h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Last weekend, I stumbled across the coolest idea for K's birthday this year.

One of our favorite independent theaters, the Portage, which is just about a mile and a half or so west of home, is available for rental for private parties.

We've been to the Portage a few times recently- just last weekend for a Dr Phibes double feature and a book signing. It's been restored to its original splendor and is a really beautiful theater: http://www.portagetheater.org/ .

I called today for rental information, and their rates are really reasonable: $200 for the two-hour minimum, $100 for the third hour, and $50 for each additional hour. Concessions can be done one of two ways; either they'll charge at the concession rate at a discounted rate, or they can run a tab and bill the renter for the whole concession bill.

We'd bring our own DVD movie and could provide our own cake (surely I can order one and have one of K's friends pick it up and bring it over). Unless you need a lot of decorations or something they don't charge for set-up time.

For an additional charge, I could have "Happy Birthday K" on the marquee- $50 per panel (so $100 for both sides of the sign), which I think would be cool but would have to feel out what I think K's take on that would be.

Wouldn't that make a wonderful birthday surprise if K and I and a bunch of our friends had an entire theater to ourselves with a movie of his choice?

I'm thinking a three-hour rental, maybe from 9 PM to midnight on the Friday night prior to K's birthday. Since the movie admission would be free for all K's guests, I wonder if it would be reasonable to go with the discounted concessions and that by having the party start at 9 PM, that'd allow the guests time to have dinner first so they're not obliged to consume concessions they must pay for? Also a midnight end would break up early enough for those who most drink to head out to the bars for a couple of hours afterward if necessary, since alcohol isn't allowed in the theater.

So, I really think I'd like to do this- I'd like some feedback as to what everyone here thinks about the concessions situation, and the marquee sign.

Wow! What an amazing idea! I love it and would love it if something like this was done for me.

As for the concessions - you could ask if they'd split it. We did this at our wedding and bought X amount of drinks for people (wine / beer with dinner) which didn't get depleted entirely with the meal. So afterwards people had some free top ups at the bar.

You could say that everyone is entitled to 2 beers and a bucket of popcorn (can you tell I have no idea what the actual concessions there would be?) and if they want any more they can pay. Or set a time limit or do something that will play within your budget.

It would all depend on the budget of course. If you don't have a budget to include refreshments, I see nothing wrong with people buying their own discounted snacks and beverages.

If you all decided to go out for a meal or go to a club or something everyone would expect to pay there, wouldn't they?

What a swell party that sounds!

Concessions...It would be nice to pick up the tab if you can afford it, of course - but most people weould expect to bring something to consume at a party, wouldn't they? (Is the concession licensed?)

As for the marquee...go for it! Even if K thinks it's tyacky, I'm sure he'll appreciate the thought.

The concessions stand at this theater offers soda, bottled water, hot dogs, brats, various candies, and possibly either potato chips (crisps) or something vaguely pretzel-y. For example, he said they'd normally charge $4 for a soda and hot dog combo for one of these shindigs. So, it'd depend on how hungry people were.

Not sure what you mean by licensed concession, Ed. It's not a concession company, if that's what you mean? It's not catered or anything- just theater staff serving up. It wouldn't break the bank to pick up the tab. Although you make a good point that if I had a party at our place, people would bring something.

Maybe I could just plan the thing with a small-ish to medium guest list (10-20 people?), and if anyone *offers* to chip in, accept graciously, but go for the free snacks option.

'Licensed' = UKanian for 'Liquor licensed'.

'licensed premises' = a pub.


(Amos Brierley of the Hotton and District Licensed Victualler's Association. )

Ah- no, no liquor license. So it's not super expensive in terms of beverages. Most music venues have bars, but not most movie theaters. (Except the Vic, which has had a Brew 'N' View since I was a kid.) They don't allow BYOB at this particular theater, either, AFAIK. No biggie- I'm sure people can go without for 3 hours, if they're not used to be served at the movies anyway.

Hmm, maybe say popcorn is free for all as is punch (bring your own?) and any special wishes, they have to pay for?


But I agree, it's a *wonderful* idea!

I'm not sure whether they offer limited concessions... but now that I think about it, the last time we went (not this past weekend) they did only have popcorn, candy and soda and not hot dogs or brats. That's an idea and something I will ask them about when I follow up to book the theater.

Thanks for the feedback- I'm tickled to know that y'all think it sounds so fun. It will make me really happy to do this for K, and I know he'll be thrilled.

Now I just need to come up with a guest list and a film idea. I'm thinking a schlocky horror of the "so bad it's good" variety. Let's just say that if I'm paying by the hour we shouldn't watch "Apocalypse Now Redux" or "Seven Samurai".

Wonderful idea PC. When is the guy's birthday?

Is it mandatory it must be a movie? If you're not sick of Darkplace already, and you want to share the joy, you could stick a couple of episodes of that on in less than an hour.

If anyone did that for me I'd worship them for *months* - it sounds so cool!

For the concessions I agree with what ismarah said - but some money behind the stand so guests can get something free, but anything else they want they can pay at the discounted rate.

And the billboard, I'd think it was tacky and silly but secretly I'd love it - how cool would it be to have a photo of it? So do it I reckon.

Yeah, go on, do it! It'll be a fabulous and memorable evening.

And just think of the lengths he'll have to go to when it's his turn to make a fuss of you...

Christopher, as good as "Darkplace" would be, I'm fairly sure they won't have a region-free player. Might not hurt to ask, though...

I'll ask if they have a way to split the concessions up like that. If they don't, I may have to choose between (1) offering a full concession and picking up the tab myself, (2) offering a limited concession and picking up the tab, or (3) offering a full concession at each snacker's expense.

Once I'm already springing $400 for the rental and the marquee, what's another hundred or two for concessions? I'll think on it for a couple more days.

They didn't specify how much advance notice they need, but I thought the earlier I booked the better. K's birthday is at the end of July.

I'm just pleased as punch that this idea has gotten such positive feedback- it means it's more likely that our friends might be interested in attending such a thing (though a good many of them would come even if they weren't, because they're good peeps).

Ivan... he's already started by getting me the new coffee machine I wanted a couple of weeks early for my own birthday. Which I don't like a big fuss being made over.

Whatever you show, I suggest preceding it with a short B feature. Laural and Hardy would be my choice.

I'd thought the same thing... only instead of L&H (K doesn't like them much) maybe I can borrow a Three Stooges short or something, and show that along with an old cartoon short. In fact, we have two or three B-movie double feature discs that also include some shorts we might be able to use.

We've also got one volume of the "42nd Street Forever" trailer compilations, and we might be able to get them to run a few minutes of those.

No idea what movie he'd want. I've half a mind to ask them if it's OK to bring in a backup copy rather than the actual DVD.

*Joins in agreement that this is such a cool idea!*

My suggestion, take a spare DVD, in case the one you brought won't play for some weird reason.

Here's an idea which could take some planning.

Take along a laptop and a camera phone and screen footage of K arriving and seeing the marquee.

I don't have access to a laptop any more, but both my phone and my camera can grab video and play through a decent DVD player. And I'm fairly certain at least one of our friends owns a digital camcorder. I might be able to pull that idea off.


Might get some footage of it all regardless and put together some sort of little DVD memory thing for him (and maybe YouTube )afterward, though.

Can anyone think of any reasons why they'd be leery of playing a backup DVD? I'd probably bring in a few options, but I'd rather bring in a copy- plus if they don't mind backup copies, it'd widen the selection to all the stuff we have on VHS, too.

Depends on what kind of a system it's being played on - if it's computerised, they might be wary of viruses...