WeAreQFT: Rob Moore

What five films would you take to a desert island?

The Lion King (1994)

Mulholland Drive (2001)

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

Her (2013)

What We Do In The Shadows (2014) 

What three words would you use to describe QFT?

Diverse, friendly, essential. 

What is your earliest cinema-going memory?

Drop Dead Fred! And I loved it! Absolute chaos! 

What was your favourite film of 2019?

Midsommar – a stunningly beautiful movie, I was entranced and totally unsettled from minute one – nothing else like it. But I would need to give an honourable mention to Paddleton, a movie that went under the radar with little fanfare but was such a realistic and heart-warming movie! 

What film do you dislike that everyone else loves?

The Holiday is just dreadful. I’ve never understood the hype around Braveheart either. 

What is your guilty pleasure film?

School of Rock – Jack Black at his finest, some incredibly catchy songs, a lot of talented kids and it spawned an amazing West End Show. One of those movies where if it happens to be on I’m hooked and sticking with it until the end. I’m also a teacher so Dewey Finn is an inspiration. 

What film would you be confident in recommending to a stranger?

Moon – not many movies focus almost entirely on one character (like Castaway) but Sam Rockwell is just incredible in this. It keeps you guessing with a great twist at the end. 

What is your favourite film soundtrack?

Vanilla Sky – REM, Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan. Fantastic. 

Which fictional film character would you love to meet and why?

David Drayton from The Mist – one of the most harrowing endings to a movie. I would love to meet him and tell him to hold off on any rash decisions just for another 2 minutes – trust me. 

What is the best thing about going to the cinema?

It’s too easy at home to make a movie “background” noise – while ironing, doing paperwork, checking social media, chatting etc. But the cinema is escapism. No distractions. 

Do you have a special place in a cinema screen where you always sit? If so, where is it?

Up until a few years ago I would have said sitting at the iconic Twin Peaks table in the QFT having a coffee an hour or so before the movie starts. The refurb is great but I miss that table. In the screen itself I love being front and centre. As my good friend Ben said in one of the earlier #WeAreQFT interviews, we sat there during Her and it’s kind of tradition to make a beeline for those seats when we can. 

If you could time travel to any decade in film history which one would you choose and why?

The 80s – just for the sheer number of incredible Horror movies released at the time: The Evil Dead, The Shining, The Thing, The Fly, Gremlins, The Fog, Day of the Dead, and Child’s Play. Just an incredible era for Horror. 

Who is your favourite film villain?

The Pale Man in Pan’s Labyrinth. Terrifying! 

If forced, what one thing would you change about your favourite film?

Mulholland Drive is the greatest movie of all time but there are still some things that I am unsure about, so if I could watch a version with David Lynch providing a Directors Commentary explaining his thought processes that would be incredible. 

Who would play you in a film of your life?

I got my girlfriend to answer this. “Kurt Russell because he is honourable, handsome, charming and still has a full head of hair”. I’ll take that despite the 30+ year age gap! Haha!