Past perfect

PTA SHARES HIS METHOD OF USING HIS TRIPS TO THE CINEMA TO RECALLS DETAILS OF HIS OWN YOUTH… “A really pathological habit that I have is, I spend a lot of time on a website called newspapers.com which archives the Los Angeles Times, among many others. I remember a film that I saw, and I go to the date that it opened, generally, or I roughly try to remember the time that I saw the film – let’s say Prince Of The City.

“I saw Prince Of The City pretty close to when it came out. I think it came out in November or December

[of 1981]. I saw it in Sherman Oaks. I saw it with my brother. ‘Alright, let’s get busy…’ So the journey of going to find the listing takes you through the newspaper. You see the front page of the movie section – a calendar section, they called it. And that search is your time machine, right? And off you go.

“And it helps you remember. It puts you back there, and it brings you joy. So the excuse to do that, for

Licorice Pizza, or to put what I do anyway to work – it’s like fucking double [the joy], y’know? And sharing it with Cooper and Alana was really nice, too. I’m sending newspapers from that time, and saying, ‘Figure out what movie you and your brother are going to go see, because you’re going to figure out where you’re going to go. And you can figure it out.’ ‘I’m going to the Victory Drive-In.’ ‘Great. What day is it?’ ‘It’s October 10th.’ ‘Look up October 10th, 1973.’ ‘Oh, The Godfather’s playing.

A Clockwork Orange is playing at the drive-in. Or there’s some shit B-feature…’ Whatever it is. “It’s so much fun.” JAMIE GRAHAM