The Jameson Cult Film Club – “It’s Not For Film Likers, It’s For Film Lovers”
After two attempts to obtain tickets for the Jameson Cult Film Club, I finally succeeded in getting my name on the guest list. And just before Halloween, which was an added bonus. Why have I spent so long trying to get into this exclusive club? Because it caters to the person who spends his evening watching movies, his days writing about movies, and his spare time talking to people about movies. It brings everyone who has a favourite obscure Italian director together and lets them experience the magic of movies in an expertly staged location. Here’s a basic summary of the night and why it serves movie lovers so well. If it sounds good to you, you may want to start spamming the Jameson Film Festival to get your ticket for the next one.
1) The Movie Choices Are Smart
When I received my invitation to this event, I honestly felt dizzy with excitement. But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little confused by their choice of film. This month, it was the horror classic Friday the 13th….Part 2. I know what you’re thinking, why Part 2? Surely the original is better? Surely it’s more iconic, and surely the movie lovers would appreciate it that much more? You would be forgiven for thinking this, but not for calling me Shirley.
You see, film lovers keep a checklist of iconic films they need to see, films that every film critic and the Internet tells them that they must see. And as such, almost every single one of them will have crossed Friday the 13th off that list. Not the sequel though, the sequel isn’t anything special. Or at least, it wasn’t at the time. In actual fact, the second movie in this horror franchise is the Jason movie you never knew you loved. It has every single slasher movie clichè packed tightly into its 87 minutes, so overacted that it ascends into the ridiculous. Teenagers are so horny for each other, they come across as possessed. They are so eager to get naked, it defies logical sense and yet, it feels perfectly natural in this film from the early 80’s. We have other great stereotypes, such as the wise old man who warns them all to stay away from the camp and the Final Girl who runs away from the monster in an almost perfect circle. This is a film that movie lovers can enjoy, both for it’s horror element and for how much films have changed since its release in 1981.
2) The Location Matches The Film
Previous films shown by the Jameson Cult Film Club have included Jaws and Fight Club. I have it on good authority that both of those events took place in a location that fit the overall themes of the film. For Jaws, there was a seaside resort town motif, and for Fight Club, the screening took place in an old warehouse, exactly the sort of place you would expect a fight club to be held. For this screening,we were led to a hall in the RDS which, when we arrived, we discovered was decked out like a summer camp in the wilderness. As we mingled before the film started, we would occasionally see someone run past us, through the crowds, as though she were late for something incredibly important. She looked as though she was dressed as a cheerleader. Behind the many props, tall men with sacks on their heads stood, staring into the crowd. The amount of times they appeared to be looking directly at me was unsettling, and therefore hugely appropriate for the evening we were about to have. And all of this ties in nicely with the actual film screening as well…
3) The Film Comes Alive
Before the film begins, we are addressed by an old-timer on a bicycle. He assured us that we were all DOOMED, DOOMED! He also advised us to switch off our mobile phones before the film began, or else we would be DOOMED, DOOMED! Looking directly into the crowd, with a deathly serious look on his face, he motioned towards the fire exits, telling us to take note of the nearest one. If we did not do so, in the event of a fire, we would be DOOMED, DOOMED! As eccentric as this old-timer was, we didn’t expect this sort of enthusiasm to carry over into the film. How wrong we were! In an inspired move, every major scare in the film was complimented with an extra, external scare. Whether it was a flashing light, a loud bang, or a yell from one of the figures in the background. There were many unique elements like this on the night, but the icing one the cake was a reenactment of the final chase scene, using an actual set, costumes and props. While real film enthusiasts have nothing but contempt for 3D movies, this is one of the few times it was quite welcome.
4) The Jameson Film Club Are Full Of Friendly Folks
It’s enough that everyone who attended this event was caught up in the enthusiasm of the show. But they seem intent on giving you things, relentlessly, almost manically! And seeing as this was close to Halloween, I’m not ruling out the supernatural: I think the entire staff was telepathic. Every time I wanted something, they would just appear with it on a platter. Moments after stepping into the hall, comments were made about how hungry we were and whether or not we should investigate the surrounding area to see if there was any food that could be scavenged.
“No need!” yelled a member of the staff (not literally, but with their eyes). He came forward, holding a platter of burgers, offering it up to our defenseless noses. The price was right, we weren’t charged, and everything was good. Shortly after the film ended, we decided we wanted a drink (we had already been given two drink vouchers each as we arrived), when another member of staff showed up with a tray of Jameson and ginger ales. We tried to hand in our drink tokens but the waitress shook her head and said “No! Those vouchers are for the bar!” (again, not literally, but whatever).
The crowning moment of the night came when I was arguing furiously with my companion about a TV show from the 90’s. She was getting angrier by the minute, asking why I hadn’t heard of a TV show called ‘Roesha’. As we faced each other screaming, a waiter arrived to take our drinks, but more importantly, settle our argument. He hadn’t heard of the show either, convinced that it didn’t exist, and once again the staff at the Jameson Cult Film Club had made the night run that much smoother for me. Later, my companion insisted that she had been saying the name of the show was ‘Moesha’, which of course I had heard of. If she is reading this now, you said Roesha, you know you did, so let it go and we can just remember what a wonderful night we had.
If you would like to attend a similar screening in Dublin City in the coming months, you can get information and become a member of the Jameson Cult Film Club by clicking here.
As someone who spends a significant amount of their time in cinemas and watching DVDs, I can assure all of my readers that this is an experience well worth having. It gives you faith in the movies, something the countless reboots and remakes cannot do. It’s not for Film Likers, it’s for Film Lovers.
Written by Stephen Hill
Please Join us on your Social Platform of choice
