Category Archives: cinema

An Evening With Crispin Hellion Glover, Part One

Posted in cinema, pop culture, society on by

Tonight I had the opportunity to finally see Crispin Glover’s film What Is It? at the Broadway Performance Hall. The film was preceded by a slide show reading/presentation of Glover’s books given by Glover himself. It was followed by a question-answer segment.

I first heard of this film when I watched Glover’s interview on Tom Green’s online show last summer. I’ve been fascinated by Glover ever since watching him in River’s Edge. That performance, with respect to his in Back to the Future, really made me wonder what was up with this man. Crispin Glover, without a doubt, is a unique individual. Sometimes I wonder whether I like him, but I always appreciate and respect him. People such as him are necessary for our culture, people who work both within and without our parameters, to challenge the status quo and keep us from becoming stagnant.

I was a little afraid to see the movie tonight. I had seen the trailer, and heard Glover talk about it on Tom Green Live, so I knew it was most certainly unconventional fare. I can’t really begin to describe it, nor would I really want to. For anyone who would want to see it, I’d like them to be able to go in with as little preconception as possible. The gist of it, though, is a sort of presentation of societal taboos in order to explore their meaning and context in our minds. According to him, it is a reaction to his experience with the film industry and some of the changes it has gone through in the last 20-30 years. This film is not for everyone. You know all those parodies of art house films that are completely absurdist? This is their fodder.

The Q&A afterward was quite good. I sat with rapt attention as he meandered and digressed about a handful of questions. We must have been there for about an hour listening to him explain his intentions and philosophies regarding the making of What Is It? and the rest of the trilogy of which it is a part. I love the thought processes behind it all, and was thrilled to know there were actually philosophical reasons for even the music choices. (He chose some of the music because of the social currents running at the time the music was written, to put it simplistically.) Glover is quite brilliant indeed. At least in my estimation. I think I could listen to him for hours, if he would let me.

In fact, tomorrow evening I will be seeing the second part of the trilogy, entitled It is Fine! Everything Is Fine. It will be presented the same as tonight’s film. That is, sandwiched between the book reading/slide show and the Q&A. I’m curious about seeing the slide show again one day later. How much will it be the same? How different? But maybe between now and then, I will be able to come up with a question to ask, and then ask it. And maybe I will stick around after and buy a book for him to sign.

While you wait for the answers to those questions, you can watch the trailer for What Is It? as presented on Tom Green Live.

Top 10 of 2007

Posted in baking/cooking, cinema, driving, food, friends, memories, music, musings, pop culture, silliness on by

It’s the end of the year, and everyone is thinking back to all the good stuff and bad stuff from the last 12 months. All the DJs are putting out their Top Ten songs and albums of the year. There are probably Top Ten news stories in various places. Top Ten This, Top Ten That. I thought I might make my own list. So I thought and I thought, for at least five or ten minutes, but nothing came to mind. Well, one thing did come to mind – the Top Ten Indescribable Things That Happened in 2007 That Made it Unique From All the Other Years I’ve Been Alive.

For instance, I started this blog in 2007. I got the Tassajara Bread Book this year after seeing the film How to Cook Your Life. I played Quake again after like 10 years. I used Flexcar. My buddy Alex finally came to visit me after years of my badgering. I bought a new DVD player. The QFC opened two blocks from my apartment. The Tower Records two blocks away closed then became a Silver Platters which I never go to. (I rarely went to Tower, either.) The only marriage for which I’ve been a member of the wedding party (since my sister’s when I was 18) ended in divorce. I finally bought rain boots after living in Seattle for nine years.

I think that’s 10 things. I don’t know if that’s Top or Bottom, and I’m not sure what the long term effects of those things are – hence the “indescribable”. But they happened. And who cares?

So here’s my real Top Ten.

The Top Ten Wasabi Peas of 2007:

Top Ten Wasabi Peas

And then there were none.

Did Frances Farmer have her revenge, afterall?

Posted in cinema, musings on by

Last night I watched Frances, a biopic of the life of Frances Farmer. I feel a bit cheated because I found out after watching it that significant portions were made up. Most significantly, in my mind, was the lobotomy. There is apparently no record nor witnesses that Ms. Farmer was ever given a lobotomy, and yet, there it was on screen. This was a huge betrayal to me. For most of the film, I watched in appreciation, but without much emotion – she had a rough life, that sucks, blah blah blah – but when that ice pick was lifted to Jessica Lange’s eye . . .

I have told myself that my burst into tears, though derived from a fictional account, is justified. They may not have done it to Frances, but it is well documented by the hospital itself that transorbital lobotomies were performed on patients. So my horror is well-founded.

I am still left with the burning question – would Frances Farmer have been institutionalized had she been Francis Farmer instead?

Trailer Trash

Posted in cinema, musings on by

I just came back from seeing Shoot ‘Em Up, a highly enjoyable film. What was not enjoyable were the overwhelming number of commercials shown prior to the film. Commercials before movies are, unfortunately, not a new trend, but the quantity now is more than ridiculous. I paid for my time to be there – what is Coke Zero or Hyundai giving me? (Ugh! and now I’ve fallen for their trap. Brand recognition. That’s what it’s all about.)

I was so angry that I decided that if they didn’t show five movie trailers (the only acceptable form of advertisement in the cinema) I would not enjoy the entire evening. Luckily for me, they actually showed SIX trailers.

On Labor Day, I saw Rocket Science at the Uptown. Before that movie, they showed at least six, maybe seven, product commercials and then only TWO trailers! Unacceptable!!