SPACED - A FOUR CITY TOUR TO CELEBRATE THE DVD RELEASE
Creators-stars and director to attend events in New York, Los Angeles, Comic-Con and Austin.
BBC Video announced today a four city tour to celebrate the DVD set release of Spaced: The Complete Series, available for the first time in North America on July 22. Creator-stars Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) and Jessica Hynes (nee Stevenson) (Shaun of the Dead, Son of Rambow) and director Edgar Wright will travel to New York, Los Angeles, Comic-Con and Austin for special screenings, a marathon, panel sessions and signings for fanboys and fangirls.
The weeklong tour kicks off in New York City at the Village East Cinema on Monday, July 21, with a screening and Q&A session moderated by Elvis Mitchell (film critic and host of KCRW's The Treatment). The week's events include a Los Angeles screening and Q&A moderated by Kevin Smith (Clerks, Dogma), a Comic-Con panel session moderated by Ain't It Cool's Drew 'Moriarty' McWeeny, a Fans' Choice screening at Comic-Con, a Marathon screening at the Austin's Alamo Drafthouse moderated by Ain't It Cool's Harry Knowles and signings at New York's Virgin Megastore in Union Square, Jay & Silent Bob's Secret Stash West and Comic-Con. The final stop on the tour is the Late Show with David Letterman where Simon will be a guest on Monday, July 28.
NEW YORK
Monday, July 21
7:00 PM: A special 3-episode screening event of Spaced, immediately followed by a Q&A with Simon, Jessica and Edgar at the Village East Cinemas. The Q&A session will be moderated by Elvis Mitchell (film critic and host of KCRW's The Treatment).
Tuesday, July 22
2:00-4:00 PM: Virgin Megastore in Union Square hosts a Spaced: The Complete Series signing event with Simon, Jessica and Edgar.
LOS ANGELES
Wednesday, July 23
12:30-2:30 PM: Jay & Silent Bob's Secret Stash West hosts a Spaced: The Complete Series signing event with Simon, Jessica and Edgar.
7:00 PM: A special 3-episode screening event of Spaced, immediately followed by a Q&A with Simon, Jessica and Edgar at the Arclight Hollywood. The Q&A session will be moderated by Kevin Smith (Clerks, Dogma).
COMIC-CON
Friday, July 25
12:30 PM: Simon, Jessica and Edgar will participate on a panel session moderated by Ain't It Cool's Moriarty in Room 6A. The three will also do multiple signings including one at the BBC booth.
10:15 PM: To close the day, Simon, Jessica and Edgar are asking fans to pick three episodes for a special Comic-Con screening event in Room 6A. Log on now to spacedinvasion.com to cast your vote.
AUSTIN
Sunday, July 27
5:00 PM: "The Spaced Numb A Thon": A marathon screening of all 14 episodes of Spaced, including a signing and Q&A with Simon, Jessica and Edgar, hosted by Harry Knowles at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz." Alamo Calendar.
For more info, visit the tour's official blog: Spaced Invasion.
During the whole US pilot debacle, when everything got rather serious and unpleasant, I had an idea to respond to the McSpaced situation in a slightly more light hearted but nevertheless pointed fashion. The idea was to get everyone together and make a Spaced short on DV to be posted virally on the net. A little joke to encapsulate how we felt.
Now that the US pilot has been shelved and the feeling of sickly unease has abated, there isn't much point in following through with the idea. However, I thought you might like to see a rough script anyway. This can't really be considered an official Spaced spin off; it's a first draft and never reached a collaborative stage with Jess and Edgar. Just think of it as a work in progress.
It's specifically written as a concentrated dose of Spaced, replete with little details and call backs for fans of the show, so it's slightly heightened. Also, for those of you unfamiliar with screen writing terms, (O.S.) means Off Screen.
So, as a personal thank you for all the phenomenal support and delightful outrage engendered by this whole saga, here is...
SPACED sedition
Colo(u)r bars. Blackness.
Caption: PROPERTY OF BRITISH GOVERNMENT. DO NOT COPY.
EXT. PARK - THEN
Video camera footage. We see a silver Miniature Schnauzer sniffing around on the grass.
DAISY (O.S.) Colin? Colin? Colin? Come here.
Hard cut to black. Another flash of Colin the dog running towards the camera. Blackness.
EXT. 23 METEOR STREET - NOW
Video camera footage. The house viewed from below, its parapeted roof silhouetted against the sky.
TIM (O.S.) Mike? Mike? Mike? Come here.
MIKE (O.S.) What?
TIM (O.S.) What-you-doing?
MIKE (O.S.) I've never realised how amazing the house is. There isn't another one like it on the street.
TIM Eh?
MIKE It's unique.
TIM Just put the camera on me man. Come on.
We whip round to reveal Tim Bisley. He looks into the camera.
TIM (CONT'D) Is it on?
MIKE (O.S.) It's on.
TIM Hello. Daisy, it's your 30th birthday and you think that I am at Collectormania in Birmingham, signing copies of Bearmageddon but I am not. I am standing in our front garden, about to give you a big surprise. Because no amount of ego adulation and signature signing can equal the pleasure of spending time with you...
