Black Fuji, a mountainous landfill where people have been burying garbage, old refrigerators, and dead (or not so dead) relatives for years, has started producing zombies from its depths. Lots of zombies: enough to destroy Tokyo.
What do the locals decide to do? Use them for ju-jitsu practice!
The plot is a straightforward ju-jitsu/zombie/apocalypse film, but the fun is in the details: a soda-swilling terrorist, a vampire zombie, the Masked Zombie, the Squeeze Electric Company, and what could be the first ever case of a human biting a zombie.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Tôkyô zonbi (IMDB)
Wince : [**___]
Flinch : [***__]
Retch : [**___]
Gape : [****_]
Beerequisite : [***__]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [****_]
Explicability : [***__]
Favorite nickname: Zombald!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
The Girl From Rio
It's a strange and wonderful world where someone makes a ripoff of Zeta One. Or so I thought, until I checked IMDB and found that Zeta was produced either concurrently or after this film.
The plot of this is strikingly similar: a secret agent has to defend the world from an invasion of amazons. Sadly, Rio doesn't have half of the camp (or flesh) of Zeta, and remains steadfastly mainstream throughout.
This movie makes so little sense, it's basically a series of strung-together events that attempt to put the characters in different situations. There's a kidnapping, actually two kidnappings, some very hand-wavy torture, a daring escape, some footage of the carnival (how did a reel of vacation footage get in here?), a hostage situation, and some guys in rented helicopters throwing plastic bags at the girls. It ends with a miniskirt funeral, which is eerily reminiscent of a Robert Palmer video.
Still, there are some moments. The older gentleman with the nymphomanical young secretary reads Popeye comics while his henchmen beat up and drown a girl (but he hates violence!). The uniforms of the valiant solders of Feminia are a sure crowd-pleaser -- jump up and down for us, girls!
* * * R A T I N G * * *
The Seven Secrets of Sumuru (IMDB)
Wince : [*****]
Flinch : [*____]
Retch : [_____]
Gape : [***__]
Beerequisite : [*****]
Pornability : [***__]
Obscurity : [**___]
Explicability : [*____]
Reality Check:
There is no need to hold a gun to someone's chin when taking them hostage. Of course, there's no need to hit like a girl when he takes it away from you, either.
The airport looks like someone's house!
How does a doctor's mirror improves your accuracy with a machine-gun?
Dental X-rays destroy your internal organs slowly, sure... isn't that why they make you wear those lead vests?
Ah, of course, the only way to extract information from a man: the dreaded topless three-way kissing torture!
So if someone wants you and the girl dead, and she has the girl held hostage, naturally what you do is turn yourself over so that both of you can be killed, right? Good plan!
As far as death-rays go, the dental x-ray machine is a pretty easy one to defeat. I bet this guy is wondering why he didn't think of just kicking the thing earlier.
You call that an army? You call those guns?? You call that an explosion?!?
Bullets must fly pretty fast to make you fall before the guns are fired. That's downright Einsteinian.
Favorite outfit: That Y-shaped thing one of the women uses to sedure her leader. How the hell does that thing stay on?
The plot of this is strikingly similar: a secret agent has to defend the world from an invasion of amazons. Sadly, Rio doesn't have half of the camp (or flesh) of Zeta, and remains steadfastly mainstream throughout.
This movie makes so little sense, it's basically a series of strung-together events that attempt to put the characters in different situations. There's a kidnapping, actually two kidnappings, some very hand-wavy torture, a daring escape, some footage of the carnival (how did a reel of vacation footage get in here?), a hostage situation, and some guys in rented helicopters throwing plastic bags at the girls. It ends with a miniskirt funeral, which is eerily reminiscent of a Robert Palmer video.
Still, there are some moments. The older gentleman with the nymphomanical young secretary reads Popeye comics while his henchmen beat up and drown a girl (but he hates violence!). The uniforms of the valiant solders of Feminia are a sure crowd-pleaser -- jump up and down for us, girls!
* * * R A T I N G * * *
The Seven Secrets of Sumuru (IMDB)
Wince : [*****]
Flinch : [*____]
Retch : [_____]
Gape : [***__]
Beerequisite : [*****]
Pornability : [***__]
Obscurity : [**___]
Explicability : [*____]
Reality Check:
There is no need to hold a gun to someone's chin when taking them hostage. Of course, there's no need to hit like a girl when he takes it away from you, either.
The airport looks like someone's house!
How does a doctor's mirror improves your accuracy with a machine-gun?
Dental X-rays destroy your internal organs slowly, sure... isn't that why they make you wear those lead vests?
Ah, of course, the only way to extract information from a man: the dreaded topless three-way kissing torture!
So if someone wants you and the girl dead, and she has the girl held hostage, naturally what you do is turn yourself over so that both of you can be killed, right? Good plan!
As far as death-rays go, the dental x-ray machine is a pretty easy one to defeat. I bet this guy is wondering why he didn't think of just kicking the thing earlier.
You call that an army? You call those guns?? You call that an explosion?!?
Bullets must fly pretty fast to make you fall before the guns are fired. That's downright Einsteinian.
Favorite outfit: That Y-shaped thing one of the women uses to sedure her leader. How the hell does that thing stay on?
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Murder Party
Everybody dies!
A meter mate (or whatever a male meter maid is called) finds an invitation to a Halloween party in Brooklyn, called 'The Murder Party' and advising him to come alone. It wouldn't be a movie if he just chucked it in the bin, now would it?
The party is, of course, hosted by serial killers -- in this case, narcissistic Williamsburg artists (trust me, if you've been to Open Studios, you've seen half this movie) looking to get a grant by performing murder-as-Art. They tie ol' DeadMeat up and play Truth or Dare with Scopolamine, which is of course where the cracks in the group start to show. And, of course, Everybody Dies.
The film is a bit slow, taking over an hour for anything to really happen, but it's a nice buildup . The humor is a bit of a slow-burn as well; there are few laugh-at-loud moments, but much that sticks with you. This could be a flaw in the scriptwriting, as the idea is more amusing than the execution, but the movie is entertaining regardless, and the performances are all quite solid.
Good one to watch while gearing up for that Halloween party.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Murder Party (IMDB)
Wince : [***__]
Flinch : [**___]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [***__]
Beerequisite : [***__]
Pornability : [**___]
Obscurity : [***__]
Explicability : [**___]
Kudos: How many horror films set in NYC recognize that murder and torture pale in comparison to losing your Metrocard?
