Supposedly, half-way through a screening of Rivette's Celine and Julie Go Boating (1974), Pauline Kael got up, announced "I'm going to the movies," and left.

Supposedly, half-way through a screening of Bergman's Autumn Sonata (1978), Alfred Hitchcock got up, announced "I'm going to the movies," and left.

If I had to guess, I'd say the Kael incident really happened and was later misattributed to Hitchcock, but there's no way to know for sure.

In 2010 I joined Twitter, rapidly ascertained that it wasn't for me, and then quit. However, last week I rejoined. This is because I am very close to handing in my lengthy fourth novel, meaning that 1. I will soon have all the time in the world to waste and 2. I want to give that novel the best possible chances in life when it comes out next autumn. Hence, a new account. So feel free to follow me (a phrase I can only use with the greatest ambivalence) at @nedbeauman.