The immortal Divine in new documentary about his/her life.
by Sam Juliano
Halloween is around the corner, and those festive for the day have been getting a head start by displaying their unique garb on local and city streets, and at night club parties. There seems to be more costume stores open than ever before, though one wonders what they do for business for most of the year. In the metropolitan area leaves have finally began to turn, what with frosty evenings and a slow evacuation of the elements that have conspired to keep some summer residue hanging around. The family paid a visit on Sunday to Clinton Place in Hackensack, New Jersey, an enclave where residents have faithfully maintained a Halloween tradition, decking out their homes with awesome decorations for many years. The WitD sidebar is properly adored, courtesy as always to the incomparable Dee Dee. The World Series is shaping out to be a real humdinger, with the Cards holding a 2 to 1 edge as of this writing. Game 4 is set for 8:00 Sunday night. The football fans who root for the Giants have a glimmer of hope, as the team has now won two games after losing the first half dozen.
My very good friend, filmmaker and musician Jason Giampietro sent me an IM this afternoon with the sad news of the passing of Velvet Underground icon Lou Reed, who died in Manhattan at the age of 70. Reed (I know, a racist label has maligned him) was a singular talent, one of the true geniuses of the rock era. Giampietro, who went as far as to tell me that he thought Velvet Underground were his second favorites behind the Beatles, was in a melancholic mood, and clearly like so many, was deeply moved by this lamentable news.
The weekly voting has ended after almost 20 months and many won’t soon forget their regular appearances to do their thing each and every Sunday. Began and executed by Allan Fish, and ably assisted by the ever-enthusiastic Joel Bocko and that ball of energy Dean Treadway, this long-running project will go down as one of the site’s greatest accomplishments. The spectacular round-up was published on Sunday.
The western countdown continues to move forward, with 20 entries now in the books. Page views remain extremely impressive, and comments are at least holding their own. The writers continue to bring their A game to the endeavor.
An unexpected sell out on Saturday night prevented Lucille and I from taking in the three-hour Cannes winner, BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR at the IFC, but plans are in place to see it later tonight (Monday). Otherwise, I finished the indescribably superlative BREAKING BAD at home, with the final four episodes raising the bar for this magisterial show. Lucille and I also (with the kids for the two horror films) watched three films in theaters over the past week:
Black Sunday ***** (Friday night) Jersey City Loews movie palace
The Bride of Frankenstein ***** (Sunday morning) Film Forum
I Am Divine **** (Saturday night) Cinema Village
The cult icon Divine (Harris Glen Milstead) was the focus of a new documentary by Jeffrey Schwarz, that combines interviews with his mother, close friends and Waters (with some welcome clips featuring the great Edith Massey) and various taped conversations with Divine, tracing his early years and later stardom. His girth, his addiction to pot, his eating shit on the set of Pink Flamingos and his larger than life persona made this a keeper, and an essential documentary for Divine and Waters’ fans.
Both James Whale’s THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and Mario Bava’s BLACK SUNDAY have been talked about on these pages numerous times, but it’s always a treat to see them again on the big screen. The giant Loews Jersey City mega-screen, particularly, was a great way to take in Bava’s vampire classic, though THE BRIDE at the Film Forum can never be short changed either.
Screen cap from Mario Bava’s classic “Black Sunday”
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Screen grab from 1935 film treasure “The Bride of Frankenstein.”
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Wonders in the Dark 
There seems to be more costume stores open than ever before, though one wonders what they do for business for most of the year.
Ah Sam, I have had this thought many times over the last few weeks.
Many such stores open up 1-2 months before Halloween and then shutdown shortly after. Some convert to a temporary Christmas store but then are gone.
And it seems the decorations for Halloween are getting more elaborate every year and even leaning towards more scarier props.
We got our first snowfall of the season today. A not so subtle reminder that the season change has started 🙂 Although, it looks like we will be snow free for Halloween night, fingers crossed.
Yes, the last 4 episodes of BREAKING BAD are remarkable. Brilliant pace that leaves one breathless. I was skeptical when the show returned for S5 as I thought the ending of S4 was perfect. The first half of S5 confirmed my doubts but those last few episodes banished all my concerns. It is also a rare case of a show ending on its own terms and in a proper manner.
Hope all of you have a great week ahead.
“Confirmed my doubts”???????
What confirmed doubt with the first 8 episodes of the 5th season?
