The 2009 David Lean Lecture given by Atom Egoyan

The David Lean Lecture

The lecture series serves to carry on the legacy of the great director David Lean, one of the founders of the British Film Academy (as it was then known) in 1947 and continuing inspiration to many through his exceptional body of work. The David Lean Lecture in 2007 was presented by American Director David Lynch.

Previous lectures have been delivered by:
2007: David Lynch
2006: Oliver Stone
2005: Woody Allen
2004: John Boorman
2003 Ken Loach
2002 Robert Altman
2001 Sydney Pollack

The 2009 lecture will be given by Atom Egoyan. Over the course of three decades at the forefront of the international film industry, Egoyan has become one of contemporary cinema’s most celebrated auteurs. With feature films including The Adjuster, Calendar, Exotica, The Sweet Hereafter, Felicia’s Journey, Ararat, Where the Truth Lies and 2008’s Adoration Egoyan has garnered countless prizes and nominations, led by Grand Prix and International Critics Awards from the Cannes Film Festival and two Oscar® nominations for The Sweet Hereafter.

Egoyan’s elegant and inventive films feature lonely hearts and isolated figures of unfulfilled desire in often surreal and gloomy scenarios, yet all of his characters are redeemed by his extraordinary compassion for them and insight into their thoughts and feelings. His films are a rare mix of intellect, style and great heart.

Following the UK premiere of his Chloe at the London Film Festival, Egoyan joins the Academy for the prestigious Lean Lecture. With generous support by the Lean Foundation, the lecture is an event in which the world’s most celebrated and compelling directors provide insight into their experiences and into their unique take on cinema and the industry.

Where:
BAFTA
Princess Anne Theatre, 195 Piccadilly, London W1J 9LN

When:
7:45pm Friday 23 Oct, 2009

Films on Foot: Film based walking tours of London

15 Park Street, Borough, SE1, The gang's hideout from Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

This autumn, the Ramblers, in association with Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival, will be holding an unmissable three week walking festival to celebrate London's world-class film heritage.

Timed to coincide with the Times BFI London Film Festival, the Ramblers second annual "Films on Foot" Festival (14 October-1 Novembwill er) see 9 walks focusing on different areas of London which have been stars of the big screen. The walks are free and open to everyone (new members are especially welcome). All the walks are led by volunteer members from the Metropolitan Walkers and the South Bank Ramblers Group.

The walks take place every Wednesday at 7pm, and every weekend at 1.30pm throughout the festival. There is no need to book, simply turn up at the meeting place indicated below.

An edit version of the programme is listed below:

Soho and the West End 'films on foot' walk - Wednesday 21 October 7pm
Join the Metropolitan Walkers for a 3 mile film stroll through Soho, the heart of the British film industry, and the West End with London's most famous landmarks captured on the big screen. The walk ends at a pub near Embankment tube station.

Notting Hill, Bayswater & Kensington Gardens - Saturday 24 October 1.30pm
Join the Metropolitan Walkers for a 8 mile film location walk This is a walk of contrasts taking in elegant 'Notting Hill' so popular with British romantic comedy film makers, the green space of Kensington Gardens and seedy Bayswater used in films such as 'Trainspotting'. The walk ends at a pub near Queensway tube station.

Isle of Dogs & Maritime Greenwich - Sunday 25 October 1.30pm
Join the South Bank Ramblers for a 5 mile film location walk through The Isle of Dogs - a frequent star of gangster and action films, and Maritime Greenwich - one of the most popular film locations in London. The walk ends at a pub in Greenwich.

Gangsters in the East End - Wednesday 28 October 7pm
Join the Metropolitan Walkers for a 3 mile stroll through the East End. This part of London was the play ground for real time villains, the Krays, and is a favourite film location for British gangster movies. The walk ends at a pub near Bethnal Green tube station.

Brompton Cemetery, Chelsea & Battersea Park - Saturday 31 October 1.30pm
Join the Metropolitan Walkers for a 6 mile film location walk. Brompton Cemetery and Battersea Park are two of the capital's most popular film locations, as well as being beautiful places to walk. The walk ends at a pub near Sloane Square tube station.