MIKE And you missed the train.
TIM ...my best friend in the world.
MIKE What?!
TIM My best 'female' friend in the world. Let's go inside and meet a very special lady shall we?.
Tim smiles fixedly at the camera, his eyes flick over to Mike. He raises his eyebrows a couple of time, the smile still fixed on his face.
TIM (CONT'D) Mike, turn off the fucking-
MIKE CUT!
Blackness.
EXT. PARK - THEN
Tim is playing with Colin. We can hear Daisy laughing hysterically off camera.
EXT. 23 METEOR STREET - NOW
Shaky footage of the garden path, as Mike and Tim approach the front door.
MIKE (O.S.) No it's not.
TIM (O.S.) It is. You pressed the thing.
MIKE (O.S.) Timmy-
EXT. PARK - THEN
Colin sniffs around, then squats on the grass. The camera moves quickly off him as if it has been pushed.
DAISY (O.S.) Don't film him doing that!
INT. 23 METEOR STREET - NOW
Mike and Tim are now inside. They shot moves into the living room. Where Daisy is sat with Marsha, Twist and Colin. Daisy is unwrapping a present, she produces a lipstick.
DAISY Oooh Rude Red!
MARSHA I thought you'd probably run out.
TIM Surprise!!
DAISY Oh my god, Tim! I thought you'd gone to Birmingham!
TIM What and miss your birthday? No way!
We hear Mike snort derisively.
DAISY What's this Mike?
MIKE I am documenting the occasion, so that you may review it in years to come and remember the good times.
DAISY Nice. It's not a camera with a gun in it is it, like in The Bodyguard?
MIKE No. I wish it was though. I love The Bodyguard.
DAISY And guns.
MIKE Oh yeah!
TIM So, Daisy how does it feel to be thirty years old?
DAISY Well, I mean it's like...it's not like I feel...it's just, psychologically, I feel...well I don't feel, I just know...
TIM Skip to the end.
DAISY It's weird.
TIM You'd be dead if this was Logan's Run.
DAISY You say that every year.
TIM I won't say it next year.
DAISY Aw why?
TIM You'll be dead.
DAISY Tim, this isn't Logan's Run.
TIM Isn't it?
A knock on the door. Brian enters, with a gift wrapped in paint spattered newspaper.
BRIAN Happy birthday Daisy.
DAISY Thanks Brian.
He gives her the present.
BRIAN It's a painting.
DAISY (tentatively) Did you do it with a brush?
BRIAN Yes.
DAISY Great.
Daisy rips of the paper.
BRIAN Although it was clenched in my anus.
DAISY puts it down quickly.
DAISY That'll look nice in the bathroom.
TIM Makes sense doesn't it?
MARSHA Hello Brian.
BRIAN Alright?
TWIST Hello.
BRIAN Hello.
Awkwardness settles on the room.
DAISY Well this is lovely isn't it?
TIM Skin up!
EXT. PARK - THEN
Tim is chasing Daisy with the camera. Daisy laughs. She falls over, Tim trips over her and hits the deck.
INT. 23 METEOR STREET - NOW
We see Twist. She is checking herself in the viewfinder which Tim has turned round to face her.
TIM (O.S.) Can I turn it back now.
TWIST Yes. Wait!
She pouts a bit and fluffs up her hair.
TWIST (CONT'D) Okay. Daisy...
TIM (O.S.) ACTION!
TWIST Daisy. Happy birthday. You're thirty years old. Wow! That's amazing isn't it? Thirty. Three Zero. You'll be pleased to know you look really good. Like a beautiful woman. In her thirties.
TIM Thanks, she'll love that.
EXT. PARK - THEN
A flash of grass. Some laughter.
INT. 23 METEOR STREET - NOW
BRIAN is staring into the camera.
BRIAN What shall I say?
TIM (O.S.) Just wish her happy birthday and say a few words about why you like her.
BRIAN Can I hold the camera?
TIM What?
BRIAN Do you have shoe polish?
CUT to Brian holding the camera at arm's length. The following sequence works as a series of quick cuts. Each time we cut, a new section of shoe polish facial hair appears on his face.
BRIAN (CONT'D) Daisy... Cut. BRIAN (CONT'D) Time... Cut. BRIAN (CONT'D) Passing... Cut. BRIAN (CONT'D) Isn't... Cut. BRIAN (CONT'D) Necessarily... Cut. BRIAN (CONT'D) Passing... Cut. BRIAN (CONT'D) Time... Cut. BRIAN (CONT'D) Happy Birthday Daisy. Pause.
TIM Can I have it back now please?
EXT. PARK - THEN
A brief glimpse of Daisy sat on the grass.
DAISY I think maybe...well I don't think it but I definitely suspect it but anyway you know when...?
INT. 23 METEOR STREET - NOW
Marsha is looking into the camera. She is slightly tipsy.
TIM (O.S.) Go Marsha
MARSHA Hello my darling. I remember when I was thirty. No wait, I remember when I was thirty two. Yeah that's it, thirty two. Anyway, cheers, happy birthday. Let's get a bottle open!
