend watching Gone with the Wind, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Big Fix, The Wild Geese, Magic, Paradise Alley, and Watership Down.
Seven movies. Seven completely different experiences. Some were classics. Others were daring new releases. And admission to campus screenings? Just $1.
Nearly fifty years later, Hollywood produces more content than ever. We have thousands of movies at our fingertips. So why does a single weekend in 1978 seem more exciting than a trip to the multiplex today?
In this episode of The Common Room, we open the November 17, 1978 edition of Notre Dame’s Observer and discover a remarkable snapshot of American moviegoing. From the creative explosion of 1970s Hollywood to today’s franchises, streaming services, and blockbuster economics, we ask a deceptively simple question:
Were the movies better back then—or was going to the movies better?
A nostalgic, funny, and thought-provoking journey through the movies we loved, the theaters we remember, and the Hollywood we’ve lost.
Proudly sponsored by the subscribers of Chesterton Radio. Your subscriptions make original programs like The Common Room possible and help keep independent radio alive.
Become a subscriber: https://www.ChestertonRadio.com/subscribe
Listen to Chesterton Radio live, 24/7:
https://Live.ChestertonRadio.com
Chesterton Radio — Playing the Classics!
