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It was supposed to be a glitzy occasion to rival
anything that London's West End could put on but in the event Nottingham's
big film premiere turned out to be something of a damp squib.
The film in question was Once Upon A Time In The
Midlands, the latest movie from Nottingham director Shane Meadows.
It's a spoof spaghetti Western. Unfortunately the
problems with the premiere organisation prompted calls of "talk
about a cowboy movie" and "what a shambles."
Trouble began when, 30 minutes before the show
was due to begin, the auditorium at the Showcase cinema was already
nearly full.
Heavily perspiring attendants encouraged guests
to move up and fill all the empty seats.
But it was soon obvious the cinema chosen was simply
too small to house such a prestigious event.
The film was 15 minutes late starting and matters
weren't helped when a cinema representative said "If during
the evening you require anything...
....a seat," came the swift reply.
| "It was a complete
shambles. Film
Four said they'd given out too many tickets because they didn't
expect that many people to turn up." |
| Dave Harper, who failed to
get into the premiere of Once Upon A Time In The Midlands |
By this time some 30 guests, including some from
the evening's sponsors BMI, had been ushered out of the auditorium.
Dave Harper was one of those who'd been looking
forward to the premiere and takes up the story:
"All the officials were terribly embarrassed.
The people from Showcase apologised and then Film Four (the makers
of Once Upon A Time In The Midlands) said they'd given out too many
tickets because they didn't expect that many people to turn up.
They gave us a free drink and said they'd come
back and have a chat. I waited for an hour and a half and no one
did.
Credit to Shane Meadows who came and chatted to
some of those who hadn't got in.
It was a complete shambles. My hopes are that Film
Four will do something as they took everybody's e-mail address."
For those lucky enough to see the film, director
Shane Meadows was able to shed more light on the problems.
"Only 16 people turned up to my last premiere
(for the film A Room For Romeo Brass). They'd all gone by the time
I was ready for a question and answer session."
He hopes the turn out for Once Upon A Time In Midlands
is a good omen:
"My first two films have only really been
seen in Nottinghamshire. I want to make one that's seen by a wider
audience."
Fingers crossed for the film when it goes on national
release on Friday 6th September.
Shane and his cast (including Robert Carlyle and
Rhys Ifans) will hope it does better than the organisation of the
English premiere of the movie.
London's Leicester Square has nothing to worry
about.
Were you turned away from the premiere? Tell
us your experience.
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