TIM You've got a bottle open.
MARSHA What's your point?
INT. PARK - THEN
Tim is laughing at something Daisy has said.
INT. 23 METEOR STREET - NOW
Mike is looking into the camera.
MIKE Hello little lady. We've been friends for a long time now and although you will never replace Tim, I'd like to think if Tim was to be shot in the neck by a sniper, secreted in a disused bell tower, I think I can safely say, I would call you my best friend. After I had tracked down the sniper and garroted him with the some barbed wire, clinging to him tightly, almost lovingly as the last few breaths gasp out of his open, terrified mouth, even as he hears his own larynx, crackle and split under the insistent pressure of my expert hands. Is that alright? Not too sentimental?
TIM (choked) It was beautiful.
INT. HALL - NOW
Brian and Twist are having a private conversation, unaware they are being filmed.
TWIST Are you still seeing that lesbian?
BRIAN No.
TWIST Why not?
BRIAN She found out I was a man.
TWIST I miss you Brian.
BRIAN Do you?
TWIST Yes.
BRIAN I miss me too.
They embrace and start kissing passionately
MIKE (O.S.) Urrrghhh that's sick!
MARSHA (O.S.) What's going on out here?
MIKE (O.S.) NOTHING!
Mike bustles Marsha roughly back into the lounge.
EXT. PARK - THEN
Colin is going to the toilet. We hear Tim laughing.
DAISY (O.S.) Tim!!!
INT. 23 METEOR STREET - NOW
Tim is looking into the camera.
TIM Hello Daisy. Uh this is me, Tim, wishing you a happy birthday. Here's to another year of living together and hanging out and doing stuff. Uuuh...I'm so glad I met you. When I think how random it was, how close we came to never meeting, it chills my blood...
MIKE (O.S.) Nice.
TIM Thanks. You are...such a good friend to me and I don't think my life would be the same if you weren't in it and...that's it I guess. Happy birthday and I love you.
MIKE You what?
TIM I said I love her.
DAISY (O.S.) You what?
The camera spins round to see Daisy.
DAISY (CONT'D) What-you-doin'?
TIM I was just doing a...birthday message...thing.
DAISY Did you say you love me.
MIKE (O.S.) Yes he did.
TIM (as if he is waking up) Yes. Of course I did. Of course I love you.
DAISY Do you?
Tim nods.
DAISY I love you too.
MIKE (O.S.) Whoa, whoa, whoa-
TIM I've loved you since you did that thing with the salt and pepper in the cafe on the third day we were flat hunting.
DAISY That was you.
TIM (wistfully) Oh yeah.
DAISY I did something with toast.
TIM That was good too.
DAISY Thanks.
They draw close to each other. It's going to happen.
DAISY You know I'm thirty?
TIM Nobody's perfect.
Tim and Daisy look into each other's eyes. They move in closer still. Their lips are a hair's breadth apart.
CRASH
The house shakes. An enormous rumbling sound resonates through the room. Everyone screams. The shot becomes chaotic, unfocused amid the confusion.
DAISY (O.S.) What was it?
TIM (O.S.) It's outside. It's-
EXT. PARK - THEN
Daisy is getting up off the grass.
DAISY Shall we go back?
INT. 23 METEOR STREET - NOW
The gang make their way outside. We hear their voices but the shot is still unfocused, picking up the floor and the walls as they approach the front door. The door opens. The gang spill out. Something large lies in the front garden. Battered, smoking. The camera zooms out and focuses on the object. Lying on the front lawn of 23 Meteor street is the STATUE OF LIBERTY'S HEAD!!! The camera spins round to take in Tim and Daisy who are staring dumbfounded, with Marsha, Brian and Twist behind them.
DAISY What do you think that means?
EXT. PARK - THEN
Daisy and Tim are on their way home. Daisy films Tim.
DAISY (O.S.) What shall we do when we get back?
TIM Watch a film?
DAISY Yeah. Let's get a take away and watch a film.
And so ends another wonderful holiday on the Greek island of Kefalonia and another glorious fortnight of iced glasses of draught lager at the Captain's Bar. If you ever visit Skala on the southern eastern corner of the island, be sure to patronize the Captain's with frequent intensity. Run by the Nikoloveinis family, and constructed around an almighty olive tree which grows unobtrusively from the middle of the seating area, it is without doubt, one of my favorite places on Earth. It's easy to spot if you're thinking of paying a visit as there are several pictures of me and Maureen adorning the walls. My dear friend Tina, has taken full advantage of any pulling power my job might have imbued me with and even though it is sometimes a little embarrassing to be drinking a beer next to a picture of me drinking a beer, I do not mind in the slightest. It is the very least I can do considering the sweetness and generosity shown to us by Tina, Theo, Fani and Vangelis over the last eight years. May Zeus bless them and long live the Captain's Bar.
Books read on holiday.
With Nails (Richard E. Grant) - Highly enjoyable account of Grant's early career in diary form. Funny and beautifully written.
