Sing Along Sound of Music

Website: http://www.singalonga.net/soundofmusic/

Last night I finally got to attend the Singalong Sound of Music at the Prince Charles Cinema. It's been on my list for a long time but it's such an unusual thing to do that I've never got around to doing it. This week we finally organised ourselves and ABJ, VB and ML and I all turned up for the Friday night 7.30pm showing.

All I knew was that they showed the film, the audience sang along to the words on the screen and some people dressed up as nuns (and possibly nazis too). As it turns out there was more to it than that...

When we took our assigned seats in the packed cinema we found small "goodie bags" waiting for us that contained an assortment of things (small pieces of card, a party-popper, a small white plastic flower of edelweiss etc). Somewhat bemused by these we had no time to think before our host for the evening was introduced - a glamourous transvestite called Candy Floss. She came on stage and began to warm up the audience to get them in the mood for singing and being silly.

People celebrating their birthday were made to come on stage and be joked about, followed by people in fancy dress. The costumes (which included many Marias, nuns and a few goats - but no nazis) were then judged by Candy and prizes awarded.

We were then given a run-down of what to do with the goodies in our bags. At certain points in the film we had to hold up cards, or perform theatrical gestures, or shout, or hiss, or boo etc etc. At the time I felt that I wouldn't be able to remember the multitude of instructions but as the film unfolded it soon became second-nature.

After the audience was thoroughly warmed up the film began. In the opening aerial shots of Austria we were supposed to avoid boredom by making animal noises. The audience performed this task admirably. Soon enough, however, the film was underway and everybody began singing along.

The film was good fun and it was enjoyable to shout out silly things but every now and then I found myself wishing some of the audience would quieten down so I could follow the plot. The climatic moment where Maria and Captain von Trapp kiss was accompanied by the whole audience simultaneously firing off their party-poppers. This was a great spectacle in a dark room - seeing the fire from a hundred explosions all at once. Unfortunately it meant that the next minute or so saw the audience coughing from smoke inhalation.

By the end of the film everybody was singing along and had had a good time.

Summary: An unusual but fun way to spend an evening.

IMAX Waterloo

Website: http://www.bfi.org.uk/imax

Today ABJ and I visited the BFI IMAX near Waterloo station. Situated at the centre of a huge roundabout this IMAX boasts the largest screen in the UK. To access it there are pedestrian tunnels running under the road and I've often walked past it on my way elsewhere. Overhanging vines give it a futuristic look as if civilisation has crumbled and the planet is being reclaimed by Nature:
We were there for the 4.45pm showing of Kung Fu Panda. I think there might be only one screen but... what a screen. As we sat munching our popcorn and slurping our sprite the spotlights whizzed around and focussed on a cinema usher standing nervously in the far right corner. He gave us a timid welcome and introduction. He delivered "Welcome to the BFI IMAX - the biggest screen in the UK!" with all the enthusiasm of a limpet.
The introduction finished and the usher nervously waited for the spotlight to turn off. When it did we were then treated to a thorough automated introduction to just how big the screen was, just how crystal clear the image was, just how amazing the sound system was etc etc. This was all delivered by a booming American voice.

At last the film began and... well... what can I say? An animated kids film about kung fu fighting animals... It was not exactly Tolstoy but it did have a few though-provoking lessons from the wise old master Oogway:

1. There are no accidents.
2. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift - that's why they call it the present.
3. Let go of the illusion of control...

Summary: The ticket prices were in proportion to the screen size.

Leicester Square Cinema

Website: http://www.odeon.co.uk

Last night, along with 15 of my work mates, I went to see a film at the Odeon, Leicester Square. It was the opening night of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" and the outside of the huge cinema was decorated with Indiana Jones posters topped by a huge 20ft tall "INDY" sign.