Westminster & the Royal Parks - Sunday 1 November 1.30pm

Join the Metropolitan Walkers for a 5 mile stroll taking film locations around Westminster and Belgravia, as well as the green spaces of St James's Park, Green Park and Hyde Park. The walk ends at a pub near Hyde Park Corner tube station.

For the full programme and information click here!

SCI-FI-LONDON: OKTOBERFEST 2009 Festival

Every October SCI-FI-LONDON hold OKTOBERFEST, a Sci Fi based extravaganza. Arguably the most fun and varied Sci-Fi festival in the world. This year you'll be able to catch special events, screenings and their popular All-nighter events.

This year they have some really cool stuff happening including "a co-production we are doing with the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Yup, the home of GMT and all things astronomical, we have created SCI-FI-UNIVERSE, a planetarium show from an SF perspective. Also, at the Observatory we will have some talks and a writing workshop. And to celebrate the release of the DVD and Blu-ray, we will do an invite only screening of the new STAR TREK. Click here for details of how to register for this screening and how to buy tickets for this unique night at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park. Buy a planetarium ticket and you can attend on of the talks or workshop for free - places are very limited and on a first-come-first served basis, so get there early."

This years line up:
Friday 23rd October, 2009
Events held at the Royal Observatory Greenwich

6.30pm: Sci-Fi-Universe
8.15pm: Star Trek (2009)

Saturday 24th October, 2009
Events held at the Apollo Piccadilly Circus

9:00pm: SCI-FI-STAND-UP
Midnight: Anime All-nighter
11:00pm: Aliens and Predators All-nighter
11:30pm: MST3K All-nighter

Classic Screening: Aliens and Predators All-nighter [ SCI-FI-LONDON OKTOBERFEST]

In space no one can hear you scream

A To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the very first ALIEN movie (and their 10th All-nighter!) SCI-FI-LONDON is giving you the chance to see these iconic movies as they should be seen - on a big screen from 35mm prints.

The event starts around 10.30 with DJ's in the bar and the first movie starts just after 11.00 - the whole. show ends around 10am the next day. There will be some very cool spot prizes and give-aways and a packed goody-bag. Throughout the night we keep you full of Redbull, Ice-Cream and coffee to help you make it 'til morning.

The line up:
ALIEN
ALIENS
ALIEN3
PREDATOR
PREDATOR 2 (Oops! Sorry) AVP: Alien vs. Predator
Tickets here!
Where
Apollo Piccadilly Circus
19 Regent Street
London
SW1Y 4LR

When
10:30pm Sat 24 - 11am Sun 25 Oct, 2009

Friday Film Location: Flashbacks of a Fool - Cape Town, South Africa

Takes me right back when you were young....

Flashbacks of a Fool
Stars: Daniel Craig, Emile Robert, Olivia Williams, Mark Strong, Claire Forlani





















Daniel Craig stars as Joe, a hedonistic British actor whose Hollywood career is starting to nosedive. The death of his best friend from his English childhood causes him to journey back home for the funeral, and prompts flashbacks to his teenage experiences - including the tragedy that forced him to flee to the United States and a new life.

As well as playing the lead role, Daniel Craig is the executive producer of this film. It has been a pet project for a while. With the success of his new Bond fame the money came into place.

The part of the bitter and twisted film star was written with Craig in mind by his friend, Baillie Walsh, before the Bond star got famous.

"When he wrote the part for me about five or six years ago, I certainly didn't have the success I did now," says Craig, keen to stress that the tale of a successful but arrogant film star is not about him.

The film was mainly shot in Cape Town, South Africa and Malibu, California.

For the scene where Joe meets his agent and director of his potential next role. He meets the two at an upmarket restaurant overlooking the sea. Both the interior and exterior scenes were filmed at Salt Restaurant at The Ambassador Hotel in Bantry Bay, Cape Town, South Africa.

