The Lego Movie premiere: a chat with VIPs on the red carpet

11^th February 2014

11 February 2014

The atmosphere at the VIP screening of The Lego Movie in Leicester Square was that of a primary-coloured explosion of glee. The children were quite literally squealing with anticipation, while the adults had something of a mischievous glint in the eye.

And this is just it – the allure of Lego – it sets children and adults alike glowing with a joyful anticipation that only brick by colourful, gleaming brick can evoke. Guest Bill Bailey agreed, picking out Lego as unique among the millions of toys on the market for being “consistent through the ages”.

This sparked thoughts about whether reinventing Lego onscreen would dampen the simple charm of long, golden-fringed Lego-building afternoons in the living room. Will people be satisfied with this simplicity or will digital commodities take over?

This fear was firmly quashed with the enthusiasm that many guests had for Star Wars Lego. Politician Tom Watson, for one, was fizzing with pride over the giant Star Wars spaceship that he and his sons were working on. Seemingly, any developments to the LEGO® brand, of 2 or 3D form, only adds fuel to the whole Lego craze.

Furthermore, an animated discussion between Watson and his sons over the exact number of parts in their spaceship (3000 and something, and they were on bag four) touchingly exemplified just how much Lego can still play a part in quality family time. The Lego Movie merely brings to life that which is carefully and lovingly laboured over at home.

TV presenter Kate Garraway, however, is not one for 3000 piece trophies. No matter how proudly she commented on her children’s innovative designs (a white rabbit was the star pick), she maintains that “Lego is all about the taking apart and rebuilding”. As a “new build” of Lego, The Lego Movie should be just up her street.

Katie Price also took along her three eldest children, Harvey, Junior and Princess, battling bulbs with the feverish excitement of the children, while Justin Lee Collins and his three sons were all blonde curls and smiles, with an air of just pure excitement to be there. Fun fact: Collins’ favourite colour of Lego is red.

In one flash-bulbed cranny, Britain’s Next Top Model winner Mecia Simson was beaming away in a fiercely structured Lego dress. Near on hand was the dress designer, Anne-Sophie Cochevelou, herself covered in bricks and perfectly positioned to flaunt her new range of Lego-inspired fashion. CITV presenter Luke Franks was a lovable image of harmony, voicing interest in a Star Wars themed Lego fashion line in order to fulfill his childhood nickname: Luke Skywalker.

There was some talk of the good that animated films can do for society; for instance the film these people were all about to see included the characters of Abraham Lincoln and Shakespeare, as well as Batman and Superman. But it was the love of Lego that was bubbling from every corner. If there’s one thing to be taken from the mood at this screening, it’s that there is always room for innovation in the world of Lego.

Alex Finch
Photos: Krish Nagari

The Lego Movie is released nationwide on 14^th February 2014.