Film: 10 Rillington Place

Last night, the second of two days with Meetup, back with London Social and Cultural Meetups, who headed to the Prince Charles (PCC) to see 10 Rillington Place. Based on a true story, it stars John Hurt as Timothy Evans, a man of diminished mental capacity who was wrongfully hanged for the murder of his wife and daughter at the address, where he lived. The actual murderer, it later transpired, was his neighbour, John Christie, who was also responsible for other murders there.. he's played by Richard Attenborough.. the case played a large part in the introduction of the idea of diminished responsibility, as well as the abolition of capital punishment. Booked to eat beforehand at Bella Italia Cranbourn Street. 

I was in the office yesterday - and with awful traffic on Kingsway, the bus driver decided (a) to terminate at Holborn, and (b) to stop short of there (twice) to let off passengers, it was taking so long! So, off I got - and with no discernible improvement in traffic, I figured I was better off walking the rest of the way. With the laptop. In the heat. Uhh.. My shoulder was killing me, most of the day. And then I was walking distance from my restaurant.. more walking, more carrying. Anyway, it wasn't too far - made it ever so lightly late for my reservation, met the guy that knows me, and he immediately got me a glass of wine! I sat inside the window that opens fully, ordered my usual.. yum. And with a voucher as well, it was a great experience all around. Even had the background accompaniment of a passing troupe of Hare Krishnas..

Round the corner then to the cinema, and straight away I left my rucksack at reception, knowing they don't allow them into the screens - handier anyway, not to have to lug it upstairs. Met the others in the downstairs bar - although we were in the upstairs screen, this is the only bar they have. And then we traipsed upstairs. I had to change seats - the guy in front of me enthusiastically pushed himself out of the way of everyone who needed to squeeze past, but unfortunately, this meant he crashed right into me every time! Happily, when the guy whose seat I was now in arrived, he didn't mind taking that one - and with the guy in front having apparently taken the hint, he didn't have the same problem!

We had a brief introduction, this being described as the bleakest of the Bleak Week they're running. And it was described to us how the filmmakers couldn't film in the original house (although, looking it up afterwards, it seems they managed one scene there) but rather in a house just down the road - not even the road exists any more; it was so notorious, they demolished it. We had fun afterwards, tracking down the house's present location..

What immediately struck me was how run-down it is. Heavens, these days, that area of London - around Notting Hill - is one of the fanciest! But when the Evanses move into their new home at 10 Rillington Place - in the admittedly bleak post-war years - it's a dingy terrace, with a dingier flat to look forward to. They only have two rooms for the three of them, the wallpaper is peeling, and there's an outside toilet - not massively convenient, what with them being on the top floor, and she being pregnant, as is soon revealed! Of course, some things never change, and people of modest means still find it hard to find decent accommodation in London - they just tend to live a lot further out.

It's a very understated film, Richard Attenborough adopting a soft-spoken voice throughout, his menace suggested, rather than being shown directly - although we do see a couple of murders on-screen, they're not at all gory, the worst of it being reserved for the shots of the bodies that were later discovered. John Hurt - as expected - does an excellent job of portraying the none-too-bright Evans, lording it up down the pub, angry at home, and completely at sixes and sevens with his more confident neighbour. It's so frustrating to see how he's manipulated, how his actions, directed by Christie after the murder, only served to make him look more guilty. And the scene of his execution is truly disturbing. The guy whose seat I'd taken had obviously made a study of the case, and regaled me with factual inaccuracies on the way out..

Afterwards, we headed to the Round Table, a pub that never seems to get busy - perhaps that's why one of the staff insisted on giving us a business card as we left, and asking us to spread the word. Snug toilets - ladies upstairs, gents downstairs - and being a Greene King pub, of course I could have eaten there - had I not preferred to eat at my usual place. But we stayed for a drink, and wow, did the film provoke a lot of discussion, as I researched the location, the people involved.. a case that still holds fascination for people: and as we remarked, isn't it great to see a cinema still showing it!

Buses home - and with the #188 as crowded as ever, I was delighted to see that one wasn't going far enough for me, so I let it past. Handily, there was another right after, going all the way.. and a lot less crowded. With doing the film list last night though - it was finally out - it ran too late to blog.

Tonight, back with TAC at last for a concert called Lux Aeterna, featuring different requiems in St. Giles Cripplegate. Part of the Summer Music in City Churches series. Eating beforehand in Cote Barbican - all happening a bit later than yesterday, thankfully!

On Saturday, I'm back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpies, for the rescheduled tour of the Wallace Collection, yay! And what's more, Helen is coming to town.. and I doubt not that much of our chat will be about the Hurtigruten cruise I've booked for later in the year, and which she's been on.. ;-) Not to mention the one she's going on next month.. Might just be the three of us on Saturday, but what the hey.

On Sunday, I'm finally getting to see Tutankhamen: The Immersive Exhibition, which I had previously booked and had to cancel. Now, this time, it's hosted by a group called Fun Activities to Do in London on a Weekend. But gee, they bought tickets already, and are charging extra.. so I just booked myself again. And as I booked before, I'm even getting a couple of quid off!

The next two days, I'm thinking film - on Monday, what's coming up is The Last Journey, about a couple of Swedish tv personalities who take the father of one of them on what is probably going to be his last trip, a road trip to France, which he's always loved. Showing in the Garden Cinema.

After that, I have something of a tie on my film list, with three films on the same rating - what appeals most is The Way Way Back, a coming-of-age comedy about the summer of a teenage boy. Now, I'm not usually into coming-of-age films, but this does actually look funny - Toni Collette plays his mother, Steve Carell the manager of the theme park where they're holidaying, who becomes his mentor. Excellent actors, and it doesn't look twee. I did fully intend to see it when it came out, but just never got around to it. It's now in the PCC, part of their Coming-of-Age Summer season. I haven't booked for either of these films yet, as they're not selling out - and while, if I do go to this, of course I'll want to eat in my favourite place again, well, I don't think I'll have any trouble getting a table on a Tuesday!

Very excited about Wednesday - TAC is playing a blinder, with tickets for the Gala de Danza at Central Hall Westminster! This is billed as an extravaganza of music, dance, and art. Happily, how they're doing it is providing a code, which you then use to book your own ticket - as expensive as you like, you still get it for nothing but the admin fee! Eating beforehand at The Red Lion.

Thursday is looking like film again - delving into the group of three films, I think The Ballad of Wallis Island looks like the one: another comedy, in which an eccentric lottery winner, living alone on a small offshore island, hires his favourite artists to play a private concert for him. (If only..!) Thing is, the artists used to be a couple, and have since broken up, which adds to the fun - she's played by Carey Mulligan. I suppose I had to get around to it eventually - of course, all these films are subject to change, if ratings change, or I get a better offer. Still showing in Picturehouse Central.

Next two days are something of a Meetup extravaganza. Next Friday, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Miss Myrtle's Garden, at the Bush Theatre. Eating beforehand at Shikumen Chinese restaurant.

Then on the afternoon of the 28th, I'm attending their summer social, at The Oxford Market. 

That should be finished in time to head over to the BFI, where The Hideout is seeing Videodrome, a body horror by David Cronenberg, that evening. Stars James Woods and Debbie Harry. Love a bit of Cronenberg.

On the 29th - the only day this month they could make it - I'm meeting Ivan and James (and possibly Martin) for our monthly social, and we've decided to try The Phoenix again.

And on the 30th, back with London Classical Music and Theatre Group (London Baroque Music Lovers are also going, but I had to pick one - mind you, the same guy is organising) for the opening night of Handel's opera Semele, in the Royal Opera House. Eating at Cote Covent Garden beforehand.