The second episode, “Madrigal”, opened with one of the greatest teasers the show ever concocted (Herr Schuler committing suicide in the rest room then the German DEA agents came looking to question his relationship with Gustavo Fringe), then segued into one of the best plotted episodes of the season (following Mike and his realization that Lydia has put out a “hit” on him). The episode that followed Jesse and Walt’s heist of the train to steal the Methylamine was a harrowing excursion into hard-as-nails western-themed adventure and was, easily, one of the most exciting and ingenious episodes the show ever produced, raising the hairs on your neck in the process.
While I will agree that the final four episodes of the series were absolutely the lynch pin to convert even the hardest naysayers towards the show, and I do favor season 3 as my absolute favorite, the first half of season 5 was, by no means, a clunker at all. Creator/Writer/Director Vince Gilligan promised the first half to be like a roller coaster chugging higher and higher up an incline, the closer you get to the top the more hair-raising the episodes would become. He also promised that the final 8 would be that same rollercoaster careening back down that same incline, out of control, at break neck speed.
All things considered, I think Gilligan made good on every promise he ever made for the show and it is one of the rare few series of the recent “golden age” of TV that never took a wrong step during it’s run.
I’m thrilled that Sam LOVED the series and I am now waiting for Allan to chime in on the final episodes as well. I know that Allan will never shake from his steadfast opinion that THE WIRE is the cream of the proverbial crop of recent TV masterworks. However, I AM hoping that Allan will join in with Sam and me and many others and finally admit that the show is, at the very least, a 5 star winner and one of the major game changers of the medium that is prime-time television programming.
For myself, I have wrestled with the power of both THE WIRE and BREAKING BAD, often ping-ponging back and forth, from one to the other, as two which is the better. Personally, the final three episodes of BREAKING BAD finally, once and for all, settled the conflict. In it’s final hours, BREAKING BAD took on an epic structure that even the large tapestry of THE WIRE was never able to produce. I am often perplexed by those that say that BREAKING BAD cannot be as good as THE WIRE because it’s a world all to itself and lacks the gritty realism of its competitor.
How is it NOT real?
For me, BREAKING BAD hands us a situation that we can barely comprehend in all it’s tragic magnitude even from the very beginning. Who is to say that what happens to Walter White wouldn’t happen if any one of us were forced into his desperate situation? To me, it’s about thinking of the logic of it all. I don’t think there is a moment on BREAKING BAD that DOESN’T ring true to the situation at hand and I often found myself agreeing with every action a character took or a arc that the narrative twisted into.
Many complain about Skylar, Walt’s wife, and how she’s an asshole for her complaints and her fears and, yet, I love the way the character is developed and think every reaction and action she takes is in keeping with a kind of realistic truth that a woman in her predicament would go through if she found out that her hubby was manufacturing drugs or bringing danger closer and closer to their beloved family home. Season 5 was a revelation season for the character and actress Anna Gunn who played Skylar. In the first 8 episodes she is a jumble of nerves that foresees possible tragedy rearing it’s head at her and her unexpecting children. When she walks into the pool to fake a suicide attempt and, thus, gets her wish of getting the children as close to safety as possible (in the care of Hank and Marie), I found her submission to Walt’s nefarious schemes one of the saddest, most logical and TRUTHFUL commentaries the show ever made. BREAKING BAD might be fantastical in the sense that a situation like this one would be hard to specifically duplicate in real life but, were all the planets to align and put us in the same shoes as Walter, I don’t see how any of us would be amazed to see the same reactions come up.
The difference between the realism of THE WIRE and the realism of BREAKING BAD is that one has a gritty, lived in style while the other has a more cinematic, slick design.
As for which is the more entertaining and repeatable of the two shows?
Well, I can only speak for myself (and, maybe, Sam) and tell you that I would be more open to rewatching BREAKING BAD again and again whereas THE WIRE would have to be reserved for a single annual revisit.
I LOVE both shows but, now, seeing how they have both concluded, I am willing to go to the mat and declare BREAKING BAD as THE true classic.
That description you put by Vince Gilligan is what I thought of the first half, a roller coaster heading up an incline. Or the example, I like to think of as the first 8 episodes light a fuse which explodes in the second half. The reason I was skeptical was mostly because of what AMC did with MAD MEN. S4 of MAD MEN was a perfect way to end the show. S5 went in a different direction which I didn’t dismiss but was willing to see where it went. But S6 of MAD MEN dropped off a cliff. The first 5 episodes of S6 were a glorified soap opera while E6 of S6 redeemed itself and was stellar. However, the way S6 carried on from that point left a bad taste.
