Monday 26 April 2010

Did you know?


If you go and see a film made by a director who is under house arrest and awaiting possible extradition to stand trial for rape, are you aiding and abetting?

Does it make a difference if the girl/woman involved has petitioned for the case to be dismissed?

I don’t know, I can’t work it out.

It was a good film though.

The beginning was innovative – no credits, no ‘a working-title-production of a-something-collaboration in association with whatsitsname films’- just straight in with suspense music, rain and a car ferry.

Excellent.

The end of the film was innovative too – happening off camera.

Neat.

In-between?

Gripping.

I met my near-neighbour Susan, an Englishwoman and ex-puppeteer(es) who has lived here longer than I have and whom frankly I am astonished to see is still allowed to be driving at her eyesight; she thought it was great- although she very quickly started talking about a different film - Shutter Island - and then her sister who suffers from some similar delusionary dementia.

I also bumped into far-neighbour Ketrick and Laura who sort-of-live in San Francisco some of the time and they thought it was a masterful film, though they quickly got onto the trial waiting for Polanski in California and then the suitableness, or not, of Arnold Schwarzenegger to be governor.

We agreed it was no worse than Regan being president.

I said a good thing about The USA is that no matter how bad the president is you will never have to endure them for longer than 10 years, whereas in Britain, well Thatcher just went on and on and on.

She’s probably still there now!

Laura told me that this has only been the case since Roosevelt. Is that true?

See, you learn something every day.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I saw it too at the new Lexi cinema at Kensal Rise - tables with candles and profits to charity. Thought it was gripping and loved Ewan McGregor. Sx

popps said...

s!!
That cinema sounds perfect, it wasn't there when i lived in those parts - will you take me one day?

Anne Hodgson said...

Wow, I'd completely forgotten about the 10 years in office. You're right! It's generally only 8 years, thank God, but The 22nd Amendment made the change to 2 terms, or a max of 10 years for presidents in office for 2 years or less in their first term. Roosevelt went in for 4 terms. Really quite amazing.

popps said...

I'll confess - i was hoping anne would set me straight, when it comes to it these days it's a choice of asking wikipedia or anne - and she is much nicer.

Anonymous said...

Popps - I can't wait to take you I confess I put it in to lure you over - but I do also take you everywhere in my heart xxS

popps said...

thank you!
ditto here.

Vicki Hollett said...

Have I got this wrong, because I thought the limit was no more that two consecutive terms in office, so theoretically, for example, (although it wouldn't happen) either of the Bush's could resurface in 2012, or Bill Clinton.