My mother's funeral took place on Thursday morning - and wow, such weather! The service was lovely, the graveyard is on a hill with a lovely view: a great day out, if not for the occasion. And I did actually get slightly sunburned - what a difference from when my father was buried there, all those years ago..
I didn't hang around - happily, Aer Lingus provided a flight at a suitable time! So I could make it - my case was packed, and in the car, in preparation. In the event, I even managed to get a much-needed wash on. Because I was in a rush - that evening, I was back with The Hideout - for The Lighthouse, lovely! A psychological horror directed by Robert Eggers, who so recently blew all of our minds with his new version of Nosferatu, and co-written by him and his brother, Max, this stars Robert Pattinson, and the always-excellent Willem Dafoe, as the sole occupants of an isolated, 19th-century lighthouse - where the occurrences might be down to the supernatural - or to their fevered imaginations?! Interestingly, my taxi driver loves it, although he describes it as a comedy - but then, he never was into horror.. Always wanted to see this, and never quite managed it - but now it's showing at The Prince Charles, excellent. This showing sold out ages ago, so the cinema arranged another showing in its other screen, starting a bit after this one on the same evening! Also duly sold out..
Unfortunately, my taxi driver was on holiday during the week, so I ended up parking in the airport for once - never mind, I don't make a habit of it. I booked online, but couldn't get either of the two cheapest car parks, which were full - again never mind, I ended up a bit closer to the terminal as a result, in the "Green" car park. I had a QR code in case the scanner didn't recognise my license plate - of course it didn't.. however, neither did it recognise the QR code! After several attempts, I had to press the call button a few times to connect to a human, who asked my licence plate number, correctly identified my name, couldn't find a reason not to let me in, and duly did so. Oh, am I looking forward to the return journey, at nearly midnight.. mind you, they do work around the clock, as I know from trying to get OUT of a car park here after midnight..
I hadn't had time to eat properly before I left, and despite having booked my favourite restaurant 😒 I now wasn't going to be able to make that, either. I was looking to eat on the plane. They didn't have ham and cheese toasties, so I had a plain cheese one - very moreish, I have to say! The filling had seeped through, and given the toastie much of the texture of the delicious croque monsieurs I had in Zurich in March.. I had crisps to follow, and would you believe, I'm sure the guy beside me was irritated by my crunching them! I know he was watching The Shining on his phone, but honestly..
Now, the group was meeting for drinks at Victory House before the film - Google Maps assured me that the fastest way from the airport was the Heathrow Express, followed by the Tube - I should make it for most of the social. Flew hand luggage only, and took my case with me to the film - didn't have time to go home first. I had to walk the last bit from Piccadilly Circus - and wouldn't you know, Leicester Square was blocked off for the new Mission Impossible premiere, attended by Tom Cruise! So I had to walk around, bah humbug.. don't even want to see the thing, and still it impinges on me!
Never mind, I knew my way, and it didn't take too long - could see my companions through the window as I approached. Joined them at the table - just me and the organisers, the others were AWOL - and, both of them knowing the situation, they couldn't have been lovelier! One bought me a drink. Now, this advertises itself as a wine bar - sadly, the guy behind the bar has little to no idea what he's doing. I asked the guy buying me a drink to get me a sauvignon blanc - he came back to say they didn't have it, so I chose a chardonnay instead. Which was fine. When I wanted a second, I went up myself - asked for a sauvignon blanc, the guy behind the counter said, rather dubiously, "That's a white wine..?" He then checked the fridge, and lo, there was my sauvignon blanc. Which I had a glass of, and was also very nice.
Nobody else joined us, but we had a lovely chat, and we headed off at film time. One of them gallantly carried my case to the downstairs cinema for me - only for us to discover that it wasn't allowed! The other gallantly carried it back up, and it was kept in a back room until after the film.
Packed screening, of course. Well now.. The Lighthouse is filmed in b&w, and sort of defies description, as two keepers gradually go weird during their stint at this remote lighthouse. All explanations are conjecture - one suggests that the older character is a figment of the younger character's imagination. It seems to be based partly on a real-life tragedy, of a lighthouse keeper who went mad following his companion's death - but there are also suggestions of Oedipal myth, as the idea of father/son conflict, as well as the myth of Prometheus, with its focus on fire, which drives you mad upon attainment.. not to mention his torture of being eaten by birds, as referenced in the film by the younger keeper's eternal battle with seagulls.. for the most complete analysis I've come across, do check out this post..
Yes, all we can definitively say, I think, is that Robert Eggers (probably along with his brother) has a fascination with myth and legend. The same moody camerawork as seen in Nosferatu means you couldn't possibly mistake who made this. Weird and unnerving throughout - I enjoyed it, but just don't ask me to explain it! On the way out, saw something about the cinema's Bleak Week, which runs till Wednesday..
..and, of course, as usual, they have that blackboard where you can request films:
Anyway, despite the buses being more reliable than last time, I was too tired to blog that night.
Yesterday, I was supposed to fly back to Ireland, but of course I'm just back in London, so didn't bother.. which left me free to attend the London Horror Film Club's Spring Social! Crikey, it's over a year since I was last with them - but if they will keep scheduling things for days I can't make..! Well, along I went - arriving fashionably, but only slightly, late. Bless their excellent directions - as usual, we were in The Angel, the most complicated pub I know of in London, where the staff behind the counter have access to each of the three sections that are completely segregated for the punters. I ate there as well - the chicken schnitzel was lovely, apart from being completely smothered in tomato slices. And I'm intolerant to tomato. Conversation was excellent.. I miss this group, you know, wish they wouldn't keep clashing with, well, my life!
Too tired again last night to blog. For more updates, see my next post..!
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