This was my first trip to the Odeon Leicester Square - the biggest cinema in the UK - and, upon arriving, I knew it would be a huge event. The film was sold out so hundreds of people were piling in through the main doors - the queue for popcorn and ice cream lasted at least 15 minutes. The cinema auditorium itself has two-tiered seating and, unfortunately, we were sitting at the back of the top tier. We were so high up and far away that the massive screen looked the size of a TV.

When we finally got our seats the room darkened, the trailers began and I realised the audience sat submerged beneath a cloud of dank popcorn fumes. Since it was the opening night the audience of hundreds (perhaps thousands) of Indy fans were buoyant. They cheered at the trailers, cheered at the film's opening logos, cheered at the first appearance of Harrison Ford, cheered when Harrison Ford first put on his hat etc etc. At last the audience stopped cheering and the film began proper.

It was a good film. But... the screen looked as big as a TV, the audience felt like freighted cattle and the ticket price was extremely high - around £15 per person.

Summary: Might go back and try the VIP area I've heard rumours about but otherwise a bit too expensive to be worth going again.

The Electric Cinema

Website: http://www.electriccinema.co.uk

The Electric Cinema sits at number 191 on Notting Hill's Portobello Road. Proclaiming it's presence with a big blue electric "Electric" sign it was something I'd often walked by. I'd heard stories too of what lay inside: "Sofa seats!" and "There's balconies... and a bar!". Well last night I went with my girlfriend ABJ to find out all about it.

The cinema is popular and the films get fully booked sometimes weeks in advance. It's hard to see how this is possible since their on-line booking system doesn't work and it was difficult to get the box office on the phone - obviously this is a Notting Hill cinema for Notting Hill locals. After finally getting the box office to call me back I booked two tickets for Mike Leigh's latest film: "Happy-Go-Lucky".
We turned up for the 9.15pm film time and collected the tickets. The cinema has only one screen but what it lacks in quantity it more than makes up for in quality. Elaborately decorated with Art Nouveau curlicues and golden twirls the cinema hall takes you back to a time when seeing a film was an exclusive affair not for the hoi polloi. The audience's seats are individual plush brown leather armchairs all of which, apart from the front 3 rows, have their own individual brown leather "footstool cube" in front. At the back of the hall on the right is a bar serving beers, wines, spirits and ice cream. At the back on the left are two-seater love-sofas. So the rumours were partially true: there's sofa seats, a bar but no balcony...

ABJ and I were sitting on the front row (the love-seats were all booked up) and, after sinking into our luscious seats, I went off to try to buy a beer. The cinema hall was almost empty but the bar was very busy - mainly with people buying ice cream - so I stood limply at the back of the crowd and wondered if I should bother. There were other people at the bar - the ones getting served beer and ice cream - who looked like they owned half of Notting Hill and, if given the chance, would run you down in their Land Rover.

In the end I decided to switch from beer to ice cream and saw, from the corner of my eye, a uniformed ice cream vendor... I cut away from the crowd and strolled confidently up to the lady with the tray laden with little pots of ice cream. But wait! Is that ice cream? There's a pot of... chips? salad? fried fish? Oh my God! I had to follow through with my actions so I asked the lady (now clearly a hot food vendor) "Do you... sell... ice cream?", "No. That's at the bar..." Well that's that. Not only can you buy alcohol and ice cream but also hot food too. Wow.

I retreated empty-handed to my seat and sat with ABJ spying on the rest of the audience. The hall was starting to fill up now - foppish locals easing themselves into their seats. The lights dimmed. The trailers started. In most cinemas now there's a short film encouraging you to turn off your mobile phone. In the Electric Cinema this short film was star-studded with TV celebrity cameos. Obviously the cinema is popular amongst the rich and famous.

By the time the film started the hall was full. It seemed the regulars were more canny than us - knowing to arrive not at 9.15pm but rather half and hour later. The film was good and the audience, boozed up to the eyeballs, laughed in all the right places.

Summary: Luxurious place for a film, would consider again.