Power is a State of Mind: For the Love of SciFi 2018

On arriving at Bowlers Manchester it emerged that one of the three booked actors from the iconic 80s movie Predator, had to cancel. Bill Duke (Mack) couldn't make it, but Jesse Ventura (Blain) and Carl Weathers (Dillon) were ready for the photoshoot. It was planned for later in the afternoon, so when I bumped into my mate Paddy we had plenty of time to wander the stalls and set builds.

Last weekend we dropped into Bowlers Exhibition Centre for For the Love of Sci Fi, a huge science fiction convention with immense film sculptures and props, and headlining movie and TV stars from past and present. Typically, I forgot to go to a cash machine, the nearest one being miles away. But I could buy tokens on card and exchange them for signings and photos. I planned to look around and make a few purchasing decisions. I then forgot this, and didn't go back for them.

Standard.

We found the stage where the interviews were taking place- Ventura and Weathers were discussing the Predator shoot in 1987, and taking questions from the audience.

“If Bill could have been here,” said Ventura, the only white man of the three actors booked, “we could have been an Oreo cookie.”

We had a wander into a side room, where traders were selling comics, toys and other SF paraphernalia. There was plenty on offer, but traders were complaining that, due to lack of signage, they'd had bad sales.

I tried to get some shots of the Stranger Things cast (Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin, who play Dustin and Lucas) uniting with the ET cast (Henry Thomas - Elliott, Dee Wallace – Mary, and Robert MacNaughton - Michael) in a forest-themed photo set, but the stewards were on it like hawks. They want you to pay for the professional photos, so fly-by camera shots are discouraged.

Sly shot of the ET cast

ET Cast

Here's Paul Blake, AKA Greedo from Star Wars. We both thought Scarface lifted from his 'I don't have it right here' scene, when they go to the flat to do the drug deal. Turns out his son, also called Paul, is a Paralympic athlete.

A stall or so down we find Mike Quinn, who played Nein Nunb in Star Wars. He was Lando Calrissian's copilot. Great bloke.

Paddy and I got talking to Nick Maley, affectionately known as 'The Yoda Guy.' Nick, special effects puppeteer, has worked on over 50 films including Superman and Highlander, but is best known for controlling the Yoda puppet in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

He described making a second Yoda model some decades later. “I found the original sculpt in order to make a new model. You can be fluid the first time, but the second time you've got something to work to. (George) Lucas only handed over the outside of the mould, so there was no puppetry. I gave Yoda a lip extension. When I took it out of the mould it didn't look the same. I eventually tracked 6 lip moulds.”

A cool guy. Hope to bump into him again.

Later, we find him in the main hall 'conducting' the Piccadilly Symphony Orchestra, with Yoda on his arm.

Amazing to hear the themes to some favourite films being blasted out perfectly, right in front of me.

When Paddy and I grabbed some food in the canteen we realise we're sat a table or so down from Ray Parker Jr, of the Ghostbusters theme fame. Bustin' may make him feel good, but I didn't feel so good when he busted me selfie-bombing him.

One criticism I think all the males shared: the toilets needed an attendant. They quickly got out of hand.

At the other end of the enjoyment scale, the pièce de résistance: The photoshoot with Weathers and Ventura. On set is one of a number of Predators attending the event, tall people who dress up as the movie franchise's intergalactic hunters. A quick handshake with the two stars, a snap, and we're done. £67 for 10 seconds with 2 legends. And worth it.