Astrojanitor

The real irony is the song really is about him (whomever "him" may be), even though the song mocks him for thinking the song is about him. but it is. he isn't vain, the song is about him. carly Simon is bad at knowing what words mean. Also music.

Sexual puppets do make the kids uncomfortable. In a cult film class a couple years ago I screened the epic 1975 hardcore pornographic puppet movie "Let My Puppets Come." The students saw a lot of felt ruined that day. I had one kid say i scarred him for life. wimps.

Polonsky was able to do some undercover writing, must notably that Robert Wise picture "Odds Against Tomorrow." he was really only able to make the one film, tragic when realizing a talent like that was never able to live up to his promise. Polonsky and Dassin really had a similar style, I think that's what partly got them in trouble. That stark high key naturalistic lighting really highlights the filth and detritus in the urban landscape. it wasn't just a skyline showing the clear line of progress in post war America...beautiful architecture built on top of filth covered streets--pretty straightforward metaphor there. Another great noir is Moontide. Actually directed by Fritz Lang but credited to someone I don't remember. Features a great performance by Jean Gabin of all people. Criterion is releasing an amazing Nicholas Ray film called "Bigger Than Life" starring James Mason. it will be out in about a month or so and should be watched immediately/repeatedly. A truly subversive, weird and daring film about Mason going crazy due to cortizone shots. It's almost like Douglas Sirk making a hardcore punk record. Joan Chandler did some tv work, but unfortunately bottomed out in mystery science theater 3000 type weirdness. She was in "How to Make a Monster" and "Dragstrip Riot," films note worthy mostly because near perfect rock and roll band The Cramps are fans of both. They even named an album How to Make a Monster, which is probably the only reason why that film may be in print.

I do want to see the film again, maybe some of these criticisms will land with me after knowing the secret ending. But the film is told through the eyes of a (possibly) mentally disturbed person so there is a lot of intention disorientation. An example would be when Leo is interviewing the female inpatient. When she asks for the glass of water...she grabs the glass, there's a quick shot of her miming drinking a glass of water...ends with an empty glass hitting the tabletop. only purpose is to keep the audience confused in order to replicate a deranged mind. There's a lot of unrealistic weirdness (ie climbing up and down those cliff sides) that I am not convinced really happen in the narrative because of being shot with an obvious rear projection matting. I would not agree with Scorcese being lazy on this film (The Departed? Lazy as hell).

+1 there is a whole lot of over reacting here. can't mock a lady's wardrobe now?

It's not women who buy Playgirl.....

I'm shocked Peeping Tom is out the door. I really do not understand how that film is not lauded as one of the popular classics. That film is as vital as Psycho to me. Stunning, uncomfortable, visceral...every bit as good as Hitchcock. Powell made cinema, not movies. The look of those films are almost intimidatingly beautiful. Like any auteur Hitch really benefited from restrictions. My favorite film of his is Rope. One room and no visible editing. Add a healthy dollop of homoerotic subtext and go. Film has less exciting, for me at least, in the last 30 years since now everything goes. If Hitchcock was working today it would be all breasts and f-bombs. Laconte has a film called Man on the Train which will knock you out. It's from like 2003 or so and was hands down my favorite film of that year. it's a small story, but Laconte allows the characters to slowly build out of this vague first act. There's no rush to let the audience know what is happening--you have to sit there and let Laconte tell you his story and I love that. Last night I watched Dark City with Roger Ebert's commentary track on. He was talking about how most modern Hollywood films have a third act that is primarily composed of a car chase and a big climatic fight. All special effects but the story ends like an hour into the film. Man on the Train is the exact opposite. The third act is as vital, narratively, as the first. Great film. I am a Godard junkie. I could watch his work from the 60s a thousand times. Made In USA is my current favorite. Such a bold filmmaker. No one has ever been able to continue what he was trying to do in the 60s. Soderbergh has a film called Schizopolis that comes sort of close. Medium Cool is like half a Godard, but that's really it. Just no one can touch him. Film noir is probably the thing I know the most about in this world. I've done a lot of thinking and writing on the genre, could not love noir more. My all time favorite is Force of Evil by Abraham Polonsky. Stars John Garfield and is so good the government wouldn't let Polonsky make another film. HUAC...jerks went out of their way to alienate the brilliant.

anonymous! wooo, $75,000 English degree finally pays off!

I debated getting into this field back when i was switching away from film production. All the research I did at the time (2000-2001) implied that the job was subcontract. Also paid horribly, like $20K/yr tops.

I can't imagine Gradkowski (that's his name, right?) not getting the starting job

Gallo Blasts Buffalo Lawmakers Over Sister's Conviction Eccentric actor VINCENT GALLO has slammed his home town of Buffalo, New York, after his sister was incarcerated by local police for helping an abused child. The BUFFALO 66 director and star is furious JANINE GALLO is serving a six-month jail sentence after becoming involved with a local child who was allegedly being abused by her father. Janine - who owns a convenience store in Buffalo - says she took pity on the girl, who begged for help her escape from serious physical violence, and filed a report with social services. However, the girl's family responded by taking out a restraining order and then launching a smear campaign against her, suggesting she was sexually interested in the youngster. When Janine took a phone call from the frightened girl, she violated the order - and was sentenced to the maximum jail time by Judge FRANK CARUSO in September (03). Vincent fumes, "My sister is an incredibly likable and popular and generous person. What's she supposed to do when the girl calls her hysterically crying? "I've never heard anybody having this rough a time. They're treating her especially badly because of these completely false allegations that she is a sexual predator. If you reach out to abused children in America, be careful. "Nothing is reasonable in Buffalo. I'm used to doing business in New York and Los Angeles - it's coming back to me why I put my thumb up on the Interstate when I was 15. "It's ridiculous, inbred, like DELIVERANCE with smokestacks. I take a s*** on the city."

underage drinking maybe? I don't know man, it's real easy to go to jail over drinking and drugs. commit an actual crime? probation.

and now the Pope wants to ruin Revolver for me? Once that jerk starts recommending Rolling Stones and Guided By Voices albums I'll finally know I'm infallible.