Where:
34 Victoria Road, Bantry Bay, Cape Town, South Africa, 8005

View Larger Map

A Christmas Carol Comes To London

Bah! Humbug!

Disney's A Christmas Carol World Premiere and London's Christmas Light Switch-Ons

London will celebrate the launch of a traditional festive season with one of the capital's biggest-ever Christmas events on 3 November. This year, the Christmas Lights across the West End and in the City of London will be switched on simultaneously.

There'll also be a fantastic Christmas concert, and a unique light show at St Paul's Cathedral.

All this will be followed by the world premiere of Disney's A Christmas Carol, attended by the major stars of the movie.

Where & When
Christmas Lights Switch-on and Street Concert

London's Christmas lights will be switched on alongside street concerts between 5pm and 6.30pm on 3 November. Three locations across the city will come together to create London's first ever co-ordinated street concerts and Christmas light switch-on.

• Oxford Circus – live concert with major performing artists from 5pm, switch-on of Disney's A Christmas Carol lights by Jim Carrey – finishes at 6.30pm
• Regent Street – live concert with major performing artists from 5pm, switch-on of Disney's A Christmas Carol lights by Colin Firth and Robin Wright Penn – finishes at 6.30pm
• St Paul's Cathedral – live concert with major performing artists from 5pm, light show on St Paul's Cathedral switched on by Bob Hoskins

All events are free to the public – get there early to grab a good viewing spot.

Sing Your Way into the Record Books
Following the Christmas lights switch-on, the three stages will be linked for Londoners to join together to break the Guinness World Record for the largest number of people carol singing at one time! The singing will be led by the St Paul's Cathedral Choir.

The World Premiere of Disney's A Christmas Carol: Leicester Square 7.30pm
After the Christmas lights switch-on, the focus will shift to Leicester Square for the world premiere of Disney's A Christmas Carol.

The film's world premiere will be one of the most glittering and star-studded premieres that London has ever seen, attended by all the major stars including Jim Carrey and director Robert Zemeckis.

The film will be screened in three of London's leading cinemas – the Odeon Leicester Square, the Empire Leicester Square and the Odeon West End, all in cutting-edge Disney Digital 3D – creating the biggest-ever 3D screening.

For more info click here!

Classic Screening: The Prisoner (All Nighter)

No Man Is Just A Number.

Become a part of world history! To mark the Blu-Ray release of The Prisoner the first 125 Network customers who pre-order the Blu-Ray edition from the Network web site will receive a pair of tickets to "The Prisoner All Nighter", an all night extravaganza taking place at the Prince Charles Cinema in Central London on Saturday 26th September 2009 starting at 8.30pm, where every episode of The Prisoner will be screened in High Definition for the first time anywhere in the world. Will you still feel like a free man after being subjected to 17 TV hours in the village plus special guests who appeared in the show?

To obtain tickets you simply need to purchase a copy of The Prisoner the Complete Series (RRP £59.99) fromwww.networkdvd.co.uk.

• Tickets to this event for the pre-order DVD will be issued on a first come first serve basis.
• As well as these special tickets each attendee will also receive a 1967 reproduction ITC brochure exclusive to this event.


The Prisoner All Nighter will be opened by Prisoner Loudspeaker Announcer Fenella Fielding and closed by an additional special guest. Attendees will also be entered into a prize draw t win some unique Prisoner merchandise.
Please note the Prince Charles Cineme are NOT taking any bookings for this, to obtain a ticket you MUST go via www.networkdvd.co.uk


Where
The Prince Charles Cinema
7 Leicester Place, WC2
Just north off Leicester Sq & up from Häagen-Dazs

When
8:30pm, Saturday 26 September, 2009

Friday Film Location: 28 Days Later, London UK

The Days Are Numbered

28 Days Later
Stars: Cillian Murphy - Jim, Naomie Harris - Selena, Brendan Gleeson - Frank, Christopher Eccleston - Major Henry West














It has been twenty-eight days since Jim, a young bicycle courier, was knocked off his bike and injured in a car accident. When he wakes up from his coma, the world has changed. Four weeks after a mysterious, incurable virus spreads throughout the UK, a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary.