Show-stealer: Despite the strong performances of the self-absorbed Lexi, the sneering Alexander, and "kill me"-eyed Chris, it is Gameboy-fixated Bill who ultimately makes the movie.
Scene I'd watch on endless loop: The Art Room. For the art. Really.
Most dreaded event that didn't happen: I was truly frightened that the film would have one of those "it was all fake" endings, or that the artists would drug their victim and apply makeup to make him think he had been tortured. That would have been just horrible.
A meter mate (or whatever a male meter maid is called) finds an invitation to a Halloween party in Brooklyn, called 'The Murder Party' and advising him to come alone. It wouldn't be a movie if he just chucked it in the bin, now would it?
The party is, of course, hosted by serial killers -- in this case, narcissistic Williamsburg artists (trust me, if you've been to Open Studios, you've seen half this movie) looking to get a grant by performing murder-as-Art. They tie ol' DeadMeat up and play Truth or Dare with Scopolamine, which is of course where the cracks in the group start to show. And, of course, Everybody Dies.
The film is a bit slow, taking over an hour for anything to really happen, but it's a nice buildup . The humor is a bit of a slow-burn as well; there are few laugh-at-loud moments, but much that sticks with you. This could be a flaw in the scriptwriting, as the idea is more amusing than the execution, but the movie is entertaining regardless, and the performances are all quite solid.
Good one to watch while gearing up for that Halloween party.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Murder Party (IMDB)
Wince : [***__]
Flinch : [**___]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [***__]
Beerequisite : [***__]
Pornability : [**___]
Obscurity : [***__]
Explicability : [**___]
Kudos: How many horror films set in NYC recognize that murder and torture pale in comparison to losing your Metrocard?
Show-stealer: Despite the strong performances of the self-absorbed Lexi, the sneering Alexander, and "kill me"-eyed Chris, it is Gameboy-fixated Bill who ultimately makes the movie.
Scene I'd watch on endless loop: The Art Room. For the art. Really.
Most dreaded event that didn't happen: I was truly frightened that the film would have one of those "it was all fake" endings, or that the artists would drug their victim and apply makeup to make him think he had been tortured. That would have been just horrible.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Cruel Winter Blues
At some point you realize the guy you're working for is a complete and unrepentant asshole. That point comes for Chi-juk, not to mention the audience, about thirty minutes into the film. There may not be any labor laws covering this, but when your boss beats up a bunch of school kids, you probably want to find other employment.
Interestingly enough, though, just as Jae-moon (the boss) is at his most reprehensible, he seems to have a moment of clarity and his character begins a reversal that's straight out of a Dickens novel. Except, of course, with soju and sashimi knives.
As for the story itself, well, it's pretty straightforward. Jae-moon wants revenge after his buddy has been killed in retribution for a botched hit; he grabs talented mob newbie Chi-juk and does what any dedicated yakuza would do: stake out the noodle shop run by the victim's mom.
None of that matters, though, as the film is entirely character-driven, with the relation of the two yakuza to the mob, to the locals, and to each other changing as they get involved in the day-to-day life of a small, sorry village.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Yeolhyeol-nama (IMDB)
Wince : [*____]
Flinch : [***__]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [**___]
Beerequisite : [*____]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [***__]
Explicability : [****_]
Scene I'd watch on endless loop: The night, in the noodle shop, of the hit. Masterful.
Interestingly enough, though, just as Jae-moon (the boss) is at his most reprehensible, he seems to have a moment of clarity and his character begins a reversal that's straight out of a Dickens novel. Except, of course, with soju and sashimi knives.
As for the story itself, well, it's pretty straightforward. Jae-moon wants revenge after his buddy has been killed in retribution for a botched hit; he grabs talented mob newbie Chi-juk and does what any dedicated yakuza would do: stake out the noodle shop run by the victim's mom.
None of that matters, though, as the film is entirely character-driven, with the relation of the two yakuza to the mob, to the locals, and to each other changing as they get involved in the day-to-day life of a small, sorry village.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Yeolhyeol-nama (IMDB)
Wince : [*____]
Flinch : [***__]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [**___]
Beerequisite : [*____]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [***__]
Explicability : [****_]
Scene I'd watch on endless loop: The night, in the noodle shop, of the hit. Masterful.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Night of the Living Dead
Yup, the 60s classic zombie film that really got the ball rolling.
This was showing at a midnight screening this weekend, and seemed as good a venue as any to ride out the effects of an all-day beer-swilling barbeque.
The film was apparently a restored version or some such, though it is really impossible to tell. Having watched a fair share of zombie films, it is fun to look at the early work and see just how much stemmed from this movie: the use of radio/tv to explain events, the minority or underdog taking command, the ineffectiveness of the government.
Not to mention all of the rules of properly handling a zombie infestation: shoot the head, keep fire around, board up everything, burn your casualties, always have an exit. Night of the Living Dead is a bit slow-moving and dated, but if you ever are in the mood for seeing how unoriginal most other zombie films are, give it a watch.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Night of the Living Dead (IMDB)
Wince : [***__]
Flinch : [**___]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [*____]
Beerequisite : [****_]
Pornability : [_____]
Obscurity : [_____]
Explicability : [**___]
This was showing at a midnight screening this weekend, and seemed as good a venue as any to ride out the effects of an all-day beer-swilling barbeque.
The film was apparently a restored version or some such, though it is really impossible to tell. Having watched a fair share of zombie films, it is fun to look at the early work and see just how much stemmed from this movie: the use of radio/tv to explain events, the minority or underdog taking command, the ineffectiveness of the government.
Not to mention all of the rules of properly handling a zombie infestation: shoot the head, keep fire around, board up everything, burn your casualties, always have an exit. Night of the Living Dead is a bit slow-moving and dated, but if you ever are in the mood for seeing how unoriginal most other zombie films are, give it a watch.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Night of the Living Dead (IMDB)
Wince : [***__]
Flinch : [**___]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [*____]
Beerequisite : [****_]
Pornability : [_____]
Obscurity : [_____]
Explicability : [**___]
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Blue Sunshine
If you jerk, it won't work!
This attempt at a conspiracy film kicks off with a guy going crazy at a party when his wig gets torn off and people realize he's bald. He races off into the woods, then returns and stuffs a few girls in the fireplace.
One of the other guests gets blamed for all of this, and while on the lamb he discovers a startling trend: people are losing their hair, getting headaches, and snapping under mild stress to go on murderous rampages. It all gets traced back to a seedy dealer-turned-politician and a batch of bad acid passed around Stanford in the 60s.
This works fairly well as a suspense movie, though the camp value is pretty high. The inept protagonist (that's right, the best way to use a gun on an enraged bodyguard is to throw yourself on him bodily!) and his Ballantine-swilling girlfriend pretty much sleepwalk through the film, but the actors and events around them provide some entertainment.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Blue Sunshine (IMDB)
Wince : [***__]
Flinch : [*____]
Retch : [_____]
Gape : [***__]
Beerequisite : [**___]
Pornability : [_____]
Obscurity : [***__]
Explicability : [***__]
This attempt at a conspiracy film kicks off with a guy going crazy at a party when his wig gets torn off and people realize he's bald. He races off into the woods, then returns and stuffs a few girls in the fireplace.
One of the other guests gets blamed for all of this, and while on the lamb he discovers a startling trend: people are losing their hair, getting headaches, and snapping under mild stress to go on murderous rampages. It all gets traced back to a seedy dealer-turned-politician and a batch of bad acid passed around Stanford in the 60s.
This works fairly well as a suspense movie, though the camp value is pretty high. The inept protagonist (that's right, the best way to use a gun on an enraged bodyguard is to throw yourself on him bodily!) and his Ballantine-swilling girlfriend pretty much sleepwalk through the film, but the actors and events around them provide some entertainment.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Blue Sunshine (IMDB)
Wince : [***__]
Flinch : [*____]
Retch : [_____]
Gape : [***__]
Beerequisite : [**___]
Pornability : [_____]
Obscurity : [***__]
Explicability : [***__]
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell
Aspiring Vice-President Tex Kennedy and his robot pals seek to free the new president, Benjamin Remington, from his fallout shelter and establish him in New America's seat of power: a powerful transmission tower in the heart of The Threshold of Hell. Said threshold has, fittingly, been located in Florida.
There's all kinds of good stuff in this movie: robots, immortals, cannibals, used car dealers, sea serpents, cigars. The acting, especially the delivery of the dialog, is spot-on and really makes the movie. The budget is low, and the story itself feels a bit cobbled together, but the overall production quality is high enough that you don't notice.
The movie is very, very similar to Six String Samurai: the future King of America battling his way across a sandy wasteland, encountering all sorts of natural and supernatural obstacles. It also brings to mind Snatch with its sheer number of larger-than-life characters, all introduced with a splash page and a brief voiceover, whose ranks swell so quickly that you know half of them are going to be killed by the end.
Very entertaining, well worth a second (or more) viewing, though a bit unsatisfying. Maybe it's the unwavering nonchalance of the characters, the unphased narrators, or the constant deus ex machina saves; by the end, you don't particularly care whether New America's founders succeed or not.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell
Wince : [**___]
Flinch : [***__]
Retch : [**___]
Gape : [**___]
Beerequisite : [***__]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [***__]
Explicability : [***__]
Most brilliant tag-team proposal: Kennedy and Castro!
There's all kinds of good stuff in this movie: robots, immortals, cannibals, used car dealers, sea serpents, cigars. The acting, especially the delivery of the dialog, is spot-on and really makes the movie. The budget is low, and the story itself feels a bit cobbled together, but the overall production quality is high enough that you don't notice.
The movie is very, very similar to Six String Samurai: the future King of America battling his way across a sandy wasteland, encountering all sorts of natural and supernatural obstacles. It also brings to mind Snatch with its sheer number of larger-than-life characters, all introduced with a splash page and a brief voiceover, whose ranks swell so quickly that you know half of them are going to be killed by the end.
Very entertaining, well worth a second (or more) viewing, though a bit unsatisfying. Maybe it's the unwavering nonchalance of the characters, the unphased narrators, or the constant deus ex machina saves; by the end, you don't particularly care whether New America's founders succeed or not.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell
Wince : [**___]
Flinch : [***__]
Retch : [**___]
Gape : [**___]
Beerequisite : [***__]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [***__]
Explicability : [***__]
Most brilliant tag-team proposal: Kennedy and Castro!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Badlands
A young Martin Sheen steals a younger Sissy Spacek away from her father Warren Oates and goes on a killing rampage up through the Dakotas.
This is a slow, easy-going serial killer movie with some very good performances: Spacek's withdrawn narration, Sheen's good-natured surrender.
Undoubtedly provided the fodder for Kalifornia and Natural Born Killers. And yes, in the background there you can hear the inspiration for Tarantino's True Romance soundtrack.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Wince : [**___]
Flinch : [*____]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [*____]
Beerequisite : [***__]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [**___]
Explicability : [***__]
This is a slow, easy-going serial killer movie with some very good performances: Spacek's withdrawn narration, Sheen's good-natured surrender.
Undoubtedly provided the fodder for Kalifornia and Natural Born Killers. And yes, in the background there you can hear the inspiration for Tarantino's True Romance soundtrack.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Wince : [**___]
Flinch : [*____]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [*____]
Beerequisite : [***__]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [**___]
Explicability : [***__]
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Sailor Suit and Machine Gun
Imagine Disney doing a film about a high school girl-turned-gangleader movie ... where everyone dies.
A Japanese high school girl inherits a yakuza gang from her cousin and embarks on a life of organized crime. Not as entertaining as it sounds: the gang is falling apart (there are four of them left, and they drive the Japanese equivalent of a beat up old Fiat), the girl hates violence, and the jokes just aren't that funny (sure, it's in Japanese and something could be lost in translation, but judging by the directing and the acting it probably just isn't that well-written).
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Sailor-fuku to kikanjû (IMDB)
Wince : [****_]
Flinch : [*____]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [**___]
Beerequisite : [****_]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [***__]
Explicability : [**___]
What I would do different: This is a Japanese movie starring a Japanese schoolgirl, and there's not a tentacle in sight. Nobody even eats squid! Wasted, wasted opportunity.
A Japanese high school girl inherits a yakuza gang from her cousin and embarks on a life of organized crime. Not as entertaining as it sounds: the gang is falling apart (there are four of them left, and they drive the Japanese equivalent of a beat up old Fiat), the girl hates violence, and the jokes just aren't that funny (sure, it's in Japanese and something could be lost in translation, but judging by the directing and the acting it probably just isn't that well-written).
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Sailor-fuku to kikanjû (IMDB)
Wince : [****_]
Flinch : [*____]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [**___]
Beerequisite : [****_]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [***__]
Explicability : [**___]
What I would do different: This is a Japanese movie starring a Japanese schoolgirl, and there's not a tentacle in sight. Nobody even eats squid! Wasted, wasted opportunity.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Female
Five short films, adapted from five novels written by female authors, by five different (not all female) directors. This opens with a stage full of scantily-clad showgirls dancing, so don't expect it to be too representative of the feminist front.
