Message from Canterbury
By: Barbara Siek
Hello, All,
I was originally due to be at the Saturday night festivities in Canterbury but at the last minute trained down to Alfriston for a big Bogarde celebration. But I made it back on Sunday for Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes, two screenings not to be missed. I've heard Jack Cardiff before at The Arts Club and also went up to Great Yarmouth for the Cardiff Celebration (more on that later), but Nick's interview of Jack pre-BN screening was the most informative and spontaneous on Jack's part. He was obviously enjoying the PnP group in the audience, and that meant new stories and memories being shared, ones I had not heard previously.
During the break between BN and RS, I talked to Jack about a possible release of Sons and Lovers. He said he would very much like to see it available, that he had written to 'Marty' with the hope that SnL would be released as a classic, but that 'no one seemed interested in it.' I find that amazing in light of other lesser films being re-released and told him so. He considers it the best film he has directed and agreed that a few letters asking for its release might do the trick.
A funny bit: while I was impatiently standing in line during intermission trying to get some coffee before the next film, the woman in front of me was also a bit perturbed at the two lone workers trying to cope with the long line of customers. I wondered out loud if the film had begun and if she too was waiting to see Red Shoes. Says she, 'Oh, I've seen it many times. My husband shot it.' Well, guess who that was. We had a lovely chat. Of course, I asked her, as I had asked Jack, if they knew Dirk Bogarde and got this enthusiastic reply, 'Oh we knew him, met him many times...such a lovely man,' which I believed from this no-frills, honest lady. While it's true that Bogarde could be not a lovely man to the press, etc., to set the record straight, Bogarde could indeed be a lovely man to many.
I had a great time sitting with Steve and Michael, trading comments on the films, including the "dreaded 'blue-out' mistake," but I didn't mind. I have never seen BN or RS on the big screen before. It was a rare treat, and there were details I had missed, such as the hair net bit. Probably everyone else has noticed it, but I had not, so lovely discoveries throughout. There is also the wonderful feeling of being wrapped in the ambiance of the film when one sees it on the big screen. Unfortunately, I had to leave on Wednesday, so I missed out on the other screenings but was grateful for the ones I did see.
I owe Steve two pounds which he will get when he and Nick arrange another PnP festival at Canterbury, so I can see the films I missed.
All the best,
Barbara, now back in the States
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