Film: Star Wars, Episode IV - A New Hope

Tonight - well, after all that film list fiddling, I couldn't resist going with The Hideout to see Star Wars: Episode IV, at the Prince Charles again.. I could have skipped doing the film list at all, this is just too good! Bella Italia again beforehand.. wondered whether I'd have the same table, and meet the same waiter, as the last two times? Thought I'd switch back to the doughballs though, it'd been too long.. 

And in I went, and no.. different table, no sign of the waiter. Possibly though, the fly I met last time had brought his buddies, because I was absolutely plagued! Apart from that, the meal was lovely - including the doughballs. And it was nice that I could order off a set menu, which saved me - ooh, perhaps £5? Anyway, I was well fed, and ended up at the pub before anyone else.

And this time, yes we were meeting at Clubhouse 5 before the film! which was showing quite late. We had an area reserved at the back, but only half the people who'd signed up seemed to show up. Which is a pity if they didn't, because they missed a great night..

At the bar, we were sat opposite multiple screens showing different sports. As someone remarked, wouldn't it have been great if we'd been able to put what WE wanted to see up there..? Ah well, the chat was good..

And so to the film. You know, I'd been having a nostalgia-fest all day. I'd been watching clips, listening to the soundtrack.. not that I needed to, but well. Of course, it didn't disappoint - in fact, there were a couple of scenes I hadn't seen before: one with Jabba the Hutt threatening Han, another with Luke meeting up with an old friend before they set off on their kamikaze mission to destroy the Death Star..

I won't go into every detail here. Everybody with the slightest interest knows the story. I'll just say - there's nothing like this music, and what Disney never seems able to reproduce, or perhaps even interested in reproducing, is the soul of the thing. We care about the characters here - the more so because they're going to be carried through (at least) three films! and they feel real, with real reactions. And it's funny, and they have real problems - like jealousy, like making asses of themselves - they're not just action heroes. They just happen to be thrown into extraordinary situations. And we feel every emotion with them. I never felt any affinity with the prequels or sequels to the original trilogy - give me the original three films any day. When nobody knew whether it was even going to break even, or whether they were all going to be seen as ridiculous.. A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a legend was born with this film. It's phenomenal, as always.

And it was great that two of the group wore Jedi cloaks!

The next two days, it's TAC. Tomorrow, I'm at a play called The Weyard Sisters, a comedy about the witches in Macbeth. Showing in Riverside Studios.

On Wednesday, I'm at Sinatra & Friends with Gary Williams, a tribute show at the Crypt Cafe at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. 

Then, two Meetup socials in a row. On Thursday, I'm headed to The Hideout's "Summer Social Part II" - in conjunction with another of their groups, which used to be called The London Movie Club, and is now known as Movie Roadhouse London. It's in the BFI Riverfront Bar - there was a little confusion as to whether it's upstairs, as usual, or downstairs.. the description said both.. but now it's confirmed to be downstairs. Ouch, noisier..

And on Friday, I'm back with the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners - first time in an age! Not a walk this time though - no, this is a pre-trip social for those who've signed up for the trip to Bucharest and Transylvania in October! Yes, I finally got around to booking it - it's at the beginning of October, I suppose to avoid the Hallowe'en crowds. The social is on the Tattershall Castle - long time since I was there. I've put in the holiday request at work, still waiting for approval - perhaps they're waiting for my probation review, which happens in the meantime..