To the pictures

A couple of weeks ago, to the pictures, our first expedition to see a recently released film for a while. Ian McKellan's 'The Critic', adapted from the book at reference 2, itself a book by a literary journalist, something of a critic himself. A story from the days - say the 1920s or 1930s - when newspaper critics - of books, music and theatre - were probably a lot more important than they are now. When newspapers were a lot more important than they are now. 

So all very incestuous: a film adapted from a book about a critic by a critic, all about a rather outrageous, elderly, gay theatre critic played by an elderly, gay actor. Gemma Arterton gets a look-in too.

A film which was being screened in a small way at our local Odeon: that is to say not many screenings a day compared with its more popular offerings, mostly of which looked noisy and violent.

The day had started with the visit to Lidl already noticed at reference 1. After an afternoon snooze, I decided that the cinema would be better without the rollator. Which meant that I discovered that while, with the rollator, my natural walking speed was rather faster than BH, without it I was rather slower. A little early, so one sit on the way.

We passed the rival Picture House operation in Ebbisham Square, now finally open after having hung fire for what had seemed like a long time.

Looking at their offering today, not particularly attracted to anything, not even heard of much of it, although it does look more varied than that at the Odeon. While, curiously, the zoom option provided by Edge only seems to work in the vertical dimension.

Back with the critic, as I was in the Upper High Street anyway, I had bought the tickets in the morning, so nothing to do except to climb up to Screen 7, probably the smallest, to find that about a dozen of us had turned out for this early Saturday evening showing. Big seats at the back with a good view.

Not for the first time, struck by the amount of popcorn and confectionary that people take in with them. They must have very serious carpet cleaning machines with which to tidy up afterwards.

The half hour warm up was a bit grim, even with my eyes shut. Even so, a film does need something in front to warm things up, something to frame the proceedings. I seem to remember that going to the sort of cinema where they take you from silence to film does not really work for me either.

And then the film itself, a decently made costume drama, which seemed a bit too long at 90 minutes. Lots of bad language, lots of old-time gay goings on. Rather lush. All in all, it struck me as a bit self indulgent. And I was irritated by the apparent failure to test the water in the lungs of the drowned actress (Arterton) for salt. Any self respecting fan of 'Vera' knows about that, although I don't recall Agatha covering the point.

After the film we strolled down to Wetherspoon's, busy but with a few tables available inside. We decided that we were not in the mood for all the bustle and noise and retreated across the road to the Marquis, where my stick earned me exemplary service from the young bar staff.

Walked home to finish off the first of the two sausages bought from Lidl earlier in the day, as reported at the previously mentioned reference 1.

BH is now reading the book of the film, which Waterstones were able to get for me in two or three days. No charge for postage or packing. Not racing through, but getting through and I shall have my turn in due course. And, I dare say, should opportunity arise, we will watch the film again, longueurs notwithstanding.

PS: a bit late, so it would not have been possible to return this trolley to the M&S food hall, even had BH been happy to mind my trolley. No score.

References

Reference 1: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2024/09/lidl.html.

Reference 2: Curtain Call - Antony Quinn - 2015.

Reference 3: https://www.rlf.org.uk/writer/anthony-quinn/.

Reference 4: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2022/12/living.html. Our last expedition to the cinema, just about two years ago, to a rather different sort of film. But it did involve another older actor.