Hello Mr John Smith – I was the one next to the Schizoid Redhead
At 5.45pm at HMV Curzon in Wimbledon not even a small crowd had gathered to see a selection of works by CCW students and John Smith, so we got a drink. Not very good with acronyms Annabel and I had only recently worked out that she was a CCW student. Jordan Basemen had announced he was selecting work for showing so in a rush of excitement we had sent him Annabel’s Wonders of the World (version 3 or 4) and he clearly thought it was magnificent. As we usually do we arrived half an hour early for the screening and after browsing suspiciously around HMV soon found ourselves alone in the bar waiting for the Londonites to turn up. I personally was amazed at how laissé faire everyone was about the time. I had had time to buy a ticket, spill my drink on it (and my trousers), mostly dry it out and still no one had arrived. Finally just after six (the appointed starting time) people started to turn up but even then showed no sign of wanting to get on with it. I cracked, clutching my damp ticket in one hand, and Annabel in the other, we headed for the cinema. Eventually juggling glasses of wine, half full bottles and information sheets (we had no information sheet!) the black clad metropolitans joined us.
There were speeches. Then we were told off by Jordan. At least it felt as if he were berating us personally when he said that next time we should bring our friends along. I nearly answered that we have no friends but held myself in check. Maybe Jordan was not targeting Annabel & I in person, maybe, like Clinton, he has a way of making everyone think he is talking directly to them. The room darkened, the students’ films came first; six in all (I think) from BA to Phd, some less interesting than others. Some we very funny, strangely though, even when presented with a frankfurter being pushed squeakily in and out of a hole, nobody laughed. Nobody except Annabel and myself of course. In fact we were laughing so much that when the next film (of an unmoving tented figure sitting in a landscape) came up we continued laughing. Next came John Smith’s films, I am going to name them because he has a google alert set up so that if any are mentioned on line he is instantly informed. This is a great idea, I fancy doing the same.
Girl Chewing Gum
The Black Tower
Worst Case Scenario
An Unusual Red Cardigan
I like his work and have seen some before. There were a couple of new things I noticed.
1. Worst Case Scenario seems to be named after a shop that is often in shot called Würst Kaas (sausage, cheese?).
2. He, in terms of direction, seems to have a sort of god complex.
3. Unusual for a film maker?, he loves the still image.
After the films came the questions Jordan asked some good ones and then opened it to the audience.
panicked silence…
then, next to me, a voice. “My family has a history of insanity…”
Annabel had saved the day.
We didn’t get home until midnight, it was cold in the house and Mr Pig, who has again cheated death, was hungry. We were so tired we slept til’ 12
One of my cress circles died in the night (lack of water), I blame synthetic fabrics, the cashmere one is doing brilliantly and Mr Pig, despite serious provocation has not peed on it yet either.
