La Planete Sauvage

[commonpeople1]

planet03
Originally uploaded by lemmy_caution

Soho's Curzon hosts midnight movies once in a blue moon. Like last night, for example, with Fantastic Planet (1973). Kevin and I nearly didn't arrive in time (11.40pm) thanks to drinks and a game of Scrabble with our landlords that went on for too long. The nights have been balmy and there's nothing better than sitting outside a pub (such as the Royal Inn on the Park - too bad they are soooo ridiculously expensive) after the week has come to an end. Fruity beer is my thing.

I saw Fantastic Planet for the first time 9 years ago. Kevin and I were visiting Canada's east coast, staying with some of his friends in Halifax.[1] We were all a bit drunk, and after a fat joint was passed around, our host Chris decided to put this film on. I didn't pick up at the time how much it influenced the french band Air; just the horror, the cruelty of those bug-eyed giants towards the humans, tripping me out as I lay on the carpet. Very much like Planet of the Apes, but far creepier and sci-fi-ish; far more beautiful and eerie than any other animation I've seen since. It was good to finally watch it sober and slip inside its world, unemcumbered by paranoid thoughts. There was a short film beforehand, I Met the Walrus, based on a tape interview between a student and John Lennon. It's great and you can watch it here. And here's the trailer for Fantastic Planet.

[1] They lived in an apartment right below Rick Mercer, one of the main stars of This Hour Has 22 Minutes, one of Canada's most popular TV shows at the time. One morning, Rick and his partner were in the garden, just in their bathrobes. We said hello and our hostess had a brief chat with them. I was all starstruck..

Comments

[fj.livejournal.com]

Oh god I'd love to go with you to one of these. If you ever want extra company, let me know.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Cool! I didn't know you were into midnight movies. Will definitely let you know. The few upcoming ones for them are listed here. I don't think I'll be making them - not particularly into seeing "Cry Baby" since I don't think it's the best John Waters out there, and I have plans for Halloween - but if there are other ones somewhere else I'll drop you a line. :-)

[naturalbornkaos.livejournal.com]

Speaking of cinema, I don't suppose you want to go see the "Bangkok Dangerous" remake with Nicolas Cage on Friday do you?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Am tempted... though I did make a promise years ago of never paying for a Cage film for as long as I lived (this was after The Family Man). How much are tickets? :-)

By the way, I tried calling you this afternoon because I was in second hand store with about 10 Guy N. Smith titles! Wanted to check if there were any rarities in there you might want me to buy for you. ;-)

[naturalbornkaos.livejournal.com]

Argh, damnit. I think there's something wrong with my phone at the moment. It doesn't seem to be accepting texts and then it goes and does something weird, like either sending them all at once or just repeating the same one over and over at antisocial hours. :(

The only real rarity these days is "Crabs: The Human Sacrifice". I have a copy but it goes for hundreds of pounds on eBay so is well worth the investment if you see it in a second hand shop!

Good thing you changed your mind and you want to see "Bangkok Dangerous". I'm sure it'll be awesome. Cage will do lots of shouting. All will be well. :) I'll need to check the times - it'll probably be somewhere central-ish unless you have another preference?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Central-ish is fine, anywhere. I finish work at 5.30, and can probably be downtown by 6.30 or so. So anytime after that is good with me.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Oh, what the hell... sign me up for "Bangkok Dangerous". :-D

[steer.livejournal.com]

On the tin of my soup this morning it said "Beef origin of Brasil". Did Brasil really start as beef?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

It did. Really well tended, delicious, juicy meat.

[ex-louter.livejournal.com]

!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Gotcha!

[lelapin.livejournal.com]

i have a copy of fantastic planet on vhs somewhere. i've always wanted to find the soundtrack.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Imagine having the soundtrack on vinyl. I bet it goes for hundreds on eBay.