Dec 7 2006 film Premiere

Film Premier, Machray clan, Mersey TV

At The Odeon in London Road last night to watch the premier of Dead Man's Cards - a new film set in Liverpool and written by former bouncer James McMartin.

http://www.britfilms.com/britishfilms/catalogue/browse/?id=5156F6660791d1935ArPi2010847

For some reason I'd got it into my head that it was being shown at FACT. I walked all the way up there (Wood St) to be faced with understandably blank looks when I asked for my tickets.

Dashed across town in a cab to reach The Odeon in time.

Dead Man's Cards stars McMartin himself as well as Full Monty and Only fools and Horses star Paul Barber. Don't be fooled by Barber's CV - this is anything but a comedy.

Set in Liverpool's gangland sub culture and centering on a 'door wars' dust-up, it is grim and gritty, the sinister mood alleviated only by the odd clascic one-liner.

Worth watching and clearly rooted in harsh reality. Just don't show it to potential tourists eyeing up 2008. As my colleague Peter Grant wondered: 'Why can't we make a fantasy film in Liverppol. For a change.'

Why can't we?

Anybody?

(But watch it for a magnificent performance as the Billy The Cowboy by the late, great Tom Bell).

The blog, bless it, has brought me into contact with far-flung family members. MY cousin Bill (whomI met once, 30 years ago) and Suzanne Machray in Australia (whom I've never met) have both been in contact after reading. Amazing thing, the internet.

Interesting tour of Lime Pictures (formerly Mesey TV) operation at Childwall yesterday afternoon with my heads of department. Mainstream TV being made right here in Liverpool by a firm that employs about 500 people. Creativity at the heart of the economy - Liverpool at its best.