Scottish Sojourn: Back to the Filmhouse

Posted at 9:50 AM on September 15, 2006 by Euan Kerr

I managed to duck into the Edinburgh Filmhouse for an afternoon screening of Almondovar's new film "Volver" yesterday. It was bucketing with rain, a typical Edinburgh autumnal occurrence, and just perfect for a matinee.

I had been across town having lunch with Robin Hodge, the publisher of "The List" (which is invaluable as a guide to what's on in Scotland at any given time.) Edinburgh is so snarled with traffic that I decided to leg the mile or so to the Filmhouse. Of course I lost track of time and only had ten minutes to do it in. I had resigned myself to missing the opening of the film, but had forgotten the tradition of playing LOTS of ads before a show. I got in with a good 10 minutes to spare.

There is something almost sensual about coming in from a rain shower into a darkened cinema, particularly during the afternoon. There was quite a crowd there, which was a surprise until I realized half the people there were on a field trip from a local school. I am assuming it was a Spanish class, but given the weird obsessions of Almondovar I suppose it could have been some twisted schoolteacher's idea of a health or social studies project.

The film displays Almodovar's usual breezy approach to the darker sides of sex and death. It's a lot of fun. After I strained to hear what the youngsters thought, but they displayed their Celtic reserve as they filed out.

As I stepped back into the later afternoon rain, I realized just how much I am enjoying my holiday.

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