Crucial

Posted on May 4, 2009 by robchristopher

Diary of a Mad Housewife screens this Thursday. If you live in  Chicago and you love movies, you need to be there. Here’s what I wrote.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

3 things about John Glen’s FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

Posted on May 3, 2009 by robchristopher

For Your Eyes Only [1981]

1. “We can do a deal! I’ll give you a delicatessen! In stainless steel!”
2. First he throws the pin at him. To help the car over the side of the cliff, he gives it a shove with his foot.
3. Their legs. Her robe falls to the deck. Then his.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

3 things about Tommy Wiseau’s THE ROOM

Posted on May 3, 2009 by robchristopher

The Room [2003]

1. It’s morning. He turns off the alarm clock. Naturally the first thing he does is to pick up a rose and smell it. On his way to the bathroom he throws it on top of Lisa, who is still asleep.
2. They’re all wearing tuxedos for no apparent reason. Then they go outside and throw a football around. One of the men stumbles and trips over nothing in particular.
3. “I’m not pregnant. I just told him that to make it more interesting.”

This movie really is as hilariously bad as I’d read. Picture a low-budget Showgirls as written and directed by a French-Canadian Edward D. Wood. More thoughts.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

3 Things

Posted on May 2, 2009 by robchristopher

Raw Deal [1948]

1. Ann says, "If it makes any difference, Joe means nothing to me now." Pat slaps her, hard, and says, "That’s for nothing."
2. Raymond Burr’s shoulders are a mile wide.
3. Pat’s face in profile, covered with a veil. Behind her the luminous face of a clock which reads 12:17.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

3 things about Frank Perry’s PLAY IT AS IT LAYS

Posted on May 1, 2009 by robchristopher

Play It As It Lays [1972]

1. She hands her car over to the valet. Without asking, she picks up the Coke bottle on the valet stand, takes a swig, and puts it back down as she walks away. Later in the film, in the kitchen she puts down the tub of yogurt she’s been eating from, picks up a can of Tab and takes a swig as she walks away.
2. “This lemon is not artificial. This lemon is reconstituted.”
3. She looks straight into the camera. “Why not?”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

3 Things

Posted on April 30, 2009 by robchristopher

Targets [1968]

1. He puts his wife on their bed and his mother on her bed. He puts the delivery boy in the pantry. Everyone in their right place.
2. Both times he goes to gun stores he’s eating a Baby Ruth.
3. "That man has a rifle." Then, after knocking the gun out of his hand, Karloff slaps the boy several times until the boy is cowering in the corner, curled up on the ground. As Karloff looks down at him the corner of his mouth curls up ever so slightly. In satisfaction. Later: "Is that what I was afraid of?"

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Posted on April 29, 2009 by robchristopher

In the midst of writing an essay about Diary of a Mad Housewife. It’s such an important movie to me that it’s been tough. Hard to articulate my feelings about it and organize them well. Still, I’m keeping at it. I have till Monday.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Real Indication

Posted on April 29, 2009 by robchristopher

Yesterday I went to the ING Direct cafe to get some money from the ATM. I went to swipe my card and I noticed a $20 bill just lying there in the slot. I took it and looked around to see if there was anyone nearby who might have just made a withdrawal. No one struck me as likely. I went ahead and continued my transaction. A woman entered the cafe and got behind me, obviously wanting to make a withdrawal too. But she didn’t seem to be looking for any missing money. I finished my transaction and stepped aside. After waiting another moment I left the cafe.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

3 Things

Posted on April 27, 2009 by robchristopher

Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze [1975]

1. The Eastern Building, where the sniper is positioned, is the same building that features prominently in the climax of Moonlighting‘s pilot episode.
2. "I can’t see a thing. An absolute absence of ambulation."
3. Mona sits at her typewriter during the lunch hour munching on a hard shell taco.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

3 things about Steven Lisberger’s TRON

Posted on April 26, 2009 by robchristopher

TRON [1982]

1. On the wall of his cubicle: GORT KLAATU BARADA NIKTO.
2. A corporation where, apparently, it’s not at all unusual for the senior exec and a large number of staff to be at the office in the middle of the night.
3. “No, you bitbrain.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment