Mud

[biggins]

A fiasco at Cameo, Edinburgh. I arrived at 10.25am and first in the queue only to be told by the fat lump of lard (the usherette) that I wouldn't be allowed in until just before 11am as it was being shown in the very small screen 2 and was oversubscribed. Picturehouse members were to be given priority and after they were seated the Guardian tickets would be allowed in.

Marjoreemarjora arrived and she joined me at the front of the queue. I explained to her what the problem was so she asked for the manager's name so we are going to email a complaint. We finally got in at 10.55am but was almost half full and all the best seats had been taken. Don't know how many in the queue behind us were turned away but most annoying when we had been there first!!

As for the film would have enjoyed it better if it had been shown on a normal size screen but the screen was so small the man in front of me said he had a TV that size at home!!!

Enjoyable film but dragged out a bit in places and would have be better if edited by 20mins. 7/10

[Beate]

I am afraid that members are usually prioritised and guaranteed a seat at a Picturehouse preview. Someone explained it to me once (which is why I am so keen to get my members tickets for this). They have an allocation for members and one for SFF or whoever else is providing the tickets and they guarantee members seats until about 11.15am which is when the trailers end. We had a very full screening and an influx of latecomers just before the film started which makes me think they might have been SFF members they allowed in after members had not turned up. But if you turn up early, you ought to be let in as they cannot reserve the whole screening just for members and they should know their respective allocations.

[LiteupLee]

Stand by Me meets Whistle down the Wind with a remarkably clean lemon shirt thrown in for good measure 6.5/10

[biggins]

I am afraid that members are usually prioritised and guaranteed a seat at a Picturehouse preview. Someone explained it to me once (which is why I am so keen to get my members tickets for this). They have an allocation for members and one for SFF or whoever else is providing the tickets and they guarantee members seats until about 11.15am which is when the trailers end. We had a very full screening and an influx of latecomers just before the film started which makes me think they might have been SFF members they allowed in after members had not turned up. But if you turn up early, you ought to be let in as they cannot reserve the whole screening just for members and they should know their respective allocations.

Beate -thanks for explaining. She said that usually they don't prioritise as when it is shown in screen 1 there is plenty of room for everyone on a first come basis but someone has obviously made an error and booked the small screen 2 for the film. But, as you said, they should have known by the allocations that this wasn't going to work and sorted something out beforehand instead of having to turn people away.

Stuartboy always comes in later and didn't see him there so don't know if he got in - I know he had tickets as I had got them for him.

[marjoreemarjora]

Yes, as Biggins said quite frustrating this morning to say the least! We managed to find out that the Guardian tickets had been issued first and one of the Cameo members had not applied for tickets as she already had Guardian tickets. surely if Guardian were first and lots of tickets were taken up they should either have moved to Cinema 1 - the large cinema - or restricted the Cameo member ticket issue. If the Cameo member tickets had priority they should have told SFF who could have told folks with their tickets of the likely problems this morning. to say that the staff were unsympathetic is an understatement.!! I got two buses there and would not have been happy if I had not got in.

terrible screen, screen 2. Detracted from the enjoyment of the film!!

Thought well done and like the others feel it was a bit like Stand By me and Whistle Down the wind. Felt Reese Witherspoon had little to do. Enjoyed the film, albeit a tad long Interesting the other story lines in the film too.

7.5/10 from me.

[abarthman]

We arrived at the Cameo, Edinburgh, at 10:45am (after our Subway breakfast) and we were very lucky to get a seat.

The Cameo were never very good at letting people in much before 11am until fairly recently, so we thought that we'd be at the front of the queue. How wrong we were. As others have said, a stream of "Picturehouse Memebers" were led by us and I think we got one of the last free pair of seats down the front. I've been to many Sunday morning SFF screenings at the Cameo and they've never done this before to my knowledge.

I thought the film was great, though. I don't normally like Matthew McConaughey and his OTT southern drawl and mannerisms, but this part could have been made for him.

8.5/10

[stuartboy]

Stuartboy always comes in later and didn't see him there so don't know if he got in - I know he had tickets as I had got them for him.

Indeed. I was there at 10.40, standing in a queue that didn't move - was 2 behind alythonian - and neither of us got in. It was pretty galling to see Picturehouse members being ushered past the queue too. Hpw stupid of them to allocate a screen that hold like 3 people and book it as if for 203 people. There were at least 40 people that didn't get in. Poor.

[chelle1973]

We were there about 10mins before you biggins and got straight in! Wasnt asked for the paper either(didnt have it anyway). Nor are we members! I did think it was awfy empty at 10.50ish and then BAM!! Two guys came in together but not enough room so one had to leave, the one that stayed behind was a rustler! There was a lot of that going on though and two were in my company GRRrrr Maybe it just annoyed me more cause of the size of the room!

The film was good and i enjoyed it but i have to admit i thought this was gonna be much better. 7/10. Ellis was brilliant though. Nick reminded me of River Phoenix in Stand By Me, he had all the best lines!

[spoiler]Matthew Mc had his shirt off ONCE! Whats that all about?? So i thought it was gonna turn out that Reese killed that guy and not Mud, and all the baddies would get shot and them two live happily ever after and that wee boys faith in love would all be restored...and that May-Pearl got a punch in the face! LOL Ahh well c'est la vie[/spoiler]

[biggins]

Stuartboy always comes in later and didn't see him there so don't know if he got in - I know he had tickets as I had got them for him.

Indeed. I was there at 10.40, standing in a queue that didn't move - was 2 behind alythonian - and neither of us got in. It was pretty galling to see Picturehouse members being ushered past the queue too. Hpw stupid of them to allocate a screen that hold like 3 people and book it as if for 203 people. There were at least 40 people that didn't get in. Poor.

I have emailed the manager with a complaint as to how it was handled. Did they give you a ticket for another day or any other compensation- a free coffee maybe?

chelle1973 you were luck to get in without any fuss - must have been a different usherette on the door when you got there as the one who spoke to us wasn't very helpful.

[Ms Thrifty]

I think it's a very valid point that even Picture House members would book Guardian tickets if those became available first, as in this case. I could have booked a member's ticket but didn't, already having the Guardian one, though in the event I had to cancel as my train company decided at short notice to use a bus replacement service (I had already checked and seen no mention of this), so I had no hope of getting to Brixton on time. Another reason I would book the SFF/Guardian ticket for preference is not having to ring a premium rate number as Picture House requires - very expedient of them.