It's not a bedsit, it's a flat
Let us then belatedly mark the nicest job the BFI have ever asked me to do: the Spaced event on Saturday. A marathon, tied in to Channel 4's 25th birthday, at which hundreds of Spaced fans gathered and watched the whole of series one and two on the big screen in NFT1, introduced by the cast and director Edgar Wright (albeit sadly lacking Jessica Hynes, who sent a filmed message), and with an hour-and-40-minute Q&A, hosted by myself. I've interviewed assorted filmmakers on this very stage down the years (Michael Moore, Terry Gilliam, Christopher Guest), not to mention hosted three TCM Classic Shorts awards, but this was a true labour of love. (Simon Pegg actually asked me by text about a month ago, and I texted back yes without even asking when it was.)
It was a lovely way to spend a few hours, not least because of the audience, which comprised the most devoted fans (one guy had flown to London from Seattle specifically to attend), who were warm and appreciative, and didn't need anything explaining to them, obviously. I've met Simon a few times this year, and we've become email pals (partly because we discovered we have a Northampton connection), and I met Nick Frost briefly, but this was the first time I've been in the presence of all of them, in a big row. Edgar and Simon came on first, then I introduced the others, to a massive round of applause each: Nick, Mark Heap, Katy Carmichael (Twist for the uninitiated) (actually, if you're uninitiated, you won't know who Twist is), and Julia Deakins, who wins the prize for being least like her character. Although both Katy and Mark insisted in the green room that they didn't want to speak, I made sure everybody got a question, and it turned into a free-for-all come the end. We could have talked all night, but they still had series two to screen. You can watch amateur highlights, thanks to YouTube (scroll down), although if you're not a fan of Spaced or shaky camerawork from Row H, I wouldn't recommend it. Here are some grabs, for posterity. (Oh, and by the way, I also met Colin the dog, aka Ada. Which will mean nothing etc. etc.) If anything like professional photos come my way, I'll post them here.
Edgar, me and Simon (I wore a jacket to give myself an air of authority, which worked)
Edgar in full anecdotal flight
Simon and me attentively listening to Edgar
Me looking adoringly at Simon
Edgar, me, Simon, Nick, Katy (Nick may have just mentioned bukaki)
We had joy, we had fun
Part 1 (which includes the intro and part of the Q&A)
Part 2 (all Q&A)
These rather more official photos appeared on Edgar's MySpace blog (so I'm kind of assuming he won't mind me showing them here):
posted by Andrew Collins @ 3:40 PM
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23 Comments:
Didn't know this was on, would have loved to have gone. I'm very jealous! Apparently Simon is a big fan of my comic Criminal. Ed met him in the summer and gave him a copy of the book. Simon mentioned in an interview somewhere how much he liked it! I can die happy now...
You look vvvvvery Mark Steele in the top pic there.
I love Spaced. It is especially good when watching spaced - so objective achieved, I guess.
What's Simon's Northampton connection - apart from a slightly tenuous Kinky Boots one..?
Earlier this year I spent a wonderful week being mildly ill on my sofa and watching every episode of Spaced on DVD.
I think my favourite part is the Shaggy/Velma visual gag (which will mean nothing etc.)
Horribly jealous of Simon Pegg's talent though.
Good stuff Andrew! I'm actually really curious as to what your opinion of the Star Wars prequels is? For those not in the know, Pegg *hates* the Star Wars prequels (but George still sent him a copy of the undedited original trilogy dvds) and Andrew does the review of the original Star Wars at the Empire website. I have a theory that the star wars prequels satisfy their intended target audience ( I.E. not me - I'm 28) just as much as the originals.
The Northampton connection is a mutual friend. But two points for Kinky Boots!
The youtube clips are 'no longer available', the shaky camerawork police must have spotted them.
I tried to post this yesterday, but for some reason your blog kept kicking me out.
We take our band name from Spaced. Every now and then I get a text from someone who didn't know this fact, telling me they've just been watching it, and asking if there's any connection.
It looked a great night, Andrew, wish I could have been there.
Chris
(from Crash Amber's Party)
www.myspace.com/crashambersparty
Blimey - more plugs on here than at Currys.
AC - looked a fun night. Why did Simon Pegg change his hat?
Well, when in Rome...
Gotta get the message out there somehow!
Chris
I can confirm that the shaky camera work police have indeed been in touch but I got off with a caution and was made to promise never to film from row M while under the influence of Grolsch ever again.
Fantastic day by the way...It was great to have the Q&A hosted by someone who was obviously as big a fan as anyone else in there (except mabye that (crazy?) person who flew in from Oz)...There was a lot of love (and packets of Jaffa cakes) in that auditorium!
If you weren't there I would like to inform you that there wasn't actually a minor earthquake occurring within the walls of NFT1 as my videos may suggest.
It looks like it was a great event, am gutted to have missed it - despite being on teh BFI mailing list, the rotters!
I like your stripey jumper Andrew!
Have you had a look at Edgar's myspace blog? There are a few decent pics on there. He also thanks you for doing a great job!
yeah, whats hollywood done to pegg? did anyone comment on his costume change? i wouldnt have known where to look if id been there...
Thanks for the pics tip-off Stimpy. (And for the jumper comment, Kate. I do look a bit like a liquorice allsort.) As for Simon's hat change. The first part of the event took place at 1.30pm, when he was wearing a woolly hat. The second part, the Q&A, took place some three hours later, during which time he had changed his hat and removed his jacket. Not exactly Maria Carey.
Hat indoors...hmmmmm. And taking two hats? Would he have done that 5 years ago?
This post has been removed by the author.
Simon 'Two Hats' Pegg ought to be ashamed of himself. Where're his principles?
Some of us can't even afford one hat, yet here he is at an event attended by the public displaying his wealth of headgear with gay abandon.
He should be burned at the stake.
2 Hats? Bloody fancy pants sell out!
I thought it this morning and I still think it now - Edgar looks like Rufus Wainwright on the cover of 'Poses'.
I much preferred his earlier one hat phase.
It was a fantastic experience! Watching it with loads of other Spaced Cadets was a ginormous privilege. A luvvery surprise to have you, Andrew, MCing the Q&A. Hats off to everyone!! I love Spaced and I miss the characters dearly.
PS. Ta for mentioning my email on your show last night, Andrew. I'd still rather see Dubya do another eight years than see a US version of Spaced!! Mmm OK maybe not...
Bill. Derby, UK.
wish I could of been there, I'm turning into a right pegg/frost fanboy
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