Film: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

For today, London for Less Than a Tenner advertised "Soho: the Roots of the Swinging Sixties - guided walk"! Now, this confused me, before I read deeper.. I do recall the Man With the Hat saying that, while he was interested in guided walks, he wasn't interested in actually guiding them. Turns out someone else was doing the actual guiding.. Anyway, I booked, but it seems not enough of us did, and he cancelled the event. Instead, I went to a film - since John Wick Chapter 2 doesn't appeal (still highly rated!), Rogue One: a Star Wars Story it was, and with it only showing in Odeon Studios, I kept an eye on it, and seeing it was filling up, I booked, just before setting off.

I timed it really well - there was a horrendous rain shower just before I left the office, but it was dry for my short walk. Ended up crossing Charing Cross Road in the midst of a huge crowd of what looked like students. I haven't been in Odeon Studios in ages, and had the usual confusion - don't believe all those doors with "Odeon" written on them, the actual entrance is through the adjacent Costa. Anyway, I found my screen, and my seat - right by the wall. Nice, comfy leather ones with headrests.

Plenty of kids, who must have found the trailers more appropriate than I did. And we were into the film.. but where was the Star Wars theme?! Hell, I was looking forward to that! Despite the great SFX, I grumbled about that for quite a while. The music they've composed for this is definitely reminiscent of the original score, but it just ain't the same!

Now, Star Wars fans will know that the first Star Wars film (chronologically in our time, not the universe far, far away, i.e. Episode IV) hinged on the Empire's construction of a horrendous, planet-destroying weapon called the Death Star, and the Rebel Alliance's capture of the plans and exploitation of a fatal flaw. You probably also already know that this film describes the capture and transmission of those plans. Story goes that the principal scientist on the Death Star project, Mads Mikkelsen, isn't sympathetic to the Empire, and although forced to work for them, he hid his little girl, Felicity Jones, with Forest Whitaker as her protector. When she ultimately hooks up with the rebels, Diego Luna becomes her knight in scruffy armour.

Star Wars fans rejoice - they finally, actually made another decent one! There's an awful lot to like in this - it's the first Star Wars film in a while that's really had soul. Although the music isn't quite right - and the droid isn't half as comical as C3P0. Interesting placenames, by the way - the Holy Jedi city of Jedha, and the post of Scarif, where the Empire stores the Death Star plans - which made me laugh every time I heard it, being the name of the town where I went to school!

Just you wait until the fight scenes over Scarif begin. My, it's just like being back in the original trilogy - and I really mean that. I swear several of the scenes, if not directly lifted from the original films, are direct copies. "Red Leader, Gold Leader, all leaders standing by!", anyone? Actually, it turns out these are real, unused scenes from Episode IV. Moff Tarkin is back! Guy Henry has Peter Cushing's face superimposed on him. Same with Ingvild Deila, standing in for Carrie Fisher - a bit of computer wizardry that Carrie was apparently involved in, and very much liked the final effect of. The rebel command ships have loads of characters in them that should be familiar from Episodes IV & VI. The imperial operators firing the Death Star use the exact same sequence of button-pushing (of course!), but shot in exactly the same way. Catch some more here. Oh, and right at the end? We are, of course, set up for the beginning of Episode IV, Princess Leia escaping with the plans.

Oh, and you'll never guess - they only go and start playing the proper Star Wars music when that fighting starts! Teasing us, they are. Loved it, loved it. Even if you're a purist, you're gonna like this one. Go see.

Afterwards, the rain got me.. not too badly, and soon I'll head off home for the evening. Tomorrow, I'm off to see Russell Howard at the Albert Hall.

Tuesday, jeez, the Man with the Hat is back again! Hard to keep up these days - so I'm going with Let's Do London - for less! to The Diary of a Teenage Girl at Southwark Playhouse.

Wednesday, I finally get to go to something with the Post-Apocalyptic Book Club - not a book discussion this time, instead they're off to a play called The Machine Stops, at Jacksons Lane Theatre. Suitably post-apocalyptic. Then I'm back to Ireland for a long weekend.

Monday 13th, I'm with London Dramatic Arts at the Royal Court, for The Kid Stays in the Picture.

That rescheduled talk on Brexit Vs. Trump from a couple of weeks ago is on Tuesday 14th. Unless I decide to go to a film instead - being Funzing, I can get my money back if I cancel at least 48 hours in advance.

On Wednesday 15th, the Man with the Hat is taking London for Less Than a Tenner to Top Secret.

Thursday 16th, he's back to the Opera House for the opening night of a mixed bill of ballet. As usual, he's in the slips with London for Less Than a Tenner, and in the amphitheatre with Let's Do London - for Less!

Friday 17th, I got a cheap ticket to a very topical version of Twelfth Night, in the Drayton Arms. Ah, I remember when I was walking distance from there..

Saturday 18th, I'm back with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts for an Oliver Twist walk. Back with Hazel, excellent!

Sunday 19th.. not a Man with the Hat event, but one he's advertised. One member of his group plays Spanish guitar, and is giving a concert that night - so I've booked a ticket. Well hey, I do love Spanish music..

Monday 20th, I'm off to a Funzing talk on The Science of Psychedelics. Courtesy of London Speaks Sessions, LDN Talks @ Night, and London for a Tenner or Less (nothing to do with the Man with the Hat). Unless I think of something better up to 48 hours beforehand..

Tuesday 21st, I'm with London European Club (LEC) for Carradine's Cockney Singalong, at Hoxton Hall. Had some fun with this last week, when I noticed another group member had confused it with something at a different venue, and thought it wasn't now happening..

Wednesday 22nd, I'm headed with LEC again - with a different organiser - to see 2 Cellos in concert in the London Palladium. Cool - never seen them before, never been there before, and I can probably walk there!

Thursday 23rd was another Funzing talk, with the same three groups, on The Science of Hypnosis. And then, wouldn't you know it, Henning from the LEC advertised.. Hypnosis - Altering Consciousness! With Pint of Science. (What is it about that day and hypnosis?!) Anyway, I do enjoy events with Henning, and as I say, I can cancel Funzing up to 48 hours in advance without penalty. So I did, and booked the other instead. And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again..