Updates!
Wow - that was a long break between posts! I blame vacation, an overinduglence in sleep and the cold slap of too much work when it all came to an end. Anyway, I did end up finishing the Sarah Waters' book a couple of days after I posted about it originally. It definitely held my attention. The only thing is that the dogged obsession with finishing it may have had more to do with an intense desire for something to happen versus simple adoration of prose. It was a good book with an interesting premise, but I felt a bit cheated at the end. It's strange that I left it like that. I honestly thought that I would give it a few days to suss out my reaction, but weeks later I still feel that the build up led to a sort of anti-climactic come down. I don't usually do numerical ranking, but if I had to I would probably give it a 6.5-7 out of 10 - so clearly not a waste of time, just a tad disappointing. The Ghosh book is promising, but I admit I had to set it aside during the xmas frenzy and what with the renewed work sched. I haven't had time to pick it up again...more on that soon.
Avatar was interesting. Went to see it 3d/Imax and enjoyed the spectacle factor. Was also bemused by the righteous outrage of some of my friends who took some time to dissect the diverse impolitic aspects of the narrative. I don't actually disagree. BUT...what do people expect from a mainstream, big budget, Hollywood blockbuster?!?! Yes, the politics are superficial, the white man's burden theme is carried forward and through that process the protagonist somehow finds a way to 'other' himself...BUT IT"S MAINSTREAM HOLLYWOOD...DUH. Where are you going to find subversive politics in the machinery of capitalist spectacle production? The very machinery of the Hollywood production machine is inextricably linked to the system. Ergo, Cameron may try to inject some quasi-progressive niceties, but he's not going to bite the hand that feeds him.
Might go see Kieslowski's Double Life of Veronique (La Double Vie de Veronique) next week. Not sure if it will happen as I have a meeting that evening that may conflict, but hope to do so. Director Krzyztof Kieslowski was a genius. He made movies that linger in your thoughts long after having screened them. I still remember A Short Film About Killing and A Short Film About Love as though I had seen them yesterday (it's been a while, and likely time for a re-screening). Those two films expand upon shorter productions that he made for his Decalogue, originally released for Polish television. Get thee to a video store and dig up some Kieslowski...love it or come back here and fight me over it, lol!
What I’m reading…
Yesterday I picked up two new (or new-ish) releases: Sarah Water's The Little Stranger and Amitav Ghosh's Sea of Poppies. Both of these of books were Man Booker Prize Finalists. That's a pretty solid accolade (last year's winner was Aravind Adiga for The White Tiger - an AMAZING book), but these things are not necessarily a given. So I'll check in with some review action as soon as I'm done.
I'm currently 205 pages into the Water's book which I started last night and I'm about 80 pages into the Ghosh that I started this morning on my way to work...
I love you John Cassavetes…
I have a crush on a dead man, his name is was John Cassavetes and he made movies. Many people are familiar with his acting work in such classics as Polanski's Rosemary's Baby - he played Mia Farrow's husband (devil pimp) or Paul Mazursky's 1982 Shakespeare adaptation Tempest where he played Prospero in the midst of a mid-life crisis taken in extremis. I also love his work as a director. From his earliest films like the 1959 release Shadows, to 70s classics like The Killing of a Chinese Bookie. Cassavetes was married to Gena Rowlands who starred in some of his films, I'm thinking particularly of A Woman Under The Influence. He was also a frequent collaborator with Ben Gazzara and Peter Falk. He even co-starred in a Columbo episode with Falk (Etude In Black).
I leave you then with many suggested viewings via the magic that was Cassavetes.
“Kay-oh-tee” vs “Kay-oat”
This weekend I hunkered down and read A.S.Byatt's newest release The Children's Book. I like Byatt in general - loved Possession and Angels and Insects - this one, not so much. That's surprising to me especially given the content. The book basically follows the intersecting lives of a series of individuals and families connected (likes spokes to a hub) to one central family of bohemian, radical artist types. Byatt's book focuses upon the tail end of the Victorian era - looking particularly at middle and upper middle class British anarchists, socialists - their general milieu and 'unconventional' family dynamic. This book is not a "fail", indeed I couldn't put it down until I finished it, it's just that it left me with a general sort of malaise, a sort of unfulfilled feeling. I committed to this book and I think that I continued to have this expectation that Byatt was going to "bring it" but that never really happened. More in keeping with the back and forth nature of this 'review', while I'll admit that I was disappointed in the book, I would still recommend it to those who have a cursory interest in 19th century radical politics in England. You know, I sort of had a similar experience reading John Cowper Powys' Wolf Solent - kept reading it and got to the end with a sort of deflated feeling...:(
Forgotten flick of the week is The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds this 1972 release is in my mind a forgotten gem. Starring Joanne Woodward, Nell Potts (Eleanor Newman - one of Woodward and Newman's daughters) and Roberta Wallach. This film is ultimately a very dark coming of age story rooted in family dysfunction. Woodward is a bitter eccentric with two teenage daughters (Wallach and Potts), the elder unstable and the younger constantly striving towards the positive despite her mother's constant negativity. I'd call this a pretty great character study and recommend it! I first saw the movie on TV when I was in grade school and it's stayed with me for many years. I should also mention that the film is adapted from Paul Zinman's Pulitizer Prize winning play.
