No Such Place as Bethnal Green - Films and Talks and St John

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Comment by Evi Heinz on October 31, 2013 at 9:41

And last but not least in our series, tonight we will be joined by Nick Tesco (!) for the screening of a different kind of Whitechapel ripper film, Aki Kaurismaeki's I HIRED A CONTRACT KILLER.

The events of I HIRED A CONTRACT KILLER unfold in an oddly flattened and emptied cityscape. Partly East London (where much of the film was shot), partly a stylised type of place recognisable from other Kaurismäki films, this landscape sets the mood throughout the film. Henri (Jean-Pierre Léaud), after a number of failed suicide attempts, takes out a hit on himself – only to then fall in love and find a renewed zeal for life. Now he must negotiate this cold and unforgiving environment to evade his killers.

Nick Tesco, who is perhaps best known for being lead singer of The Members, will be joining us for this last film of our series. Nick, who has acted in three of Kaurismäki’s feature films (including CONTRACT KILLER), will be discussing these collaborations, telling us about scouting for CONTRACT KILLER’s show-stealing locations with the director, and sharing some stories about the making of the film.

Comment by Evi Heinz on October 24, 2013 at 8:59

Tonight, another East End cinema classic: IT ALWAYS RAINS ON SUNDAY

The film sees Googie Withers playing Rose, a cantankerous and seemingly exhausted housewife, as the events of one Sunday force her to confront the disappointments of her past and the limitations of her present. IT ALWAYS RAINS ON SUNDAY is in many ways a classic piece of British social realist cinema, although this realism has plenty of room for a certain melodramatic sensibility. Set firmly in the social milieu of post-war Bethnal Green, many of the main narrative forces in the film take the form of attempted escape. Those on the lookout for recognisable Bethnal Green locations in this film might notice that the production itself, at least, managed to get away.

Charlotte Brunsdon, Professor of Film and Television Studies at the University of Warwick, will be providing an introduction to this screening. Charlotte is author of the study 'London in Cinema: the cinematic city since 1945' and is a leading researcher on the capital’s cinematic life and history.

Comment by Evi Heinz on October 17, 2013 at 11:06

Just some more info about tonight's screening of THE SMALL WORLD OF SAMMY LEE:

The plot follows Sammy (Anthony Newley) as he tries to wheel and deal his way out of a particularly tight spot. Shot mostly in a seedy and sleazy Soho, the film makes a brief but telling excursion to Whitechapel - Sammy’s home turf. This is a story that hinges upon the very fabric of London – the distances between businesses, the length of taxi rides: Sammy’s life may well depend on such details.

And of course, we are very excited that writer, poet and film-maker Iain Sinclair will be joining us for this screening. Both London and the cinema are themes at the forefront of Iain’s extensive bibliography and, perhaps fittingly for a film about careering around London from location to location, this screening of SAMMY LEE forms part of Iain’s prodigious programme, 70 x 70, of 70 films scattered across various London venues throughout 2013 and 2014 in celebration of his 70th birthday.

Hope to see you there!