Rafael Barba

On this, the 30th anniversary of the smash hit, franchise-making film known as Squid!– or was it the 25th?

... Maybe it was the 40th?

Like so many things in Darrow, no one could agree. On some date in the distant, or perhaps recent, past, a little film called Squid! opened in local theaters, and nothing would ever be the same. While no one could prove it to be a global phenomenon, it certainly became the obsession of Darrowians, young and old. There were sequels. There were spin-offs. There was merch. There were Saturday morning cartoons and breakfast cereals.

And now, there was an anniversary screening of the film that started it all. Not just any screening, but a dive-in to kick off summer at the beach. A giant, 50-ft screen had been mounted in the sand near the docks, where the film was being projected as soon as the sun went down. Leading up to the showing, there were games of beach volleyball, foam wars in the shallows, and a game that locals insisted on calling Bean Tunnel (which bore a striking resemblance to the game with an even sillier name, Cornhole). There were inner tubes in the calm waters, and people floating on boogie boards, and people watching from the decks of small boats, and still more set up in beach chairs in the sand. There were cotton candy stands, and hot dog carts and stalls with various seasonal treats, along with beer and frozen cocktails. There were Squid! hats and a costume contest, and a raffle for themed prizes, including a framed excerpt from the original film print– a true collector's item!

Despite its proximity to a holiday that locals did not seem to know the existence of, there were absolutely no fireworks.

Mostly, there were people celebrating summer, and each other, and a little movie about a great big, murderous cephalopod with a secret heart of gold.

... Wait a minute, was that what this movie was about? Do any of these people actually know?


[[Anniversary screening of Squid! on the beach, with various summertime activities for those ready to enjoy the warmer weather. Tag in, tag around. As always, this remains open for as long as it needs to be.]]