Up 'Til Now (William Shatner) - Very entertaining autobiography by talk/singing, starship Captain and right wing police officer. Fascinating.
Once Upon A Time In The North (Philip Pullman) - Cracking Lee Scoresby/Iorek Bernison adventure in the pre Lyra, Dark Materials universe. Loved it.
The Princess Bride (William Goldman) - The book behind the classic film. Amazing how well the film captures the original text. 25th anniversary edition comes complete with the first chapter of 'Buttercup's Baby', the further adventures of Wesley, Buttercup, Fezzik and Inigo.
The Road (Cormack McCarthy) - Bleak, highly affecting tale of a father and son's journey across a desolate post apocalyptic landscape. Brilliant.
Sharp Teeth (Toby Barlow) - Beguiling story of werewolves in LA written entirely in verse. Immediately wanted to turn it into a film on completion.
The Audacity Of Hope (Barrack Obama) - This guy really should be president of the USA.
Holiday was great. Spent quite a bit of time on a jet bike. Got it up to 95 when the sea was flat. Popped a spin turn at 60 and the beyotch threw me. I took it on the chin because I'm a muthafuckin wave rider and I respect the big blue. Dug my heels in on future 180s and road the spray like manta. I also visited some caves.
Started long lead press for HTLF yesterday. Here we go again. Expect frequent blogs throughout July, what with the R1 release of Spaced, the press tour, Comic Con and an imminent Paul related announcement concerning the identity of our director.
SPACED: INVASION USA - A CONVERSATION WITH EDGAR WRIGHT
Tuesday, June 24th 10:00pm The Regent
Before he was infesting London with blood-crazed zombies in Shaun of the Dead, before he shot up sleepy English villages in Hot Fuzz, director Edgar Wright, along with writer/stars Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes, brought UK audiences Spaced. In only 14 episodes, the show became one of British television's most enduring cult hits, winning fans internationally including JJ Abrams, Judd Apatow, Kevin Smith, and Quentin Tarantino. Now Spaced is finally (finally) coming to DVD in the U.S. on July 22. Join us to celebrate the launch with a screening of two complete Spaced episodes, some great clips, and a conversation with director Edgar Wright, moderated by South Park's Matt Stone.
So, a few months ago, I heard a rumor that my friend and web administrator, Harmony Carrigan, Queen of Peggster and brave soldier in the fight against fake Peggs on MySpace was coming to the UK, from Memphis, Tennessee, to visit relatives in the magical prefecture of Croydon, Surrey, which for those of you who don't know is slightly south of Londinium. "You effin' what?" I cried, spitting out my Montecristo No.5 cigar and spilling my Courvoisier all over my leather trousers. "Harmony's coming to the United States Of Britain?!" "Affirmative", trilled Cantebury, my robot butler, "she will be here in May". "Bloody hell!" I shouted, pacing the cave like a neurotic Polar Bear in an abandoned Eastern European zoo. "We must spend time in one another's company." "And why is that sir?", said Cantebury, his metallic bow tie glinting in the dim light of the console deck. "Because, you mechanical ninny", I hissed, punching data into the main info hub, "she has put in an invaluable and virtually unthankyouable amount of hard work in my honor and I at least owe her a light breakfast and some good old fashioned hospitality." "Very well sir", said Cantebury, revolving at the hip, "I shall prepare the banquet hall". "Fuck that", I trumpeted, "We're going to kick it old skool. I'll meet her at the Big Talk office in Nassau Street and take her for breakfast at the Charlotte Street Hotel. "As you wish sir", chirped Cantebury, as he slotted himself into the transit tube. "Will that be all?" "No, I want a Coke Zero, you prick!" And with that Cantebury, disappeared off up into the main house and I slumped onto my bean bag to contemplate darkly. I'd met Harmony in LA in 2007 along with legendary CA Peggster Lieutenent, Nicole 'Thirtyhelens' Campos. We had lunch at the Four Seasons and shot the breeze for an hour but other than that, we had only ever communicated electronically. So it was that I arrived at Big Talk to discover Harmony and her mom, Claudia awaiting my shuttle. We had a little tour of the facility and met the crew, including den mother, Nira Park. We then tootled off to Charlotte Street for breakfast in the sun. During conversation over omlettes, I learnt that Harmony would be remaining in Europe for a full two weeks. On hearing this I insisted that we take time the following week to go on a little trip and one week later, that's exactly what we did. First stop was an alleyway in Camden, where me and Jessica Hynes (nee Stevenson) once did battle with some dastardly youths.
The alley where I died.
The next stop was a no brainer...
Harmony by the Spaced house
Me and Harmony by Chez Spaced
Me in front of the Spaced house.
After this we headed up past The Shepherds Pub, which was the inspiration for the Winchester, into Crouch End where only streets away from my own house is the hood of a certain erstwhile Zombie basher.
Shaun has reinforced his gate
After the Riley house, we wandered across the road to the shop.
The long walk.
...and attempted an important life choice.
Diet or regular?
Then back across the road, failing to notice the encroaching masses of animated corpses.
Spaced/Shaun hybrid moment.