A critical and commercial success, 28 Days Later is widely recognized for images of a deserted London. It spawned the 2007 sequel, 28 Weeks Later, the graphic novel 28 Days Later: The Aftermath, and a possible third film.

28 Days Later features scenes set in normally bustling parts of London such as Westminster Bridge, Piccadilly Circus, Horse Guards Parade and Oxford Street. In order to depict these locations as desolate, police would close the roads at 4am and filming would begin immediately. It would last for one hour, and at that time the police would reopen the roads.
As well as having to deal with traffic, the producers also had to ask clubbers to find alternative routes home. In terms of the traffic, the producers correctly predicted that asking drivers to either wait for up to an hour or find another way might cause some considerable consternation. As such, they employed several extremely attractive young women (one of whom was Danny Boyle's daughter) to make the necessary requests. This plan had the desired results, as the drivers responded quite amicably to the young girls.

For the London scene where Jim walks by the overturned double-decker bus, the film crew placed the bus on its side and removed it when the shot was finished, all within 20 minutes.


Where:
Westminster Bridge, Westminster and South Bank, London SE1 and SW1

View Larger Map
Trivia:
It's not explained in the film but the infected are attracted to the tone in human voices.
The decision to film on DV (using Canon XL1 cameras) was both an aesthetic and a logistic choice.
- Danny Boyle felt that the harshness of the DV imagery suited the post-apocalyptic urban landscape and the grittiness of the film in general.
- All the scenes of the Infected in a particular style - using a type of slow motion feature on the Canon XL1 DV cameras with which the film was shot. Shooting at that speed on a film camera gives basic slow motion, but doing so on a DV camera produces the kind of staccato effect seen in scenes involving the Infected.
- "The police and the local authorities were quite happy to assist us because we could set up scenes so quickly. We could literally be ready to shoot with a six-camera set-up within minutes - something we would not realistically have been able to do if shooting under the restrictions of 35mm which takes a good deal more time to set up a single shot."

Westminster Bridge can also be seen in; Doctor Who (1964 & 2005), Monty Python's Flying Circus, 102 Dalmatians, Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix

Hitchcon'09 - Celebrating 30 Years of The Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy

Get yourself a ticket for the biggest party the unfashionable end of the galaxy has ever seen and join best-selling author Eoin Colfer – creator of criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl – and actor Simon Jones, the original Arthur Dent, in a celebration of 30 years of the late, great Douglas Adams’ classic British comedy. This’ll be your first chance to see, hear and buy the sixth instalment, And Another Thing... by Eoin Colfer.

With other out-of-this-world entertainment throughout the day – including special free screenings of the Hitchhiker’s series in The Clore Ballroom – this is one event no self-respecting lover of classic British comedy will want to miss.

One of the best dystopian sci-fi movies to come out of the 70s, Rollerball focuses on an ultra-violent sport used to keep an overpopulated planet under control and probes its links to politics, the media and big conglomerates. When a star player refuses to obey the owners of his team, the stage is set for a Gladiator-like confrontation between a rebellious individual and the corporate power that seeks to crush him.

Events include:
Photo Call
Start the day at a photocall of the largest number of Hitchhiker's fans ever.

Session 1: The Douglas Adams Chat Show
A full panel of Hitchhiker’s experts and friends of Douglas Adams discusses the great man and his work.

Booksigning: Mega-signing of the fantastic new edition of the first five Hitchhiker's novels.

Sessions 2 & 3 (And Another Thing... & Hitchhikers Live On Stage!)
The sixth book in the series, special guests and a live gig – Sessions 2 & 3 of our day-long celebration of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Booksigning: Eoin Colfer
Buy the new sixth book in the series a day before everyone else and get it signed by Eoin Colfer.



