City movie nights expand

The event is geared toward families in Columbia.

By Grace Clarke

Published May 1, 2007

Columbia will prove it's more than a college town as the Flat Branch Outdoor Cinema Series' second season opens Friday.

With the recent disappearance of drive-in theaters, people in search of outdoor alternatives for summer nights have been left empty-handed. But Columbia is once again remedying the lull of summer with the Outdoor Cinema Series at Flat Branch Park.

Despite prolonged construction nearby, the series, which played to loyal audiences last year, opens Friday and will continue through the summer with three more movies planned in June, July and August. "Happy Feet," which is rated PG, will debut the series, beginning at 8:30 p.m. Friday at the park, located at Fourth and Cherry streets downtown.

"American Graffiti" plays at 8:45 p.m. June 7, and "Charlotte's Web" plays at 9 p.m. July 6.

The series will conclude with a showing of "Casablanca" at 8:45 p.m. August 3 at a different venue. The fourth and final film will be shown at Stephens Lake Park on Broadway. The trial relocation to Stephen's Lake Park could potentially expand the series into the fall, said Erin Carrillo, a recreation specialist for the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department.

The series is the brainchild of Ragtag Cinemacafé Program Director Paul Sturtz, who approached the Parks and Recreation Department and the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau with the idea in 2005.

"The concept of an outdoor summer series is a growing movement around the country," Sturtz said. "The genesis of the project I guess was my idea. It brings communities together, and that was our intention with the series."

To begin the program, the series played its first free movie in early October 2005.

"We had about 800 people turn out," Carrillo said. "It was a huge success."

In response, the Parks and Recreation Department began planning for the first full season, which debuted in May 2006 with a showing of "Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit." Although audience numbers were down to about 150, viewer turnout remained consistent throughout the inaugural season.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau provided financial backing, but film selection proved to be an obstacle.

"We really struggle with finding family-oriented films," said Karen Ramey, supervisor for the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department. "Everyone loves a Disney film, but there's a law that prevents us from showing Disney films after May."

The law Ramey mentioned is in reference to copyright protection.

Ramey and her colleagues began selecting films as early as January to gather response before finalizing plans.

"We have hit upon a formula of doing family films, which are not always the kind of fare that the Ragtag specializes in, so we do take our cues from the Parks and Recreation Department," Sturtz said.

Sturtz said he enjoys the close-knit sense of community watching movies on the Ragtag's 20-by-12 foot giant screen.

Admission is $3 per person, and children 6 years and younger are free.

"We have capacity for about 1,000 people, so we ask that you bring a low lawn chair or a blanket," Carrillo said. "Maybe, if it works out, we can try doing two movies in the fall."