Film: They Live

Today - well, I wasn't crazy about seeing the film, but I love hanging out with the group, and it was the best option I seemed to have! So joined The Hideout for They Live - at the Prince Charles Cinema. Meeting beforehand at Clubhouse 5, as usual. It was supposed to pour rain all day - but as usually happens, that fizzled out, and although it looked threatening, we didn't really get any rain.

What I did get was a problem with buses. Oh, I got to Waterloo all right - and was waiting there, until a kind passerby pointed out that signs on the bus stops indicated that there were diversions for the London run today, and he hadn't noticed any buses moving on from there. Sure enough, when I looked around, neither could I - so I took the Tube the rest of the way. Seems I was lucky, mind - another of the group later remarked that he'd had terrible trouble with it, awful delays..

At Clubhouse 5, I was met by a doorman with a two-page list of reservations! When he saw me, the first thing he did was check I was on it - then directed me upstairs, where I was the first to arrive apart from the organiser. It was pretty packed - most watching motor racing, some interested in football. In due course, more of our group arrived, and we chatted happily until it was time to go in. I had a bowl of chips to sustain me.. it was going to be a long time till dinner.

So - I think most of us had never actually seen this. I also think we were pleasantly surprised! Certainly, for me, it was better than I thought.. a young fellow, down on his luck, is living in a homeless camp on the edge of the city. He has work in construction, gets food and can shower at this camp - it's a living. Until one day, the camp is raided. Curious as to what they were after, he goes afterwards and pokes around in what they left, finding a box of.. sunglasses. Ah well, he puts on a pair.

And that's when things get weird, as it changes his view of everything! To help us distinguish, the shots of what he's seeing switch to black and white. And this new world view is scary - text on billboards, advertising posters, even newspapers, changes from whatever was printed on them to slogans like "conform", "obey", "consume". Anything related to sex and relationships changes to "marry and reproduce". And lots of the people he sees have a freakish appearance, kind of skeletal, as if their flesh has melted away..

Whew! Take off the glasses, everything is normal again. But it soon becomes apparent that Earth is being run by these ghoulish-looking people, who are keeping humanity under their thumb, promising them wealth and power in return for meek conformity. Naturally, there's an underground movement, who have produced these glasses - as our hero, "Nada", learns more from them, he heads off on a crusade to bring down the overlords who are subjugating society.

Could be awful - but it isn't. John Carpenter adapted this for the screen from a short story, and directed it, and well, he tends to be quite good: and this is very tongue-in-cheek. Obviously an attack on society of the time, it never gets too bogged down in seriousness. One of the highlights is the extended fight scene between Nada and a friend he made at work, Keith David, whom he first checks is human, then insists he try on a pair of the sunglasses. "No." So begins this fight, over what must be one of the most trivial reasons ever..

As our event organiser pointed out afterwards, this has the same theme as The Matrix, just less technological. Yeah, worth a look, very enjoyable. We gave it a decently high rating, with the caveat that it was made in the 80s, and we'd expect more of it if it were made today..

Afterwards, the group dispersed and I took myself off to Bella Italia. It wouldn't let me book online, but they weren't busy at all - and I left suitably stuffed. Got buses home with no issues - and it never did rain on me.

Tomorrow, I'm off with TAC to see The Band Back Together, a play with music, at the Arcola.

On Tuesday, back with London Social Detours - first time in nearly six months - for a talk about The Players' Theatre. I see tickets are now gone - just as well she pre-booked! And we have a social afterwards, of course.

Wednesday is another work social - darts this time (!) at Oche.. now, I've never thrown a dart, or even watched a darts match, in my life. So this should be interesting..

On Thursday - yes, The Hideout again! Now, this time they beat off some stiff competition - but the film promises to be excellent. The Substance stars Demi Moore as an ageing star who finds her roles drying up as her looks are fading. So when she comes across a miracle drug - "the substance" - on the black market, which promises to restore her to a younger, more beautiful version of herself.. she jumps at it. Of course, it doesn't work out quite as planned. Dennis Quaid plays her boss, who fires her for not being young enough for her TV fitness show. And honestly, I can't remember when I saw a new-release horror film so highly rated.. few enough of any genre are so highly rated! It apparently got a standing ovation at Cannes, perhaps for its castigation of the emphasis on beauty in the media. We're seeing it at the BFI - and after my previous experience with Black & Blue, I'm returning to The Archduke for food. First time in a couple of months. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.

On the 30th, I'm at Bellringers, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) at Hampstead Theatre. Got a good seat from someone in the group who couldn't use it in the end.

On the 1st, the same group were supposed to be at Cake: The Marie Antoinette Playlist. At The Other Palace. I booked my ticket from Todaytix. Eating beforehand at the Bag o' Nails, where I'd booked before and had to cancel, when my event was cancelled. Except.. guess what happened? The show's run is finishing (very) early! Before this date.. so the event is cancelled, and I got a mail from Todaytix, with a voucher code for the amount spent, to be used for future bookings. I preferred a refund - who knows when I'd get around to using the voucher? Checking the email carefully, I saw a link to the support page to request a refund - clicked the link, went on chat, probably got a bot - but as I had all my details, the process was pretty quick, and I got my refund. Yay. Ironic that I'd only just booked it - ironic, also, that I've now booked for the Bag o' Nails exactly twice, and had to cancel both times.. gee, must be cursed!

I had some trouble finding an alternative - with nothing decent on Meetup or my cheap ticket sites for the day, I was back to Time Out! I had to scroll a long way down, though.. Giant, with John Lithgow, at the Royal Court, was sold out for the day: Shifters, at the Duke of York's Theatre, had no decent seats available for the day at a decent price (and that theatre has plenty of bad seats).. after pages and pages of scrolling through things I didn't want to do, I've finally booked for Coriolanus, starring David Oyelowo, at the National. Eating at The Archduke again.

The 2nd, I finally leave on my long-anticipated trip to Romania with the 45+ Not Grumpies! That afternoon, most of us are flying Ryanair from Stansted, to be met by an English-speaking guide and transferred to the Continental Forum Hotel, in time for an evening tour of Bucharest. (I've already downloaded the Rough Guide to Romania!)

On the 3rd, we're heading straight off by coach to Transylvania.. walking tour of Sighisoara, where Vlad the Impaler was born! Staying in the Hotel Korona that night.

On the 4th, we're off to Brasov - apparently has the narrowest street in the country. Walking tour, staying in Hotel Kolping that night.

And on the 5th, we're headed to Bran - for the famous castle - and Sinaia, for Peles Castle - before heading back to Bucharest for our flights home.

Safely back - hopefully - on the 6th, I'm with Cultureseekers for the Charlie Chaplin Guided Walk. Finishing at The Jolly Gardeners Pub.

And on the 7th, back with UITCS, who are off to Southwark Playhouse for Foreverland - more biotechnology SciFi.. possibly less spooky than The Substance! Booked, as usual, on their excellent PAYG offer, where you pay in advance for discounted tickets to five shows, no time limit..