I bring up MAD MEN because I always thought there was an interesting parallel with BREAKING BAD in that both shows weak points came when the episodes followed the two wives respectively away from the focus on the husbands. Even the men the two wives spend time with look the same. Also, both shows appeared to have a perfect end point after S4.
Also, I was a big fan of Gus Fringes, one of the best characters on a TV show along with Mr. White. All the scenes Gus shared with WW were pure electricity. The screen burst into flames when the two were there. Brilliant stuff.
The episodes you mention in S5 are indeed great. The train sequence was better than more Westerns. I just couldn’t anticipate the downward incline in the 2nd half of S5.
And Dennis, you didn’t need to tell me the virtues of BB. I did two posts where I looked at the best shows on TV:
BREAKING BAD was my fav. after S3, S4 and S5 🙂
http://likhna.blogspot.ca/2013/07/best-tv-shows.html
http://likhna.blogspot.ca/2013/10/best-tv-shows.html
S1 was the one which I didn’t take to as much as others.
Regarding my comment that I didn’t anticipate the downward incline, I meant the downward roller coaster mentioned in your comment regarding Vince Gilligan.
And forgot to finish my comment regarding Gus. Since he was one of my fav. characters, I was reeling from his absence when S5 started. Which also played a part in my thought that the show should have finished at the high point of S4 which I didn’t think was possible. But of course, thankfully that proved not to be the case…..
Ah Sachin, I actually said the same thing about Gus to Dennis on the phone a few days ago. I missed him too, and still consider his prime episodes among the show’s best. I hear what you are saying as to your comparative position on the show, and had actually once told Dennis that it would be impossible to top Season 4. But as Dennis has asserted in his wholly spectacular response to you here, BREAKING BAD has eclipsed THE WIRE and many other shows to stand tall on modern day television. Snow already? Geez. Well, we are still enjoying temperatures in the 50s and 60s, though we can’t reasonably expect that much longer. But same for us–no snow on Halloween for this year. Forecasters are predicting high 60’s, perfect for the trick or treaters. And very good point on the stores.; Have an especially great week my friend!
I agree With Sachin, I thought Breaking Bad ended well on the last episode of season 4. This is a series I would not usually be able to make myself watch just because of the shear violence but something has pull me into its web. We have just started watching season 5 so will have to wait to comment any further.
No particular movie to share this week as have been up to my elbows in paint and studio work. But all the best Sam and a great week to you.
Please keep up with the show and don’t look at my comment above (SPOILER ALERT). The fifth season will, ultimately, reveal an epic nature you’d never think possible.
I’m thrilled that you took a leap of faith and got into this show as its rewards and entertainment are both thought provoking and a helluva lot of fun!!!!!
Now, that it’s over…
I really miss Walter.
There outta be a Breaking Bad support group for people having difficulty living without the show. 🙂
I’m already shaking from withdrawals. I’m thinking about buying a Winnebago and heading out to the deserts of New Mexico with FUNIONS for sustinence and making “mad stacks of BENJIES”, YO…
Ha Dennis!!!! Good one!!! Yes the fans won’t be letting go of this show all that easily, regardless of how superlative the final episodes turn out to be. We will be talking about this show well into the future.
Pierre makes a sound suggestion with the support group! We need extended discussions here!
And Terrill, it is true what you say about the show weaving an inexorable spell, even with the extreme violence. The character metamorphosis is the thing here, and as such it’s wholly addicting. The site will be doing something more extensive on the show soon enough. Have a great week my friend!
R.I.P. Lou Reed. A titanic artist.
I was hoping to hear about Blue is the Warmest Color, but I know the first weekend would be mobbed. Great to hear I Am Divine was well worth the visit. Typically you always do it with class for Halloween, with all the kids in tow.
That Red Sox-Cardinals series is a tough call.
Indeed Frank. He was one of the all-time greats for sure, and I counted Velvet Underground as one of my favorites over decades. I saw BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR last night with Lucille at the IFC. A three hour film, but all told a tremendous work. I will elaborate either later on the thread or on next week’s MMD – probably both in fact.
Well, by now we can say a Red Sox bet would be wise, as it’s tough to see the Cardinals taking two in a row in Fenway.
Have a great week my friend. Many thanks as always.
Hello Sam and everyone!
