by Sam Juliano
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the many people who have sent me moving condolences for the family tragedy that came to pass last weekend. All of us went through the most difficult time of our lives. My own physical discomfort has continued, and I have my procedure scheduled for early this morning, after a postponement. I have been dazed and aloof all week, and have been away from the computer room, and have spent most of the week at the homes of my 79 year-old father and 39 year-old brother. I just checked the activity over the past week, and it has been typically outstanding. Movie Man promised to “hold the fort” and he’s outdone himself in that regard. But Tony, Dennis, Dave, Dee Dee, Bobby J., John Greco, David S., Bob Clark, Anu, Samuel Wilson and Ari among others have really stepped to the plate for the site. I feel like a stranger now, but as I have always considered this a communal place, that’s a wonderful thing.
I see an impending wager with David Schleicher is imminent, as his Phillies and our Yankees will be meeting in the World Series. This should be quite a match.
I finally went out with Lucille over the weekend, as we had tickets that were purchased weeks in advance. We went to a Saturday afternoon staging of Frank Galati’s The Grapes of Wrath, based on Steinbeck’s masterpiece, by the New Jersey Shakespeare Society in Madison, New Jersey. The show was passable, but was rather dull, and conventionally performed.
I saw Lars Von Trier’s Anti-Christ on Saturday with Lucille and Broadway Bob, and I must admit I was in no state of mind to endure what was probably the bleakest and most disturbing film I have ever seen in my life. But I’m inclined to say that it’s still a masterpiece.
Anti-Christ **** 1/2 (Saturday night; IFC Film Center)
My apologies for not posting links this week, but I have been floored by what has transpired and am most uncomfortable.
As always, everyone is asked to talk about what they saw, read, listen to, ate. Sports and politics are on the table as well.