Film: Nosferatu (second viewing)

Back in London now - and gee, Aer Lingus is just so much more comfortable.. I did the film listings, thinking of a film tonight - of course, I could just have skipped all that effort, it was pretty certain I was going to Nosferatu (again) with The Hideout. I've figured out what I like so much about it, you know.. it's not the scariness, although it has that; it's the sheer exuberance with which the film embraces the horror. I like it in much the way I like chocolate fudge cake - it's rich, it's indulgent. It was showing in the Prince Charles, and they were meeting beforehand in the bistro + wine bar in Victory House. However, I couldn't for the life of me find a menu online - except for breakfast - and I read some iffy reviews: so as usual, I ate, before that again, in the local Bella Italia. I had a £10 voucher from the last one I ate in, for completing their survey!

Hummed and hawed my way through a day of putting in the hours with no actual work to do.. left in good time, arrived just before my booking, to a tremendous welcome! He asked whether I even needed a menu, to which I replied I did not - had the dough balls as starter, the chicken milanese with fries.. as they apologetically explained, they were out of pinot grigio after Easter, but I was fine with the sauvignon blanc. By the time I was finished, the organiser was already in the bar, so I finished and off I went. Very well fed, as ever.

Only around the corner, but I was still glad I'd looked it up - it really doesn't have prominent signage! If you peer closely, you'll see it.. I went in, couldn't see him; he turned out to be around a little corner. We were on our own for a while - another table was occupied, but just the two of us had shown up from our group. A third person duly came - still not close to the number who had RSVPed. Well, we still had a good time.. it's just bad manners, of course, not to show up and not to say you won't be there.

And so to the cinema - another short walk.

Well - so, what's the film like the second time around? The first time was a revelation - it slotted straight in to #4 on my all-time favourite horror list. The second time.. I knew what was going to happen, for sure, which did affect my experience. I could still appreciate the cinematography, the amazing acting.. and nothing could make that voice that Bill Skarsgard affects less menacing. You know, the only fault I could find with it, on a second showing - was that it was over too quickly. I could have endured so much more..! This time, I also managed to watch the whole of that scene I turned away from, before..

All in all, a lovely evening. Delighted to see it again, delighted to be with the group again.

Tomorrow, going to The Hideout's Cherry Blossom April Social! In conjunction with Movie Roadhouse London, of course - the name, mind you, conjures up summery-er weather than we have now. In the BFI as usual - the lounge though, this time. I'm eating in The Archduke beforehand.

And on Thursday, back to storytelling - this is The Hairy Girl, back at Folklore Hoxton. Courtesy of the Crick Crack Club. Interestingly, the same night, they have Hugh Lupton telling the story of The Homing Stone at the Story Museum Oxford - which always does streaming tickets! So I've bought one of those as well - they're always available for a week afterwards. Now, if I could only remember to watch them..