A Love for Film
Origin Stories
One of my first movie memories is Howard the Duck, 1986. On most weekend nights, we had a familiar routine: Mom and I would take a drive, but not just any drive, the kind I would grow to love. She never said very much on the drive but always played music on the way. Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to Do with It” is one song that stands out in my memories.
Once we arrived, I knew what was in store. She would buy me popcorn, a candy of my choice, with a sugary drink, and we would head into the theater. She would ensure that I had all the concessions I needed to keep me occupied, then she would put her head down and take a nap.
I figured out she was sleeping through every frame of the film when I referenced a part of the movie later the same day and she had no clue what I was talking about. At the time, I thought there must have been a lesson, something she wanted me to see, so I paid close attention to finding that clue. I was searching for a life lesson in Howard the Duck.
I know she had good intentions, keeping me occupied while she fit in a nap. She was a single mom holding multiple jobs while attempting to keep her youngest of three children content. This couldn’t have been easy.
What I only recently realized is I received something much deeper than a two-hour film. It was an outlet. A teacher. A place to dream. It’s why a lighthouse in a film could someday feel like home.
My love for storytelling and film grew from those nights forward.
~Bonnie Bluewater
Thank you for reading Origin Stories, A Love for Film