The short segments all have Japanese titles, so I will supply my own.
"I slept with my teacher" : A woman returns to her childhood home for the funeral of her high school teacher. She visits a peach grove, reminiscing about her affair with her teacher, involving peaches from that very grove, and meets a former classmate who used to watch her and the teach go at it. Good, peachy soft-core.
"Hijacking a cab" : An aging hostess catches a cab, with a woman driver, which is soon hijacked by a young punkette. The three are all desperate for money, in one way or another, and end up bonding as they aimlessly drive around. It ends, as all good films do, with urination. Actually called "Drive till you see the sun".
"I slept with my coworker... in my dreams" : A factory worker manages to score a day off in exchange for a dinner date with her boss, and goes to South Sea Island. There she picks up an incense burner which, when fed a hair of a person, causes you to dream, wetly, of them. She tries it out on the salesman she has a crush on, and boy does it work. Eventually she kinda goes over the edge, though judging from the dreamsex it was probably worth it. Actually called "Licking Nights".
"I wanted to sleep with my friend's mom" : A young boy goes home with his bossy classmate who insists he is her boyfriend. He catches a flash of her mom's ankles and is smitten: no more young waifs for him! Unfortunately his mom isn't too interested in his prepubescent offering, though she certainly seems to enjoy the attention. It ends, as these stories do, with the moving-on of everyone concerned.
"I slept with a gangster -- no, two gangsters" : A middle-aged woman in a small town is the kept woman of an aging Tokyo gangster. Lonely, bored, she wants to live and socialize, but he prefer to keep her hidden away. Eventually he introduces her to his heir apparent, complications arise, and everything seems to end up alright. Actually called "Jewel Beetle".
All in all, very well-done, though trying to present itself as artistic erotica -- something along the lines of Altman's Aria. Or a Japanese Ken Russell.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Fîmeiru (IMDB)
Wince : [*____]
Flinch : [**___]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [***__]
Beerequisite : [**___]
Pornability : [****_]
Obscurity : [**___]
Explicability : [***__]
The short segments all have Japanese titles, so I will supply my own.
"I slept with my teacher" : A woman returns to her childhood home for the funeral of her high school teacher. She visits a peach grove, reminiscing about her affair with her teacher, involving peaches from that very grove, and meets a former classmate who used to watch her and the teach go at it. Good, peachy soft-core.
"Hijacking a cab" : An aging hostess catches a cab, with a woman driver, which is soon hijacked by a young punkette. The three are all desperate for money, in one way or another, and end up bonding as they aimlessly drive around. It ends, as all good films do, with urination. Actually called "Drive till you see the sun".
"I slept with my coworker... in my dreams" : A factory worker manages to score a day off in exchange for a dinner date with her boss, and goes to South Sea Island. There she picks up an incense burner which, when fed a hair of a person, causes you to dream, wetly, of them. She tries it out on the salesman she has a crush on, and boy does it work. Eventually she kinda goes over the edge, though judging from the dreamsex it was probably worth it. Actually called "Licking Nights".
"I wanted to sleep with my friend's mom" : A young boy goes home with his bossy classmate who insists he is her boyfriend. He catches a flash of her mom's ankles and is smitten: no more young waifs for him! Unfortunately his mom isn't too interested in his prepubescent offering, though she certainly seems to enjoy the attention. It ends, as these stories do, with the moving-on of everyone concerned.
"I slept with a gangster -- no, two gangsters" : A middle-aged woman in a small town is the kept woman of an aging Tokyo gangster. Lonely, bored, she wants to live and socialize, but he prefer to keep her hidden away. Eventually he introduces her to his heir apparent, complications arise, and everything seems to end up alright. Actually called "Jewel Beetle".
All in all, very well-done, though trying to present itself as artistic erotica -- something along the lines of Altman's Aria. Or a Japanese Ken Russell.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Fîmeiru (IMDB)
Wince : [*____]
Flinch : [**___]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [***__]
Beerequisite : [**___]
Pornability : [****_]
Obscurity : [**___]
Explicability : [***__]
Monday, October 15, 2007
Finishing the Game
Bruce Lee has died, leaving 12 minutes of footage towards his masterpiece, The Game of Death. The studio with the rights to the footage seeks to finish the film using a body double.
Being a mockumentary, this film will draw the inevitable comparisons to Christopher Guest's work. And it will inevitably fall short, because as similar to each other as Guest's films are (seen one, seen them all, etc), they generally have excellent writing, pace, and timing.
Finishing the Game is too short for what it intends to accomplish. Characters are introduced with a long backstory, only to be dropped within minutes of the first casting call. The three casting calls are rushed through with no real concern for how well they went or how the characters are effected.
The potential for self-referencing and in-jokes is huge here, and a roomful of egotistical martial artists leaves plenty of room for conflict, but the script does very little with the goldmine it is sitting on. Expect quick, kneejerk laughs and a rather unsatisfying, if appropriate, ending.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Finishing the Game (IMDB)
Wince : [***__]
Flinch : [***__]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [***__]
Beerequisite : [***__]
Pornability : [**___]
Obscurity : [**___]
Explicability : [***__]
Scene I'd watch on endless loop: Fists of Fuhrer! Or the Ron Jeremy scene. Tough call.
Memories I want to erase: The white guy's clench-fu makes Cartman's ro-sham-bo look positively pleasant.
What I would do different: The film didn't take its time to set up any good jokes, or even to introduce more than a semblance of conflict between the characters. Probably an extra half hour and some good writing would fix things.
Being a mockumentary, this film will draw the inevitable comparisons to Christopher Guest's work. And it will inevitably fall short, because as similar to each other as Guest's films are (seen one, seen them all, etc), they generally have excellent writing, pace, and timing.
Finishing the Game is too short for what it intends to accomplish. Characters are introduced with a long backstory, only to be dropped within minutes of the first casting call. The three casting calls are rushed through with no real concern for how well they went or how the characters are effected.
The potential for self-referencing and in-jokes is huge here, and a roomful of egotistical martial artists leaves plenty of room for conflict, but the script does very little with the goldmine it is sitting on. Expect quick, kneejerk laughs and a rather unsatisfying, if appropriate, ending.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Finishing the Game (IMDB)
Wince : [***__]
Flinch : [***__]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [***__]
Beerequisite : [***__]
Pornability : [**___]
Obscurity : [**___]
Explicability : [***__]
Scene I'd watch on endless loop: Fists of Fuhrer! Or the Ron Jeremy scene. Tough call.
