It seems like an age ago that the glorious cinematic jamboree that is the EIFF was in town. Browsing back over the last few posts I noticed that I’ve said ABSOLUTELY nothing about what was viewed. Ok, there was one post with the QUERELLE movie poster and the trailer for MAN ON WIRE but that’s about it.
I managed to get a hold of QUERELLE from the eca library and took it upon myself to take a copy, skimming through it took me back to that squirmish experience in screen one at the Edinburgh Filmhouse. Standing in line waiting to pick up tickets earlier that day I bumped into David Cairns, a lecturer at my place of learning (he does a mighty fine blog here, if you’ve got any sense you’ll make it part of your 5 a day)
“What are you watching today” he asked in his usual enthusiastic manner.
“I’m going to see Querelle” I replied, “I’ve not seen any Fassbinder before”.
“Well THAT’S a baptism of fire” he laughed fiendishly, knowing only too well what I was letting myself in for.
He wasn’t wrong!
More on that in a not too distant post….. I’m trying to find scenes I can show.
Back to the point.
One of the benefits of the EIFF pass is entry to the delegate centre “videotech”…. it sounds like an amazing electronic wonderland where you can re-enact THE LAWNMOWER MAN whilst listening to endless Gary Newman loops. Alas, it’s not nearly that cool. It is, in fact, a room full of small booths with really uncomfortable straight back chairs (the type they had in assembly) and 20in monitors WAY below eye level that are hooked to a dvd player and a pair of pretty decent sennheiser earphones.
In this battery cinema one can select any film showing at the festival and watch it at their leisure. Despite the harshness of the viewing facilities, the staff are more than welcoming and it’s pretty neat getting a free reign on the festival programme.
The one and only time I went in, I had the pleasure of taking in TRAIL OF THE SCREAMING FOREHEAD which, as we’re advised at the start of the picture, is presented by the great Ray Harryhausen so already you have respect for it. i’ll not explain too much as it’s better, like I did, discovering it knowing NOTHING. Watching this trailer will have you clambouring for tickets like horrified New Yorkers fleeing the massive feet and fists of Kong himself.
Journeys in Cinema 