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

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

After some problems with the initial run of the film, The Belmont is showing Tom DiCillo’s Doors documentary When You’re Strange every day this week. Narrated by some guy called Johnny Depp, it’s packed with rare archive footage including plenty of Jim Morrison being, erm, Jim Morrison.  You have been warned…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMMo3EmIfJw]

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]

It’s about time there was a proper documentary on maverick comedian Bill Hicks and, going by the reviews, British film-makers Matt Hurlock and Paul Thomas (aided by Hicks’ friends and family) have come up with something that does him justice.  Check The Belmont website for screening times.

Warning: Trailer contains sweary words. Unsurprisingly.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaUvt81gH9c]

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…

This looks great (and slightly frightening), read on, then check the trailer below…

Just how much of our personal information is floating around in government and corporate databases? Filmmaker David Bond decides to find out, by disappearing for a month and setting two of the world’s top private investigators the task of tracking him down, using only publicly available data.

Living in one of the most intrusive surveillance states in the world (yup, the UK), he decides to find out how much private companies and the government know about him by putting himself under surveillance and attempting to disappear – a decision that changes his life forever. Leaving his pregnant wife and young child behind, he is tracked across the database state on a chilling journey that forces him to contemplate the meaning of privacy – and the loss of it.

The screening will be followed by a live-by-satellite debate between David Bond (Director), Michael Nyman (who composed the music for the film), David Davis MP, Phil Booth (NO2ID) and Shami Chakrabarti (Liberty).

“A brilliant new documentary.” – Henry Porter, The Observer

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/7534492]

www.erasingdavid.com

A quick heads up about this from our friends at The Belmont.  Live comedy in a cinema.  Nice.  Here’s the blurb:

Rob Rouse: My Family… And the Dog that Scared Jesus

“Eye-wateringly hilarious” **** – The List

One of comedy’s most lively, loveable and dynamic performers, Rob Rouse (8 out of 10 Cats, The Friday Night Project) takes his trademark comedic storytelling to a career height in this critically acclaimed show.

He leads us on an irresistibly hilarious journey, not just through his life as a brand new father but more importantly as the beleaguered owner of the most spectacularly randy dog you’re EVER likely to hear about…

“Left the audience in a giggling slobbering heap” **** Edinburgh Festival Magazine

Tickets available here

The Belmont Picturehouse is delighted to team up with The Kiosque and Momentum Pictures to bring you the opportunity to win some fantastic prizes for the new film THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, which screens at The Belmont from Friday 12th March…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlF-hk3IJQE]

Based on the first instalment of Stieg Larsson’s hugely successful Millennium Trilogy, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO introduces us to a world of buried secrets, family tragedy and simmering sexual tension.  Financial reporter Mikael Blomkvist (Nyqvist) is flying high at Millennium magazine until a story about industrial magnate Hans-Erik Wennerström lands him in court with a libel charge.

Facing conviction, Blomkvist accepts an offer from Wennerström’s rival Henrik Vanger (Taube) to leave Stockholm and travel to the island of Hedestad. It was here 30 years previously that Vanger’s young niece, Harriet, went missing. In return for the journalist’s help in solving the mystery, the ageing Vanger will provide Blomkvist with all the information he needs to prove that Wennerström is involved in criminal activity.

Enter Lisbeth Salander (Rapace), a troubled but beautiful young hacker. Escaping the demons of her own past, she is drawn to Blomkvist’s case. As the pair dig deeper into the Vangers’ complex history, they will uncover a series of shocking events that will draw them inexorably together, but place them in the greatest danger they have ever known…

We have 3 sets of the novel + T-shirt to give away (pictured below). All you have to do is answer the following question:

What language was the novel originally written in?

a) English b) Swedish c) Na’vi

And email your answer to belmont@picturehouses.co.uk marked ‘Dragon Tattoo Comp‘.  Closing date for entries is Monday 15th March

Good luck!