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08/02/2007
On With The Show'E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial' kicks off free movies at the Open Space
Bryce Cox, 8, of Traverse City rides with E.T. in the basket of his bike before the start of the free movie at the Open Space. TRAVERSE CITY — Shelly Tacktor brought four folding chairs and four blankets, along with her son and a niece, to see "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” on a large, inflatable screen at the Open Space. She was among a couple dozen people who showed up about 7 p.m. to get the choice spots on the lawn for the Traverse City Film Festival's first of four free outdoor movies in the event's third year. By the time festival co-founder and Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore announced the film about 10 p.m., the crowd had grown to an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people, one of the largest Open Space audiences yet for the event. "I always bring blankets because I'm always prepared,” said Tacktor, a Traverse City resident. She intended to sit on top of the blankets in the nearly 90-degree heat and let the children use the chairs if they got tired of sitting on the ground. People came for the movie and the atmosphere. "It's like a big lawn party,” said Michael DeAgro of Traverse City, who brought his daughters Sage, 10; and Veyda, 6. He and Sage have seen all the outdoor movies in the first two years of the festival, he said. Sage likes coming, "especially because it's on a large screen and it doesn't cost me money,” she said. Many other early arrivals also brought children, some in wagons or strollers. T. Hanawalt, a teacher at Pathfinder School, was expecting several of her students and families to show up. Some were there with her early on, like Lillian Wege, 5, of Northport, who sprawled out on a blanket that she'd probably soon have to share. Hanawalt wasn't concerned that the children might get bored waiting three hours or so for the movie to begin. "We've brought Frisbees and supper, and look how entertaining the bay is with the boats and everything,” she said. A storyteller and a rock band also were scheduled to perform before the movie. In the past two years, crowds have ranged from 1,500 to 5,000 viewers, said Jodi Maas, manager of the Open Space movies. Last year's showing of "The Wizard of Oz” attracted what is believed to be the largest crowd at an Open Space screening in the festival's first two years. She had expected a large gathering Wednesday because of the "family-friendly” movie and the breezes off the bay. "The venue's amazing,” Maas said. "It's outside. The weather, the atmosphere. The movies are so classic and people bring their families down here to enjoy it.” The films are projected from inside a truck onto an inflatable screen with a viewing area that is 65 feet wide by 33 feet high. The screen and projection equipment are provided by Outdoor Movies of the Washington, D.C., area. The other movies scheduled for showing this year are "North by Northwest” tonight; "Grease” Friday; and "Raiders of the Lost Ark” Saturday.
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