If I'm not mistaken the film was released without a rating. But then it was also barely released. Trainwreck of a film made worse by the wacky twist ending. The whole boredom aspect of driving around aimlessly for 2 hours does not bother me so much. I can get down with the occasional Warholian ball punch of boredom in a film....but that ending? Stupid stupid movie. That spat with Ebert may have killed his career, people love Ebert. Guy has done a lot to promote intelligent reading of film. Gallo was always considered a scene rat who accidentally made a great movie about wanting to shoot Scott Norwood.

MNS could have never made a film like this. he has become a goofy filmmaker who primarily lives up his own ass. He's become a punchline for doing the same thing over and over again, badly. There was a great "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" episode last season about just that. there's no media conspiracy to promote Scorcese, in reality reviewers appear hipper if they bash the icons. 66% positive (that's where it lays right now) is not that high (Zombieland got 89%) and really means 2/3 bloggers thinks the film is worth seeing--not that they find it to be a masterpiece. And it is worth seeing. The direction is astounding. The photography is brilliant as well. I also feel it will hold up to repeat viewings. now that I know what's going on, I think there are going to be subtle clues hinting me in that direction. A lot of techical flashing that is going to be fun to pick out. Stuff like the delusions being shot in technicolor while the memories are washed out (something I already noticed). The are shots that embrace their own artifice (ie use of rear projection) I can't wait to go back and take another look at that usage. Beautiful score too. When I left the theater my buddy felt it was Scorcese's best picture since Raging Bull. i don't know about that, but certainly his best since Goodfellas. I feel 50 years from now when we are able to properly judge his career Shutter Island will come up as one of his minor masterpieces.

play music, collect records and drink heavily. usually not in that order

funny you should mention that: to me Shutter Island almost looks like a Polanski film. Kind of a cross between Polanski and Michael Powell. A very bold and exciting film that refuses to do the work for you. Could not agree more about TWBB. beautifully shot with arguably the best piece of film acting since Brando at its center. But the film has something to say and that turns people off. By virtue of referencing oil TWBB becomes political. I first saw the film in the theater when i was living in Oklahoma, a VERY conservative place. I overheard people, during the screening, complaining about being hit over the head with a liberal message (heard the same complaint while watching Wall-E). An opinion I personally find to be kind of nuts. It's also long and slow by Hollywood standards. Once you get used to farting chipmunks and hockey playing tooth fairies a 20 minute long silent opening is very distancing. I have seen TWBB probably 10 times now; it just keeps getting better. The sad thing is a film with that kind of pacing practically incites anger. I remember showing one of my intro to film classes Powell's "Peeping Tom." The general consensus was of the film being slow and boring. Maybe 60-70 students and all but 2 or 3 thought it was practically unwatchable.

this is a terrific article. makes you hate Disney a little more though, doesn't it?

nope, just some dude trying to watch a brilliant film trying to shut up some chump talking and laughing and causing trouble. Although at one point the guy who was getting smacked said he was going to put his dick in the guys mouth. Odd reaction. There were like 10-15 people messing around on cell phones throughout the movie. All these lights all over the place. Animals man, animals.

Amazing, absolute face melter of a movie. As far as new movies I have seen in the theater? Best I've seen since There Will Be Blood. For the record I find There Will Be Blood to be the best hollywood film since the 1940s. Somewhat difficult though. The mongol crowd I was stuck with could not handle it. At one point an honest to god fist fight broke out between a viewer and a mocker. Whole experience made me hate people just a tiny bit more. Anyway, who saw it?

+1 never really understood why sexual fidelity was something we were expecting out of our golfers. why anyone cares about this is beyond me. it's the same self righteous humps who babble on about not watching Letterman anymore because he boned an intern. really, who !@#$ing cares? I have no idea who carrie underpants is....but she sounds hot

Offense: Trent--if only because he got steadily worse with each game, all the way to his hilarious final series Defense: Flowers--a perfect last name for that candy ass

These 20 years later kind of sequels are like bands reuniting....usually just kind of makes you hate the original a little. That being said, if someone wants to make another Cool Hand Luke (Cooler Hand Luke?) I'll be there day one.

Man Prince Vince hates everything. He's a pretty well known drama queen. What probably happened is Buffalo did not herald him as the second coming of whoever and he flipped out. he always pops up in these non fiction punk and hip hop books I'm always reading. Whenever he gets mentioned you always have a bunch of punks talking about him being a massive d-bag. \ That being said, Buffalo 66 is totally the cat's ass

hey man, maybe you're rich, but I'm balls deep in graduate school with graduate school debt. It took 2 months to save up the $150 it took to visit my chick at Ft. Lee. As much as I'd like to spend thousands and thousands of dollars to watch sports, I am not spending thousands and thousands of dollars to watch sports. NBC has a bunch of stations showing the games but it's all ice dancing all the time. I'm indifferent to seeing it live--tape delay does not really bug me--but the Olympics are about seeing events we are usually not privy to. Once every four years I get to see some cross country and biathalon, which were sports I played in High School. But since the US is bad at it, coverage gets pre-empted for figure skating warm-ups. NBC is doing a seriously horrible job with this.