the good, the bad and the sleepy…
And it’s all over for another year! FrightFest, that is.
Judging by the amount of money spent, food put away and sleep missed it’s probably just as well although there was much to enjoy even without the films – a celestially good and desirably bourbon-laced vanilla hardshake from Byron (even though I hold it responsible for my sleeping through lack of attention during the Spanish thriller I had wanted to see afterwards), a couple of cheerful early morning runs before the temperature got too close to 30 degrees and which included a lap of St James’s Park in the opposite direction to Boris Johnson, who looked significantly more hot and uncomfortable than I was even at half past seven in the morning.
I also have a new favourite Kings Cross breakfast spot in German Gymnasium, whose beautifully peaceful interior combined with the provision of huge dollops of cheesy mash with sauerkraut, ham and fried egg at early doors deserves not only an award but possibly its own Bank Holiday. The ladies toilets alone are nicer than my flat (as pictured along with the aforementioned Black Forest Bake which also – predictably – put me comfortably to sleep during Seuls (Alone), a spectacularly dull and threadbare lump of French/Belgian sci-fi filler which was bunging up the post lunch slot on the Friday) and I’ll be back at a later hour for some unpronounceable sausagey stuff as soon as is humanly possible.
Of the films, I can recommend Lowlife, The Bar and obviously Meatball Machine Kodoku even if I’m still none the wiser regarding what it was about three days after having seen it than I was three days before, despite this time actually managing to remain awake throughout. The Empire IMAX screen is stupendously (and entirely appropriately) gigantic, the air conditioning is best described as a blunt instrument and there were STILL people queuing to get into the Leicester Square Lego store every time I passed it during opening times. Best of all, an unexpected new pal was made following a director’s giveaway of props from his short film; ‘Bear 33/52’ had a supporting role in Teddy Bear’s Picnic, apparently did his own stunts (winding up a bit on the scorched side) and will be accompanying me on future trips after proving himself an ideal travel buddy on the journey home, maintaining a kindly yet purposeful air, taking up virtually no seat space and saying absolutely nothing whatsoever. Perfect.
Back in the real world and with school holidays ending next week and hopefully no more flash floods, falling masonry or parking space fuckery (I’ll tell you when I see you) I am settled back in Scarborough for the duration; the duration being roughly six weeks when I’ll be off to my favourite corner of Pimlico for some nice quiet R&R and hopefully also some F, at least for a couple of days. Details will follow soon – and a pre-Christmas return to Victoria is also in the planning stages! Celluloid Screams in Sheffield also beckons towards the end of October, and any potential availability there will be decided when the programme is released in a weeks’ time. Any (admittedly unlikely) repeat of Seuls is a shoe in for a skive, that much is a given.
In honour of the German Gymnasium and the unparalleled joys of early morning cheesy sauerkraut mash, who better for Song Of The Week than Kraftwerk! Also to gently remind a friend of mine that whilst undoubtedly fantastic, Aphex Twin who I’ll pick next time for anybody who hasn’t seen the Windowlicker video for a bit did not suddenly invent electronica in the early 90’s. And Brian Eno isn’t German.
More soon! Maybe summer will come back.
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September 27th, 2017 at 9:16 pm
What did you think of “Attack of the Adult Babies”? and what was the ending about? Donkey! Kudos for surviving the five days I only attended one day and felt pooped the next day.
As you like horror are you going to see The Exorcist Play, I wonder if they will recreate the head turning and pea soup vomit scene,and not forgetting the cross pleasuring , I don’t think I would sit in the front row. But I would recommend The Toxic Avenger Musical, it’s good fun.
September 30th, 2017 at 8:48 pm
Well I’ve been doing the full five days for years, but yes, it can be punishing stuff. It would have been taking the punishment to an unacceptable level to have had to sit through AotAB though even if (from the sound of things) Charlie Chuck put in an appearance, and I was in the PCC watching Redwood at the time – the words ‘horror comedy’ together in a sentence never fail to send me sprinting in the opposite direction.
I’m really not a theatre person at all, but I’ll be in town for some of the LFF and I might well have a toby uptown to catch The Endless and a couple of others. If the FF Halloween do was still an allnighter I’d be going to that too, but sadly it isn’t.
So you’ll have been there on the Saturday? It wasn’t the best, but The Bar was a cracker :D
October 3rd, 2017 at 7:35 pm
Yes, I went to FF on Saturday, but I also saw The Cult of Chucky, which was ok, but I preferred Curse,I went to see Return to Nuke em High at The Prince Charles Cinema last week and I noticed they are having a horror all nighter on the 28th same day as the FF Halloween, at the LFF I might try to see Ghost Stories.
Sad day today with the passing of Tom Petty :(