I turned 31 recently.
Not as much of a big deal as turning 30, but still, it was my birthday. To be expected, I had a nice 'surprise' outing, and writing about it just so happens to mark the 100th entry in my blog, so double celebrations all-round.
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| Actual image from 'Pop Up Screens'. | | . |
Outdoor cinemas have always been something that intrigued me, but that I've never had a chance or opportunity to use. Knowing this, I got given tickets to see none-other than 'Ghostbusters' at Morden Park, London.
Excellent film (review coming later, all be it about 20 years too late), awesome idea, but just how would the experience hold-up in reality?
"You know, it just occurred to me that we really haven't had a successful test of this equipment."
Ray Stanz.
The event was hosted by a relatively small company called 'Pop Up Screens', and in their own words
"Pop Up Screens is an outdoor cinema showing open air screenings of generally awesome films, so if you’re bored of faceless multi-screens and their sticky carpets come along and spend a summer’s evening in the park and enjoy a proper cult movie"
As excited at the idea as I was, the cynic in me had doubts. Nagging, sneering doubts.
"It'll be cold at night, the ground will be wet and hard, the sound will be shitty, the screen will be too small, I'll get hounded by bugs, I'm paying to see a film I already own, etc. "
Much like a picnic, a nice idea in theory, but (perhaps) in reality a pain in the arse. See what a 'fun' guy I am, see why my lady loves me so? My negativity continued...
"Maybe as a one-off it won't be too bad- after all, a late-night horror screening on Halloween could be pretty cool, something like Evil Dead 2 in the woods, yeah, that'd make an interesting night out... But as a one-time gimmick, not a regular thing..."
Well, here's proof (if any were needed) that I'm not always right...
The whole night was, in a word, amazing! Really, one of the best cinema-going experience of my life. Sure, some of my earlier doubts had substance; the ground was hard and the gnats from a nearby brook were playing 'destroy the Deathstar' over the contours of my face, but honestly that was of little consequence. The guys running the show were not only extremely likable but clearly displayed a passion for films sadly lacking from mainstream multiplexes. While Pop Up Screens' organisational skills may be a little lacking, the experience has a real warmth and vitality to it, a rough-and-ready charm far removed from the sterility of regular cinemas.
"Nimble little minx, in't she?"
Peter Venkman.
There was a lot of laughter. Everybody laughed, and at some points the crowd even applauded. The air was almost statically-charged with good-will, and you
could truly sense a connection with those around you; a community of like-minded people- the
sort who could reel off dialogue like
"Sorry, Venkman, I'm terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought" and
"That's a big twinkie" without a second's thought. The young couple laying next to me, cosey under their blanket and sharing a hot chocolate from a flask, I overheard singing along quietly to 'Saving The Day'. I remember thinking
"It's not just me then", while I also quietly hummed to the tune
It was, well... Nice.
I mean, 'nice' doesn't really come close, but on leaving I just felt so relaxed and (at the risk of sounding like a teenage girl exiting from a One Direction concert) all warm inside. That, from a curmudgeon like me, is very out of character. It felt just like having spent the night with old friends- and that's exactly how I recall the experience now, one week on; like having spent the night with friends: Peter, Ray, Egon, Winston, the cool crew of Pop Up Screens, and all those around me. Friends, huddled together in the cold and the dark, laughing together
.
"Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!"
Peter Venkman.
For more information on Pop Up Screens (and I not only recommend but also strongly urge you to give this a go), visit either their website or Facebook page at:
Really, give it a go. You don't know what you're missing...
Pop
Up Screens is an outdoor cinema showing open air screenings of
generally awesome films, so if you’re bored of faceless multi-screens
and their sticky carpets come along and spend a summer’s evening in the
park and enjoy a proper cult movie. - See more at:
http://www.popupscreens.co.uk/#sthash.272cCleH.dpuf
Pop
Up Screens is an outdoor cinema showing open air screenings of
generally awesome films, so if you’re bored of faceless multi-screens
and their sticky carpets come along and spend a summer’s evening in the
park and enjoy a proper cult movie. - See more at:
http://www.popupscreens.co.uk/#sthash.272cCleH.dpuf
Pop
Up Screens is an outdoor cinema showing open air screenings of
generally awesome films, so if you’re bored of faceless multi-screens
and their sticky carpets come along and spend a summer’s evening in the
park and enjoy a proper cult movie. - See more at:
http://www.popupscreens.co.uk/#sthash.272cCleH.dpuf
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| 'I've seen shit that'll turn you white!' Wise words from Winston... |
"Still making headlines all across the country, the Ghostbusters
are at it again. This time, at the fashionable dance club, The Rose. The
boys in gray slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then
stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who
witnessed the disturbance..."
Casey Kasem.
