In preparation for the festive season Studio Exec asked resident flaneur and genius Sir Edwin Fluffer for his top ten Xmas movies. This is part 3 of his selection:
6 Gremlins
Lovely Harry Carey Jr. rang me a few years back to say that he had a part in a new picture they were shooting called Gremlins. I visited him on the set and can’t say I fully understood what was going on, but everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun.
When I arrived they were setting up a shot using a stair lift much like I have at home. The actress who’d be sat in it still hadn’t been called, and I was pleased as punch to be asked to stand in for her! I got into costume and took my position, but then the machine malfunctioned and I was propelled up the stairs at break neck speed! I was travelling so fast that I couldn’t stop and was flung off the end and straight out of a window!
I don’t think I’ve laughed so much in all my life! The director loved it and kept the whole scene in the final cut. He even let me have the dress, which comes in useful whenever dear Mickey Rooney is having one of his parties.
7 Home Alone
The first time I saw this picture I didn’t like it at all, but that’s because I went into the wrong screening and ended up sitting through The Godfather Part 3. The second time I saw it I thought the popcorn was a little overpriced. I believe I paid a dollar for my carton (bear in mind that this was 1990!) and so I expected a dollar’s worth of popcorn. I can’t remember exactly what happened next, but a photograph did appear in the LA Times the next day of yours truly lying on the sidewalk outside the theatre with paramedics in attendance.
I reached an out of court settlement with the staff at the movie theatre and to this day we’re still the best of friends.
In fact I think I may be right in saying that the deputy manager married one of my daughters, but don’t quote me on that. In the end I saw Home Alonemany years later when it was shown on television. It was very funny, but I didn’t like the adverts.