Where
The Southbank Centre
Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX

When
Sunday 11 October, 2009

Play: Kurt & Sid at Trafalgar Studios

Kurt & Sid, starring Danny Dyer and Shaun Evans. From 9 September - 03 October 2009 at the Trafalgar Studios, London.

Roy Smiles witty and beautifully poignant new play explores exactly what it means to dice with death when being alive proves to be all too painful and peace seems elusive…

April 1994. A man sits alone in an attic extension on the cusp of becoming a Seattle suicide statistic. This man is no ‘number and name’ to be reported in a local newspaper. He is an icon, albeit a reluctant one. The frontman of Nirvana. is about to pull the trigger of the gun in his hand and join the leagues of rock star deaths down the ages. Without invitation, Kurt has the curious company of a man purporting to be the Sex Pistol’s Sid Vicious, Kurt’s hero.

Whether he is a ghost, a figment of Kurt’s imagination, an hallucination, a dream, or a Punk impersonator remains to be seen as the two musicians, trade quips and quotes about the emptiness of fame, a mutual understanding of drug addiction and self-destruction.

Where
Trafalgar Studios
Whitehall, London, SW1A 2DY

When
Weds 9 September - Saturday 3 October

Film Networking : FILM NETWORKING PARTY @ The Kingly Club

You are cordially invited to THE KINGLY CLUB'S FILM NETWORKING PARTY on Tuesaday 15 September, 2009. 9PM till late.

An event exclusiverly for film creatives who want to hobnob & mingle. Come network & make exciting connections in film.


Staged at the chic and illustrious Kingly Club, the event is designed exclusively for film creatives who want to hobnob and mingle. It will be attended by some of the leading aficionados of the movie industry from directors to writers, producers to investors, actors and many others. This will be your chance to come network and make exciting connections that could lead to new and inspiring projects. Or just meet like minded individuals and have a laugh over a cocktail or 2. Or 3.Whilst listening to Fabulous superstar DJ Kris Di Angelis who will be spinning some movie themed tunes.

If you are passionate about the film industry, then this event is not to be missed.

NB: These networking events work via recommendation and word of mouth so do forward this email to anyone else you think might be interested.

Where
The Kingly Club
4 Kingly Court Soho London W1B 5PW

When
Tuesday 15 September from from 9pm

Film Networking : Raindance Boozin' N' Schmoozin" this Monday

Raindance hold an informal networking drinks on the 2nd Monday of each month called Boozin' n' Schmoozin'.

Talk is cheap!


As always, our popular and informal networking event featuring film related chit chat, an opportunity to catch up with old buddies from past RD courses and a damn fine way of connecting with like minded filmmakers.

And much beer drinking... (cash bar!)

Who should attend:
Anyone interested in filmmaking!!

Where
Downstairs at the Royal George
Goslett Yard, 133 Charing Cross Rd, London, W2CH 0EA
Nearest tube Tottenham Court Road.

When
Monday 14 September from 6:30pm

Special Preview: The Imaginarium Of Dr Parnassus and Q&A with Terry Gilliam

Curzon Mayfair proudly welcomes director Terry Gilliam to the stage in a post screening discussion to answer
all audience questions.

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR PARNASSUS
Dir: Terry Gilliam Starring: Christopher Plummer, Heath Ledger, Tom Waits.

A director seemingly affiliated with bad luck, that Terry Gilliam got to complete this at all is a minor miracle. A fantastical morality tale set in present-day London (for the most part at least), the alternate realities Gilliam spins will be more than familiar to fans of TIME BANDITS and BRAZIL. With more than a hint of Doctor Faustus, the film’s kernel is an ambitious travelling magician whose ambition has caused him to
enter a number of deals with the devil, the most personally damaging of which has seen Parnassus (played
impeccably by Plummer, THE NEW WORLD) trade immortality for his daughter (Lily Cole) on the occasion of her 16th birthday. A characteristic feast for the senses, the film is a fitting epitaph to Ledger, whose character is also ably portrayed in its transformative states by Jude Law, Colin Farrell and Johnny Depp.

