Way back in the day, the first ever double B-sided 7" single was released and one of the tracks was called I Married A Cult Figure From Salford, based on John Cooper Clarke, and written by Mike Rowe and Steve Hopkins. It was picked up by John Peel and after a few Radio 1 plays hit top 10 in the legendary NME indie charts.
Now, a million years later, Cathy la Crème has made a new short film starring Tam Hinton and Rachel Priest, based on the song, which is premiering at the Salford Film Festival this Sunday, as part of a retrospective of John Crumpton's work in film, video and sound.
The other track on the double B side was Tea Machine Dub, the soundtrack of a unique film called The Tea Machine, a 20 minute drama written by Mike Rowe and based on a real life incident at the case making factory where Mike worked. It was filmed at the factory and premiered in its canteen exactly thirty years ago.
The movie is set on centres on a tea machine at the factory, after a mechanic arrives to adjust the machine to take account of a price rise. This proves to be the last straw for one of the workers, Angry, who launches into a tirade on prices and wages. There's a call for a boycott of the tea machine and all hell is let loose on the shop floor.
"Mike was a case-maker by day and a writer by night" John Crumpton recalls "We developed the script and got funding, about £3,000 if I remember correctly from North West Arts Film Panel to make it."
"We filmed in the factory over one weekend and got the majority of the script shot" he adds "There was something so right about the piece and it was perfectly of its time."
And maybe it's now becoming relevant again? The film came out of the community centred Film and Video Workshop, an extraordinary project at the time when video cameras were massive and ultra expensive. It also stars Ernie Dalton, of the infamous socialist North West Spanner Theatre Company.
Also being shown on Sunday, as part of John Crumpton's retrospective is footage of St George's School kids on the victorious march to save the school Salford Council was intent on closing, and a documentary on the Working Class Movement Library, narrated by Christopher Eccleston.
There'll be screenings of other work including One More Chance, Heave Too, and Out the Window. Over the years, John's work has been varied and vociferous. Here's the chance to see it all in one go…
The Tea Machine, I Married A Cult Figure From Salford, and more…
SALFORD ARTS THEATRE
Sunday 14th November 6-8pm Free
Book tickets online via the Salford Film Festival website www.salfordfilmfestival.org.uk or click here
Sunday's screenings at the Salford Arts Theatre begin at noon and continue until around 9pm. Here's the line up…
12noon: Clapperboard Films
1:15pm First Light Film
2pm: New Mornings Old Streets
2:30pm The Candidate
3pm: SCMP/CRIS Films
6pm The Tea Machine and other Restoratives (see above)
8pm Yoof Projekt
For more details on all these films see www.salfordfilmfestival.org.uk
Photos by Suzi Hoffman
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