First off, let me preface this week’s adventure with a small disclaimer:  “I don’t get out much!” 

And that’s not an accident. It’s not that I am antisocial; it's just that there isn’t much incentive to leave the ranch. Plenty to do here! But last week was completely not hermit time. 

We had something going on every night and with plenty to do photographically then in the computer-driven digital darkroom, coming up for air was a real challenge. There was a terrific show at the Opera House with the wonderfully entertaining Jeff Daniels, and an equally informative evening presentation at Southport Town Hall by retired CIA person Paul Zalucky regarding his knowledge and experiences in Ukraine and elsewhere. Extremely concerning! 

And then, the uproarishly entertaining “Big Pumpkin” Jim Jellison gathering at Mitchell and Co. Old Firehouse in Boothbay. His 872.5-pound, tractor trailer-delivered massive pumpkin, with killer art by our daughter Morgan, was a real showstopper. There was music, food, and lots of visitors. A fun event. 

Just when I thought it was safe to crawl back under a rock, we recalled that our old buddy Tanner Grover had shanghaied the Harbor Theater for a second in his series of “The Cinema Clubhouse,” where a gathered bunch of movie geeks got to observe, critique and experience film history with “The Lost Boys,” a 1987 horror/comedy about teenage brothers who are moved to a small town in northern California occupied by, among other things, vampires. Not exactly my cup of tea. I’m not a movie buff. But after Tanner’s first pick of Pee Wee Herman’s, “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure,” I figured, no harm, no foul. But, jeez!      

Few people that I have known are as movie knowledgeable as Tanner. When it comes to movies, this guy is the real deal. He has been a student of the cinema for decades. Back in the day, at a much younger age, Tanner was on the hotline at the small mall “Video Loft” in Boothbay Harbor. Meredith Watts helped Tanner keep his screen full, even alerting him to trailers from new movies yet to be released. “T” was hooked and took a deep dive into the who, what, where and why of filmmaking. 

Early in Tanner’s college career he attended University of New England, studying business and the business of sports management. It didn’t fly. All those years of working with Boothbay Region High School basketball didn’t make the academic cut. Not to be undone, Tanner enrolled at the University of Southern Maine where he focused on film and screen writing, incorporating his true love for the sport of basketball. He even created a film,  “Pick and Roll,” worked on with collaborators in California.  

Tanner’s idea for “The Cinema Clubhouse” is pretty cool. It’s intended to gather movie-goers for a free film showing complete with a score card to rate the movie, discuss pros and cons, and share personal reactions. I just freaked out!  

 The visuals in “The Lost Boys” movie will probably never quite leave some tucked away compartment in my brain, along with scenes from “Jaws.” “Bambi” was the first film I ever saw and I still can’t fully shake that memory!   

Keep an eye out for Tanner’s next cinematic presentation at the Harbor Theater. It really is a very unique experience, even if you’re a wimp like me! You can access Tanner’s info at facebook.com/thecinemaclubhouse, or at instagram.com/the_cinemaclubhouse. Be there or be square.