If only I could get Malcolm McDowell to revisit one of his greatest roles as H.G. Wells from 1979’s Time After Time he could lead us back in time over 50 years to the theaters of my own hometown here in Kitchener, Ontario Canada that I frequented often. Sadly they’re all gone now as I’m sure most if not all are gone in your town as well.

Paging Malcolm McDowell….

Assuming McDowell as Wells can get us all into his time machine here’s what we can choose from before the day is over at which point we will all meet at the corner of King and Queen to be transported back to the present.

If you’re a fan of Jack Nicholson then you’ll definitely enjoy this trip backwards in time. The only problem you’ll face is which theater to hit on our one night trip.

For starters you could choose the Roman Polanski classic that teams Jack with Faye Dunaway and the legendary John Huston who Jack would eventually work for on 1985’s Prizzi’s Honor. Touted in the ad as an early Oscar contender the film would go on to score 11 nominations but only win one statuette for Robert Towne’s Original Screenplay.

Maybe you’d rather see another Jack hit in theaters. 1973’s The Last Detail is playing at the K-W Drive In alongside Prime Cut that paired Oscar winners Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman for this violent gangland effort that is sure to turn you off of link sausage for your next breakfast.

You still want some more Jack options? Why not catch a double bill of earlier Nicholson efforts including his breakout flick opposite Fonda and Hopper in Easy Rider coupled with Five Easy Pieces where we can relive how one orders a chicken salad sandwich. Karen Black fans should also take notice as she’s in both films as well.

Jack isn’t the only movie legend to choose from on this date in 1974. The screen’s greatest vigilante, Charles Bronson, is keeping the city streets safe with his own brand of justice. Yeah I guess this is probably the one I’m going to pick even though I’ve seen it more times than I can count. The reason? I want to see if people in the audience really did shout and cheer him on with every execution.

How about the latest Jan-Michael Vincent flick, Buster and Billie? Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s it was nearly impossible not to be a fan of this guy. It’s just too bad the way it all ended for him. Enough said. Checking out the credits in the ad I see the name of a young actor who would become an icon of horror. Can you spot it?

Here’s an ad that caught my eye. Not so much for the Bruce Lee flick but for the advertising of what was to come on September 8th. While I don’t remember much about what was playing at the theater at the age of 6 I do remember the circus surrounding Evel Knievel jumping the Snake River Canyon. To cash in on the big jump 1971’s biopic with George Hamilton playing the daredevil rider has been rereleased. As for Bruce Lee, read the fine print that points out he’ll face off against American, Chuck Norris. FYI, the Mustang Drive-In located in Guelph is still operating.

Perhaps Sidney Poitier is more to your liking? Harry Belafonte? O.K. maybe Bill Cosby? I’ve never actually seen this movie but do recall it played TV quite often in the decade ahead.

One thing I love about yesteryear before home video came on the scene is that movies would be rereleased to the big screen. In this case one of Robert Redford and Sydney Pollack’s greatest achievements, Jeremiah Johnson. Originally released in 1972 it’s back for one week only. The same applies to the double bill advertised below. Why not see the latest John Wayne flick, McQ and see the rerelease of Judge Roy Bean starring Paul Newman and a huge cast of well known faces under the guidance of director John Huston.

The Parkway Drive-In is just up the road from my office. Or at least it would be if it hadn’t morphed into a strip mall about 40 years ago currently housing a Toys-R-Us location. As for The Sugarland Express, this is probably the last time a film that Steven Spielberg was involved in didn’t display his name prominently in the ads thanks to his next flick about a shark. If you’ve always had a crush on Goldie then this might be your pick for the evening.

As it is a drive-in double bill you’ll also get to take in a low-key Burt Lancaster flick that is one of only two films he directed, The Midnight Man.

Your final option for the night is again a double bill of rereleases. A pair of early 70’s westerns at the Fairway Cinema. I really should have another look at both of these oaters as all I recall about them are the brutality of the Richard Harris film and the fact that I didn’t think much of the Hoffman flick at the time as I’d seen it as a youngster and it wasn’t what I wanted in a western. Maybe age would change my opinion of it.

Time to meet up with Malcom for our return trip to the present. Then again maybe you’d like to sit this one out and hang back in 1974. Yeah that though crossed my mind as well. But it’s back to reality and as you may already know I make a point of bringing something from the past back with me to add to my collection of movie memorabilia. Since I’ve already scored multiple copies of Death Wish I’m taking back this original one sheet for Nicholson’s The Last Detail.

I’ll see you all the next time I locate an old newspaper for another journey back to movie theaters from yesteryear.