Also, as regards the title of this entry - I am currently railing against the increased use of the pronounciation "Kay-oat" versus "Kay-oh-tee" in local media...!
Coulrophobia
I was at my niece's birthday party today and saw this amazing giant clown head hanging off of an indoor play area wall. Actually, the clown was hanging over the kids climbing apparatus/slide...!
How many people do you know with "Clown Fear"? Personally, I've been spared clown anxiety - they occasionally amuse, often bore, never really scare me. I've had this ongoing conversation with my friend Shannon re: "Clown fear" - he's said that he doesn't buy it. I'm not really sure what to make of it - I know so many people who have serious clown aversion.
My 'favourite' sinister clown from childhood is easily Bimbo
He's sort of in a league of his own.
While this is far from a sinister clown contest I know that others (notably my partner Michael) throw down for Pennywise, particularly Tim Curry's performance as aforementioned clown in the tv movie version of Stephen King's It. If I had to be honest, I was probably most scared of the clown rapist from Little House on the Prairie...really.
Any full on coulrophobes out there? If so, what's the deal? Clown fear - real or fake?
Today’s movie = Rip Torn is magic
"Rorschach. The critics who attacked it were afraid of their own erotic impulses or the stunning lack of them; those who applauded the film were driven by their fantasies, haunted by their darknesses..."
- Milton Moses Ginsberg from "How To Fall Into Oblivian and Take Your Movie With You"
Milton Moses Ginsberg's 1969 classic Coming Apart is a film that defies description. Rip Torn plays a Psychiatrist who wires his apartment/office for film and sound recording. Some say that the mechanics of the film are meant to showcase the protagonist's own breakdown. Whatever the case, Rip Torn is amazing in his portrayal of a man on the edge, secretly recording a revolving door of female clientele - whom he proceeds to exploit for his own purpose/fantasy/something.
I have a deep and abounding love for Rip Torn. From films like this one on to his work with Garry Shandling. The man is a crazed genius. Ginsberg also comes across as a disturbed genius type - he's only directed four films (this one in '69, one in 1973, another in 1999 and finally 2001) and has for the most part worked as an editor. The essay that I've referenced above is an extra on the DVD reissue of the film. In it, Ginsberg basically details the way in which he essentially alienated a lot of "important" people in the world of filmmaking so that he didn't need to compromise his project. Clearly ahead of his time, Ginsberg's fascination with busting up the conventional relationship between viewer and cinema (a la classical Hollywood narrative) is amazing to watch.
I offer for your consideration a brief clip from Coming Apart:
Rip Torn in Milton Moses Ginsberg's Coming Apart (1969)
Bollywood vs. Tollywood vs. Kollywood vs. Lollywood and so on
I referenced my interest in Bollywood in this site's inaugural post. So I figured I would get the ball rolling by clarifying (for the YouTube cruising masses) the distinctions that exist in Sub-Continental film.
Often, people see a movie clip with South Asian folks and automatically assume that makes it "Bollywood" - not so! The post title basically highlights some of the diversity of the regional cinema that exists within the Indian Sub-Continent.
Bollywood is a term that is specific to the Hindi film industry based out of Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India.
Kollywood is a term that is used specifically in reference to Tamil cinema and the Tamil film industry based out of Chennai (formerly Madras) in the state of Tamil Nadu in south India.
Tollywood references Telugu language cinema that is centred geographically in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India.
Lollywood is indicative of Pakistani film, coming out of the city of Lahore, Pakistan.
While Bollywood film is huge, it would be a mistake to assume that these regional cinemas are small fish in comparison. Lollywood is probably the one that is smallest, but the Pakistani film industry is growing. I'll write about the growth of Lollywood horror in a future post.
Just for fun and in order to differentiate I'll post a couple of clips that come from each of these cinemas. Some will be familiar (I can't resist the re-post) and others might be new to you:
Welcome!
United Mental Force is a pop culture blog filtered through my interests (B and cult cinema, books, punk rock, Bollywood etc.) and occasionally my friends' as well. Prepare to read entries that will cruise through music, film, books and more. Some entries will be funny, some will be nerdily informative and occasionally some posts (depending upon the issue) will showcase my extreme distaste/anger. At the end of the day I hope to generate a little community of like minded pop cult. enthusiasts who will want to share ideas, dialogue and more!