SPACE PARTY AT THE INSTITUT FRANCAIS

GALS FROM OUTA SPACE!

                                      L'Institut - c'est formidable!

In Douglas Adams’ Hitch Hiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, they serve a drink at the Restaurant At The End Of The Universe called a “Pan Galactic Gargle-Blaster”. This exotically named cocktail came to mind last night when I attended the crazy Space Party at the beautiful Art Nouveau Institut Français in South Kensington and downed a couple of the barman's creations. As part of the Passion et Bande Dessin (that’s French for comic book) weekend, the party – which was preceded by a screening of Roger Vadim’s Barbarella – it was a little bit of Paris in Londres. 

                                                    Is this how you want me to hold it?

My record company, Harkit Records, were, along with Absolut Vodka, joint sponsors of the party.

We had just re-released the soundtrack to the aforementioned film, and it was on sale at the Institut.  At the time of the film’s initial release in 1968 at Paramount’s flagship cinema in London, the Plaza (now sadly, the way of all buildings in the UK – a Tesco supermarket), it flopped miserably. After 5 days, they shoved in Lyndsey Anderson’s “If....” which, in case you didn't know, went on to win the “Palme D’Or” at Cannes the following year.

                                          "If..." made Malcolm McDowell

In the intervening period, Barbarella has gone on to become what is known as a “Cult Classic”. God! How I hate that term, but it does serve a purpose I suppose. Watching it last night with many who had not seen in before, it looked arch and dated, with just a little too much sadism for its own good.

I had hot-footed it from synagogue in the west end following the termination of the Yom Kippur holiday, where I partook of a splendid dinner at the Institut’s terrific bistro where I got to chat with some of the gamer girls, including the organiser Natacha, who had dressed up for the party later on.

                                          Natacha - she is very strict! "If you are not on ze leest, you are not coming een!"

                                             These French gals are out of this world!

There were probably about 200 people there dancing a drinking the space-themed and vodka-based concoctions, but alas, no Gargle Blaster!  As I write this, I haven’t slept for 30 hours...