Memories I want to erase: The white guy's clench-fu makes Cartman's ro-sham-bo look positively pleasant.
What I would do different: The film didn't take its time to set up any good jokes, or even to introduce more than a semblance of conflict between the characters. Probably an extra half hour and some good writing would fix things.
Lagunitas
Thursday was supposed to be a Lagunitas event, which I'd travel many miles for, but there ended up being a single beer on tap and the rep seeking to drown his sorrows at the reschedule. The beer was Hop Stoopid, which was of course excellent (What can I say? They're still my favorite brewery, though I acknowledge they may not be the best brewery). Hoppy, balanced, dangerously drinkable. Seeing it referred to as a 'farmhouse IPA' explains things pretty well: imagine an overly-hopped farmhouse ale, made dark and thick but still with the creamy head, and you've got this beer. I'm impressed: Lagunitas is making some world-class stuff now.
A couple of these were joined over the course of an increasingly blurry night by the Bear Republic Racer 5 and the Weyerbacher Simcoe.
A couple of these were joined over the course of an increasingly blurry night by the Bear Republic Racer 5 and the Weyerbacher Simcoe.
Random Acts of Senseless Violence
Jack Womack's Random Acts of Senseless Violence is not a feelgood novel.
The book takes the form of the diary of Lola, a 12-year old girl growing up in the dystopian near-future New York that is the setting of many of Womack's stories: riots in Harlem, the Army dealing with Long Island insurgents, the 14 Street Wall.
The downward spiral of Lola and her family as they run out of first money, then options, is sure to tug on a heartstring or two. Stylistically, the form works well, with Lola's voice getting more and more street-level as things go on.
Desperation, poverty, racism, and yes, violence. Highly recommended.
The book takes the form of the diary of Lola, a 12-year old girl growing up in the dystopian near-future New York that is the setting of many of Womack's stories: riots in Harlem, the Army dealing with Long Island insurgents, the 14 Street Wall.
The downward spiral of Lola and her family as they run out of first money, then options, is sure to tug on a heartstring or two. Stylistically, the form works well, with Lola's voice getting more and more street-level as things go on.
Desperation, poverty, racism, and yes, violence. Highly recommended.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Hermit In Paris
America in the 50s and 60s viewed through the eyes of an Italian Communist.
Italo Calvino's collection of autobiographical essays, Hermit in Paris, has many intriguing essays: his soul-searching over Stalin, his portrait of Mussolini, the occasional soliloquy over a favorite town. A few of the more political essays, as well as the ones dealing with his peers, become tedious.
The highlight of the collection is of course the diary of his travels across the United States, especially his time in New York dealing with different publishers. This would make a fine standalone book, and is recommended for all who like the American travelogues of writers (e.g. Democracy in America, Air-Conditioned Nightmare).
Italo Calvino's collection of autobiographical essays, Hermit in Paris, has many intriguing essays: his soul-searching over Stalin, his portrait of Mussolini, the occasional soliloquy over a favorite town. A few of the more political essays, as well as the ones dealing with his peers, become tedious.
The highlight of the collection is of course the diary of his travels across the United States, especially his time in New York dealing with different publishers. This would make a fine standalone book, and is recommended for all who like the American travelogues of writers (e.g. Democracy in America, Air-Conditioned Nightmare).
Monday, October 8, 2007
Blade Runner : Final Cut
How can one resist the siren call of a Ridley Scott cut of Blade Runner on the big screen?
The movie looks great and sounds great; apparently the work they put into cleaning it up paid off. Fortunately, Scott didn't go all Lucas on us -- it's difficult to tell what specifically was cleaned up, and there are no CGI creatures or lens flares polluting the screen.
It's difficult to tell what was added to the film. I noticed a line of dialog here and there, and a couple of scenes that felt longer by a second or two, but by and large this is the same as the '92 cut. Don't expect any revelations from this version, or any revisions of awkward scenes like the Rachel/Deckard love affair.
To sum up: worth seeing on the big screen (in a GOOD theater), can't wait for the 5-disc set.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Wince : [*____]
Flinch : [***__]
Retch : [_____]
Gape : [**___]
Beerequisite : [_____]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [_____]
Explicability : [****_]
The movie looks great and sounds great; apparently the work they put into cleaning it up paid off. Fortunately, Scott didn't go all Lucas on us -- it's difficult to tell what specifically was cleaned up, and there are no CGI creatures or lens flares polluting the screen.
It's difficult to tell what was added to the film. I noticed a line of dialog here and there, and a couple of scenes that felt longer by a second or two, but by and large this is the same as the '92 cut. Don't expect any revelations from this version, or any revisions of awkward scenes like the Rachel/Deckard love affair.
To sum up: worth seeing on the big screen (in a GOOD theater), can't wait for the 5-disc set.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Wince : [*____]
Flinch : [***__]
Retch : [_____]
Gape : [**___]
Beerequisite : [_____]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [_____]
Explicability : [****_]
Vanaja
I didn't realize I like Kuchipudi dancing until I saw the trailer for Vanaja. The film itself looked tortuous: yet another coming-of-age film, with the possibility of a dreaded Female Sexual Awakening subplot. But the dancing drew me in. I don't know where that came from; maybe some lingering aftereffects from seeing the old Sinbad movies or Lang's Tiger of Eschnapur.
The movie itself turned out to be quite good. The 'coming of age story' was very much in the background, with the main story being more of a class struggle: young ambitious low-caste Vanaja joins the household of a high-caste former dancer in the hopes of becoming a great dancer herself. The son of her employer returns from his years abroad shagging American chicks, enters local politics, rapes and impregnates Vanaja, and wonders why he doesn't feel content.
The film is poorly edited at times, but the cast is surprisingly good (generally speaking). As the movie progresses, the motivations of the characters become more complex, causing the story to unfold in a slightly less than straightforward manner. The rather headstrong (but not cocksure!) character of Vanaja is well-captured by the actress (Mamatha Bhukya), and of course the dancing scenes are a treat to watch.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Vanaja (IMDB)
Wince : [**___]
Flinch : [*____]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [*____]
Beerequisite : [*____]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [**___]
Explicability : [***__]
Scene I'd watch on endless loop: The "kiss me baby, love me baby" dance.