Extremely entertaining, the film also has at its heart a larger than life turn from Tom Waits as the devil.

Tickets go on general sale on the Curzon website on Friday 4 September.
Wednesday 7 September, 6:10pm
Curzon Mayfair
38 Curzon St London W1J 7TY

SECRET CINEMA September 2009 Can you dig it?

Ok. This one is for all you summer drifters. Are you ready? There are 40,000 of you out there. 17,000 more on Facebook. Are you with us? Then send the word. Send the word...

The Secret Cinema meet will take place on Sunday 6th of September in a secret outdoor London location. 6pm till late.

Move fast to survive.

Good Luck.

Secret Cinema.

Remember. Tell No-one.

Please Note: This is an outdoor event, so be prepared come rain or shine.

-------------------POSSIBLE SPOILERS-------------------

Based on the above clues (usually a complete red herring) I'm guessing that the great American classic "The Warriors" is up for a little immersive experience. If it is -  this is the ideal opportunity to see this Walter Hill masterpiece.

SECRET CINEMA September 2009
Sunday September 6, 2009 at 6:00pm
Secret Location
London, England

Exclusive preview screening Of Disney-Pixar’s Up3D and Q&A

onedotzero_preview: Up 3D + Q&A with Pete Docter & Jonas Rivera

 Carl Fredericksen, a curmudgeonly 78-year-old balloon salesman, is not your average hero. When he ties thousands of balloons to his house and floats to the wilds of South America, he finally fulfills his life-long dream of adventure. But on discovering an 8-year-old stowaway named Russell, an unlikely duo, they soon find themselves on an hilarious journey in a lost world filled with danger and surprise.

Disney Pixar Up 3d movie trailer
by exploretv

The BFI are delighted to welcome director Pete Docter and producer Jonas Rivera for a Q+A after the screening of this Cannes-opening crowd pleaser.

Robot Chicken Premiere this Friday & webcast Q&A with Seth Green

!!JUST ANNOUNCED!! Robot Chicken Premiere and Q&A Seth Green via Webcast

It’s time, once more, to get ANIMATED!

Teaming up with popular cable channel Adult Swim, and the London International Animation Festival, Curzon Soho bring you a night of titillating, shocking and absurd animations on the big screen. Check out the premiere of Robot Chicken Season 2. Brain child of Seth Green, the skits play around with cult film, cult TV and celebrity personalities. We also present a special selection of freaky animations as a taster for the LIAF which starts on 31st Aug at Renoir Cinema.

Before the film we will be hosting a Q&A via webcast with Seth Green. Come prepared with your questions whether it be anything Robot Chicken, Buffy or Scott Evil!

A Film by Sally Potter With Interactive Q&A Live via Satellite

Defying the usual conventions of film, RAGE is the new cinematic creation from writer-director Sally Potter. Using a radical narrative structure focused entirely on individual performances, RAGE consists of a dynamic series of interviews, as if shot by a schoolboy on his mobile phone. He goes behind the scenes at a New York fashion show during a week in which an accident on the catwalk turns into a murder investigation.

Fourteen actors, both celebrated stars and emerging talents, play characters who each have a role in the show, from the designer (Simon Abkarian) and his models (Lily Cole and Jude Law), the fashion critic (Judi Dench) and photographer (Steve Buscemi), to the fashion-house financier (Eddie Izzard) and his bodyguard (John Leguizamo).

The radical style of RAGE is embraced in its unique distribution strategy, with the film premiering on mobile and internet alongside its digital screen and DVD release.



The premiere event will be broadcast live by satellite from London's BFI Southbank to dozens of cinemas across the UK. You can be part of the satellite broadcast of the Q&A after the film, sending your questions by Skype video and SMS direct from your local cinema live to Sally Potter and members of the RAGE cast, including Jude Law, Eddie Izzard and Lily Cole

RAGE (15)
A Film by Sally Potter
With Interactive Q&A Live via Satellite
Thursday 24 September, 8.30

The premiere event will be broadcast live from BFI Southbank. You can be part of the satellite Q&A by sending your questions via Skype video and SMS to Sally Potter and members of the RAGE cast, including Jude Law, Eddie Izzard and Lily Cole (line-up TBC).