After a drive up the road where Shaun and Ed hit the Zombie with the car and an unsuccessful attempt to find Philip and Barbara's house, it was time to return to Big Talk towers and bid farewell to my pal Harmony but not before we bumped into hot young director, Edgar Wright and our old friend and US blog mastermind Joe Cornish. What a lovely day it was. The very least I could do for someone who has put such a huge amount of personal time and effort in creating and running Peggster. Harmony, you're my hero and I thank you very much. I hope you enjoyed your day.
I'm off on holiday tomorrow, so I doubt I'll be blogging for a while. So, until the next time...
I haven't seen Nick for weeks. Well, one week to be precise but that was only for an hour. We had lunch in town with Nira and a certain young man who is now all but officially the director of out new film, Paul. Other than that, I haven't seen him for ages. This separation is not by choice. Nick has for the last few weeks been ensconced in Portland on the South Coast, shooting the new Richard Curtis movie, The Boat That Rocked. The reason he's shooting on the coast is because much of the action takes place on an actual boat, which worries me terribly. What if there's a storm? What if he falls overboard? What if he ends up liking Philip Seymour Hoffman more than me? I'm looking forward to having him back in the office where the risk of drowning and infidelity are considerably less.
We're currently in line to board the roller coaster that will be Paul. Soon we will be clack-clacking up the first incline before the adventure begins. This means we are at 2nd draft stage, waiting to get director's notes on the script so we can get on with Draft 3, or what will excitingly be referred to as the shooting draft. I have returned to the same gym that turned me into Nicholas Angel, although this time I'm looking to get skinny rather than buff. Discussions have started about casting the numerous speaking parts and speculation about the film seems to be growing. One rumor that I will dispel is that the film is solely a vehicle for Nick. I think this assumption has been misconstrued from comments I made in a recent interview concerning Nick being more dominant than me. By this I meant Nick's character in the film is in nature, more confident than mine when in previous outings, I have generally played the more proactive one. This does not mean that Nick will play a bigger part than me. The film is very much a double header. Triple if you include the film's eponymous hero.
I'm off on holiday in a week but I'll send Harmony another blog to post before I go. A blog that will feature said web mistress rather heavily. Intrigued? Stay tuned.
Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
This is NOT a review and it will contain no spoilers. It just occurred to me after the mixed press regarding Indy's latest adventure, you might be interested to note that I absolutely loved it. I left the theatre wanting to jump onto a moving taxi, punch the driver, drag him out of the cab, sending him bouncing across the tarmac (cue Wilhelm scream), clamber into the driving seat and gun it back to Crouch End smiling into the rearview mirror, all handsome and hatted.
Cannes: home of films and alcohol and waving. I arrived in Nice on Thursday, having traveled on a plane full of festival types who all spoke in loud voices and seemed to know each other. It was like being the new kid on a school trip full of olds. Several of them approached me later that night at the How To Lose Friends party and informed me that they had seen me on their plane, to which I responded with gratitude for there had been a nasty rumor that I had been spotted in Aberystwyth, fingering a goat.
I left Minnie with my Mum on Thursday morning. She generously agreed to make the trip from Gloucester to dog-sit after I realized my Cannes trip was going to clash with Maureen taking her dad to NYC for his birthday. I kissed them both on the head and took off for Heathrow Airport, got on board the movie express and hit the Riviera some forty mins after landing in Nice. This was actually my first Cannes and it didn't disappoint. It's essentially half a mile of seafront promenade, parallel to which stands the usual beachfront mix of shops and hotels. Most of the latter are adorned with displays advertising various films, the majority of which are not being screened at the festival. The best was the Indiana Jones themed entrance to one of the big Hotels. I meant to take a pic but I forgot. I actually only took one picture while I was there, which was of me with Morgan Spurlock at the HTLF party.
Me with Morgan Spurlock at the HTLF party
More of that later. I arrived at the Martinez Hotel to find it besieged by people and photographers, who turned out to be hanging around on the off chance that they might see someone famous. Nobody noticed me arrive, despite me wearing my Shaun Of The Dead costume and knocking the Concierge out with a cricket bat.
I got in to my room, dumped my stuff and took off for the Croisette. The sun had decided to show a reluctant face and my forty minute stroll turned out to be quite pleasant. I had an ice cream and a pizza and a coke and consumed the rich visual display of festival life which had a mentally nutritional value relative to the ice cream, the pizza and the coke. As far as I could make out everybody was looking around for people looking at things in case they were looking at something interesting. The street was populated by tourists, festival goers, bouncers, costumed types and homeless people and required lively navigation. Before long, I was back in my hotel room, necking my complimentary Champers and waiting for the right moment to pull on the Miu Miu suit again and eff off out for the night's festivities. First stop was a restaurant chosen by our producer Stephen Woolley, where we hooked up with Stephen, Toby Young (who I sort of play in the movie), Stephen's lovely wife Liz, Gillian Anderson and her fella and a couple of their mates. Dinner was le scrummy; I had the Fois Gras followed by duck. Toby had frog's legs which freaked everybody out when he got up to go to the toilet. Ha ha ha ha ha do you get it? I am so funny!! At about ten o'clock we took off for the party. Basically, despite the film's release not being for another five months, Intandem, the distribution company, thought it might be fun to initiate the buzz with a bash. They got together with GQ and a Russian vodka company and threw a beano in our honor at a swanky location just out of town. I endured the inevitable press line and posed for photos with my good buddy Gillian (hilarious considering my public history of adoration for her) before we breached the soireeus membranus. Once inside, it was free vodka all round and before long the joint was jumping like an absolute mofo, effortlessly securing its* position as the hot ticket for night deux of the festival.