The movie itself turned out to be quite good. The 'coming of age story' was very much in the background, with the main story being more of a class struggle: young ambitious low-caste Vanaja joins the household of a high-caste former dancer in the hopes of becoming a great dancer herself. The son of her employer returns from his years abroad shagging American chicks, enters local politics, rapes and impregnates Vanaja, and wonders why he doesn't feel content.
The film is poorly edited at times, but the cast is surprisingly good (generally speaking). As the movie progresses, the motivations of the characters become more complex, causing the story to unfold in a slightly less than straightforward manner. The rather headstrong (but not cocksure!) character of Vanaja is well-captured by the actress (Mamatha Bhukya), and of course the dancing scenes are a treat to watch.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Vanaja (IMDB)
Wince : [**___]
Flinch : [*____]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [*____]
Beerequisite : [*____]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [**___]
Explicability : [***__]
Scene I'd watch on endless loop: The "kiss me baby, love me baby" dance.
Stranger Than A Strange Land
I made the mistake of going to one of the NY Film Festival shorts programs.
All of the shorts programs were listed under the "Avant Garde" events, which should have served as a warning. This particular program, "Stranger Than a Strange Land", looked to be more science fiction and less self-indulgent crap, so I gave it a go.
Warm Objects : Thermal Imagery. Fun to watch, but really this just amounts to playing with a new toy. Artistic content: zero.
Notes From a Bastard Child : Not sure what this one was about. It looked like it was stitched together from all of the film reels at the director's (and I use that term quite loosely) exposure, undoubtedly in an attempt to come up with something to turn in as a senior project when weekend is up. Some particularly grainy footage is spliced in, perhaps in an attempt to make it feel authentic (an authentic what exactly?) or vintage or something.
The Mongrel Sister : Not sure they showed this one; I can't even remember it. I think they mistakenly showed the first seven minutes of the next film instead.
Victory Over the Sun : Yes, yet another film student has discovered the dilapidated extravagance of former World's Fair sites. I find it a mark of maturity to visit these strangely compelling sites and not make a film about it. Oh, and it ends with an orchestral version of November Rain; apparently the filmmaker has discovered not only Flushing Meadows, but Guns'n'Roses as well.
Stranger Comes to Town : This started out quite annoying but soon turned entertaining -- a good thing, since it is the second-longest film in the set. It kicks off with a narrator bemoaning the indignities of entering the US with a Middle Eastern passport ("you have to wait! and it is all so impersonal! they might even verify your fingerprint!"). I was mostly shocked by how banal the complaints were; the narrators all sounded like very naive, very spoiled kids who are experiencing life without servants for the first time. The use of some video game engine or another to re-enact the INS experiences provided some entertainment, not the least of which was watching the semi-sentient breasts of the avatars flexing as their chests heave with each breath. That may not have been intended by the filmmaker, but it got a few laughs.
Light is Waiting : More from the "Hey, look what technique I just learned about!" school of film. Not sure what the technical term for the technique is (mirrored double exposure?) , but it grew tedious after seconds and certainly did not add anything to the film (which appears to be some family's vacation footage).
SpaceDisco-One : The longest piece in the set, and the most entertaining. This film presents itself as the sequel to Logan's Run and 1984, as well as a crossover with Battlestar Galactica circa 1980. The two female descendants of the Logan's Run leads are leading an armed (with ping-pong ball guns, or something similar) rescue party to free Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) from a stint on the reality show Big Brother. Apparently he was really on it at some point, and the clips are hilarious. Oh and poor Winston goes through Room 101 again, then somehow warps through time to encounter the two women and relate to them that they are all fictional characters on the starship SpaceDisco One, a giant rollerdisco in space. Or something like that. Largely nonsensical, occasionally incoherent, and reliably amateurish, this was quite an enjoyable film (especially after the others).
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Stranger Than A Strange Land (NYFF)
Wince : [****_]
Flinch : [_____]
Retch : [_____]
Gape : [**___]
Beerequisite : [*****]
Pornability : [_____]
Obscurity : [****_]
Explicability : [*____]
Memories I want to erase: Todos!
What I would do different: Gone to see Finishing the Game instead.
All of the shorts programs were listed under the "Avant Garde" events, which should have served as a warning. This particular program, "Stranger Than a Strange Land", looked to be more science fiction and less self-indulgent crap, so I gave it a go.
Warm Objects : Thermal Imagery. Fun to watch, but really this just amounts to playing with a new toy. Artistic content: zero.
Notes From a Bastard Child : Not sure what this one was about. It looked like it was stitched together from all of the film reels at the director's (and I use that term quite loosely) exposure, undoubtedly in an attempt to come up with something to turn in as a senior project when weekend is up. Some particularly grainy footage is spliced in, perhaps in an attempt to make it feel authentic (an authentic what exactly?) or vintage or something.
The Mongrel Sister : Not sure they showed this one; I can't even remember it. I think they mistakenly showed the first seven minutes of the next film instead.
Victory Over the Sun : Yes, yet another film student has discovered the dilapidated extravagance of former World's Fair sites. I find it a mark of maturity to visit these strangely compelling sites and not make a film about it. Oh, and it ends with an orchestral version of November Rain; apparently the filmmaker has discovered not only Flushing Meadows, but Guns'n'Roses as well.
Stranger Comes to Town : This started out quite annoying but soon turned entertaining -- a good thing, since it is the second-longest film in the set. It kicks off with a narrator bemoaning the indignities of entering the US with a Middle Eastern passport ("you have to wait! and it is all so impersonal! they might even verify your fingerprint!"). I was mostly shocked by how banal the complaints were; the narrators all sounded like very naive, very spoiled kids who are experiencing life without servants for the first time. The use of some video game engine or another to re-enact the INS experiences provided some entertainment, not the least of which was watching the semi-sentient breasts of the avatars flexing as their chests heave with each breath. That may not have been intended by the filmmaker, but it got a few laughs.
Light is Waiting : More from the "Hey, look what technique I just learned about!" school of film. Not sure what the technical term for the technique is (mirrored double exposure?) , but it grew tedious after seconds and certainly did not add anything to the film (which appears to be some family's vacation footage).
SpaceDisco-One : The longest piece in the set, and the most entertaining. This film presents itself as the sequel to Logan's Run and 1984, as well as a crossover with Battlestar Galactica circa 1980. The two female descendants of the Logan's Run leads are leading an armed (with ping-pong ball guns, or something similar) rescue party to free Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) from a stint on the reality show Big Brother. Apparently he was really on it at some point, and the clips are hilarious. Oh and poor Winston goes through Room 101 again, then somehow warps through time to encounter the two women and relate to them that they are all fictional characters on the starship SpaceDisco One, a giant rollerdisco in space. Or something like that. Largely nonsensical, occasionally incoherent, and reliably amateurish, this was quite an enjoyable film (especially after the others).
