When Quest for Fire premiered, I saw it at a theater in Hollywood. When the heroes returned to the tribe, and were met by the heavies, they used spear throwers.
I was so startled by this that I said ALTATLS!! out loud.
Got an odd look from my date and a couple people around us...
I did the same. I said, "they got it right", out loud, when I was watching the movie The Last Samurai. The Last Samurai was one of the tallest guys in the movie...that was because they were Ainu.
You probably got the odd looks because you mispronounced ATLATL.