Jameson Cult Film Club Screening - The Usual Suspects
Not too long ago GeekTown were invited to yet another infamous screening from the Jameson Cult Film Club in one of their more extraordinary choices of venues. We arrived at 6pm at Westminster pier where we were ferried onto a Thames Clippers which sped us on a beautifully scenic trip down river and through the sunset to a cordoned off dock opposite the 02 – which for what is effectively a giant expensive tent was a spectacular sight. An excited crowd unloaded into Trinity Buoy Wharf to find a green-lit replica of the corpse-littered crime scene at San Pedro Harbour from one of the slickest cult thrillers in movie history; The Usual Suspects.
A few of the crowd strayed (distracted by the salty, piping hot offerings of an all American, silver dining car outside) before descending into the basement bar for complimentary Jameson cocktails. On the way we stumbled across a complete criminal line-up of the film’s cast mimicking the infamous movie poster and were even given the opportunity to pose with the suspects. Needless to say, after a few whiskeys and a run-in with the cops the audience were buzzing with anticipation as they took their seats around the corner from the bar in a cavernous warehouse building.
A careful tableaux of detective Dave Kujan’s note-littered desk had been erected front and centre, an admirable touch but unfortunately due to a stupefyingly long delay by the time this painstakingly rehearsed scene finally came to life the audience were distinctly non-plussed. Even with the help of a fresh from the line-up Keaton and the Verbal’s shuffling doppelganger the reenactments dragged and I personally was a little put out by the filching of my favourite dialogue from the film about Kaiser Soze’s infamous rise to power, partly because my guest was a Usual Suspects virgin as well as the fact that out of context this scene lost a lot of it’s gravity and only added to our collective impatience. Saying that, the event overall was well-executed and the movie as timelessly engrossing as ever. Kudos are owed to the Jameson Cult Film Club for a magnificent effort despite some poor organization.
For more information on tickets and events check out the Jameson Cult Film Club website!