The first person I saw as I entered was the irrepressible Lily Allen, to whom I owe a debt of thanks. Later that evening, she left the party distinctly merry and was photographed by the paparazzi for being as such. The next day the story hit most of the papers (Young Person Has Fun At Party, stop the press!) and so the 'do' and the film got a lot of mentions, which I guess is why the party got thrown in the first place. It's funny to see Lily doing so well and commanding such attention, I've known her since she was thirteen, due to her being Nira's step daughter for a time. Her brother Alfie (the eponymous hero of one of the best tracks on Alright, Still) is actually in Spaced as one of Tim's diminutive skate pals, as is her her father Keith, who plays the evil stepdad chasing the younger Tim through the maze in E5S1. Small world huh?
The rest of the night was pretty standard; responsible drinking combined with various conversations, some interesting, some unwanted, all shouted over the impressive Hot Girls Playing Electric String Instruments A Bit Like Bond But Not entertainment. I was disappointed not to get to chat with Mischa Barton who I wanted to apologize to, after a story appeared in the press, shortly after the National Movie Awards that claimed that me and Nick had made fun of her. We hadn't and most certainly wouldn't. We have an affection for the OC because Shaun Of The Dead got an honorable mention in Season 2 and lest we forget she was the creepy little puker in The 6th Sense, which in my book gives her real geek kudos. Also, she is pretty.
With a full day's press to follow, I ducked out reasonably early and went to bed. The next day, I was up first thing to do Entertainment Today for GMTV, followed by some fun and frolics with Steve and Maquita for T4 Sunday which was lots of fun. I really like those guys and always look forward to seeing their names on my press itinerary. After more interviews, I had a break then headed over to a beach bar for a press conference/clips presentation for the movie, which went hilariously awry when the dvd player broke down due to unprecedented rainfall. After the clips finally played out to a seemingly positive response, it was back to the interview treadmill for some round tables and a couple of face to faces. One of which was with my old pal, Chris Hewitt from Empire Magazine, whose festival blogs you can see over on Empire Online, including the interview with Toby, Stephen and myself. I must say, I really missed the presence of Bob Weide, who apparently, for reasons of travel cost, was not in attendance. Seemed an awful shame to me that the director was prevented from attending his own movie's presentation over the cost of a plane ticket. He was conspicuous by his absence which is almost as conspicuous as he is by his presence. We missed you Bobby Beee.
That evening we attended the Independent Film Awards bash at the Atrium Bar and I was hit up for advice and opportunity by several young film makers. When did I become the Yoda of British cinema? Good to chats though. There's a lot of very enthusiastic and capable people out there and I say "GO FOR IT" in an embarrassingly avuncular way, punching the air with my fist. After that party we went to dinner where I bumped into my American agent, who I didn't even realize was there. She was having dinner with a bunch of folk from CAA and ace producer Lawrence Bender, who I was very pleased to meet. Dinner digested, we hailed a minibus and gunned out of Cannes to a house party being hosted by music producer, Nellie Hooper at the residence of a Jordanian princess. Hooked up with Lily again and bumped into Hollywood wunderkind Shia Lebouef, who I got friendly with after the Disturbia/Hot Fuzz press tours crossed paths several times last year. I wished him luck with Indy and his imminent reconnection with Optimus and the gang for Transformers 2 which starts shooting in June. I really like Shia, he's great company and possesses considerable talent. I have a feeling he might do well.
After the party we headed back into Cannes, where Toby and myself tried to get into trouble but found there was none to get into. So we headed back to the Martinez for drinks. I crashed at about 4am, retiring to my room to drift off to the soothing sounds of the festival winding down and the couple in the room next to me turbo fucking. I'm glad I saved the earplugs from the Tokyo flight.
As I type I am in my car heading back home for a severe facial licking and of course to see Minnie (NB that joke would be funnier and less disturbing if Maureen was waiting for me, rather than my Mum).
Sx
*It has come to my attention that, after my Japanese blog, someone was kind enough to point out the correct usage (or absence thereof) of apostrophes when using the pronoun IT in the possessive form. To them I say, with a beaming and friendly smile, it was typo you effing smartass, I am well aware of the correct usage of possessive and abbreviative punctuation, my weakness is simply that I'm too lazy to prooof reed. Anyway, IT'S my blog and if I pepper ITS pages with grammatical inaccuracies then so, be, it?
