Nitrate screenings in London, July 2010

To celebrate its 75th anniversary, the BFI is going to screen here in London through July and August some of their nitrate prints. For those who don't know, nitrate prints are dangerous, are rarely projected these days but look differently to what we are used to see thanks to their silver content. This is probably the reason why the "silver screen" was named as such. I am not aware of ever seen a projection of a nitrated print for a full lenght feature, but from the combustion of a cartoon in Lisbon a few years ago (mentioned as #1 here) I assume I have seen at least a short.

My only (very minor issue) is with the selection of films - I would love to get a chance to see some of the B&W work of people like Ernest Haller, Gregg Toland or Joseph LaShelle in nitrate, but the emphasis is on British films. Makes sense, I know...

The selection of films for July can be found here, and you'll be able to see the August selection whenever they announce it.

Further discussion on this can be found here.

M. Poirot's residence

Because I absolutely love Agatha Christie and David Suchet's definitive portrait of Poirot, here's one of the main images of the series - the block of flats posing as "Whitehaven Mansions". A few years ago I bumped into it by accident. More of London should be like this, beautifully Art Deco.

Ritter no more?

Why are these lovely chocolates disappearing from London shops? Suddenly I realised that most of the places that I knew that sell them are no longer doing it - that includes a local shop which had the most amazing variety. Life is definitely NOT fair.

London when it's sunny (it does happen...)

Saul Bass and Love in the Afternoon (1957)

(c) Saul Bass (I suppose)

"Love in the Afternoon" is neither my favourite Wilder nor my favourite Audrey Hepburn film. It doesn't even rank high in either list. It has Gary Cooper in it, who is a poor replacement for Cary Grant (Wilder's first choice and who would probably have made this one of the great romantic comedies) and Maurice Chevalier, who I really, really, really don't like. And yet, it has one of my favourite movie posters of all time - created by Saul Bass.

I first saw it in an retrospective at the Design Museum a few years ago. I knew of Bass' connection to Preminger and Hitchcock but not Wilder (he also did the posters for One, Two, Three and Irma La Douce, and the credits for The Seventh Year Itch). It was love at first sight. I like its suggestiveness, its naughtiness and I think it works brilliant as an advert for the film - it leaves me wanting for more.

Update: Christie's sold a vintage copy for £375 on the 12th March. And no, it wasn't me.

Snow and a poor excuse of a snowman

One box of aspirins

Today I went to Boots to buy aspirins and I was told that I can only buy one box at a time. A first, as I usually buy two boxes at a time. I was also given instructions how to used them - since it clearly looked like this was the first time I bought this most rare and unusual product.

I can only assume that the reason for this measure is to prevent an overdose of aspirins. All it did was to make me believe that I was being treated like a complete moron. Even with my lack of belief in mankind, surely no one accidentally overdoses on aspirin? And what's more, if you actually want to do it, all you have to do is to go to another branch!

Mr Right (2008)

While checking the Prince Charles Cinema's website two weeks ago I stumbled across the notice for a premiere of a independent romantic comedy. The difference? It was a gay romantic comedy or as David Morris and Jacqui Morris, the writers/directors called it, a hom-com. As I had nothing better to do, I went there on thursday. It was great. Funny, clever, set in London, the kind of thing Richard Curtis would have done if he was gay (which I intend as a compliment, by the way). I laughed so much and was so involved that I completely forgot the film was shot on digital, which is one of the biggest turn offs in modern cinema for me...

It's the story of three gay couples and a straight one (although we know the ending of that relationship from the beginning) but for a change all characters have their sexuality sorted, so they can take the story elsewhere. Plus as the director points out in the official site, they avoided the easy shots of naked men, which I am sure would have help to sell the film.

I really hope the film does well. I have recommended it to a few friends, and I hope it gets a wider release than the Prince Charles...

PS - IMDb says the film is 2006 for some reason...

Here's a link to the film's official website.

Advert for Tate Britain on the tube

Saw this and loved it... one of the best and funniest ads I've seen in a long while... (click to enlarge)