The Jameson Cult Film Club is now a hugely popular night out here in Dublin, in the past year having shown the likes of Silence Of The Lambs, Reservoir Dogs and Jaws to rapt audiences caught up in the immersive experience. The difference of these screenings to most is that the JCFC have built sets and hired actors to make everyone feel they are right in the middle of the movie, and Thursday night's screening was no different.
Setting up in the Mansion House on Dawson Street, we find that its interiors have been transformed to resemble a 1950's Los Angeles police station, complete with actors in costume, giant old-school cameras, and rows and rows of filing cabinets. Once inside the main room, we find the Jameson is flowing, and everyone seated for the show to begin.
For anyone who hasn't seen L.A. Confidential, you are missing out. One of the greatest films of the last twenty years, featuring the likes of Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger, Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito, it is a fantastic slice of noir. As the film is screening, actors come out intermittently to play out scenes as they play on the big screen; shoot-outs, guys being thrown out of windows, interrogations in silhouette. It's a great bit of fun that never distracts from the film they're showing, more highlighting why they're such iconic, cult films to begin with.
Once the movie is over, the man of the hour takes to the stage. Danny DeVito, the official guest of honour of this year's Jameson International Film Festival, sips on a whiskey while answering questions by host Rick O'Shea, as well as some from the audience. Full on hilarious opinions and insights – he had no idea Crowe or Pierce would be become so famous, a Christmas party in Dublin with U2 back in 1996, the behind-the-scenes business shenanigans behind the making of The War Of The Roses and Throw Mama From The Train, his favourite episode of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia – was capped off by #Trollfoot. In case you don't know what this is, Danny DeVito is taken to photographing his foot in … interesting places, and then posting those photos on Twitter under the tag #Trollfoot, and last night he did just that while on stage. Amazing.
Once the Q&A was over, Mister DeVito received a standing ovation, and the audience filed back out to the bars to continue the Jameson consumption. Another fantastic night out by the folks at the Jameson Cult Film Club. The next one is not to be missed!