Update 10/2/12: Darth Elvis’ performance at Vue has been cancelled.  Something to do with a projector. Oh well, at least you won’t have to sit through the film.  The Fudge Awards still go ahead…

Hello younglings.

The Phantom Menace was rubbish wasn’t it?   Still hasn’t stopped George Lucas and his tinkering ways though;  it’s just been released in 3D.  Now, I know some of you are going to go and see it.  Don’t lie.  You are. So, the 8.45 screening at Vue on Friday is the one to go for, as Aberdeen’s top Star Wars-themed Elvis impersonator band Darth Elvis & The Imperials will be playing a set from 8pm before the film, and Darth Elvis are great.

Said band also play the city’s own version of the Mos Eisley Cantina on Saturday as The Moorings hosts the annual drunken debauchery-fest that is the Fudge Music Awards.  Absoultist and Bison also play live, alongside the usual cider and Jägermeister-fuelled acceptance speeches.  Get down early as it’s always busy, and may the force be with you;  you’ll need it…

Darth Elvis. Photo: Matt Jolly

Founder member and former bassist of punk legends Siouxsie and The Banshees Steven Severin has moved into the world of film scoring since the band’s final tour in 2002, and this Saturday he’ll be performing a new electronica-based soundtrack to accompany 1932 German film Vampyr  (I’m sure you can guess the subject matter) at Peacock Visual Arts.

Looking at the other dates on the tour, which are in much larger cinemas and galleries, this should be rather cool indeed given the intimate surroundings at Peacock.  It’ll also be about as far removed from the world of Twilight as is possible, which is a bonus…

No, not the “black gold” we hear so much about round these parts, the other one:

“As westerners revel in designer lattes and cappuccinos, impoverished Ethiopian coffee growers suffer the bitter taste of injustice.”

The University’s Centre for Sustainable International Development kick-off a new series of African films with a screening of Nick and Marc Francis’ 2006 documentary Black Gold.  An “eye-opening exposé of a multi-billion dollar industry”, the film tells the story of Tadesse Meskela and his struggle to keep 74,000 Ethiopian coffee farmers from western exploitation.  After its release, the film provoked the likes of Starbucks to respond…

Another quick reminder.  This is tonight. Director Mark Cousins is in town and will be taking part in a Q&A after a screening of his latest film ‘The First Movie’. More info here

Very quick note to let you all know that Oxjam continues tonight with a film and music night at the Arts Centre.  Fiona Soe Paing will be playing her particular brand of electronica  live, we’ve featured her before and she’s very good indeed. Here’s the facebook event page for the, erm, event.

To say this guy knows cinema is a huge understatement. Details and booking info here.

This has to be film of the week doesn’t it?  Good old Serge…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMLn1zt0brA]

A welcome 50th anniversary big screen re-release for Jean Luc Godard’s new-wave classic.  All together now, “New York Herald Tribune.”  Superb(e).

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCDEAu4R8hA]

Romana Schmalisch presents a lecture/screening using a reconstruction of a film prop from Alexander Medvedkin’s film “The New Moscow” (1938).

The performance reflects on change in urban space using a film archive developed for the machine and has previously been shown in Zurich, Moscow, Rome, Bucharest, Kaliningrad, Vilnius, Kaunas, Warsaw, Berlin, Kiev, London, Paris and Yerevan. Looks cool:

Mobile Cinema

The University of Aberdeen’s Word Festival celebrates its 10th edition this year. Having grown from somewhat humble beginnings into one of the most important literary events in the country, there’s a wide range of events taking place as usual, check out the full programme on the Word website.  Here are some picks from us (tickets still available through the Word site for all of these at time of writing):

Friday: Local journalist and historian Jack Webster (who knows this city as well as anyone), award-winning Spanish novelist and biographer of Kurt Cobain & Courtney Love Lucía Etxebarría and a very promising-looking clubnight from über-cool publishing house Canongate Books at The Lemon Tree.

Saturday: War correspondent-turned independent MP Martin Bell and novelist Pauline McLynn (AKA Mrs Doyle in Father Ted who’s also hosting a screening of Angela’s Ashes at The Belmont later in the day)

Sunday: Scottish Opera’s innovative Five:15 programme of short, Scottish-made operas continues after its world premiere on Saturday, the Sunday Herald Political Debate (should be particularly lively after recent events) and author of The Damned United David Peace.

Of course, you can always just head down to the uni and soak up the festival vibe in the cafes and bookshop tent where the air will be filled with the gentle hum of urbane sophistication…until we get there, obviously…