Secret Cinema Screen 'The Third Man' & The Future of Moviegoing
Over the course of the seven week long run, over 19 000 people were transported back to 1940’s Vienna to experience what can only be described as a simply unique way of experiencing cinema.
Every aspect of the films aesthetic is perfect. The use of black-and-white expressionist cinematography by Robert Krakser, with harsh lighting and distorted camera angles capture the seedy locations in a style that evokes the atmosphere of an exhausted, cynical post-war Vienna at the start of the Cold War. This combined with Anton Karas catchy zither score really create a sense of time and place.
The performances are all sublime. Cotton is restrained but powerful when needed; Valli smoulders in a complex and provocative performance and Trevor Howard is superb as the stoic, British General in charge of order in the city. But Welles, as he always tended to do, steals the show as Lime. Its over an hour into the film before he arrives, with one of cinemas coolest entrances standing in the shadows a light suddenly comes on, illuminating him and revealing him to Martins. He gives a cheeky smile, before disappearing into the darkness of night only to reappear the next day and deliver the best piece of dialogue in the piece. Bidding farewell to Martins and justifying his nefarious escapades, he says ...in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock. So long Holly. Watching the film I suddenly felt very stupid for not guessing it weeks earlier. All of the clues pointed directly to it the names dropped in emails, the man with balloons, the penicillin factory it was all there. However, that is the fun of Secret Cinema. You pay your money, you take your chance. And even if you were not a fan of the film, the atmosphere and spectacle create by the organisers is such that you feel like you have been part of something much bigger than a screening in a public place. It is, as they boast, unlike any other filmgoing experience you have had. To call this a global phenomenon is now very much accurate with the event being simultaneously staged in Kabul and a number of other world cities expressing interests to get in on the next extravaganza. So whats in store for the future of Future Shorts? Well, the short answer is LOTS! Based on this sell out run, the popularity of Secret Cinema has never been greater and fans are already vehemently blogging about what the next will be and asserting their opinions on what it should be. Valentines Day will see The Other Cinema launched at The Troxy with one of the greatest romance stories ever told - Brief Encounter. David Leans screen adaptation of Noel Cowards pre-WWII short play Still Life traces the doomed romance that blossoms between a married, middle-class housewife and a married doctor who randomly meet at a train station. Daring for its time, Brief Encounter is one of the most romantic and heart-breaking stories ever told and rightfully so often tops BFI polls for The Greatest British Movie ever. Previously Secret Cinema gave The Troxy their treatment and transformed it into a Chicago Speak Easy and playground of the prohibition era Gangster for their screening of Bugsy Malone. Now The Other Cinema, a scheme that aims to bring back the local cinema by restoring the sense of community, passion to the movie-going experience will transform the Troxy into a Picture Palace with live music, an organist, usherettes and performance pieces for five nights only! Tickets are currently on sale now; it proves to be a journey back to a time where you went to the pictures for a simpler, classier movie-going experience.
Then theres Secret Restaurant which had somewhat of a cold launch at this run of Secret Cinema with St. John's setting up as a 40s posh diner in post-war Vienna and providing a mouth-watering menu. Sadly I did not get to try St. Johns offering at this Secret Cinema, having stuffed my face with Bratwurst and Goulash, but friends who did waxed lyrical about it and anyone who has been the restaurant support this. The fact you can order a whole pig which they bring out to your table has me sold.
The concept for Secret Restaurant is similar to Secret Cinema. A date is revealed; you book your ticket; clues are slowly given about food, theme, etc until the location is revealed and you attend on the evening and marvel in the spectacle and feast on some fine food. As yet the organisers are yet to divulge details of the first exclusive run of Secret Restaurant, but if it is anything like Secret Cinema, it proves to offer a unique, immersive and unforgettable dining experience.