With our very dear friend John Grant (realthog) at the Princton Book Festival on Saturday
by Sam Juliano
What a fabulous surprise was in store for Lucille, Danny and I went we walked down the rows between tables at the Princeton Children’s Book Festival on Saturday. Lucille actually noticed that our venerated comrade John Grant (realthog) was posted behind one of the tables with his lovely wife Pam, promoting his new book Eureka, which we secured a copy of. Grant, the ever prolific writer and blogger was quite the welcome site during the one hour or so we spent there before reversing direction for the two hour right north to Chappaqua, New York -the hometown of Bill and Hillary Clinton – for another children’s book festival of annual renown.
The science-fiction countdown is down to its final quarter, and it continues to offer up one superlative essay after another in what has become a sterling display of cinematic scholarship. Thanks to all who have supported it by way of comments and page views. It has been quite a ride, one sadly accompanied by our unconcionable tragedy.
Lucille and I saw one film in the theaters – the western remake of The Magnificent Seven. With the season of horror upon us I also caught several genre films at home, with one a just-released blu ray of a cheesy sci-fi-horror flick from the 50’s that worked quite well after so many years.
The Magnificent Seven *** 1/2 (Saturday night) Secaucus
The re-make of this much beloved western classic isn’t anything special, but still a most entertaining two hours plus movie.
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It was such a delightful surprise to see you three at Princeton! A pity you were heading off to the Chappaqua gig (although I’m glad you had a good time there!) beause Pam and I had conceived an instant Cunning Plan to drag you all to the rather natty-looking Indian restaurant across the road for lunch. (We never actually did get to said eaterie.)
We sold out of copies of Eureka! long before the final whistle, which as you can imagine was both pleasing and frustrating.
We met and chatted with a real host of wonderful kids during the day, from poppets aged maybe 9 or 10 through to teens. All of them so bright, so curious to learn, so visibly in love with reading and books. For us it was a day full of rich memories that I imagine will last for years.
I think I’ve managed never to see The Haunted Strangler (1958), but this sounds like one I should make the effort to track down.
John, we are still talking about meeting up with you and Pam. We would have loved to have lunch with you at that Indian restuarant had we not been on that crazy mission. Not sure I’d attempt a double again, but it worked well enough on Saturday. Congrats on EUREKA selling out! That’s really fantastic, though all things considered not at all surprised! Wonderful too that you had so much fun with that bevy of youngsters!
I’d be curious to know what you think of that Karloff.
Again, quite a weekend my friend.
I’ve put the Karloff on The List, so hope to get to it soon.
I still can’t get over what a treat it was to see you lot suddenly appear out of the blue. Pam was teasing me all afternoon about how pleased I’d been.
I hope I wasn’t too waspish with your embarrassingly Trumpist uncle. We all have them.
John, Lucille and I too remain utterly amazed at the wonderful coincidence of meeting up with you on Saturday. Definitely the major highlight of that festival far and away. Next time we’ll have to get lunch. Seeing as how well your book has done, I am figuring you’ll be there again next year!
Well, Jack is hardly my “uncle” (LOL!!!) but he can definitely get under your skin. Actually I commend you for your civility in view of his exasperating and jaded commentary!!
So glad to hear of you loving THE MONSTER OF PIEDRAS BLANCAS. I caught it on late nite TV while visiting a friend back in the late ’90s. We, too, were in hysterics. Easily among the most enjoyable “bad” movies out there.
Dean, that is a cool revelation there. Gloriously we are on the same page. Some movies are so bad that they are good, though PIEDRES BLANCAS is actually fairly well done.
That’s real nice that you got to see realthog, and in a surprise no less! The only one in your terrific horror round-up I have not yet seen is The Monster of Pierdras Blancas.
It was indeed Frank. Lucille saw him, and after that it was all smiles and embraces. A great man and a very dear friend. His wife Pam is a lovely person as well.
The festival season means the picture book series is right around the corner. I look forward to sharing our findings Sam.
Tim, I am thrilled to hear that you will be following the series again this year my friend.
And nothing like a surprise meeting with a good friend!
Well you know Sammy I’m suprised at you that there’s no mention of the debates because that’s the real story. Nobody cares about the seven magnificents or books because the future of the country is on the line and the polls are tight. Hilary is not very well liked, people know she can’t be trusted because of Fugazi and the country knows she’s not healthy enough to be president. Trump has the people behind him and he tells it like it is, people want honesty, not more Clinton lies. Is Trump doing well in Fairview? Even the guy who does the lawns here in my complex he’s from Urugay and he’s voting Trump because they know that getting the justices is important so they can’t stop the abortion movement. Even without the wall things are gonna be different and we’re gonna be back on the right track again. You should talk about politics and not waste time on movies until after the election.
people know she can’t be trusted because of Fugazi and the country knows she’s not healthy enough to be president. Trump has the people behind him and he tells it like it is, people want honesty, not more Clinton lies.
What absolute and complete bullshit. Check out Clinton’s ratings on some non-partisan fact-checking site like Politifact (and please don’t brainlessly repeat the alt-right lie that Politifact is itself compromised) and you’ll find that, for modern politicians she’s remarkably truthful — certainly far more so than Trump (I fell around at your “he tells it like it is”), whose blatant lies are legion.
Clinton’s health? Well, at least she released a proper medical report. Oh, and her tax returns. And the non-partisan CharityWatch rates the Clinton Foundation higher than the American Red Cross, which is not exactly what you might say of the Trump Foundation. And, after wasting millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money, even that stupid little obsessive wanker Trey Gowdy could find no blame whatsoever on Clinton’s part.
