Northwest Film Event Highlights – July 2013

This month there’s an opportunity to watch Withnail & I in a location more remote than Monty’s cottage. There’s also a chance to attend a Q&A with Ben Wheatley about his new film A Field In England and indulge some classic 80s nostalgia

Preview by Simon Bland | 01 Jul 2013

Festival season? We’ve got that beat. On 12 and 13 Jul, the brilliant folks at Picnic Cinema will be hosting two very special screenings of Brit cult gem Withnail & I at Crow Crag, Cumbria. Here, you can experience writer/director Bruce Robinson’s darkly funny, stark, and at times sombre snapshot of generational change direct from Uncle Monty’s remote cottage. And we do mean remote. Attend this camping-only event and your neighbours will be solely Withnail fanatics and sheep. Thankfully, the Picnic Cinema team have plenty planned. In addition to BBQ food, an on-site bar and some picturesque views, you’ll be able to take part in a pub quiz before the movie starts at dusk. Think of it as a little holiday.

From one field in England to another: filmmaker Ben Wheatley debuts his latest offering with a couple of Northern premières. A Field In England is his mind-bending follow-up to last year’s schizophrenic caravan slasher Sightseers and can be found at both Liverpool’s FACT and Cornerhouse Manchester on 5 Jul. Julian Barratt and Reece Shearsmith star in this twisted tale following a group of civil war deserters who embark on a psychedelic detour while in pursuit of treasure. The screenings are followed by a satellite Q&A with the director and selected cast members. With Wheatley perhaps the most intriguing UK filmmaker working today, attending this one should be a no-brainer.

Transporting the spirit of New York City to Liverpool, Brooklyn Mixer host two very different takes on gritty Manhattan life this month starting with Walter Hill’s The Warriors on 3 Jul and ending with Larry Clark’s Kids on 10 Jul. The former is a dystopian look at gang culture run amok, the latter is arguably scarier: a visceral and unflinching glimpse into the dark side of teen relationships. Kids boasts performances so shockingly real that its cast, rumour has it, were plagued by angry viewers during the years following its release. Each screening is followed by a movie-inspired DJ set lasting long into the night, so start spreading the news...

Meanwhile, Manchester’s Dancehouse Theatre will be going in search of One-Eyed Willie’s treasure on 11 Jul with Richard Donner’s retro kids classic The Goonies. And if it’s nostalgia you’re after, head to Liverpool’s FACT on 13 Jul for an 80s fantasy double-bill featuring Willow and Labyrinth. Skin tight spandex and dodgy muppets sadly not included.