Stillwell

Allow me to introduce you to Cornelius Stillwell……

The dust had settled on everything but the film cases and displays. The streaked and uncleaned windows of the store hid the pristine collection of classic movies, displayed on shelves around the edge of the interior, with tiered cabinets and racks across the shop floor. The lighting was deliberately dim, to ensure that the view from outside said “old and tired, do not enter”.

This was an emporium created by a film connoisseur, not willing to be troubled by demands for the latest comic book franchise release, or lazy sequel. Those who came to the library were the knowledgeable and the geeky; the dedicated movie buff, seeking out the more obscure, the cult works, the revered and the quirky.

If you should venture into the store by chance or mistake, Stillwell would be waiting to investigate your movie credentials and you had better hope that you could pass his stringent tests….

Every couple of weeks a Manager’s Selection was chosen by the discerning proprietor. To peruse the shops array of titles, you needed to unknowingly prove your film knowledge in discussion with the slightly sinister Stillwell..

The current recommendation is the gritty British gangster film and Michael Caine vehicle, ‘Get Carter’. Stillwell had put up some original posters and a cut out of Caine holding a shotgun menacingly, dressed in his black raincoat. It was what drew the eye as you entered the premises.

“It almost disappeared after release in 1972, acquiring cult status. At the time it was not really considered to be a very nice film. But times change and modern audiences are perhaps more understanding of corruption, with officials letting everyone down and greed spread across the whole of society”, a brief commentary delivered by Stillwell, as he watched the new customer study his Manager’s display.

“I’ve never seen it; is it any good?” the obnoxiously dressed youngster grunted in reply as he looked up.

“It is one of the greatest British gangster movies ever made. It is cold, stark, real, with bitter violence, subtle wit and a seminal performance by Caine as Carter”, Stillwell informed this young upstart.

“I don’t like Michael Caine; all his stuff is the same. Have you got the latest Spiderman?”, the callow youth dismissed Stillwell’s choice.

“No! Get Carter is a revenge tragedy, with a style all of its own, played out in the grim reality of the early 1970’s and the faded and dilapidated city of Newcastle”, there was an edge now to the tone of his voice, that the spotty teenager had failed to pick up on.

“What about Gladiator Two?”

“I only stock one sequel and that is The Godfather Part Two, other than that, I don’t bother”, Stillwell was reaching under his desk.

“Mate, you don’t seem to stock anything decent or what I want!” the ambivalent teen stared back at the cold face of the proprietor, challenging him.

“Try this..” for a mature man Stillwell moved swiftly, driving the cold steel of the stiletto blade through the neck of this offensive customer, blood immediately spurting from the wound in his throat.

The young victim’s hands reached up as he stood wide eyed for a second or two. There was a look of incredulity etched on his face as the blood drained away and he crashed backwards on to the fresh linoleum flooring between the film’s racks….

“You’re a big man, but you’re in bad shape. With me it’s a full time job,” Stillwell sneered.

Read about another dissatisfied customer next time…..