A Star is Born
The beauty of Scotland is that you can leave the big smoke – either Edinburgh or Glasgow and within 30 minutes be in isolated, beautiful, open and rugged country. Having said that, when you live in Argyll, everything can appear a bit remote. Simple things like shopping in the large stores or eating out or attending the movies seem a major expedition. But then last week we discovered the Screen Machine!
The Screen machine is a mobile cinema. We were wary of what we had booked when we travelled to Lochgilphead to view Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper in a Star is Born. We did not now what the movie experience was going to be – should we take sweets, coffee, will there be ice cream available? Or will it be a van with audience crammed in?
Well – how wrong were our perceptions – the Screen Machine is large articulated trailer that converts into a cinema. I was just like going to the movies – comfortable seats – over 100 watching and the sound was fantastic. We immediately realised that it was bring your own refreshments and snacks. Alas we were the only ones that had not brought their ‘carry oot’. Next time Sue said, ‘I am bringing a miniature of Prosecco and a straw’!
But the Screen machine has advantages – there was no Pearl & Dean (pa papa pappapap!) adverts for half an hour and no trailers of movies which tell you the story and convince your why you won’t be going to watch them. Instead there was a ten-minute film of pictures of where the Screen Machine has gone previously from Ullapool to Skye, Orkney to Lochgilphead. It filled us with pride that this service brings the best in entertainment to the most isolated of communities in Scotland.
Then at eight on the dot the film started. The movie was fabulous, and we were watching it in a truck! But we were lost in the story of a star who discovers a talent and helps her start her career and the subsequent breakup of their relationship. I would recommend the movie but, in our eyes, the real Star that was born – was the Screen Machine!
So do not worry that you will miss out on the movies when you visit Powdermills Bed and Breakfast in Argyll – you will always have the Screen Machine.
https://www.warnerbros.co.uk/movies/a-star-is-born