09.06.06
Backyard Movie Party 2006
On Labor Day Sunday 2006 (Sept. 3), my pal Brian Alter and his duplex-neighbor Gary hosted their second annual backyard movie party, with me once again providing the films. Last year we were forced to retreat to Brian’s fortuitously-empty basement, but this year we were blessed with beautiful weather, complete with spectacular clouds shlooping across the Ballard moon and sky.
Brian has posted a Flickr album of photos from the night — some very nice low-light shots.
It was fairly last-minute and invitations were kept intimate, but even still there were a good 20 people or so lounging about Brian and Gary’s perfectly bowl-shaped backyard.
For me it was an extra special occasion as it was the 10th anniversary of having moved to Seattle, with the backyard movie party tradition being carried on, intermittently and mostly thanks to Scott Colburn, to now. I’ve been doing movie parties in backyards and garages since I was 10 or 11, so it was especially fun for me to celebrate this way.
This was also only three days before I left for the 10-day World 3D Film Expo II, about which I’ve been posting copiously. All the more reason, then, to show a couple 16mm anaglyphic 3D films.
Here’s the playlist of films we showed (all 16mm):
Superman: The Bulleteers (1942)
Fleischer bros.
8 min, color, sound
The 5th in the Fleichers’ legendary Superman series, and one of the very best of the lot.
Koko’s Earth Control (1928)
Fleischer bros. — prod. Alfred Weiss; director & animator(s) unknown
8 min, b/w, silent
Music: Integrales by Edgar Varese, cond. Pierre Boulez
One of the very last Koko the Clown films. In it, the world ends because the clown’s dog flips the wrong switch on the Earth Control machine. Features probably the bleakest ending of any mainstream cartoon ever. I thought the Varese hyper-doom worked very well with it.
[Maurice Sendak] (ca. 1964)
opening title & credits missing; provenance unknown
15 min, color, sound
Hanging out w/ Maurice in his studio, talking toys, books, and illustration. Awesome film.
The Palace of the Arabian Nights (1904)
prod. & dir. Georges Melies
15 min, b/w, silent
Music: tracks 6, 7, & 8 from Master Musicians of Jajouka, Apocalypse Across the Sky (Axiom/Island, 1992)
Hallucinatory “adaptation” of the Arabian Nights stories, featuring some of Melies’ most elaborate stagings ever. Rare.
Third Dimensional Murder (1941, aka Murder in Three Dimensions)
A Pete Smith Novelty, dir. George Sidney
7 min, red/blue anaglyphic 3D, sound
Early 3D release made to show off the effect. Seven minutes of non-stop throwing of shit at you! And the Frankenstein monster!!
It Came From Outer Space [digest] (1953)
dir. Jack Arnold
18 min, red/blue anaglyphic 3D, sound
A well made digest that has turned a little red with age but is still effective.
Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster (1974)
(aka Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster, orig. Gojira tai MekaGojira)
dir. Jun Fukuda
80 min, color, sound
The special feature presentation was more-or-less kept secret. The cheer that erupted when the title card flashed (after a nonsequitur intro) was one of the best moments of my summer. Not to be maudlin or anything.
Bimbo’s Initiation (1931)
Fleischer bros., animation by Myron “Grim” Natwick (uncredited)
7 min, b/w, sound
Great and weird early Bimbo / Betty Boop cartoon, complete with gleeful ass-slapping. “Wanna be a member? Wanna be a member? ……….Nyo.”
brian said,
September 8, 2006 at 11:57 am
yeeeah boyeee! thanks for posting the playlist!
Jennie said,
July 2, 2008 at 8:17 am
I am thinking about doing this. Did you rent the projector? Do you know where you can rent a projector? We are thinking about just hanging a big white sheet for the ’screen’…thanks!
Spencer said,
July 5, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Hi Jennie — thanks for stopping by.
I’m glad to hear of your interest in showing movies outdoors. It’s always a blast (er, assuming it doesn’t rain).
For a screen at these parties, we just tack up a white sheet on the side of the house. Works great. We use a queen size, which is big enough for a 25-30 foot throw with a standard 50mm (or 2-inch) lens. (I actually use a 38mm lens which makes for a 50% larger image — this just fits the queen sized sheet at just shy of 30 feet from projector to “screen.”)
I own a couple 16mm projectors, so I don’t rent. Fwiw, what I have (and recommend to buy) are Elmo 16-CL slot load 16mm projectors. They’re very good machines, easy to operate, pretty gentle on the films, and can usually cope even with prints that are not in the best of shape. They’re still pretty common, and parts can be had fairly easily. If you do go the purchase route, they can be had on eBay for around $200-ish (though I’ve seen them go for as much as $400). As always with eBay, shop carefully, bid only on machines that have been tested and are in good working order. Review the seller’s feedbacks carefully before bidding.
As for 16mm projector rentals in the Seattle area, they’re getting harder and harder to find — 16mm is a rapidly dying format. One option is the NW Film Forum — here’s a direct link to their page on equipment rentals. You don’t need to be a member to rent gear, but if you’re not the rates are twice what are listed on the equipment page — but even then it’s incredibly cheap. They offer a Bell & Howell projector for rent (not the Elmo), which is also a good machine.
Another rental option to consider might be Philip Borgnes over at SidewalkCinema.com. He’ll rent you a 16mm projector (a little pricey at $50/day), or even put together and run a whole show for you using films from his own collection — which includes a number of great features (including Citizen Kane, the bastard). Sorry, but I don’t know his rates for a full show. I’ve not dealt with him directly, but he’s done this a bunch, including frequent public screenings all over (though I’m guessing that list likely includes digital projections). Anyway, further details at his 16mm rental page, and see also his contact information.
One of these days I may start offering my own services for film shows, but I ain’t there yet (sorry).
Good luck! And if you pull it off please report back — me and those who frequent this site would love to hear about it.