Touching a bit of ‘Sunshine’

NEWPORT BEACH — In one scene of the movie “Little Miss Sunshine,” the characters — a dysfunctional family making a motor trip west — get out and push their yellow Volkswagen van to make it start.

On Wednesday afternoon, after a screening of the movie at the Regency Lido Theatre, 11-year-old Koa Wood decided to try it himself. After all, he had the prop right there to work with. Slipping behind the van parked under the theater’s marquee, Koa put his hands on the bumper and gave it a good shove.

“It’s on the brake, so it can’t move,” he finally said, conceding defeat.

Since Friday, Koa and other patrons of the Lido have gotten a rare treat. Before and after watching “Little Miss Sunshine,” they can see the actual van used in the movie, and even climb inside, get their pictures taken, and pretend to man the steering wheel.

“The kids are more interested in this bus than in the movie,” said Helen Toal, Koa’s grandmother, who added that she had seen “Little Miss Sunshine” twice.

According to Jim Woodin, general manager of the Lido, the van provided extra fanfare for a movie that’s already brought a steady number of ticket-buyers to his theater.

“Most of them have just seen it or they’re about to see it,” Woodin said. “When they come out, they know the history of the car story-wise, so they look in the trunk, the back deck. A couple of them have climbed in there and laid down because that’s a point in the picture.”

The Lido acquired the van through a personal connection. Lyndon Golin, the president of Regency Theatres, knew the owner of Picture Car Warehouses, a Los Angeles-based company that lends vehicles to movie productions. After “Little Miss Sunshine” started drawing crowds at the Regency’s art-house cinemas, Picture Car boss Ted Moser provided Golin with two of the five models used in the film.

According to Ken Kessler, the rental manager for Picture Car, the van parked at the Westlake Village theater was used for long shots in the movie, while the one at the Lido was used for interior shots with the cast.

The compact yellow van, Golin said, had already become a famous image to many moviegoers.

“It’s so prominent in the [advertising] campaign, the van, that people seem to just recognize it whether they’ve seen the movie or not,” he said.

Last summer, the Lido tried another visual campaign for the documentary “March of the Penguins,” mounting a huge, inflatable penguin over the marquee.

Unfortunately, the city ordered the theater owners to remove it because it violated Newport Beach’s sign code.

The Lido has gotten no complaints about the “Little Miss Sunshine” display, Golin said.

“The van doesn’t seem to violate any codes, so we’re good,” he said.