The Interviews. Part 1: Vincent M Gaine

Welcome to a new Movies Coffee Running feature! I thought I'd reach out to fellow running and movie fans to find out what they love. Are they a horror fan, do they prefer comedy, favourite film? 5km or marathon etc! Plus lots more.

First up, is Vincent M. Gaine.

First of all, tell me a bit about yourself?

I am Vincent M. Gaine, Lecturer in Media at Lancaster University, 44 at the time of writing. I am a film fanatic and typically watch two or three films a week. I started running a little some time ago, but I started seriously during the pandemic.

Let's start with films.

Tell me about your relationship with films?

Film is and has been the most important art form to me for over two decades. Since I was in my mid-teens, film has given me joy, delight, sadness, frustration, anger, awe, transcendence, and occasional boredom. I completed a PhD in film studies and have published a book as well as multiple articles, book chapters and reviews on film.

Do you have a favourite film? Why is it your favourite?

My favourite film is Heat (1995), directed by Michael Mann and starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Diane Venora, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, Jon Voight and the late great Tom Sizemore. Heat changed my life because seeing it showed me what film can be, the synchronisation of multiple visual, audio, thematic, political, philosophical elements and more. The film stands as a crystalline assembly of the cinematic form, every element harmonised within a sweeping contemporary existential tragedy of commitment and contingency. And every time I watch it, I find something new. For more details, see my book, Existentialism and Social Engagement in the Films of Michael Mann, my blog Vincent's Views, as well as my appearance on the podcast My Favourite Film. :-)

What film have you seen the most and why?

I'm honestly not sure. Since I have analysed and written about various films, I have watched these films repeatedly while dissecting them. So I'll identify the film I have seen the most in the cinema - The Dark Knight (2008). I saw this twice on its original release in 2008, and at multiple re-releases since, including an all nighter of The Dark Knight Trilogy at the London IMAX. Christopher Nolan's bold, dramatic and compelling take on Batman never fails to inspire awe and wonder.

Do you have a preferred genre?

Not really. I enjoy thriller, comedy, horror, science fiction, crime, action, superhero, period, romance, biopic, documentary, musical. If there is one genre that perhaps resonates with me more than any other, it would probably be thriller, as that is the genre that will most likely tick all my boxes. That said, a great many films from genres do the same.

Are you at home viewer or a cinema goer?

Both. Seeing a film in the cinema is one of the best experiences I know, although people who play on their phones or talk in the cinema can ruin it for others and should JUST STAY AT HOME! That said, I watch a lot of films at home as well, not least because many are released directly to streaming.

Moving onto running!

What is your relationship with running?

In my mid thirties, I thought it would be wise to get fitter so I tried running alongside going to a gym fairly regularly. During the pandemic, I made a more concerted effort. This started with the Couch to 5K challenge which I completed OK. Now I consistently run 5K a few times every week, with the aim to get my time down. Ironically, it took a global pandemic and multiple lockdowns to get into the best physical shape I have ever been in! The challenge is to keep this going alongside work and other life pursuits. So far, so good.

Do you take part in races?

No. Running is a personal thing, a time to myself, so I don't think I would enjoy running among others. And I certainly don't want the frustration that I would get from people passing me!

Has your love of running and movies ever collided?

Complemented rather than collided. I will typically on a weekend watch a movie with breakfast then go for a run. And while running, I listen to podcasts where people talk about movies. :-)

Favourite running event/experience?

The first time I did a 5K run on Lancaster University campus. It's a beautiful space to run through, it was a lovely day, and it brought home to me that I had properly arrived at this important new chapter in my life.

Do you have any favourite events you've been to related to films? (talks/comic cons/meet and greets/previews etc).

This might seem to contradict what I said about my favourite genre, but I love going to FrightFest, an annual horror film festival that takes place in London in August. I have been several times and hugely enjoy the films as well as the talks from people in the industry. But the best thing about FrightFest are the people. The horror community is enormously warm and welcoming, and my time at FrightFest has let me feel I have found my tribe. Plus this tribe led to me having my own podcast, Invasion of the Pody People

Fright Fest Website