Yes, Halloween is coming and I’m in the mood, I have been in the mood for all of October due to my movie watching each day and reviews at my blog. I have seen two of the films you’ve seen, I’m a huge fan of Bride of Frankenstein and rate it ***** as well, but Black Sunday for me is a **** film.
I won’t put here in the list of movies I saw that I reviewed at my blog for my October Horror Thingie, so here’s what I saw:
– Before Midnight (2013, Richard Linklater) ****1/2 There’s a natural progression here. What was built up in the first two movies comes to a natural progression that is this moment. There were some nice surprises as to what had happened in the 9 years between here and there, but beyond that it’s a total rediscovery of the characters, their normal treats and how they move around in a much more adult world. The hotel room scene is maybe the strongest stuff I’ve seen all year in terms of pure emotions. The dialogue is amazing as always, and the way that the greek crisis is manifested on screen through the borders and in the relationship itself, one must wonder if the three films aren’t covert political messages about the state of the countries in which they were set.
– Ghost Burger (2013, Lee Hardcastle) **** A stop motion animation that is the continuation of the stop motion short that was featured in the ABCs of Death. This was funny and well made in its own style, creating a world about ghosts and death that is pretty great.
– Gravity (2013, Alfonso Cuarón) **** A beautiful spectacle that just gets shy of true greatness because of the emotional uninvolvement in which one keeps failing into, mainly because any backstory or story told by any of the two members of the space crew have no interest whatsoever when compared to what the physical effort of them, as well as the visual spectacle of what’s going on. Do you remember all the backstory that Dave was telling himself in the last third of 2001: A Space Odyssey? Me neither! It has no weight, not value, specially when it’s the visual experience that matters here, and here I was shy of having my big moment, the big epic moment in which everything that is done has a reason that goes beyond anything we’ve seen before (a moment perfectly captured in 2001). Only two times I came close to being full-on this movie: the radio with the chinese/nepalese man, and the ending, but beyond that, nothing else but me going wow at maybe the best special effects work in a long time. Videogame cutscene? What’s wrong with that?
– Avenge But One of my Two Eyes (2005, Avi Mograbi) **** This feels a lot like the clear main influence and antecesor of ‘5 Broken Cameras’, obviously from another equally enraged perspective. The film, as much as the 2011 documentary, also has a lot of filler that gives a frame of reference that is mostly useless for someone who is much or less more familiar with the subject. This film is much more cleaner in its perspective and making than the oscar nominated film, mainly because there’s only one responsable of the whole film, someone who seems to have a view that is clear towards the issue of Palestine, but at the same time discovers how important they truly are and how important the struggle is, specially towards the end when he simply explodes when he sees the injustice and inhumanity that his own people, his own army (his own words) is practically impeding another people to live the way they want to live. Strong stuff, if a little diluted.
That’s all, have a good week Sam!
Jaimie, there is Halloween fever up in these parts, and locally they have a “haunted hayride” set for tonight, one where the daring passengers will be escorted from a local playground/part to our own #3 School, where all kinds of ghosts and monsters will be lurking on the first two floors, aiming to scare the beejesus out of kids and adults alike. I know you have kept up the spirit of the day at your blog each and every year since I know you, and I salute you for that. You may raise your grade for BLACK SUNDAY down the road at some point. I do think it vies with BLACK SABBATH as Bava’s masterpiece. I still haven’t seen BEFORE MIDNIGHT, but I remain one of the only people on the planet who didn’t praise the two that came before it. I found it self-indulgent and turgid. But you and many others I know voice a strong defense, so I can only hope that one day I’ll “see the light.” I understand what you are saying about GRAVITY. It is an exceptional film for a number of reasons, but the masterpiece label does not fit. I saw it twice, and liked it slightly less the second time. The Mograbi film is most intriguing. Thanks as always for the spectacular comment, and enjoy Thursday my friend!
BREAKING BAD did wrap up terrifically. I’d love to discuss it more in depth but I’ll hold off as to not spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet.
