Class notes 1: 27.09.2010

Week 1: 27/09/2010
Paths of Glory
Antonia's Line
Blade Runner

This was an interesting day. I'd been sick in work after lunch but decided was well enough for the trip. Left work at about 5.20 with my maps and notebook in tow and made it to Belfast at about 5 past 6. The red petrol light was on so went looking for diesel and when i found a garage I realised I'd left my wallet in work. I had my euro wallet but that had 40 euro and no cards in it so had to find a place to exchange that outside work hours. Finally found a sainsbury's, got the diesel and was back on the road at about 20 to 7. Turned out the maps Queens provides don't have North on the top of the page so they were useless to me and locals had a hard time deciphering them too. Finally found the place at ten to eight and crept in as the class were watching Antonia's Line. Luckily for me there was no social element that night and I was able to sneak straight back out at nine without talking to anyone. Bizarrely sick again on the way home. I'd have been in a really bad way if it weren't for an open cafe across the way where i was able to buy some bread and butter, about the only food I could face.

So the class:

The class watched some part of Paths of Glory before I arrived.

Antonia's Line is a Dutch film directed by Marleen Gorris and made in 1999. It didn't make a very strong personal impression on me but I think this was due in large part to my not feeling well to start with. It tells the story of four generations of women in a close-knit community. There were some interesting  plot developments but having been late to the class, I think I'll withhold judgment until I've seen it in its entirety.

To highlight the theme of great endings we watched the final scene of Blade Runner. Well... I've seen the director's cut since then and it wasn't the final scene, but I'm not sure if there's an extra scene in the director's cut or whether the scene we watched was just the climactic finish. Which it was.

My notes include a reference to David Thompson's Biographical Dictionary of Film. I can only presume it's recommended reading. I think it was brought up as a better alternative to bumper books of movie facts but I can't remember what was said about the book itself.

Attempting to write this shows my memory doesn't even remember detail after only three weeks. I'll have to write straight after class in future...