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Stranger Than A Strange Land (NYFF)
Wince : [****_]
Flinch : [_____]
Retch : [_____]
Gape : [**___]
Beerequisite : [*****]
Pornability : [_____]
Obscurity : [****_]
Explicability : [*____]
Memories I want to erase: Todos!
What I would do different: Gone to see Finishing the Game instead.
Double IPAs
On Saturday, to prepare for a potentially (and quite actually) awful short film program, Stoudt's Double IPA. The Stoudt's was good, but a pretty typical double IPA: thick, strong hoppy. Hard to drink more than one of these -- like the Dogfish 90.
The Stoudt's was followed by a Captain Lawrence Reserve Imperial IPA, which was even more drinkable. While still a double IPA, and thus quite hoppy, the texture was light. Very good, I've gone back for many more since. The Captain is proving to be quite a reliable brewery these days.
Also had a Bear Republic Hot Rod Rye, always a pleasure, before heading off to the shorts. Consoled myself afterwards with a Kwak (on draft! with the proper glass!) and a very, very fresh Six Point Bengali Tiger. I've gotten wary of the Bengali after having it on cask all over town, and seeing it linger on draft in bars that don't cater to the beer crowd, but fresh on draft it was phenomenal. One of my favorite IPAs.
The Stoudt's was followed by a Captain Lawrence Reserve Imperial IPA, which was even more drinkable. While still a double IPA, and thus quite hoppy, the texture was light. Very good, I've gone back for many more since. The Captain is proving to be quite a reliable brewery these days.
Also had a Bear Republic Hot Rod Rye, always a pleasure, before heading off to the shorts. Consoled myself afterwards with a Kwak (on draft! with the proper glass!) and a very, very fresh Six Point Bengali Tiger. I've gotten wary of the Bengali after having it on cask all over town, and seeing it linger on draft in bars that don't cater to the beer crowd, but fresh on draft it was phenomenal. One of my favorite IPAs.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Turtles Swim Faster Than Expected
This is the story of a woman so ordinary, so hard to pick out of a crowd, that she is recruited to be a spy (by the Chinese or something). She has a brief existential crisis, unsure how to act ordinary now that it's her job.
There is no way to summarize this gem. Surrounded by offbeat characters (a cook with a talent for flavorless ramen, a ginkgo-nut-chewing tofu vendor, a dancing hairstylist, a pair of calisthenic cops, and a plumber who is far too eager to talk about his work), she wanders through life with no purpose other than feeding her husband's turtle until suddenly, given a purpose, she wanders through life reminiscing about her past.
Fun, wacky, somewhat typically Japanese fare.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Turtles Swim Faster Than Expected (IMDB)
Wince : [**___]
Flinch : [*____]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [***__]
Beerequisite : [****_]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [***__]
Explicability : [***__]
Scene I'd watch on endless loop: Azuki panda! Hue-hue-he-he-he.
There is no way to summarize this gem. Surrounded by offbeat characters (a cook with a talent for flavorless ramen, a ginkgo-nut-chewing tofu vendor, a dancing hairstylist, a pair of calisthenic cops, and a plumber who is far too eager to talk about his work), she wanders through life with no purpose other than feeding her husband's turtle until suddenly, given a purpose, she wanders through life reminiscing about her past.
Fun, wacky, somewhat typically Japanese fare.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Turtles Swim Faster Than Expected (IMDB)
Wince : [**___]
Flinch : [*____]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [***__]
Beerequisite : [****_]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [***__]
Explicability : [***__]
Scene I'd watch on endless loop: Azuki panda! Hue-hue-he-he-he.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
The Last Winter
Ron Perlman struggling to keep his sanity in an Arctic wasteland. Actually, it's not much of a struggle
The movie is about a drilling crew out in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge determining the feasibility of drilling now that Bush has pushed through his drill-everywhere-you-like-guys oil legislation. You think the green political statements end there? Oh you just wait, pal. They're more persistent than the monsters in this film.
OK, so the head of the project flies back from a meeting with the boss carrying a mandate to get the trucks in and start drilling. Objecting to this is an eco-friendly bearded nut who's been attached to the project as a way to placate Green Party voters. People start going crazy and dying.
Or is something killing them? The film can't decide, and when it does it's too late. You've spent most of the movie believing people are going nuts, for whatever reasons, then the Ghost of Pleistocine Past appears to mop up the rest. In five minutes the actors are decimated and the world is being destroyed by Nature.
Or is it? You'll never know, because the CGI budget ran out before they could complete the final shot. I was waiting for an hourglass to appear and a dialog box saying "Rendering...", but instead the credits rolled.
The film is watchable for all that: the acting is good, the filming is good, and it does a decent job of building up a lot of tension. It's quite heavy-handed with the eco-political dialog, though, and the abrupt ending leaves one wondering what the buildup was intended to anticipate.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
The Last Winter (IMDB)
Wince : [***__]
Flinch : [**___]
Retch : [**___]
Gape : [***__]
Beerequisite : [***__]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [*____]
Explicability : [***__]
What I would do different: Those CGI monsters have to go.
The movie is about a drilling crew out in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge determining the feasibility of drilling now that Bush has pushed through his drill-everywhere-you-like-guys oil legislation. You think the green political statements end there? Oh you just wait, pal. They're more persistent than the monsters in this film.
OK, so the head of the project flies back from a meeting with the boss carrying a mandate to get the trucks in and start drilling. Objecting to this is an eco-friendly bearded nut who's been attached to the project as a way to placate Green Party voters. People start going crazy and dying.
Or is something killing them? The film can't decide, and when it does it's too late. You've spent most of the movie believing people are going nuts, for whatever reasons, then the Ghost of Pleistocine Past appears to mop up the rest. In five minutes the actors are decimated and the world is being destroyed by Nature.
Or is it? You'll never know, because the CGI budget ran out before they could complete the final shot. I was waiting for an hourglass to appear and a dialog box saying "Rendering...", but instead the credits rolled.
