With grey skies, low temperatures and ever-present rain comprising the key features of our lovely non-summer, it may seem unwise to choose to see a film anywhere lacking the protection of a roof and four walls. You certainly could choose to stay inside the confines your local multiplex, but then you'd miss out on the return of Film4's fabulous Summer Screen tradition at Somerset House.
For ten nights from 2 August until 11 August, Somerset House will again play host to a wide-ranging selection of films, each presented on a massive screen in surround-sound. Tickets are selling fast, with several of the features already sold out online, though according to their web site, "a limited number of tickets are available for in-person purchase only, on site at Somerset House, from the Courtauld Gallery Shop". Even if you've missed out on securing tickets for "Rear Window" or "E.T.", at the time of writing there was still availability for some of our favourite movies of all time, including "Rushmore", "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" and "2001: A Space Odyssey". Act quickly though or you'll have to settle for seeing HAL 9000 less-impressively lose his digital mind at home on DVD.
The full schedule follows:
Thursday 2 August - Knocked Up
Friday 3 August - The Descent / The Thing (double bill)
Saturday 4 August - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Sunday 5 August - Rushmore
Monday 6 August - Rear Window
Tuesday 7 August - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Wednesday 8 August - Walk the Line
Thursday 9 August - Chak de India (India Now Premiere)
Friday 10 August - Hot Fuzz / Point Break (double bill)
Saturday 11 August - 2001: A Space Odyssey
Film4 Summer Screen 2007 at Somerset House. All tickets £12.50 except Friday double bills which are £15. All bookings carry a £1.75 transaction fee (per booking, not per ticket) and can be made here. Rugs will be available for purchase for £10 or you can just bring your own (or you can just be a rebel and go rugless). Doors 18.30, DJs from 19.30, film 21.15.
Image taken from Swiv's Flickr photostream.
