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This Wednesday, June 30, actor Corey Feldman will play with his band, “Truth Movement,” and introduce the film, “The Lost Boys,” in which he starred, at age 14, as one of the Frog brothers who were determined to kill the vampires. The 1987 film will screen on the Santa Cruz Beach where it was shot.

According to the Santa Cruz Sentinel:

“His band, Truth Movement, will play the Boardwalk stage at 6:30 p.m. in a show dedicated to longtime friend and fellow “Lost Boys” alum Corey Haim, who died in March. The movie will start at 9 p.m. Both events are free, and seating is first-come, first-served.”

When director Joel Schumacher, now 70, saw the historic (California’s oldest [103 years young] surviving amusement park and one of only two on the West Coast [the other is Pacific Park on Santa Monica Pier]) Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk while scouting locations for “The Lost Boys,” he said that he  “saw the whole movie in my mind.”

Santa Cruz (certainly one of my favorite places, anywhere [this blog entry gives links to all of my blogs with “Santa Cruz” in the title]) is bordered by the forest and the beach. To Schumacher, the place gave off a “transfixing aura” (maybe THAT’S what I like about it!) to provide a background for young vampires disguised as a band of punks on motorcycles. The name “Santa Cruz” means “Holy Cross,” which must have had an effect as well. According to the Sentinel:

“The movie didn’t come together until I saw it,” Schumacher said. “At the time, there was an enormous amount of transient kids moving through Santa Cruz. This is exactly where I would come if I was a teenage vampire.”

As for Corey Feldman, now 38, he has sweet memories of his summer in Santa Cruz at the Boardwalk, Pogonip Clubhouse, Municipal Wharf, the Giant Dipper roller coaster, and other places.

Memories also flood the mind of Carl Henn, 66, the maintenance director at the Boardwalk, who has worked at the Boardwalk for 34 years. Henn recalls when one of the motorcycles used in the race scene on the beach caught fire and flipped right in front of him, while he was sitting in a director’s chair. Director Schumacher believes that not many cities would have allowed a motorcycle race on the beach, but it was no problem for Santa Cruz. Schumacher said he was stunned by the turnout at the first screening on the beach in Southern California 23 years ago.

Memories also came flooding back to Joe Ferrara, who owns the comic bookstore featured in the film. For three consecutive weekends, the store was closed to allow filming inside. After the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989, the store was relocated from Pacific Avenue to Cedar Street, and it continues to attract hundreds of fans each year. Ferrara and his partner at the time had bit parts in the movie, standing at and near the pinball machine. Ferrara failed to get the part of the comic bookstore owner, he says because he didn’t look “burned out” enough!

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has been the setting of other major films including “The Sting II,” “Sudden Impact” and “Dangerous Minds.”

“The Lost Boys” helped to launch the careers of actors Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Jamie Gertz and Haim. Feldman said his longtime friend’s absence will undoubtedly be felt during Wednesday’s screening.

“I’m sure there will be a moment to collect our thoughts, have a moment of silence and do our best to overcome it,” he said. “This may be an organic memorial that might not have existed otherwise. I think it’s a great opportunity.”

I wonder if the turnout in Santa Cruz will surpass the stunning turnout in Southern California 23 years ago. If you plan to go this Wednesday, here are the details you need from the Santa Cruz Sentinel:

‘The Lost Boys”
WHAT: Screening on the beach with Corey Feldman
WHEN: Corey Feldman and the Truth Movement at 6:30 p.m., film at 9 p.m. Wednesday
WHERE: Main Beach at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, 400 Beach St.
COST: Admission is free. Parking is $11 in Boardwalk lots.
Details: Visit http://beachboardwalk.com/01_events.html or call 831-423-5590

-Bill at

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