All of this stuff can be easily verified. Why don’t you go look into it. NB: Breitbart and Alex Jones’s site should not be your fact source of choice.
Jack, with all due respect, I am completely with John Grant (realthog) here. Not sure where you got the idea that Trump is a “man of the people.” I am frankly in hysterics just reading that. As far as me needing to talk about politics instead of movies or books, thanks but no thanks. As always you are such a card. I’m afraid that Fairview with the 85% Hispanic population who reside here is NOT Trump terriotory to answer your query.
Sam –
You and yours are Children’s Book Festival ROCKSTARS!
I laughed out loud at your detailed recount of watching “The Monster of the Piers Blancas.” That has set a cheerful tone for the rest of the day. Thank you!
Thank you so much Laurie! We still have one more fall festival to go, a week from Saturday in warwick, New York. Yes PIEDRES BLANCAS is a hoot like none other!! Have a great upcoming week my friend!!
It’s possible we’ll see you at Warwick. I’m not in the show and it clashes with something locally, so the chances are slender, but I’m quite keen to pop up there to say hello to fellow Zest Books author Jeff Campbell. We’ll see.
John, I’d be godsmacked to see you and Pam at Warwick on Saturday, and I do hope it comes to pass. But I understand, what with your local commitments it is a bit of a longshot. But let’s see…..
Hi Sam,
Sending good vibes and warm thoughts your way. I’ve been totally buried lately, traveling for work this week in LA and just got back. Now tomorrow we are all leaving on a trip to the Grand Canyon area for a week and taking the kids out of school. We have never been out that way so looking forward to it, although scrambling to pull things together in the midst of the fall busy-ness. Saw a few films recently though.
The Lobster: Was funny and amusing in parts, but ultimately a bit of a slog to sit through and really could have been written by an 3rd grader.
Ingrid Bergman In Her Own Words: Really interesting to see the personal life of Bergman through her letters and photos and interviews with her Children. A humanizing portrait for sure.
A Taste of Honey: Typical Tony Richardson fare that has some moments, but feels very dated.
Knight of Cups: The first Mallick film that feels like a bit of a chore to sit through. He clearly wanted to make a rather empty film. He certainly succeeded, but that doesn’t make it worth the time to watch it.
LOL, at the LOBSTER written by a third grader. In a country that has perched Donald Drumpf as a Presidential candidate of a major party, to think that our educational system is educating its citizens—by the third grade no less—at a level to write this is rather laughable. So thanks.
But, no worries, as one of the great writers of modern prose, Shelagh Delaney gets equally inane short work here and Malick is tossed on the garbage heap too.
Who needs geniuses? All trash! At least we liked the stock character bio-doc.
I consider Knight Of Cups to be Malick’s worst film. Part of the problem is the movie, which recycles and parodies past Malick film grammar into irrelevancy. And part of the problem is me. I just find nothing interesting about the problems of Hollywood people. All those empty parties, sex, and money. Woe is me. I know that Malick is further exploring personal issues, and the film actually adds a different ripple to his spirituality (a sense of doubt and despondency). But it still feels like weak navel gazing in my eyes. I’m more interesting in his next two projects Weightless and Radegund which hopefully explore something different.
I’ve never understood why KNIGHT OF CUPS has been reduced to a reading of the characters saying, ‘woe is me’, as this was a film I didn’t watch. There isn’t phony bourgeois complaining there to me, but then I’m also someone who has also never felt the need to reduce emotional suffering as trivial when they have additional zeroes in their bank account (suffering is suffering, if it’s spoken in honesty).
In fact I don’t take much of what happens between the lines in KNIGHT OF CUPS that seriously as its way too abstract (read: downright vague) to parse characterizations beyond the few clear references to his past films (I, for example, see Brian Dennehey as Brad Pitt 50 years ago in TREE OF LIFE) but more as a thrill of near pure mainstream experimental cinema. That so many readings are analyzing it as a narrative film full of symbolic messages like you would, say BADLANDS, is incorrect.
But that wasn’t my point, and you’re more than free to disagree. Now if you’d trashed Malick and two other geniuses in short condescension then you’d be near why I came here in the first place.
Jon, I definitely like KNIGHT OF CUPS more than you and Maurizio. God rest his soul, Allan was a huge fan of it as well. But I see Maurizio has made his case quite well there. I also like A TASTE OF HONEY more than you. Best wishes moving forward, and I wish you safe travels as always. Have as great upcoming week.
Sam, great to hear about your recent viewings. I am with you, there is something always quite rewarding about Tourneur’s Cat People. Just the sheer resourcefulness and creativity Lewton and Tourneur brought to the genre.
Still way too slow here but did manage to catch Hong Sang-soo’s Hahaha. I continue to be a big admirer of the South Korean’s work and feel he is probably the closest inheritor of Rohmer’s rigor and sensibility currently at work right. This one is a little less than some of the others that rate top shelf for me but still a very enjoyable watch for anyone that enjoys the prolific filmmaker’s work.
Jeffrey, I was so thrilled when I heard that Criterion would be doing CAT PEOPLE and I do hope they will follow up with the other Lewtons. You have me more than intrigued about Sang-hoo. I can’t say I am familiar with his work, but that comparison to Rohmer is quite interesting, even though you conclude that he isn’t top shelf. I will investigate. Thanks as always my great friend. I can never relay to you the depth of my appreciation.