I saw several films this past week, a lot more than the previous few. First I re-watched ON THE WATERFRONT (Criterion Blu-Ray) and was once again astonished by this deeply felt morality tale, which boasts two terrific lead performances and fascinating allegory. Just for fun I wrote an essay on it, which has now been added to the stockpile of essays I have written for when I create a blog of my own. I also saw many short films, which you can read my thoughts on over at Lost in the Movies. I will also be watching a few more, next up is the Quay brothers’ Stille Nacht series. I also saw three feature films that were new to me, first was THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (Netflix instant), which I hope to comment on when it comes up in the Western countdown. Saturday night I saw THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK (Netflix instant), a nice work of gritty 70s realism that left a little to be desired in terms of depth. Finally was Godard’s head spinning comedy/drama WEEKEND (Netflix DVD), in which Godard goes for full out anarchy while bitterly attacking the bourgeoisie culture. This actually made for an interesting double bill with the several episodes of MAD MEN (Season 3) I took in earlier that day, as the that show foreshadowed, in many ways, the coming social upheaval of the late 60s while WEEKEND demonstrated it. I wonder if they will actually show or make mention to WEEKEND in MAD MEN when they get around to that time period, since it did have a pretty big NYC release, and the show has proven pretty savvy in terms of referencing movies (I remember Pete Campbell commenting on how he saw THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE, interestingly enough).
That’s it. Have a great week Sam and Wonders people!
Mike—-
I do subscribe to the view that BREAKING BAD’s final episodes have ultimately elevated the show to iconic status in the pantheon of American television. An idea has been hatched at the site over the past weeks that proposes that we conduct a “Greatest American TV Shows” of all-time Top 50 countdown! We don’t have any kind of a date yet, but 2014 is not out of the question. Of he shows produced over the last 20 years, for me BREAKING BAD is tops, though shows from the classic era are more than worthy competition. Mike, we would published your essay of ON THE WATERFRONT in a heartbeat at this site!!! Sundays are now officially open, so if you wish you can send it on to me by email (TheFountain26@aol.com) and I will have it go up this coming Sunday morning!!! Beyond that you are free to that day every week to publish other essays. Leonard Bernstein’s haunting, brooding score is one of the greatest ever written for a film, and a long-awaited CD is schedules to release soon! Both PANIC and WEEKEND are well deserving of your glowing assessments, MAD MEN is another sure contender for that prospective TV countdown. Interesting comparison there between WEEKEND and MAD MEN.
Tremendous comment here Mike! Do let me know if you are interested in my suggestion (s).
Have a great week!
,
Sam, I have sent an email to that account with my response.
Hello and all looks great –
Thanks for the heads up on the Divine documentary, although I am sure it will never show here in indy-anna –
My friends and I saw PF at least 4 times at the midnight movies in SF back in the day – never believing a film like that could ever be made, let alone continue to draw the crowds it did –
We recently hooked up with Fandor online – pushing aside NF finally for the small amount of spare $$$ we have these days –
I will peruse the back log here to see if there’s something of import we can watch on the site –
=Cheers!!!
Hello Michael!! Though the Divine documentary will have an extremely limited run (NYC’s Cinema Village always offers such releases) I am sure it will be on netflix soon enough. Great to hear your have a “history” with PINK FLAMINGOS. Ha! No doubt it was quite popular in SF back in the day, as is was in NYC. True though that this is one that is a miracle in being made at all. I haven’t tried Fandor, but many others are happy with it. Hope you get a chance to see 12 YEARS A SLAVE at some point. Thanks as always my friend. Have a great week!
Hi Sam. Another busy week is upon me. Left today for central Pennsylvania and will be here until Thursday when I aim to make it home in time for trick or treat. Don’t want to me miss that for sure. The Bride of Frankenstein is tremendous of course, but I have not seen Black Sunday so will have to correct that oversight.
Had a great viewing with the girls over the weekend, watching Shane together. I remember watching that movie often when I was their age. Of course I’m prepping for a certain something but it was nice to see a movie fresh through their eyes and interpret things again as a child would….much like in the movie itself.
Only God Forgives – Frankly not that interesting. The central conceit just doesn’t drum up enough interest of intrigue for me as compared to Drive. I felt the film was kind of hollow. It wasn’t as violent as I was expecting….but in fact was far too dull for its own good on an emotional and characterization level.
Up this week I will be checking out The Lemon Tree, Gabbeh, The Wind Will Carry Us, I Married a Witch, and The Death of Mr. Lazarescu.
We still do not have 12 Years a Slave yet so it will be interesting to see how long it take for that to arrive.
Hope you have a great week Sam!
Jon—-
Your travel itinerary is quite remarkable. Happy to hear you will be back home for Thursday and trick or treating with the girls. I’d wager you will find Bava’s film a gem of sorts, and know well of your high regard for Whale’s film. Great news on the family viewing of SHANE, a classic western that well deserves its reputation. And terrific news that the kids responded to it favorably. Your findings for ONLY GOD FORGIVES are in tune with most, though a few here at WitD were fairly impressed with it. I still have not seen it. Sounds like you have a distinguished line-up this week! Methinks you will have 12 YEARS A SLAVE this coming Friday. Your remarkable attendance to the western countdown is inspiring. Have a great week my friend!
