picked up blockbuster sci-fi video in fave charity shop – normal price £1 … got to checkout £1.50. All other videos £1. Scrabbling through pockets for extra 50p – didn’t have it. ‘Sorry i dont have enough’ – the lady says she will give me it for a £1. But she wants to change the £1.50 label in case I bring it back. Dont bother I say, I wont. Get it home – the tape is broken – unplayable. Get my screwdriver out and dismantle my first video tape. A bit like a cassette except larger. Splice the end back in, reassemble (one part left over, like all good mechanics). It looks good. Stick it in the machine. Error 2. Try all controls. Error 2. Eject. Error 2. Bugger. Turn power off, press all controls at same time on start – yes – out it comes. Video recorder still working, tape in bin …

Saw three exhibitions yesterday. Neeta Madahar & Joanna Quinn, and David Moore at Impressions.

Neeta Madahar was quality stuff … my personal favourites her falling seed pods and her photograms – images made without film straight onto paper.

Joanna Quinns animations and drawings – some funny stuff – that woman has a pretty warped mind – will have to go back to watch all the animations sometime.

David Moore’s exhibition ‘The last things’ – photographs taken within a secure ’secret crisis centre’ for when the world implodes … wasn’t too sure about these. He is known for photographing ’secret’ places – maybe it was that we have seen similar places in films and also older facilities that are open to the public – I went round one near Brentwood. They were good photos, but didn’t seem to be too novel if that was the intention.

Despite Dans Paris having as one of its main characters, one of those romancing ultra cool chick pulling French men that British guys loathe, this was a great film – simple in concept about a man at the end of his relationship and how he returns to his family home in depression, his family having different methods for breaking his mood.

in search of a cup and ring…

Torremolinos 73 … well funny

Errance. A film of the relationship between a war vet father, his wife and their son. The man a drinker & crook, who says he will reform but lapses once again. The woman taking him back, each time believing he will change.