by Sam Juliano
An Allan Fish Online Festival will commence on our beloved site colleague’s birthday (May 11) and will continue at least for 14 days, though it could well run a few days more (perhaps until May 28th) depending on the level of participation. The original suggestion made by my longtime site colleague and friend Jamie Uhler, and this resilient Chicagoan has created quite a magnificent poster, while setting the ground rules for the project’s execution. The specifications were sent on to a limited e mail chain of past countdown writers as well as site members, but nothing is set in stone as far as the actual number, so anyone not previously included is welcome to speak out in the comment section under this post. The choice for each writer will be to review a film they found online (Allan’s oft-used method of finding rarities) and it will run at WitD and the blogsite of that day’s participant. Obviously we have a little over three weeks left before we will be launching this and no definitive schedule is expected to be finalized before maybe May 5th or so. I am guessing that when the smoke clears as far as acceptance e mails go, that we will probably have 17 people writing single reviews. Unlike other projects at the site there will be only one review to a customer, which of course will allow most invited to accept. What was originally posed to be a one week tribute could well end up being close to three weeks, but as Jamie said in response. “the more the merrier.” Also, since this is the first year in a planned project to carry over to other years the bigger pool seems appropriate. Those planning to participate are asked to respond to me directly on the e mail sent out. Note: just to reiterate, the May 18th final date has now been expanded and will be finalized as soon as I find out how many will actually contribute.
Then, in late June we are planning to commence with the long desired Greatest Television Show/Series countdown. Voters will choose their Top 50, the countdown will go with a Top 60, so we can enjoy ten extra essays. American, British, and all other foreign country programs will be considered (Berlin Alexanderplatz from Germany for example) and mini series like The Civil War, I Claudius, The World at War are all game. I will send out the first e mail to the group in a few weeks, but be advised that anyone really taking this project seriously may want to brush up on some shows.
Lucille and I will be attending the annual Tribeca Film Festival beginning this coming Thursday and continuing until April 29th.
Lucille, Jeremy, Broadway Bob, Jo Ramos and I all got together with Michigan film and television blogger Adam Ferenz on Saturday evening for a screening of the horror film The Transfiguration at the Angelika Film Center. We enjoyed a meal at The Dish on 8th Avenue afterwards.
The Transfiguration *** (Saturday evening) Angelika Film Center
I took in several newly acquired blu rays of classic films over the week as well.
Click on names for archives
Writers/Founders
Wonders in the Dark 
The rules for Allan Fish OFF are a little more strict—the film chosen must be able to be WATCHED online for free (so youtube, vimeo, dailymotion, etc), not merely had online (which is virtually anything). More to come, can’t wait!
Jamie, that clarification -completely in tune with Allan’s long held method in discovering so many great films- is much appreciated. The other beloved free depot for Allan was the Cave of Forgotten Films, which did disappear for a while, but is now back. I believe my own choice will be from that site. Have a great upcoming weekend my friend.
I think the Online streaming nature of it is the Festival aspect of it. In a festival a film opens and a bunch of people see it together in a theater; here a film is picked and (theoretically) you and I can watch it together, hundreds of miles apart. Allan Fish OFF is as much a metaphor for the Wonders community as it is a film festival.
Indeed Jamie. Agreed completely.
Here’s what I worry about here– I love the idea of having the communal experience of finding films that are easily available on youtube and other such places. However– As soon as we put these things up on our pages and direct more traffic to them, isn’t there a risk that we’ll trigger them being taken offline? I’m pretty sure that happened more than once to stuff I wrote about in the past.
Anyway. Hopefully the thing I’m planning to write on will be released on blu within the year (though it’s from a company that can take forever sometimes after they announce something).
Well Bob, that certainly is possible, but I’d like to think we’ll get by without any on line removals. That would be great if your selection does come out on blu ray absolutely!
I’m looking forward very much indeed to the Fish Online Festival. How you can take on the co-organization of this while also doing battle with the Tribeca event I have no idea!
If it’s of interest, we had a movie-watching Easter, our selections being
The Dish (2000) — splendid! A comedy about the Parkes radiotelescope’s contribution to the Apollo 11 project.
