At long last a word or two on the Royal Film Performance. It was attended by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall (according to my wife she was wearing a long deep blue sparkling dress) and was the world premiere of The Lovely Bones. The Director (/writer/producer) Peter Jackson and most of the cast were introduced by Steven Fry and then had to struggle back to their seats in the dark as the film started. The film is based on Alice Sebold’s second novel and is a close adaptation (although the role of the mother has been drastically reduced with a complete sub-plot removed – this does not help explain her actions, which is one of the weaknesses of the film). The story is told with large chunks of voice over from the young victim of a sex crime (Susie Salmon played with great feeling by Saoirse Ronan). The film switches from Susie’s spirit world (filmed as a kind of telly tubby land!) to the real world. If you loved the book but hated the end then you’ll have the same problem with the film. Personally I hated the whole thing! The film opens in the UK in about a month. If you loved every part of the book and can live with the mother’s sub-plot removal it would be a must see event.
After the film we went to Gauchos, off Regent Street, for a meal. It is a beautifully appointed restaurant and before you order they bring you a wooden platter of uncooked beef joints and give you a little lecture on the various cuts and how they cook them – great fun!
We stayed in the West End overnight and on the following day it was the turn of Hairspray to get our critical eye. The show is well staged but personally I preferred the film version, still it’s worth a visit if you’re in London.
Tomorrow I planning to write a little more about my short film The Triumph of Venus, therefore watch this space!
