A Star Is Born [1954]
1. Judy tosses a salad.
2. He gulps down a double scotch, hunches over the bar, presses his fists into his face.
3. Jail transport elevator rises. On the left side of the frame we see a policeman in silhouette. Green background.
Whoa. I took the plunge and bought plane tickets to LA so I can see Grace Jones at the Hollywood Bowl on July 26. I figure I may never get another chance to see her perform. Seems doubtful she’d ever come to Chicago. Plus, my friend Joe offered to put me up (he’s going to the concert too).
And I haven’t been to LA since 2000. The previous year I’d finally decided, after months of living there, after months of deliberation, that there was no way in hell I’d want to live in LA. Strangely (or not), right after coming to that conclusion I began to enjoy the city a lot more. This visit should be enjoyable indeed. Memories.
After Hours [1985]
1. “That was rude of you, Paul.” Horst, eyeliner.
2. “Wait. Just a minute.” She quickly gets up and puts on a Joni Mitchell record.
3. He’s standing at the urinal when he notices the graffiti on the wall.
My interview with Lucas Hilderbrand, author of Inherent Vice: Bootleg Histories of Videotape and Copyright
There’s a heavy nova going down in Iran, right now, at this very moment, and the traditional media are lumbering along with vague, stale coverage. Meanwhile The Daily Dish is firing on all cylinders with an aggregation of real-time coverage that’s both thrilling and harrowing. Just the latest (and most urgent) example of why the traditional media outlets are either gonna change real quick or become extinct real quick.
Pather Panchali [1955]
1. She tries to rouse her auntie, who is resting on her haunches. The body falls over. Stiff as a board.
2. They follow the sweet-seller through the jungle. Their reflections in a pool of water.
3. He holds out the sari. She takes it, biting the fabric in anguish.
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II [1987]
1. An awfully large neon budget for a high school prom.
2. He’s electrocuted by the computer and gore splatters across the monitor.
3. Craig’s hairdo and hair color seem to change with every scene. But his poofy sweaters and tight jeans are constants.
The Player [1992]
1. Whoopi plays with a tampon.
2. Malcolm McDowell: "Griffin! Hi! Listen. The next time you want to badmouth me, have the courage and say it to my face."
3. "Do they screw?" Dina Merrill rolls her eyes.
Caught [1949]
1. He places the breakfast tray near the edge of the bed, where it could easily fall off, and then lolls about at her feet.
2. James Mason to Robert Ryan: “Stop clenching your fists at me.”
3. As close as was possible under the censors at the time, the movie ends with an abortion.
This is sickening. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. I feel … I don’t know how to feel or what to say yet.
