MacDill Happenings

For a free event with the kids, the art deco fronted Beach Theatre in St. Pete Beach is having a free showing of the classic 1982 movie “E.T.” The Extra-Terrestrial. The movie is playing this Saturday at 10am. While visiting the Earth at Night, a group of aliens are discovered and disturbed by an approaching human task force. Because of the more than hasty take-off, one of the visitors is left behind. The little alien finds himself all alone on a very strange planet. Fortunately, the extra-terrestrial soon finds a friend and emotional companion in 10-year-old Elliot, who discovered him looking for food in his family’s garden shed. While E.T. slowly gets acquainted with Elliot’s brother Michael, his sister Gertie as well as with Earth customs, members of the task force work day and night to track down the whereabouts of Earth’s first visitor from Outer Space. The wish to go home again is strong in E.T., and after being able to communicate with Elliot and the others, E.T. starts building an improvised device to send a message home for his folks to come and pick him up. But before long, E.T. gets seriously sick, and because of his special connection to Elliot, the young boy suffers, too. The situation gets critical when the task force finally intervenes. However, Elliot and his friends come to the rescue. The St. Pete Beach Theatre is a historic landmark along the west coast of Florida. Built in 1939 for about $50,000, it was said to be the first theater ever erected for sound equipment on the coast. The original theatre was fitted out with 528 seats but today there are 245 seats. The Theatre was the first building on Corey Avenue, which was a fairly busy road in those days because the causeway was the only route on and off St.Pete Beach.