movie history in St. Maarten

“When we moved to St. Maarten from Antigua, it was ostensively because I wanted to create a movie museum to keep us in Pina Coladas when we’re 95” Nick Maley.

4 years later it finally opened. Why so long? First Nick established a shop (Planet Paradise 19a Front Street), to fund the enterprise. Then he undertook the painstaking process of piecing each display together one bit of movie history at a time.  Based on Nick’s private collection of movie relics, duplicates and collectables, Nick talks on DVD about each piece, his recollections of being part of the making of classic films like SUPERMAN, HIGHLANDER and, of course,  the classic STAR WARS trilogy.  “It’s movie history from the inside”, Nick comments. “People overlook the fact that almost everything written and discussed about STAR WARS was written by people who were not there! Trivia games, chat rooms, Star Wars Encyclopedias, even StarWars.com, none of them are written by movie makers. They are all regurgitating info that originates from the Publicity Department. And most of the time, they were not there either. The reality of making the classic STAR WARS trilogy and other classic movies  is being lost as the people who made the  movie are dying off. So much is unknown.

There are a few celebrities that recollect a handful of experiences in books of their memoirs. But most are too busy to write much on the subject. The Exhibit is one of my prime focuses. It will occupy my free time for the next decade or two... there is so much more I want to present... so much more that remains untold. I’m writing about the events I experienced FIRST HAND, the REAL story of how these movies were made. Moreover, I’m spotlighting the unsung heros who made it happen. Do you know there were 5 versions of Yoda built for the classic trilogy and 6 people who operated him? StarWars.com and the Smithsonian don’t”

The first phase of the Exhibit opened officially September 2011.  The latest additions to the museum include displays about the TERMINATOR, MEN IN BLACK, and ALIEN and Nick’s collection of celebrity life casts is astounding... from Michael Jackson, Angelina Jolle and Johnny Depp, to Humphry Bogart and Errol Flynn. Open Mon-Sat 9.30-5.00, call 011 599 542 4009 fir more details.