The Garden Murder Case (1936) — bloody awful! I’d thought it was one of the William Powell Philo Vances, but instead we had Edmund Lowe portraying Vance as a broad-shouldered, babe-magnet hunk of a Philo Vance, nary a pince nez in sight. Oh gibber.
Darwin’s Brave New World (2009 TVM) — splendid! An Australian three-part TV miniseries documentary, large parts of it dramatized, about Darwin and the theory of evolution by natural selection, An odd choice for Easter Day viewing, perhaps, but we were absolutely riveted by it (although yrs truly mumbled from time to time over simplifications in the biography aspect of it).
Not sure if we’ll add a fourth before bedtime — Darwin’s Brave New World left us with a sort of “follow that!” feeling.
Thank you so very much John! Well, luckily the projects are separated by time. Tribeca starts today (Thursday, 4/20) and run until Sunday, 4/30. The Allan Fish Online Festival won’t launch until May 11th (his birthday), so I have some time to firm up all the final preparations with my site colleague Jamie. The slight complication for me is on another front – my school’s 8th grade Washington D.C. trip, which runs May 10, 11 and 12. So I’ll have to monitor the AFFF’s first day (Thursday 11) from the lobby PC of the hotel in the nation’s capital. I am not sure of the location, but I can assure you it is NOT owned by Trump!
Ha! I have struck out with your Easter viewings! Have seen none, though the Darwin -which you liked the most handily- is the one I’d gravitate to anyway! I have noted it gleefully. That 1936 movie was that bad eh? I’ll steer clear if an opportunity arises. Have a great upcoming weekend my friend. Best as always to you and Pam!
The online Allan Fish Festival sounds great Sam! Will be following it attentively. Enjoy Tribeca!
Thank you so much my friend! Full reports will be documented here! Have a great upcoming weekend.
Sam — The “Allan Fish Online Festival” sounds like it’s going to be a wonderful and fitting tribute.
I had a great laugh at the idea of you folks eating a meal after viewing a horror film. For me? Not in this lifetime!
Sammy liked it a lot more than I did, and for my part, my lack of enjoyment worked up an extra appetite. Now, had we seen Raw, food might have been off the table entirely for me.
Laurie, thank you for the kind words on the upcoming Allan Fish Online Festival. It is indeed a tribute to honor his genius over the years at Wonders in the Dark. Hahaha, having a meal after a horror film is indeed a tricky proposition, especially this type of horror film. Wasn’t a big fan of it, but yes the impression was made so to speak. Many thanks my friend! Have a great upcoming weekend.
Adam, RAW would have instigated an unwanted gastronomic reaction for sure!
Good Luck at Tribeca Sam! Great projects ahead!
Many thanks Peter! Have a great upcoming weekend!
‘The Devils’ (1971, uncut, watched on Easter Sunday — blasphemer! — and as an emetic the film works better than a bag of chocolate bunnies) — Ken Russell’s notorious, long suppressed, dizzying assault on the sensibilities. With all its writhing nudes (DeMille did better orgies), gruesome exorcisms, physical torture and the clerical hoods worn by Richelieu’s tribunal, this film has the look of Abu Ghraib torture porn set in a nunnery. Throw in the plague and the cupping of victims with hornets and one gets the feeling Russell really, really despises his actors and his audience.
Nevertheless, some considerable talent is on display: Oliver Reed (as Grandier, an ambulatory phallus around Loudun); Vanessa Redgrave (as the sexually frustrated Mother Jeanne); David Watkin (cinematography); and Derek Jarman (sets). All are first-rate.
A film writer – can’t remember who – once called some typically gaudy Russell shocker (maybe it was the confetti-strewn The Music Lovers) a “gilded shitcake,” an epithet that could be applied to The Devils.
For more felicitous fare, check out Joan Crawford, Jack Palance and Gloria Grahame in Sudden Fear — Felix culpa! O happy guilt!
Mark—
What timing on SUDDEN FEAR! I just myself watched the newly-released Cohen Media Group blu ray of the film this past week and both the transfer and the film of course were superlative. Not the first time I have seen it, but it has been a while. Must count it as one of Joan’s best performances, and Jack and Gloria very fine too as you note. You and I are not on the same wave-length with THE DEVILS (neither is Allan Fish who did feel it was a masterpiece) but as I always I respect your incisive, no nonsense dismissal, especially that you acknowledge some of those excellent performances. It is of course a blasphemous film as intended, and to say it is sometimes disturbing would be the classic understatement. You are right though about DeMille doing the best cinematic orgies, CALIGULA aside. And the production design is indeed stunning. But wow, watching it on Easter Sunday? LOL! Have a great upcoming weekend my friend. Thanks as always!
