Covid Rules and Collective Punishments
I went along to Glasgow's Everyman cinema when my 14-day quarantine period ended the other week to watch the 30th anniversary showing of Cinema Paradiso.
I had a great evening and cinema goers were able to order a wide range of food and snacks to their socially distanced tables, but were forbidden by our power-mad politicians from enjoying a glass of wine or some other alcoholic drink.
I have to say I find their attitude rather disturbing and while I agree about the importance of tackling drunkenness and behaviour I fails to see how this applies to somewhere like the Everyman cinema - which has been forced to shut, by the way, because of the latest Covid restrictions.
The same thing applies in restaurants and bars - instead of tackling the unspoken problem of drunken behaviour politicians take the easy way out and impose a blanket ban.
Movie Greats - Cinema Paradiso (29/10/20)
I'm off to see the 30th edition of Cinema Paradiso later today which I am looking forward to immensely.
Cinema Paradiso (05/04/20)
Ennio Morricone's soundtrack is just one of the reasons 'Cinema Paradiso' is such a great movie.
If you've never seen the film, do yourself a favour and watch it during the Coronavirus lockdown.
Cinema Paradiso (03/05/15)
The Herald reported the other day that Giuseppe Tornatore, who directed one of my favourite movies Cinema Paradiso, is shooting a new film called La Corrispondenza The Correspondence) and is using the streets of Edinburgh as a backdrop.
I look forward to seeing this new offering and if it proves to be even half as good as Cinema Paradiso, then we're all in for a real treat.
In the meantime, here's a post from the blog site archive on the subject of religion and censorship.
One of the chapters describes the influence of the Catholic Church under General Franco - and its role as 'official censor' on matters of sexual propriety.
The following extract sounds like something out of Cinema Paradiso or Father Ted:
"Sometimes, after one of those 'gravely dangerous' films had slipped through the net, parish priests would take it on themselves to put up a notice in the foyer of the local cinema which said: 'Those who watch today's programme are committing mortal sin'. One bishop, outraged by the authorisation of a film to which he objected, went so far as to arrange for groups of pious ladies from Accion Catolica to wait at the entrance of the cinema. Whenever someone approached the box office, the leader would cry out: 'Say an Our Father for the soul of this sinner!' and the others would fall to their knees in prayer. It cut down the audiences no end."
I bet it did.
And in their very different ways - the storytellers from Cinema Paradiso and Father Ted have helped put the gas of the censors at a peep.
Tyrants can cope with most things - but ridicule and laughter is their Achilles Heel.
Down with this sort of thing! (10/07/11)
I'm reading a new book at the moment - The New Spaniards by John Hooper.
One of the chapters describes the influence of the Catholic Church under General Franco - and its role as 'official censor' on matters of sexual propriety.
The following extract sounds like something out of Cinema Paradiso or Father Ted:
"Sometimes, after one of those 'gravely dangerous' films had slipped through the net, parish priests would take it on themselves to put up a notice in the foyer of the local cinema which said: 'Those who watch today's programme are committing mortal sin'. One bishop, outraged by the authorisation of a film to which he objected, went so far as to arrange for groups of pious ladies from Accion Catolica to wait at the entrance of the cinema. Whenever someone approached the box office, the leader would cry out: 'Say an Our Father for the soul of this sinner!' and the others would fall to their knees in prayer. It cut down the audiences no end."
I bet it did.
And in their very different ways - the storytellers from Cinema Paradiso and Father Ted have helped put the gas of the censors at a peep.
Tyrants can cope with most things - but ridicule and laughter is their Achilles Heel.
Glasgow's Hospitality Heroes - Bar 91 (10/11/20)
I was in Glasgow's Bar 91 the other day - a well-known, well-run hostelry on Candleriggs in the heart of Glasgow's Merchant City.
As ever the service was friendly and first class, but like most bars and restaurants Bar 91 is struggling because of the ScotGov restrictions on opening hours and the ban on selling alcohol.
A limited food menu is still available yet our power mad politicians decree that customers cannot enjoy a glass of wine or drink with their meal - and have to be bundled out the door by 6pm.
Now this is crazy if you ask me, because Bar 91 observes all the Covid safety rules:
- all tables are socially distanced
- mask wearing inside is strictly enforced - by both customers and staff
- the public areas are all cleaned scrupulously as customers come and go
- customers have to provide their contact details
- customers can have a table for two hours maximum
- customers are required to sanitise their hands on entry
- the bar/restaurant is run and managed responsibly - drunks or drunken behaviour have never been allowed
Now I bow to no one in taking Covid safety rules seriously - I am careful and cautious at all times (Hands/Face/Space), but in truth the ban on alcohol amounts to nothing more than a collective punishment.
Seems to me that Scotland's politicians are too cowardly to have an honest discussion about drunkenness and instead take the easy way out by treating everyone as though they can't be trusted - including responsible restaurant and bar owners.
Bar 91 can be found at 91 Candleriggs, Glasgow, G1 1NP - Phone number 0141 552 5211 - Email info@bar91.co.uk
Food Champs vs Food Chumps ((28/10/20)
Before this latest lockdown malarkey I enjoyed a great Burger and Halloumi fries at The Meat Bar in Glasgow's West Regent Street.
We were met at this door of this American style diner where our temperatures were checked before being shown to our socially distanced table.
The staff wore face coverings at all times and customers were required to do so as well, if they moved away from their tables to visit the rest rooms, for example.
Everything was scrupulously clean and we enjoyed a really nice bottle of Spanish red wine with our meal - everyone was being extra careful and courteous, as you'd expect, and no one was remotely drunk or badly behaved.
The Meat Bar offers a wide range of burgers, sandwiches
steaks, salads, small plates and side dishes - and I plan to return when the government's scapegoating of restaurants is over.
Because you can't tell me its safer for people to spend as long as they like in a Costa Coffee or Starbucks, yet they can't go for a meal and enjoy a glass of wine in a city centre restaurant.
The Meat Bar
142 West Regent Street
Glasgow, G2 2RQ
0141 204 3605
