“I am big! It’s the pictures that got small.”
Today is another gift, cool, sunny and dry. When I stepped out to the deck, I could smell the salt water. Though the ocean isn’t close, the breeze was just right and brought it my way. I sat down and said good morning to my backyard friends. The crow was especially vocal. I looked for the squirrel, but he’s not around, maybe the nest is finished. Today is a perfect deck day.
Last night’s movie was the original War of the Worlds. We ate popcorn, sno-caps and Raisinettes, all perfect movie fare. We look forward to these movie nights, our sitting outside in the cool of the evening and chatting if we want or pausing if we need a break. The projector has a coffee cup button for those necessary pauses and the cup appears on the screen. Trying to find a movie last night, I realized my collection does need expanding so my sister is already talking Christmas and movies and my stocking.
In Ghana, in my day, all the movies were shown outside. You paid in the lobby, bought some munchies and walked from there into a wide courtyard. At my favorite theater in Accra, the chairs were in no special order and could be moved, and there was a balcony. The screen was huge. Overhangs were on three sides of the courtyard so if it rained you just hauled your chair under an overhang and kept watching. The movies weren’t new, but we didn’t care. It was just fun to see a movie.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: movie night, Peace Corps Ghana
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
July 27, 2010 at 11:38 am
The day has been much the same over here. I can´t but enjoy it 🙂
I like the original War of the worlds! The new one is ok, but I just can´t stand the doughter in that film 🙂 🙂 I just sit there and hopes that one of the aliens finally will take her away far, far from the film 🙂 🙂
Have a great day now!
Christer.
July 27, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Christer,
I’m with you in hating the little girl. All she does is scream.
It was another really nice day here.
July 27, 2010 at 3:55 pm
I never really saw movies outside except at drive ins. I do recall my Mother taking me to a disney moving in the old Chicago playhouse. I fell in love with the ornate fixtures and huge balconies. I asked if I could stay after the movie and walk around and inspect all the columns and fancy boxes for rich people. I think I was 11 then and it really was exciting. We even toured the bathrooms. I was on to something early in life as that memory has stayed with me all these years.
July 27, 2010 at 9:56 pm
Z&Me,
I never saw them other than drive-ins either. Some towns show outside movies, but I never saw one. It just seemed to be a fun idea, and it has been.
Like you, I remember a magnificent theater. It was the Metropolitan in Boston. The ladies room was like no place I’d ever seen: plush and beautiful.
July 27, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Movie night – maybe a switch up and give “500 Days of Summer” a try ? Other than it being a really fab movie, afterwards you will always look kindly on the music of Hall and Oates.
July 27, 2010 at 9:58 pm
My Dear Hedley,
A great movie and I wouldn’t have thought of it-thanks.
I always look kindly on the music of Hall and Oates.
July 27, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Actually we had an indoor movie theater in Kumasi. I went once. It was horrible. Packed like a mammy wagon, not air conditioned, and everybody yelling at the movie, which as I remember was one of the Dean Martin Matt Helm movies. They were parodies of the James Bond movies, but of course the Ghanaians didn’t get that at all. They cheered for every fake punch, every pratfall, and of course Martin was the epitome of American smooth. For me, once was enough, both for Matt Helm and for Ghanaian movie theaters.
July 27, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Ralph,
In Bolga, they used to show the movies in the courtyard of the Hotel d’Bull. For a little extra money, you got to sit on the roof. We used to buy kebabs for 25 pesewas and watch the horrible movies. Indian films were hugely popular with all that singing, and I saw really old westerns including one where Jane Wyman was the ingenue. They didn’t show them often, but I always went.
The theaters in Accra were not at all like the one in Kumasi. People actually watched the movie.
I took a few of my students to Kumasi for the investiture of Ghana’s first homegrown bishop. We were there a night or two, and I took my students to that indoor movie you mentioned. We saw The sound of Music without audience participation. My students loved it.