#WeAreQFT: Stephen Hutchinson
25 March 2020
Former QFT volunteer Stephen Hutchinson talks us through his cinema experience in this edition of #WeAreQFT. He tells us why the Austin Powers series is his guilty pleasure, why he liked The Irishman more the first time he saw it and what films he would love to see when QFT reopens.
You are stuck at home and your favourite cinema is closed. What five films do you watch?
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Zodiac (2007)
Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
Batman Begins (2005)
Return to Oz (1985)
What three words would you use to describe QFT?
Valued, necessary, fun.
What is your earliest cinema-going memory?
I think it was probably A Bug’s Life (1998), which is better than Antz (1998) IMO.
What film do you dislike that everyone else loves?
Rocketman (2019) was a better film than Bohemian Rhapsody (2018).
What is your guilty pleasure film?
Any of the Austin Powers (1997-2002) films. They still make me laugh and are extremely quotable!
What is your favourite film soundtrack?
I think Joe Hisaishi did a fantastic job on Howl’s Moving Castle (2004).
What is the best thing about going to the cinema?
Switching off and getting lost into the story for a couple of hours. At home, distractions can creep in with the ability to pause and start again. When you’re in the cinema that can’t really happen.
Do you have a special place in the cinema where you always sit?
You can’t beat an aisle seat.
Who is your favourite film villain?
The Wheelers from Return to Oz (1985) are pretty scary – especially when you’re a child!
Have you ever changed your opinion on a film?
I liked The Irishman (2019) a lot more when I first saw it. It’s still a great film with an amazing performance by Al Pacino, but it’s needlessly long - there’s a lot of stuff, particularly towards the end, which could be taken out. Also, the CGI is a bit ropey at times and isn’t a patch on those Michael Douglas scenes in the Ant-Man films.
What is your favourite movie quote?
"Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!" - Planet of the Apes (1968).
What film would you love to see at QFT when it reopens?
A screening of either Rear Window (1954) or Whiplash (2014) would be on my list.
