Special events are planned throughout the 2007 season to mark the 100th anniversary of the Boardwalk and Cocoanut Grove, including free performances by the Moscow Circus, high dive acts on the beach, a Centennial Gala at the Cocoanut Grove, a new book and DVD about the Boardwalk’s history, fireworks, AND...
... A SPECIAL OUTDOOR SHOWING OF THE MOVIE LOST BOYS.
An outdoor movie on the beach - featuring one of the most popular movies ever filmed at the Boardwalk. This special event was sponsored by Alamo Drafthouse Cinema's. All were encouraged to bring beach chairs for the 8:45 p.m. show time on Wednesday, July 25, 2007.
I arrived in Santa Cruz at approximately 7:30 p.m., and was cruising Beach Street looking for parking when I caught sight of Billy Wirth, the handsome dark haired vampire of the famed “Lost Boys” movie. He was talking on his cell and about to enter the Beach Boardwalk with other members of the cast. Billy wore levis jeans, an aqua colored t-shirt and a long black velvet jacket.
I had invited my girlfriend Joanne and her daughter Sara to this last minute adventure and they readily accepted even though Jo had to be back at work the next day at 6:00 a.m.. Sara who has been recovering from a serious surgery just wanted to get out of the house for a while. We found parking, unloaded our gear and headed for the beach to set-up our viewing site.
As we arrived at the beach about a 1/3 of the crowd was already set to wait for the movie. We set up our chairs at the back of this group and watched as the sea of people filled the sand from Ocean to Boardwalk in front of the large blow up screen. The air was electric.
I made my way down to the three pop-up canopies set up with movie posters, t-shirts and photos of the Lost Boys. Billy, Brooke and Chance were interacting with the crowd which had gathered to mill around the tables of movie paraphernalia. Billy was busy signing autographs, posters, DVD’s, t-shirts, and posing for pictures with fans. I stood and watched from a distance as he smiled and talked with the fans. He seemed the most busy of the group.
At one point a mom and her twin daughters got to the front of the crowd and Brooke looked from one girl to the other and says to the mom. “Twin?” The mom smiles and says: “Yeah, I wanted them to meet Billy. Brooke: “Yeah, many’s the time I’ve wished I was Billy’s twin.” They laughed and Brooke called out to Billy and pulled him away from what he was signing to get him in a picture. Billy readily accommodated them. They were all most gracious thanking the fans and telling them, that if it weren’t for the fans they wouldn’t be here.
Two women approached the canopy and asked to speak to Billy. They told him Max had sent them and a bright smile broke out as he hugged them and offered to take a picture with them.
Later, at a quieter moment there was a slim break in the crowd, and I watched as Billy glanced over the crowd and did a slight double-take as he sighted a petit dark haired woman standing amidst all the teenagers. As he stared quietly and directly at her, a deep smile begins to form across his face, as he says to her: “I know you.” She smiles back. He motioned her closer, they exchange words. She handed him an envelope. He promised not to lose it. As he had no place on his person to put it, he called out to a young man with the group, handed him the envelope and told him to keep it for him and not lose it.
The woman and he spoke a bit and as the crowd begin to press, she made to leave but he called her back. He asked her to take a photo with him or if she wanted a photo or anything. She smiled and politely declined. It was almost as if he was not used to someone not wanting or taking something from him.
I made my way back to my seat as dusk began to set in. The sea of attendees had grown to twice it’s original size. The movie began and the crowd booed and cheered in all the appropriate places.
Billy took out his camcorder and recorded the scene where he gets fried with an arrow “death by stereo”. He seemed to get a kick out of that. Billy would have been about 25 years of age when he made that movie.
Announcements and the Q & A were difficult to hear over PA system with the noise of the amusement park in the background. All in all it was an exciting evening and now I sit back at my desk amidst the cover of daylight and none the wiser about where I was the night before. Hmmmm, almost like a vampire.
All Lost Boys Links| Sean McCourt Santa Cruz Lost Boys Article| Vangie's Santa Cruz Review and Thoughts| News & Update Pages