Filmtown in Finland

From Filmtown to Candytown.

Many thanks to my Finnish friend Ion Mittler who has let me know that the Filmtown movie rental chain is stopping film rentals and becoming a chain of sweet shops called Candy Town.

Filmtown is the last movie rental chain in the country. There are currently forty Filmtown stores in Finland, and you can still rent films from four of them for the remainder of 2023 and 2024. The others have already become candy stores.

Ion called into one of the Filmtown stores last weekend and took these snaps. He noted that while there everyone was buying candies and that no one was renting movies.

It's fascinating seeing the change in consumer habits and looking at retail history. We've been to a fair few former video stores on our travels over the last few years.

Check out the Filmtown website for more information.

Minigolf at The Light in Redhill, Surrey

There's a new 10-hole movie-themed minigolf course at The Light in Redhill, Surrey.

The new minigolf course at the entertainment venue is planned to open on Friday 23rd June.

Visit The Light Redhill website for more information.

Gremlins

The hit film Gremlins was released in the USA on this day in 1984.

What a day at the cinema that must've been - with Ghostbusters out on the same day!

Gremlins causing a scene Totally Stockport Comic Con last year

Gizmo's in Morecambe, Lancashire is open from 4pm to late - I hope it closes before midnight

Ghostbusters Day

Happy Ghostbusters Day!

The blockbuster film was released in the USA on this day in 1984.

Ghostbusting in Urmston in 2019

Check out my Ghostbusters-related blog posts.

Ecto-1 at The Light cinema in Stockport

It was nice to see Ecto-1 at The Light cinema in Stockport on Saturday evening as part of the promotion for the new Ghostbusters film.

I saw Ecto-1a and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in Urmston for Halloween a couple of years ago too.

Today is Ghostbusters Day

Happy Ghostbusters Day.

Ecto-1a and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man at the Eden Square shopping centre in Urmston, Greater Manchester at Halloween in 2019

Ghostbusters was released in the USA on this day in 1984.

Slimer at Ghetto Golf at Hoults Yard in Byker, Newcastle

Slimer and a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man on a tenpin bowling themed hole at Ghetto Golf in Liverpool

The Movie Box in Manchester

A look at a Manchester video shop.

You don't see video shops all that often any more

The shop is also called The Corner Store

And the Mac & PC Centre

Back to the Future is 35

Back to the Future was released in the USA on this day in 1985!

On Friday 13th March I managed to see a Back to the Future DeLorean at Media City in Salford.

It was brilliant to tick that off my bucket list.

A Coronation Street film location. In Blackpool

Visiting an infamous scene location in British soap history.

I was recently in Manchester city centre and was starstruck when I spotted Sue Nicholls and Mark Eden who played Audrey Roberts and Alan Bradley in Coronation Street.

This bit of celeb spotting got me chatting about the classic and infamous scene where the soap's baddie Alan Bradley got his comeuppance by getting killed by a tram in Blackpool.

My mate Marc 'The Roller' Bazeley and I jokingly wondered whether there was a plaque on the spot he was hit. After a little research I found out that there actually is a plaque to 'commemorate' the incident! It's on the entrance of The Strand Hotel.

We regularly visit the seaside resort so on my latest day out there I had a look to see where the scene was filmed.

The scene of telly soap baddie Alan Bradley's Coronation Street Death by Tram outside The Strand Hotel in Blackpool

A view from outside The Strand Hotel

A closer look at the tracks

A view of The Strand Hotel

A view of the street

I was able to avoid the same fate that befell one of soap's most notorious bad guys when I filmed this tram passing by the spot.

We've spotted quite a few interesting plaques on our travels.

Related blog posts:
- Plaque-ing Interesting
- Blackpool
- Plaques

Mattie 5's minigolf movie

There are plans for a new miniature golf movie from Putt-Putt and Mini Golf Champion Mattie 5.

Our friend and Putt-Putt fanatic Matt 'Mattie 5' Bellner has just launched a GoFundMe campaign for his minigolf movie.

We're looking forward to seeing the end result!

Putt-Putt Pro Matt Bellner playing the course in Arlington, Texas

PLAY-OFF - a short film by MegaComputeur

We love anything and everything minigolf-related and it's always brilliant seeing new and interesting stories, videos and photos related to the game. So when Putterfingers Crazy Golf found and shared this fantastic short animation from the team at MegaComputeur Animation we had to share it too.

PLAY-OFF is a MUST WATCH for anyone who's ever played Crazy Golf! There are some really nice touches about the joy (and frustration) the sport provides.


PLAY-OFF from MegaComputeur on Vimeo.

Links:
- PLAY-OFF on Vimeo
- MegaComputeur Animation

Silent movies and Wurlitzer organ music

Stockport Town Hall Silver Screen Evenings with the Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust.

We're always on the lookout for fun, interesting and different things to see and do, and since moving to the Stockport area three months ago we've had plenty of opportunity to do just that.

On Friday we went along to the Stockport Town Hall Silver Screen Evening to watch the 1920 film Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. We've never seen a silent movie on the big screen before and were very impressed. The film was accompanied by Donald MacKenzie from the Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust playing the Wurlitzer Organ throughout.

What a setting for a silent movie and Wurlitzer organ music

Stockport Town Hall is a fine setting. It was built at the start of the 20th century and based on Belfast Town Hall. We first visited the hall for a recent postcard fair and were impressed by the nice interior. It was a great place to watch the film and be entertained.

The Wurlitzer Organ - when we arrived I could've sworn I heard the music from Holiday on the Buses being played, but Emily thinks I was mistaken

The Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust and Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council will next be showing Robin Hood on Friday 18th November, with Safety Last and Get Out and Get Under on Friday 23rd December. Admission to the shows is £10, with doors opening at 6.45pm for a 7pm start. It's well worth going along to. Good music, films, venue and bar - what more could you ask for.

Upcoming shows in the series

Throughout the year the Town Hall hosts Wurlitzer Organ Concerts. You can find out more information on the Stockport Town Hall and Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust websites.

Links:
- Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust
- Stockport Town Hall

A Crazy Golf Horror Movie

Kickstarter funding campaign for a new Horror film - about Crazy Golf! - goes live.

Director Chloe Philippou has got in touch to let me know about her new short film project to produce a Crazy Golf horror movie!

Poster for Crazy Golf - a film by Chloe Philippou. Poster by Mike Smith

The proposed Crazy Golf film combines two of those British seaside favourites - Miniature Golf and Amusement Arcades!

Check out the Kickstarter page for the Crazy Golf Horror Movie to find out more about the film, see a video introduction to the project and ways you can get involved.

The film project has a £2,000 goal and backing for the film closes on Thursday 10th of July 2014.

There are a number of pledge incentives ranging in price from £5 to £1,000 offering a range of rewards, from thank you's, copies of the script and storyboards, DVDs of the movie and even the chance to be in the film!

Chloe and her team are looking for the funding to help pay for costumes, props and make-up effects, locations, crew equipment and expenses.

It sounds like a fun project and features three of my favourite things - Crazy Golf, Arcades (especially the 2p machines) and horror!

I'm looking forward to seeing the finished film.

Links:
- Crazy Golf Horror Movie on Kickstarter
- Crazy Golf Horror Movie on Facebook
- Crazy Golf Horror Movie on Twitter
- #crazygolffilm