Here is Allan’s take on THE DEVILS:
https://wondersinthedark.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/the-devils-no-41/
Count me in as someone who considers THE DEVILS a masterwork. It might be Russell’s masterpiece, which says something, he made about a half-dozen. The other blasphemer in his catalog, DANCE OF THE SEVEN VEILS, challenges it (can’t wait until Strass’ copyright expires in 2019 and we can see that baby remastered).
But, I say all this as an avowed Russell supported. His decadence is sort of the point. I even like WHORE, that great film that he apparently made JUST to spite PRETTY WOMAN. You sort of have to respect a guy like that.
Yep, the infamous Rape of Christ is included. And a question — after Grandier’s incineration, Mother Jeanne is thrown one of his charred bones; is this a taunt or is she supposed to masturbate with it?
As depraved as the film is, my guess is the latter.
Mark, that was deliberately intended to simulate masturbation, yes. I certainly well understand why you’d conclude that the film is depraved, though it never made any effort to conceal that intent. 🙂
I’m very excited for the Allan Fish Online Festival, which seems like a very fitting tribute.
This week, I finally saw Scorsese’s SILENCE, which I found powerful and profound. If I recall correctly, Sam, I believe this was not a favorite of yours. However, I thought it was an important work. Not a film I would say I loved exactly – it’s just too hard to watch at times, due to the depictions of brutal torture. But it gave me a lot to think about.
Mostly, the past week was a blur of church choir rehearsals and Holy Week performances. Tonight is the first night I’ve had to relax in awhile and I’m going to spend it streaming TONI ERDMANN on Amazon – very happy to finally be seeing it.
Thanks so much Pat! Yes it is a fitting tribute to Allan’s genius, and we are hoping to do it at least a few more years to coincide with his May birthday.
You are right on SILENCE, which despite the normally (appealing to me) subject matter and the venerated director, somehow just didn’t register with me. The vast majority of the critics and bloggers are in agreement that it is an important film, and I can’t myself dispute that. Perhaps in time I will come to appreciate it as much as the majority. I greatly respect your position here, and even now do like some aspects, which includes the cinematography. The brutal torture you mention is indeed not so pleasant to behold though.
By now I am sure you’ve seen TONI ERDMANN, and I am looking forward to your response. Have a great upcoming weekend my friend, and thank you!
Sam, I am happy to see that the site will be heating up in the coming weeks/months. I think the Allan Fish Online Film Festival, starting on Allan’s birthday is a wonderful and deserving tribute. The television countdown will be getting my undivided attention, and I will be submitting a ballot for the project.
Thanks for the very kind words Ricky! Yes all of the sudden things have heated up here at the site, and preparations are moving forward. Have a great upcoming weekend my friend!
I have had a sad week as my Aunt has passed away and my fabulous mentor on Easter Sunday weekend. I have been busy with preparations for their life celebrations. I wish I could review one of Barbara’s beautiful plays for you but they were performed nearly 10 years ago. I did review her book of psalms rewrites on my blog years and years ago. both amazing women. I will re-mention the book THE SYMPATHIZER – Pulitzer Prize winner and amazing story about Vietnam and the section mocking the huge movie about Vietnam ( as the ‘real’ story of Vietnam) is just amazing. Funny and insightful and it should be made into a movie…I think your film fans will like it very much. The portrayal of Marlon Brando just made me laugh from head to toe.
Enjoy the Festival and I am looking forward to the Allen Fish series
Patricia, my deepest condolences at this terrible time. She sounds like an amazing person, and her own interests are what you and I can truly appreciate to the max. “The Sympathizer” sounds like an essential work, though the Pulitzer Prize does speak for itself. I hope a movie will be made of it absolutely. Thank you very much. Will be thinking of you this week my friend.
Wow, this sounds like a great project! A real tribute to Allan, and a chance to do something genuinely different. Can’t wait to read/watch along!
Allan Fish Online Festival, a wonderful tribute to Allan and true way to keep his spirit alive at WitD.