London Metblogs » lon_guest http://london.metblogs.com Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:56:41 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 A bit of the OTHER http://london.metblogs.com/2004/11/15/a-bit-of-the-other/ http://london.metblogs.com/2004/11/15/a-bit-of-the-other/#comments Mon, 15 Nov 2004 21:20:06 +0000 lon_guest http://london.metblogs.com/2004/11/15/a-bit-of-the-other/ The bar in The OTHER cinema had an air of despondency mixed with defiance last night. Eager punters waiting to go into the movie (‘Coffee and Cigarettes’, for the record) enjoyed a quick smoke and a glass of wine in a convivial atmosphere, as per usual. Interesting-looking couples stroked their chins and discussed Godard (probably). But the petitions on the bar told the real story – when the metaphorical curtain came down later that evening, it wouldn’t be coming up again. Not just yet, anyway.

The OTHER (formerly The Metro; wish they’d drop the annoying capitals), has for the last 34 years offered an alternative to the mainstream – something a little more interesting than Bridget Jones’s outsized pants, if you will. Foreign films, re-runs of classics and documentaries are its stock in trade.

It’s a lovely little place, run by people who are actually enthusiastic about what they do, as opposed to the dead-eyed, pimply teenagers who work in the multiplexes (okay, that’s a bit unfair – they’re not all spotty). Like other small, independent cinemas, it has comfy seats and offers quirky delights – last night, before the movie, it ran an advert reel from around 1985, to the general hilarity of the audience.

Anyway, the OTHER has run out of money. Which is odd, considering the Film Council has

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