Michael Nyman plays The Royal Albert Hall

To celebrate the year's two big Baroque anniversaries – and his own 65th birthday – the Michael Nyman Band makes its Proms debut with a new work echoing the Purcell and Handel pieces heard in Prom 53.



Best known for his soundtracks to such movies as The Piano, Gattaca and Wonderland, Michael Nyman started out as a musicologist, editing scores by Handel and Purcell; as a critic he coined the term 'Minimalism'; and, as a composer he first made his name by putting the music of classical masters through the Minimalist mill to generate raunchy, rhythmically propulsive, raucously energetic new works, such as his score for Peter Greenaway's 1982 film The Draughtsman’s Contract and the grief-frozen Memorial, (which featured in Greenaway's later The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover) – both of which are Purcell-based.

The Draughtsman’s Contract – selection 23’
The Musicologist Scores c20’
BBC commission: world premiere
Six Celan Songs – Blume; Psalm 10’
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover – Memorial 12’

PROM 54: MICHAEL NYMAN
Tuesday 25 August 2009 - 10:15 PM
Royal Albert Hall
Kensington Gore
London, SW7

Crikey! It's elementary, My Dear Watson!

As part of the second day goody bag from Movie -Con 2 (which included a rare/exclusive George Lucas (in Disguise) action figure now available on eBay). We each received a rather thick card with some odd characters and numbers printed on it. Most guessed that this was a promotional ploy for Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes as one could make out the words MR HOLMES on the card.

Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes memrobilia, originally uploaded by Craig Grobler.

The card had a slit down the middle and when slot into the card belonging to the guy sitting next to me. Created a a sort of propeller like shape and when spun around the characters on each card were a lot more legible and they read WIDEN YOUR GAZE MR HOLMES. OK! fair enough some really Victorian era style marketing and thought nothing more of it.

However I love a good mystery and excel at puzzles. I couldn't stop thinking about the cards after all this was marketing for Sherlock Holmes master detective. When I got home today I emptied my goody back and dug out the cards again. Naturally I had collected a number of them from other guests at Movie-Con as well as the box on the security guys desk (for my film memorabilia collection).

After having another look I thought the numbers on the cards could mean something 236., 221, 57. and 94. Perhaps a GPS location, map co-ordinate. The periods between the numbers made it obvious, it's an IP address. After some trial & error number swapping. My browser opened up the site at at http://94.236.57.221/ . How exciting!

Nice dark ambient music, a quality background and 5 empty fields awaiting my entry? A small question mark above the fields gave a clue "FIND HER". Find who? Well that much was obvious I am after all a product of many conspiracies that have needed unpicking - and if it's not the Butler you know where to look next. After a quick visit to IMDB I punched in my 5 character guess. And B-I-N-G-O was her name. I was through to the next stage.

Own a piece of film history - Authentic Blade Runner memorabilia

The Prop Store of London (http://www.propstore.com/), one of the world's leading vendors of movie props and costumes as memorabilia). Has 2 awesome items of cinematic history for sale.






Two pieces of the futuristic skyline used in the Ridley Scott masterpiece Blade Runner. This highly detailed brass section was used along with other similar pieces of varying sizes on a table top set to form a forced perspective miniature for the opening scene of the movie. Each panel was laid out to give a multi layered effect and had a fibre optic light glued to the back. They were saved after filming by Mark Stetson's crew and have been in storage ever since. The section has been custom framed with laser cut mount board featuring the film’s title and stills from the movie. The display also has three LED's built in which help silhouette the "building" perfectly. The lights are activated by a small concealed switch on the inside of the frame. The overall display measures 49.5cm x 43cm (19.5" x 17"). The skyline image along with Vangelis' haunting music is perhaps the most memorable scene in the movie and one of the great movie openings of all time.

For more info click here!