The Talking Point: Tales Of The Unexpected

THE TALKING POINT

Tales Of The Unexpected

Friday night just got a whole lot more fun, with the Surprise Film making its triumphant return to Picturehouse screens. We find out why it’s proving such to be such a hit with cinemagoers....

WHERE ELSE CAN YOU SPEND A FIVER AND ENJOY SOMETHING COMPLETELY NEW AND UNEXPECTED? That’s the rationale behind one of Picturehouse’s biggest successes of recent months, the Surprise Film, which has to date shown everything from Knives Outto The Farewell, to a wildly enthusiastic response.

“They are always previews, and they are always different,” explains Carol McKay, programming director for Picturehouse, on the Friday night phenomenon that’s wowed audiences across the UK. “Once people are there, they are committed. It’s an exciting event. And it’s always something they may otherwise have not seen.”

“By their very nature, all Surprise

Films remain shrouded in secrecy, which adds to the magic and avoids any plot spoilers”

Carol has headed up the Picturehouse programming team for nearly a decade, and knows exactly what works (and what doesn’t). When the summer months were beginning to look a little dry last year, the answer seemed obvious: have some fun, and keep the ticket price as low as you can. Which is why it’s just £5 for members and £8 for non-members, allowing as wide an audience as possible to access the sessions.

“We initially asked people to try and name the movie, revealing just the running time. Now, we have to keep that a secret as well, as some were guessing the movie too quickly!” she says. “But the ethos remains the same. Always have really entertaining films that everyone can enjoy.”

One of Carol’s colleagues, Paul Ridd, who is busily programming the Sundance London festival for Picturehouse in June, agrees. Sundance London’s Surprise Film, which plays on the last Sunday of the festival each year, is always packed.

“It’s one of the first things to sell out,” he says. “It has to have broad appeal –we don’t want anything violent. Last year, we had Greener Grass, an excellent, surrealist, Stepford Wives-type film, which we saw at Sundance and really loved. We were able to bring over the two female writer-directors as well, which was great. Patti Cakes was another one that worked really well. It’s those zany, quality US indies –dramas, comedies or documentaries –that audiences really love.”

The key to the success of Picturehouse’s Surprise Film is its shared experience, adds Matt Smith, co-head of theatrical at Lionsgate Films, whose recent hits include Knives Outand The Personal History Of David Copperfield. “Everyone’s on the same side,” he says. “All the seats are facing in the same direction. It’s something you can’t get at home. It’s like the camaraderie you have at a concert. We know how much Picturehouse cinemagoers appreciate a good film. They’re very much film fans. When we have a film that’s a crowd-pleaser, a five-star film, there’s nothing better than getting it out there in front of the people. A great film speaks for itself.”

By their very nature, all Surprise Films remain shrouded in secrecy, which adds to the magic and avoids any plot spoilers. Matt is particularly excited about some of the big films he is releasing this year –including Ironbark, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and The Father, starring Anthony Hopkins, which both premiered at Sundance this year –plus there’s a double whammy of blockbusters due over the summer (Top Gun: Maverick and Wonder Woman 1984) already generating heaps of buzz.

The year ahead looks full of great films –and with them, a slew of surprises worth getting seriously excited about. “I love going to the cinema,” Matt says. “When the lights go down, it’s just fantastic. There is nothing quite like it.”