I love bowing. I've been doing it frequently over the past few days. It's such a selfless and respectful greeting. You can wet fish a handshake or force a smile but there's something so completely sincere about a bow. In warrior terms you are lowering your defenses and offering up a vulnerable part of your body as a gesture of trust. In a contemporary context (now that so few of us carry swords) you are taking the trouble to bend from the hips, an act of minute but significant physical exertion, which demonstrates a willingness to commit to a relationship, even if it is only with a passing concierge or the person checking you in for a flight . It says a lot about the Japanese as a people, every single one of whom I encountered in my short stay, I found to be polite, friendly and very sweet. So, I begin this blog with a bow, to you my friends. A blog bow. A blow, if you will. Konichiwa.
All this goodwill and abdominal strain make it even more frustrating, that I have to leave a day early. Having been in three hugely differing time zones in a week (LA, London, Tokyo) the jet lag hit me like a train yesterday so I decided to bow out early to minimize my recovery time next week. I have interviews on Monday morning for the DVD release of The Good Night, not to mention a big meeting which Nira and I are attending in the afternoon, about something I should be able to share with you soon. Not only this but our potential Paul director is flying in for meetings and I want to be sparky for that. Also, I have to fly to Cannes on Thursday for a How To Lose Friends beano.
So, Japan. If you read Edgar's blog, there will probably be some information that crosses over. We are after all, here together and spending much of our time in each other's company. It says a lot about Edgar that he knocked out a blog when he, like me, awoke with depressing vivacity at 3.30am. Eball got straight on his computer, whilst I watched Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, which indeed, says a lot about me. Also the reason Edgar couldn't locate the "younger, nicer Scarlett Johansen" was because she was in with me, watching the film, although she prefers Order Of The Phoenix.
Night one was a blast. As Edgar mentioned we had dinner at the House of Blue Leaves inspiring, Gonpachi restaurant, what he didn't mention is that we drank sake and ate sushi with Yoda. Tom Yoda, to be precise, the chairman of Universal Japan, who legend has it was the inspiration for the titular Jedi Master. Imagine the geekgasm, having dinner in what genuinely looked like a set from Kill Bill, with someone called Yoda. Swallow my Nigri, I barely could.
Gucci Tabito, Edgar and me at dinner.
Us and the team. Yoda has his arm round me. Squee!
The next day's press was as relentless and exhausting as you might expect 10 hours of self promotion to be. It was however made delightful by the wonderful array of interviewers, which included a Ninja glove puppet and Japan's air guitar Champion. Not to mention the mountain of comics, magazines and toys we were given as gifts. I am happy to say that I am now the proud owner of three Godzillas* which will now take pride of place on the shelves of my home office. The whole day was considerably smoothed by the efforts of my interpreter, whose name was Yumi (Yes, like the character in McSpaced). That evening, we took off into Rapongi for sushi then on to the Cavern Club for a glimpse of the Japanese Beatles. See Edgar's blog for evidence of our encounter with Fab Four.
Us and the boys from Champion Red. They did that pic for us.
A closer look.
Us and Cinemaru, the Ninja glove puppet.
Us with double act, Dainozi. The guy next to me claimed to be the Japanese Nick Frost, I believed him.
Ha ha ha, we're so different! Funnily enough it did taste slightly of sweat.
Me taking a picture of a screen appearing on which is me taking a picture etc etc...
The next day involved more of the same, although a combination of jet lag and a stomach upset forced me to sit out of a few interviews, my thanks to Edgar for soldiering on without me. I did rally to make an appearance on a crazy Japanese daytime TV show (think Lost in Translation), set in a castle and presided over by a princess with an impossibly high voice, on which I had to judge a 'taking the bullet' contest between Edgar, The Princess and her wonderfully camp servant. Each contestant had to stand up and react 'Spaced style' to the sound of a gun shot, miming a dramatic death. Out of courtesy to our hosts, I chose the princess as the winner (not least because she was incredibly cute, like a living breathing Manga character), with the servant second and Edgar last, even though he performed a brilliantly extravagant double tap to the stomach and head respectively and wound up lying on the studio floor with his impressively reduced tummy on display. In the evening, I had a blissful shiatsu massage then ventured out to a bar to meet some of our Japanese fans. I didn't realize this but the reason Hot Fuzz is getting a belated showing in Japan is because a sizable number of people signed a petition, demanding a theatrical release. How amazing is that?! What a wonderful example of people power. We're big in Japan! Who knew? The event had been set up so that some of the petitioners could gather and celebrate their success. I got there before Edgar, fresh from my shiatsu and walked straight into a very excited Q and A hosted by the man responsible for the whole campaign, Rintaro Watanabe. The best English speaker was selected from the crowd and worked as translator, so that I could answer questions. It was a thoroughly enjoyable night, culminating in some banging beats from some genuine Tokyo Hip Hoppers. The whole night only confirmed my suspicion that the Japanese are possibly the sweetest most enthusiastic people on Earth (present company accepted). I left proud to call myself Otaku, which is the Japanese word for Geek. My huge thanks and admiration go to Gucci, Tabito, Shintaro, Yumi and all at Gaga.