The film is watchable for all that: the acting is good, the filming is good, and it does a decent job of building up a lot of tension. It's quite heavy-handed with the eco-political dialog, though, and the abrupt ending leaves one wondering what the buildup was intended to anticipate.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
The Last Winter (IMDB)
Wince : [***__]
Flinch : [**___]
Retch : [**___]
Gape : [***__]
Beerequisite : [***__]
Pornability : [*____]
Obscurity : [*____]
Explicability : [***__]
What I would do different: Those CGI monsters have to go.
Romance and Cigarettes
Queens: The musical!
James Gandolfini as a two-timing construction worker. Susan Sarandon is the wife, Kate Winslet is the coarse-talking Irish slu--- er, lover. Steve Buscemi is the husband's coworker, Eddie Izzard is the wife's choir leader. Christopher Walken, in one of his more distinctive roles, plays the Elvis-obsessed cousin of Susan Sarandon, himself jilted (losing a woman to The Greek) and eager to help her get revenge.
This is a musical set in Queens, about blue-collar types, set to an eclectic selection of pop hits. It is a very Manhattan view of Queens as well: the men are oafs, the women are decked out in trailer park gear, everyone is ugly and talks like they were raised by Archie Bunker.
In short, a must must see. And I'm not just saying that because I live in Queens.
For some reason the tone of this film reminds me of Crime Wave, though I can't quite place why. Maybe the musical mayhem in one and the cartoonish violence in the other strike the same (off) chord.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Romance & Cigarettes (IMDB)
Wince : [*____]
Flinch : [**___]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [****_]
Beerequisite : [***__]
Pornability : [**___]
Obscurity : [**___]
Explicability : [****_]
Scene I'd watch on endless loop: "Why, why, why, Delilah?"
James Gandolfini as a two-timing construction worker. Susan Sarandon is the wife, Kate Winslet is the coarse-talking Irish slu--- er, lover. Steve Buscemi is the husband's coworker, Eddie Izzard is the wife's choir leader. Christopher Walken, in one of his more distinctive roles, plays the Elvis-obsessed cousin of Susan Sarandon, himself jilted (losing a woman to The Greek) and eager to help her get revenge.
This is a musical set in Queens, about blue-collar types, set to an eclectic selection of pop hits. It is a very Manhattan view of Queens as well: the men are oafs, the women are decked out in trailer park gear, everyone is ugly and talks like they were raised by Archie Bunker.
In short, a must must see. And I'm not just saying that because I live in Queens.
For some reason the tone of this film reminds me of Crime Wave, though I can't quite place why. Maybe the musical mayhem in one and the cartoonish violence in the other strike the same (off) chord.
* * * R A T I N G * * *
Romance & Cigarettes (IMDB)
Wince : [*____]
Flinch : [**___]
Retch : [*____]
Gape : [****_]
Beerequisite : [***__]
Pornability : [**___]
Obscurity : [**___]
Explicability : [****_]
Scene I'd watch on endless loop: "Why, why, why, Delilah?"
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Soul Mountain
I started Gao Xingjian's Soul Mountain about a week into my vacation, and it feels like it took forever to finish.
This is one of those books that you find yourself reading a page or two at a time, sometimes re-reading the same paragraph three or four times, sometimes flipping back to earlier chapters.
It certainly wasn't what I expected. No long rumination on man's condition or the nature of belief and hope in the course of a pilgrimage. Which is good, as either of those would have gotten old real quick.
The novel is purely character-driven. The chapters are episodic, some telling anecdotes, some providing historical insight, some simply representing scenes or moods. These tend to be either entertaining or insightful, though there are a few that feel purposeless.
Towards the end of the book, the author addresses potential critics, defending his work and justifying his approach. This may sound arrogant, but it actually works in this case, it let's you know the author hasn't lost it, and that the book itself has no direction or resolution, and that allows you to leisurely enjoy the remainder of the book.
Overall, a very memorable book, and one that certainly gives you pause for reflection. Probably not one that you're going to lend out or read again though.
This is one of those books that you find yourself reading a page or two at a time, sometimes re-reading the same paragraph three or four times, sometimes flipping back to earlier chapters.
It certainly wasn't what I expected. No long rumination on man's condition or the nature of belief and hope in the course of a pilgrimage. Which is good, as either of those would have gotten old real quick.
The novel is purely character-driven. The chapters are episodic, some telling anecdotes, some providing historical insight, some simply representing scenes or moods. These tend to be either entertaining or insightful, though there are a few that feel purposeless.
Towards the end of the book, the author addresses potential critics, defending his work and justifying his approach. This may sound arrogant, but it actually works in this case, it let's you know the author hasn't lost it, and that the book itself has no direction or resolution, and that allows you to leisurely enjoy the remainder of the book.
Overall, a very memorable book, and one that certainly gives you pause for reflection. Probably not one that you're going to lend out or read again though.
The Spider's House
I hadn't finished Paul Bowle's The Spider's House before my trip, so I brought it along for the plane ride; I was so wrapped up in the tale by then that I couldn't leave it home.
This book provides three views of Morocco in the 50's: the outsider view that the Moroccans are barbaric and require, like children, the guidance of their superiors; the outsider view that Moroccans have a unique, beautiful culture which should be preserved as an alternative to the west; and the insider view of a Morocco that is falling apart due to not only the influence of foreigners, but also (and largely) due to the hypocrisy and self-serving opportunism of its political and spiritual leaders.
The first view is assumed to be that of the reader, so only background characters voice it. The other two views are provided by the two protagonists; one an American writer, viewed as idealistic and naive by his English and American neighbors at the hotel, the other an Arab youth, who wants to shirk duty and lie in the sun all day, but gets drawn into the struggle against France by his birthright.
This book is a fantastic demonstration of the gap between largely alien cultures, and provides good, often insightful character studies of the kind of people who attempt to cross these gaps, themselves often strangers in their own cultures.
This book provides three views of Morocco in the 50's: the outsider view that the Moroccans are barbaric and require, like children, the guidance of their superiors; the outsider view that Moroccans have a unique, beautiful culture which should be preserved as an alternative to the west; and the insider view of a Morocco that is falling apart due to not only the influence of foreigners, but also (and largely) due to the hypocrisy and self-serving opportunism of its political and spiritual leaders.
The first view is assumed to be that of the reader, so only background characters voice it. The other two views are provided by the two protagonists; one an American writer, viewed as idealistic and naive by his English and American neighbors at the hotel, the other an Arab youth, who wants to shirk duty and lie in the sun all day, but gets drawn into the struggle against France by his birthright.
This book is a fantastic demonstration of the gap between largely alien cultures, and provides good, often insightful character studies of the kind of people who attempt to cross these gaps, themselves often strangers in their own cultures.
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