"I first came along last summer," says Sarah. "I was looking for something to do during the week, so I searched on Gumtree. I didn't know what to expect. I thought it might be really cinema-orientated, you know, full of people who knew lots more than I did, but what I found was a really laid-back, friendly group."
She's talking about the Glasgow Cinema Club, one of a number of similar societies that have been springing up across the UK in recent years. They're an opportunity for film enthusiasts to get together and discuss what they love and hate, and they also provide great social opportunities. If watching a film is an essentially lonely activity, you wouldn't know it to meet this friendly crowd. They assemble regularly on Wednesday nights and welcome new members.
"I moved to Glasgow two years ago and tried going along to various groups to get to know people," says Kelly. "I was sick of going to the cinema on my own, so when I found these guys, I was thrilled. They're my main group of friends now. Everyone comes along most weeks and we sometimes go to see the same film, sometimes different ones, then afterwards we get together and have a wee discussion."
Kerim, who is also a long-term member of the group, explains that last year they experimented with choosing films at random, with mixed results. They now tend to choose most films together, which means he gets to see films he might never see otherwise, an experience which can be interesting and enlightening even if there are a few too many chick flicks for his taste. All of those present agree that the absolute worst film they've seen is Lesbian Vampire Killers. "That was my fault," Kelly blushes. "I talked them all into going to see it. I like trashy action films so I thought it sounded fun."
Otherwise, the tastes of group members are very wide-ranging. Everybody liked Slumdog Millionaire and several attendees were surprised by their universal appreciation for the recent Star Trek film, while Kelly was surprised to enjoy WALL-E. Becky, an archaeologist who prefers to see films that aren't too highbrow, persuaded everybody to see 10,000 BC. Hannah, who works at the School of Art, is a horror fan who found that she was becoming unpopular due to borrowing other people's boyfriends to see films with - the cinema club has solved her problem.
"I was originally looking for a book club to join," Hannah explains, "but while I enjoy reading, I don't like having to read to time, so I thought I'd set up a film club. I looked around online and I was horrified to find that somebody had done it already. So I did my best to take over. I'm not into fluff myself - I like films with some meat to them, with strong storylines, and I enjoy the discussions we have, though they're quite informal. We have our resident geeks and they're useful to us non-geeks. I'd say it's about an even balance between watching films and socialising."
The club has certainly been a success socially, with one couple even setting up house together after meeting there. Besides regular meetings at Cineworld it organises birthday parties and has attended outdoor screenings in the city's George Square. There have also been walking trips, though some members are a little less enthusiastic about these than others, and there was a trip to Alien War, where marines lead visitors around an abandoned spaceship while Sigourney Weaver's famous foes stalk them. They're currently arranging a Christmas night out.
"It has got a bit harder to organise recently," says Sarah. "Cineworld keep pushing the time back later and later in the evenings. It's difficult for people who have to travel further out of the city."
Nevertheless, the group are loyal to the venue, with Kerim describing it as "like a second home". It's also practical because they can use Unlimited cards, which means seeing a bad film is less of a loss. An average night sees 12 to 15 of them in attendance, but sometimes they take up a whole row. "Usually the front row," says Emmalyn, "because we're usually going in at the last minute after talking for too long."
Kerim admits that the club doesn't work for everybody who tries it. "It's friendly, but although people will try and look out for you if they're new, they won't babysit you. There are a lot of strong opinions here and you have to be prepared to put yourself forward to get the most out of it." But all the club's members agree that they like to meet new people and would be happy for Eye For Film readers to come along. "We meet in the bar," says Becky. "I you're shy, just get a big drink and then bite the bullet and come and say hello."
If you want to know more about the Glasgow Cinema Club, you can find them on Facebook.