Saying goodbye to Tabito, Shintaro and Gucci
I've just taken off from Narita, on my way home to Maureen and Minnie. I cannot wait to see them.
Sayonara. Sx
BONUS FEATURES
*I'm not a student anymore but it's a fact that once you've studied film theory and interpretation, you can never really switch off the urge to analyze and deconstruct. You can turn it down, reducing it to a vague whisper in the back of your head but you cannot completely curtail it. I remember my Professor at Bristol University, before he began our first film lecture saying, "after today, you will never watch films in the same way again". He was right. Holding one of my Godzillas up against the Tokyo skyline, I got to thinking about this Japanese icon in relation to Cloverfield's city smasher and about the metaphorical implications of them both. It's widely regarded that Godzilla is a manifestation of Japan's post atomic stress, an avatar generated by a nation struggling to comprehend its own apocalypse. Godzilla is the physical embodiment of rad rage, let loose to wreak punitive havoc on Japan's cities. The id tearing the intellect a new ass. Interestingly though, the implication is that Godzilla is not some foreign marauder but a local boy, awoken from the depths of the Pacific Ocean by Hydrogen Bomb tests. This would suggest a certain amount of self reflexive guilt with regard to the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as if there exists a subconscious sense of complicity in their fate. Not on an individual level but nationally, owing to an aggressive foreign policy which lead to their bloody entry into WW2. Although nobody deserves to suffer such horrific devastation, this unconscious acceptance that violence begets violence is an extremely progressive and mature demonstration of post war self analysis. It is as if Japan is even now, 28 films later, is re-imagining it's own destruction and drawing comfort from it.
If Godzilla is an example of post Hiroshima cinema, then Cloverfield is clearly, blatantly even, post 9/11. Much of the film's imagery, the dust clouded streets, the dazed spectators, the desperate confusion, are drawn directly from the images beamed across the world on that awful day, so much so, the film was accused by some (wrongly I feel) of cynical reenactment. The beast then, let's call him Clover, is surely the embodiment of the Islamic threat. Brutal, elusive and indistinct, Clover represents the huge but hard to identify danger facing the West, possibly even prowling its streets at this present time. The fact that the monster is barely glimpsed for much of the film is a reflection of the difficulty we experience in defining the motives of our attackers or the reasons for the threat. It's telling that the designers of Clover, positioned him as a petulant child, a newborn, killing and destroying without cause or justification. There is of course no justification for either killing or destroying but it is interesting that the sense of partial culpability arguably demonstrated in the Godzilla mythology is somewhat absent here. (Spoiler alert) If we are to run with the wonderfully subtle implication that Clover's origin is alien, implied by the glimpsed meteor hitting the sea during the final Coney Island sequence, then we must view the humans in the film as completely innocent and unwitting victims. There is no sense that the attack might be the consequence of an earlier act of aggression perpetrated by our own body politic. This mirrors the West's own sense of bewilderment at the horrific violence inflicted upon us both on 9/11 and 7/7 and the general lack of real knowledge as to why certain factions in the Middle East demonstrate such bitter hatred towards us. Of course all violence is wrong and those subject to it are of always victims but it is a fact that our respective governments are happy for us to ponder 'how' such atrocities can be committed against us but less inclined for us to discover 'why'. Indeed, with the free flow of information as it is and stories from the front lines, far less easy to suppress, we in the West are perhaps becoming more aware of ourselves as participants in a much larger, older war than the one ongoing in Iraq. With images filtering back of civilian casualties or the sinister celebrations at Abu Grabe, it is becoming increasingly difficult to position ourselves as the shining advocates of truth, justice and freedom and although in Cloverfield, the victims are a dumbfounded population of innocent city folk, it is possible to interpret Clover's rampage, like Godzilla's, to be somewhat punitive. A reluctant acceptance perhaps, that if we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem. Yay! Free period next!
Godzilla attacks Tokyo. Thank God I had my camera!
Films I Watched On The Plane
The Savages - Drama/comedy with Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman about a brother and sister dealing with the slow deterioration of their father. Sounds a little depressing but was ultimately heartwarming with beautifully understated performances throughout.
The Water Horse - Stirring family fun involving one boy's relationship with a legendary sea beast during WW2. Patriarchy shone through the prism of the Loch Ness Monster and split into a variety of embodiments. Made me cry a bit at the end. Partly because the creature reminded me of Minnie and partly because I'm a sucker for rousing endings involving aquatic monsters.
The Water Horse
Minnie
Dan In Real Life - I was going to watch The Kite Runner but I was feeling delicate after The Water Horse, so I opted for this. I was expecting a lightweight romantic comedy but it was actually much more than that, thanks to some neat writing and a typically engaging performance from Steve Carell. He has to be one of the most watchable and charming actors working today. I cried a bit at the end and there wasn't even any aquatic monsters in it.
The Kite Runner - Story of two Afghan boys' enduring friendship. Brilliant. Best film of the flight. Beautifully adapted and performed. I cried a bit at the end.
SIMON AND EDGAR IN JAPAN Simon and Edgar recording some idents for Japanese TV. This comes straight from the horse's mouth.