Sam – We’re getting ready for trick-or-treaters in our neck of the woods as well. Our normally serene little neighborhood looks downright ghoulish at nightfall with jack-o-lanterns grinning menacingly from each front porch.
THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN — a classic!
Aye Laurie! Thursday the candy will be flying out our front door, almost to make up for the disasters we had the last two Halloweens. First it was that massive snowfall in 2011 that toppled trees and power lines, and then last year it was Hurricane Sandy that wrecked it’s own kind of devastation. Great to hear the atmospherics are in the right mode, and I wish you a great day on Thursday! Yes, BRIDE works no matter how many times one watches it! Thanks as always my friend.
With so much effusive praise for Breaking Bad floating around from so many people I know of, I guess I ought to get on with it at some point of point. There was a time (particularly during my graduation & post-graduation days) when I used to watch TV series quite regularly, and among the ones that I watched I’d rate Practice the highest (yes, Friends was an eternal favourite for its easy charm, Dexter & Prison Break had started off really well but couldn’t sustain, 24 was an escapist entertainer, Lost seemed really good but unfortunately I didn’t continue till the end, Boston Legal was fun if often ludicrous, etc.). I’m not naming Yes Minister & its sequel here as they belonged to a different league altogether. I’d planned to watch Sopranos but somehow I never went ahead with it. By the way, I’m not settled in Calcutta, and celebrated my birthday yesterday with some delicious Chicken A La Kiev. I’ll really miss the Yearly Countdown as it had become a regular part of my weekly activities. The Western Countdown too has taken off well though I’m hating the fact that I haven’t been getting the time to post comments and remarks for the various posts – something that I’d really planned to do from well before it had begun. Take care & have a good week!
Shubhajit—-
Sounds like you have tackled quite a few television shows dating back several years. I do of course know YES MINISTER and the sequel, and have watched THE SOPRANOS and LOST, and a few episodes of some of the others.
Happy Birthday my friend!!! Great to hear you enjoyed yourself! Hope that you will soon be settled in; I’m sure this could not have happened as quickly as you would have liked. I know that voting thread was a fun routine, and like you I will admit that the practice will be missed. At one point it seemed like it would go on forever. I understand what you are saying about comments, but we can only do what our schedule will permit. Thanks as always my friend. Have a terrific week.
Hello Sam,
I was off line yesterday, so didn’t get a chance to check in. The Divine documentary sounds great, I will keep an eye out for that.
I finally saw ENOUGH SAID this weekend, was absolutely delighted with it, and hope to revive my long-dormant site with a review sometime this week. This is my favorite Nicole Holofcener film to date, and the performances by Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the late, great James Gandolfini are perfection. I guarantee that anyone who has been on a first date over the age of 45 will see their own experience reflected brilliantly in the first-date scene between these two marvelous actors.
Another highlight of the week was LAURENCE ANYWAYS, a visually stunning and emotionally overwhelming Canadian film about a 35-year-old man’s journey to becoming a woman. Set mostly in the late 1980s, well before society had reached its current, relative of tolerance, the film is unsentimental and unsparing in its exploration of how Laurence’s wife, mother and colleagues respond to his transformation. It is overlong at 2 hours, 45 mintues and occasionally overindulgent, but it’s a promising work by a very young director, and I’m anxious to see what he does next.
Finally, I tried – oh, how I tried – to get through and aprpeciate CLEO FROM 5 t0 7, but I just couldn’t get engaged. Perhaps I am over-sated on Frech New Wave films right now, and a little weary of watching attractive young French people drift through their day. Either way, Cleo was an off-putting character for me,and her “existential journey” had me checking my watch every five minutes or so. I realize this is not an especially enlightened view, but it’s all I’ve got.
Have a great week.
Pat—-I’m sure you will love the Divine documentary! You may be right that ENOUGH SAID is the best Holofcenter film to date, and I surely agree with you that both Julia Louis-Dreyfus and James Gandolfini were excellent. (it was heartbreaking to see Gandolfini, knowing he is gone) Great point about the first date scenario playing out to perfection.
