MINICINE – Wayne’s World at Left Bank Leeds

4 Spring Grove Walk
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS6 1RR

SHORTS

Well, the atmosphere in the Left Bank was warm and friendly as ever…though the building itself was just a little chilly! For such an unobtrusive exterior; I never cease to be amazed by how awe-inspiring the inside is. The ceilings take my breath away and I always feel a twinge of guilt when I see the pop-up-charity bar opposite the poor box. There are some ex-churches that never seem to actually stop being reverent spaces! Then I go support the bar…because it’s for charity guys.

There was a gourmet pizza van Pizza Fellas out front so the start of the event was postponed while the entire audience decided to treat themselves to a cheese fix. I feel like I’m being spoiled by MINICINE – coffee and cakes one week; hot chocolate (or booze for those so inclined) and pizza the next. Genius idea lads!

Woody and Abby were funny and cheerful as they introduced us to four new musically minded short films and the feature film event.

The shorts were ‘I need nothing‘; ‘The Archive‘ (which made me very sad for the world); ‘Tribe‘ (which couldn’t have left me less impressed if it had tried. Himself actually turned to Jo and asked if it was a spoof… I don’t think that we are representative of the target audience perhaps that’s why I remember it’s name wrong. Can’t find it anywhere); ‘Words‘ (nice, possibly a bit twee but I very much enjoyed) and the tear inducing joy making magic that is ‘Caine’s Arcade‘ – please watch below.

[youtube https://youtu.be/faIFNkdq96U]

WAYNE’S WORLD

BLURB

In the tradition of the TEN COMMANDMENTS, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA and GHANDI comes a sweeping screen epic bursting with spectacle and drama … NOT!

Its Wayne’s World, the hilarious, party down movie of the year, featuring rockin’ tunes, radical babes, and your most excellent hosts, Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey).

When a sleazy TV exec (Rob Lowe) offers Wayne and Garth a fat contract to tape their late-night cable-access show at his network, the two can’t believe their fortune (“No way”, “WAY”). But they soon discover the road from basement to big time is a gnarly one, fraught with danger, temptation and ragin’ party opportunities.

Can Wayne win the affections of rock goddess Cassandra (Tia Carrere)? Will Garth get dunked by his dream girl (Donna Dixon) at the doughnut shop? Serious questions dude and there’s only one way to find out – watch Wayne’s World!

TRAILER

[youtube https://youtu.be/OIuhsHpcNAU]

My first time to ever see Wayne’s World on a Big Screen. What a wonderful way to spend an evening!

Of course for me, this was less a watch along and more of a mouth along, as I knew not only every line of dialogue but every lyric to every song featured…and most of the slightly more moronic of Garth’s dance moves.

I repeat [mantra style], my childhood was well spent.

Thankfully, Jo (the ever delightful @Minimalesque) was just as bad and the two of us were frequently guilty of the occasional ‘pre-laugh’ (where you laugh just before a joke or set up). I couldn’t hear Wendy aka @Wandapops (well known to regular readers here for her @LeedsPlaylist concept) but every time I glanced over, she was bent double laughing…which I’m taking as a good sign!

I’ve been a long time fan of SNL. The sketches and (more recently) lonely island digital shorts are wonderful in the main, but the more recent films have left me cold. Wayne’s World films* not only transcend their SNL beginnings; but are damn near perfectly realised and structured comedies in their own right.

There were two cos players as Wayne and Garth (duh) and so many checked shirts in the audience I just couldn’t stop smiling at everyone. Oh and I got chatting to an Irish chap in the line for the loo’s about the Backstreet Boys, S-Club7, B*witched and other LEGEND-ary groups from the late 90’s which was just brilliant!

Kindred spirits at every turn as Anne (of Green Gables) would have noted!

QUEEN – BOHEMIAN RAPSODY – WAYNE’S WORLD VIDEO

[youtube https://youtu.be/d7nOO4BeG54]

From the Minicine website

Scalarama is an annual celebration of cinema taking place every September. The season aims to unite all those who are passionate about showing films to one another, and to champion communal film watching and the cinema experience. Scalarama takes the form of a month long season of screenings taking place across the world at a wide range of venues, with all different types of exhibitors showcasing films from across the history of cinema and from all parts of the world.

A little info about Minicine

Since 2010, Minicine has been committed to screening the best independent and foreign language, cult and classic cinema that may not otherwise reach West Yorkshire audiences.

A non-for-profit, we currently screen every fourth Thursday of the month at The Palace Picturehouse in Armley Mills Industrial Museum. In the past we have held events in 51% Bourbon, The Maven and what was once Dock Street Market in Leeds city centre, as well as the Polish Parish Club in Bradford.

We try to offer our audience an alternative to the impersonal experience of the multiplex and offer short films and free refreshments at our events too, so if you like homemade cake we may just be the film society for you.

We prefer to inclusive and not exclusive so while we do offer membership Minicine has, is and always will be open to everybody.

We are a proud member of the British Federation of Film Societies and in 2012 we were awarded the BFFS Best Film Programming prize.

Venue: Armley Mills Industrial Museum
Canal Road
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS12 2QF