[ WEEKEND ]
Big screen bash
A projector and sheet is all
you need to view films under
an evening sky
With the Hawaii International Film Festival winding down, what's a movie junkie to do besides twiddle thumbs in between the lot of holiday flicks springing up before year's end as studios try to make the cut for Oscars' deadline?
Take a cue from the city's popular Sunset on the Beach program and bring the big screen outdoors. Maybe we all don't have the luxury of an oceanfront venue, but balmy breezes and clear skies help to create an inviting theater we can all take advantage of.
Forget about rolling up your sleeves to move that 52-inch TV screen, and shake the flashbacks of watching fifth-grade science films with the clickety-clack of the projector and the roll-down screen that wouldn't stay put.
Viewing movies under the stars can be as simple as making room on the lawn, deck or even concrete driveway and setting up a video projector the size of a standard slide-show component.
These gadgets can be rented from various video production service shops around town from about $175, which may sound hefty for just a night, but it's a bargain for an occasional viewing-party whim when compared with plunking down $7,000 to buy a projector.
Simply plug your standard VHS/DVD player or laptop computer into it, hook up the speakers and press "Play."
It costs an extra $20 or so to rent a standard, roll-down screen, but you don't even need that, said Mike Higgins, owner of Show & Tell at 866 Iwilei St.
All it takes is a white bedsheet and a few trees to prop it up, said Higgins, who tells of a customer who strung one up for a party of friends to view the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre."
In the spirit of a Halloween trick, the hosts enlisted someone to dress in gory costume and take to the sheet with an electrical chain saw from behind, ripping it to shreds when that critical chain-saw moment flashed.
"It got the crowd screaming," said Higgins.
Count on viewing much lighter classics during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
Have a big gathering of friends and send out cinema-thematic invitations requesting a $5 donation toward the cost of projector rental, cheaper than a prime time movie at your local 16-plex.
Or just provide the place, have the gang bring the pupus, beer and popcorn, then sit back and enjoy.
Lights
Add color to your movie landscape with string lights. Many stores already have Christmas tree lights on the shelves if you don't feel like digging yours out of storage yet. If you do, that's one less task to do before the holidays. We found these specialty lights at Fisher Hawaii, 450 Cooke St. String them along your buffet table or tie them to bamboo tomato-vine poles available at garden shops. Simply stick them into the ground to mark your movie "aisle" or line your driveway if that's your theater. From left, lantern ($21.51, 11-foot strand), animal print ($21.51, 9 feet by 4 inches) and butterflies ($17.94 for an 11-foot strand). The animal print style is marked for indoor use only, so use them inside windows or under eaves.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Ample seating
At this sort of party, guests are welcome to bring their own seating, whether beach lounge chairs, blanket or beach mats. Stadium seat pads work well, too. We found these at Rainbowtique at Ward Centre, on sale this month for $5 each (regular $10). Beach towels work just as well. Just be sure to throw a plastic tarp or garbage bags on the grass to protect clothing from a moist lawn.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Don't let the bugs bite
Best bet for finding citronella this time of year is your nearby home improvement store or garden shop. Pier 1 Imports brings them in seasonally, so you could stock up on them at summer's end when they are on clearance to make way for fall items. The Tiki Citronella Candle Pots at top ($5.99 for set of three) and Bite Fighter 32-ounce buckets ($4.99 each) are from City Mill.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Camera
A video/DVD projector, usually used during wedding receptions and at business seminars, can be rented from such companies as Show & Tell at 866 Iwilei St. (521-7797). Check the Yellow Pages under audio-visual equipment rentals or similar headings. Show & Tell offers units from $175 to $450 for up to 24 hours. The price is based on the number of lumens; the more lumens, the sharper or brighter the picture, and the more pricey the rental. Most companies require you to leave a credit card imprint and show a picture ID. The component can be hooked up directly to your DVD, VHS player or laptop computer. For a large group, you'll need to hook up your home entertainment speakers to your tape or DVD unit. Some shops such as Show & Tell will rent speakers separately.
PROJECTOR PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE HIGGINS
Projection screens cost about $25 for a 6-by-8-foot screen, but you can also use a flat bedsheet nailed or secured by duct tape to a wall or garage door. Tip: Iron the sheet first.
Action
New on video this week is "Finding Nemo," shown at right, "Dumb and Dumberer" and "Terminator 3," starring California Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
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