Hollywood on the Delaware coast? Film festival inspires a zany take on movie-making
With the motion pictures for the 24th Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival about to emerge from their respective cans, or is it “sleeves” now that films arrive at theaters in DVD format, it may be a good time to reflect on the coastal cinema scene.
In late September, reports surfaced that filming was underway in Cape Henlopen State Park, of all places, for a segment of a forthcoming TV series titled "Lioness."
It is being produced by Paramount +, the cable home entertainment network, not to be confused with the Home Paramount Pest Control company located in New Castle. My separation of the two entities, however, may be premature given that I haven’t yet seen the cable series.
In any case, it does raise the question of whether this could be the beginning of a fledgling movie industry in the region.
Those of you who remember the presidency of George H.W. Bush will recall that the critically acclaimed "Dead Poets Society" was filmed in Middletown, Delaware. It provided a financial windfall for a town previously best known for its Olde Tyme Peach Festival.
If the film industry is to take root on the coast, if we are to evolve into an east coast Hollywood or a further to the east Bollywood, we need to pitch films that have ties to our region.
In that vein, below are some ideas that were left in a suggestion box strategically attached to pump #4 at the Wawa adjacent to the Cinema Art Theater.
First, one user of high-test gas recommends, not surprisingly, that a superhero be plucked from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, say Spider-Man.
She suggests filming a work titled "The Oceanic Challenge," or, as it would undoubtedly be known by cast and crew, "Spidey at the Beach." Claiming it will be a fine addition to the Spider-Man franchise, she envisions our humanoid arachnid doing battle with multiple creatures from the black lagoon, aka the inland bays.
In addition, there would be a titanic battle with a Sea Witch, who mesmerizes an entire city parade and thousands of innocent onlookers, only to have Spider-Man finally break her spell by entrapping the Witch in his world wide web.
Among the trials faced by producers of such films is the cost of using computer graphics to portray superhero exploits. We could argue that considerable savings might be achieved if naturally occurring CGI — Coastal Generated Images — were used instead.
Imagine a so-called Turbine Toss, by which the rapidly moving blades of the UDel wind turbine propel Spider-Man via centrifugal force to a spot on Route 1. There, he assists the Secret Service in protecting the Presidential motorcade.
Another patron proposes a film with the working title "Code Talkers 2." It should be of special interest to residents who are fans of the Sussex P&Z Commission — and who isn’t?
The focus here would be on a group of local loquacious linguists who can decipher and effectively rebut the arcane county land codes concerning sub-divisions. The heroes of this film would function as code breakers in more ways than one.
Supporters of this movie idea argue that the jury room scenes in the case of the People v. Unbridled Development LLC would rival the earthiness of the dialogue in "12 Angry Men."
It’s not just adult fare that could emerge from the new movie kingdom that we might call Coastwood. Take, for example, a proposal for "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids – Again."
In this sequel, we have the struggling inventor once again accidentally shrinking his children to a quarter-inch in size. One might question how accidental, as opposed to intentional, such a transformation could be, given that it was happening for a second time.
FILMING ON THE COAST: Paramount+ series 'Lioness' films at Cape Henlopen State Park
In any case, the ill-fated Szalinski family now lives near the Rehoboth Beach Museum, and the miniaturized kids find themselves wafted by a leaf blower up to the newly installed Dolle’s sign on that building.
There, they endure challenges posed by mountainous metal rivets twice their height and cavernous structural gaps they need to bridge. All the while, they navigate the twists and turns of the classic Dolle’s logo, before being rescued by a passing red knot.
Finally, in a completely different genre, we might consider a proposed documentary with the working title "Mad Mike’s Auto Repair and Seafood Emporium," which explores one of central aspects of coastal life — the regional food scene.
"Auto Repair and Seafood Emporium" extolls the merits of a restaurant concept whereby customers can get their cars serviced in adjoining bays — automotive not nautical — while they enjoy the best the culinary coast can offer.
As such, it mirrors Arlo Guthrie’s lyrical phrase: “You can get anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant” — except, possibly, one of those brownie treats baked with the secret ingredient of the 1960s.
Mike Berger is a freelance writer and retired university administrator with a home in Lewes. Contact him at edadvice@comcast.net.
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This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Hollywood on coast? Film festival inspires a zany take on movie-making
