And don't call me 'sugar'!
With superb cunning and misdirection and complete luck as it happens, I managed to secure a couple of tickets to a screening of the original 1978 Richard Donner directed Superman movie as a secret, surprise, treat date for my girlfriend. If you know us at all, even slightly, you'll probably know that we are on the geekier side of life so this was an opportunity too good to miss. And it was a fair old treat!
The Ritzy PictureHouse in Brixton managed to get their hands on the last surviving 35mm print in the UK! We all sat there in nostalgic awe as we learned to re-love this classic, influential, epic of a film.
Everyone laughed in all the right places, there was an air of tension in the parts that were, well, tense. Just having those titles flying towards us at the start had goosebumps announcing their arrival.
Special mention should also go to the wonderful pic projected on the screen as we were all getting comfy and over-excited. You can read artist Sam Gilbey's blog all about it here.
Special mention should also go to the wonderful pic projected on the screen as we were all getting comfy and over-excited. You can read artist Sam Gilbey's blog all about it here.Scratches, judders and everything all added to the experience, the nostalgia, the awe and wonder barely remembered from trips to the cinema as a wide-eyed child were all brought back into full recollection as we watched the imprisoning of Zod, the destruction of Krypton, the young Clark struggling with his differences to humanity, the reveal of Superman himself, The Daily Planet, the cracking dialogue, Lex being awesomely naughty, the earthquake, the... bit with the world spinning backwards too even! All of it, all of it so much better than remembered, than the half-watched repeat showings on telly. Sitting down and watching this on the big screen again, focussing on it completely gave us all a chance to re-live, re-learn and give a bloody loud cheer and applause at the end.
I think it went down well with Jen too. I think it got it's own chapter in her good books!
How lucky were we back then, back in that 1978? I was still buzzing from Star Wars the year before and along comes this, film-makers well on their game, upping the bar, inspiring tiny little minds like mine, kicking the backsides of our imaginations, selling millions of pyjamas and lunchboxes... I seriously had young Marty sitting with me in the cinema that night and I ain't ashamed to admit that as the titles kicked in there was some manly misting of the eyes there.
It's also responsible for me running around the flat with a tea-towel sticking out the neck of my T-shirt and totally forgetting the Star Wars theme music.
2 comments:
It was indeed a great night, thanks babe. :)
I had forgotten how funny it is- I particularly liked the bit where some crazy cool dude exclaims at Supes weird get up, to which Superman replies, "Excuse me," and flies off. And how amazing was Marlon Brando? I think I barely breathed during his scenes.
But yeah, I sort of have to close my eyes through the whole "spinning the earth backwards to reverse time" bit. Makes... no... sense!
I loved Reeve's interpretation of Clark Kent. His attempts at hiding his powers - all the while he shares a knowing wink with the audience. Love that movie!
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