Your viewing of LAURENCE ALWAYS is coincidental for me, insomuch that I just made a copy off netflix three days ago. I was planning to watch it soon, and your glowing reaction has strengthened that resolve! I did read that it was unsentimental, and occasionally overindulgent (you have corroborated this) and I find it amazing that the director Xavier Dolan is in his 20’s. He has quite a career ahead. I am not at all surprised that Varda’s film could not pull you in. I have some issues with her work as well, especially with THE GLEANERS AND I. I find her overrated myself, though her husband Jacques Demy is a great artist. I’ve never been motivated to re-examine her work, but perhaps I will someday, as you might yourself. Have a great week Pat! Many thanks as always!
Sam, I once saw a John Waters triple-header on the big screen (Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble and Desperate Living) and about midway through Desperate Living and I ran to the restroom and threw up. But I was laughing and vomiting at the same time.
I hear ya Mark! Now that is a triple feature for the ages, and the three most essential John Waters films of them all. though certainly I’d put in a good work for POLYESTER and HAIRSPRAY. Usually the end of PINK FLAMINGOS will bring in the barfing, but Waters is often so raunchy that it doesn’t all all surprise me. His masterpiece is FEMALE TROUBLE, a film one critic claimed was his “GONE WITH THE WIND.” Ha! Have a great week my friend!
Busy busy week here as I finish up the huge list of Holiday books to review and some author’s who sent me their own works freestyle…I did review a documentary for the school district called THIS IS MY HOUSE and it is excellent about the “drug war” failures and the prison industry success. It is also a very poignant piece about racism and drugs.
I have also spent hours getting my youngest daughter her ballot so she can vote. I believe I have discovered that our ALEC/Tea Party County Auditor purged her from the roles – I believe because she is Asian heritage, 26, and would like vote for the democrat running for his office. Yes she would do that because that person lives almost next door to us and she has known her all her life, but also because this auditor is holding on to marriage licenses applied for by Gay folks and not issuing building permits to any of the GREEN architects…so it is work related to her parents also Since all the architects in the State have to be LEED certified this is a daunting task. If you do not believe in evolution then you do not need architects in your life…right!
I am still raking leaves and now need to get a lawyer on our side to help us make public before the election due date ( all ballots mail in here) We are having great sunshine and beautiful leaves this fall….
I just can not do Halloween movies at all and I have not watched Breaking Bad…We did see some fabulous Halloween costumes at the Farmer’s Market on Sunday – some very creative folks in our community. Children included.
Patricia, great to hear you have some reviews headlining. I will be heading over to PATRICIA’S WISDOM tonight to add my two cents. THIS IS MY HOUSE sounds quite excellent. I find that story about your daughter being set aside by the “powers that be” as very disturbing. Sounds like their is a redneck mentality in what is largely a “blue state” though that kind of thinking is not limited to any specific regions needless to say. I am surprised that all the ballots are mailers out by you. Nice that you have colored leaves now–ours are just beginning to change. The various country markets are always wonderful this time of the year, and nice that you have some good costumers. Have a great week my friend. Many thanks as always.
Sam —
I was disheartened by the loss of Lou Reed. He has been a part of my life since the release of “The Velvet Underground and Nico” in 1967. The passage of time is inexorable, indeed.
I’ve been reading all the reviews for Blue Is the Warmest Color and am now terribly excited to see what certainly appears to be one of the very best films of the year, but, as you may have heard, the film will not be shown in Idaho. Our only arthouse theater serves drinks and, according to Idaho Code 23-614, sex and alcohol cannot be mixed. The many multiplex theaters in the area are uninterested in showing any NC-17 film, apparently for other reasons.
Some things I did see recently:
De Palma’s Carrie (****) …finally caught up with this one.
Only God Forgives (***) …an exercise in style.
A Separation (***1/2) …a well-made melodrama.
All Quiet on the Western Front (****) …a little overwrought at times but still a classic.
Ah Duane, I completely agree with you, and also feel the loss of Lou Reed acutely. That album you name there is one of the greatest of all-time, rightly sitting with Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Goin’ On?”, The Beach Boy’s “Pet Sounds”, “The Who’s “Who’s Next,” and several Beatles albums. Rollingstone said it wonderfully here in 1975:
“Had he accomplished nothing else, his work with the Velvet Underground in the late Sixties would assure him a place in anyone’s rock & roll pantheon; those remarkable songs still serve as an articulate aural nightmare of men and women caught in the beauty and terror of sexual, street and drug paranoia, unwilling or unable to move. The message is that urban life is tough stuff—it will kill you; Reed, the poet of destruction, knows it but never looks away and somehow finds holiness as well as perversity in both his sinners and his quest. . . . [H]e is still one of a handful of American artists capable of the spiritual home run.”
Wow, I never until now knew you resided in Utah. I quite understand it has never been a bastion of the concept of ‘anything goes,’ though you made me laugh when you said that they won’t mix sex with alcohol! Ha! I did see BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR last night, and I do believe it is one of the best films of 2013. Certainly it’s erotically charged, and it’s a riveting emotional powerhouse. Remarkable that you never felt the three hour running time at any point. I’ll speak more about it on Monday, but I do hope somehow you’ll get lucky. Completely understand what you say about ONLY GOD FORGIVES. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT as you say is an irrefutable classic. A SEPARATION is superlative and the original CARRIE is far better than the recent re-make.
Have a great week my friend!
Hi Sam, hope you and all at Wonders have a great week. I haven’t seen much lately, but did see the Sinatra film ‘The Joker Is Wild’, which I thought was very good. It was my birthday yesterday and I received several DVDs, including a box set of series 3 of ‘Boardwalk Empire’, so will have a lot of watching to enjoy over the next few weeks! We also have series 1 of ‘Breaking Bad’, so I will be getting to grips with that soon too.
Thanks very much for that Judy! And I wish you the best birthday ever! I am sure that when you settle down to some BOARDWALK EMPIRE and especially some BREAKING BAD you will be quite taken! I am certain in fact. I haven’t seen that Sinatra is so long that I am having trouble recalling it. But your estimation means I do need to revisit. Have a great week, and many thanks as always my friend.
Sam,
Always good to see a classic or classics in your case on the big screen. I managed to catch a FRANKENSTEIN and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN double feature n the big screen a while back thanks to TCM. The passing of Lou Reed is a sad event, a unique and influential talent to say the least.
On the movie front I watched the following…
Convicts 4 – True story of John Resko, a man who killed another in his youth and while spending 19 years in prison he found he had the talent to paint and becomes a well known artist. As Resko, it’s Ben Gazarra’s film with a thoroughly convicting performance. A not much talked about little gem.
Blackfish – Excellent documentary on the exploitation of Orca whales by organizations like Sea World masquerading as environmentally concerned profit making corporations. Engrossing and sad to see these magnificent giant creatures forced to “entertain” and spend most of their lives in pools instead of the wide open ocean waters.
On the Road – Directed by Walter Selles, the film comes off as too structured losing the free spirited rambling feel of Kerouac’s source novel. Maybe Kerouac’s writing style is just impossible to capture on film. That said, the acting, especially by Sam Reilly is spot on as Kerouac and Garrett Hedlund is as charismatic as you would imagine Dean Moriarty to be. Not exactly successful but more of an interesting failure.
The Bat – Low budget 1950’s old dark house mystery thriller with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing for the films’ short running time. Fun performance by Anges Moorehead as a mystery writer in the middle of it all. Former Little Rascal Darla Hood has what would be her last role.
John—
Yes the passing of Lou Reed is an incalculable loss for music fans. It is always great to see the old Universal horror classics on the big screen, and it almost always allows for an interactive experience, with an audience all-knowing of every line.
I am no fan at all of ON THE ROAD, and methinks you state the nay case quite superbly. I agree that THE BAT is fun, and that BLACKFISH is a superior documentary. I am one who needs to still see CONVICTS 4, which has received quite the glowing summary for you!
Have a great week my friend! Many thanks as always.
Sam – I wanted to let you know I received the pumpkin email you sent this evening (Halloween), but when I replied to thank you, it bounced back with a “mailer daemon” error. I’m not sure what’s going on (mailbox full?, but I thought you’d want to know.
Laurie, thanks for alerting me to this! Something is messed up for sure, and I’ll be investigating.
Sam, I’ve also noticed that your email address in my address book now has a completely different name attached to it and a photo of someone else – wondering if you have been hacked or something? Weird.
Sam, I apologize for the late reply here.
I too was upset to hear of Lou Reed’s passing. He was a musician of great interest to me. I love much of his music and know there is much he touched that I still want to explore and discover.
Your post this week reminded me that I still need to enter the world of Mario Bava. I have yet to see one of his films which embarrasses me to say.
This week I took in the 7th installment of the Cousins’ doc. I continue to enjoy it a great deal, and each installment exposes some gaps and some works to present unknown to me.
Thanks, Sam, for all that you do!