1. R.I.P. Forrest J. Ackerman (1916-2008). A few obits and tributes: From Glenn Kenny; from the L.A. Times blog; from Arbogast on Film; by Richard Corliss in Time Magazine; and Harry Knowles at Ain't It Cool News (he gathers numerous e-mail testimonials as well). Please share other tributes and remembrances in the comments section.
["Forrest J Ackerman, who influenced a generation of young horror movie fans with Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine and spent a lifetime amassing what has been called the world's largest personal collection of science fiction and fantasy memorabilia, has died. He was 92."]
2. "(Un)Happy Cows": Fernando F. Croce on Milk, Australia, Quantum of Solace, and Twilight.
["Here's a topic for somebody's thesis: While Pier Paolo Pasolini followed his "Trilogy of Life" (The Decameron, The Canterbury Tales, Arabian Nights) with Salò, Van Sant's followed his "Death Trilogy" (Gerry, Elephant, Last Days) with Paranoid Park and Milk, works of growing hope. When Penn recites the "Mayor of Castro Street's" stirring lines ("If a bullet should enter my brain, let it destroy every closet door"), there's a heartfelt ardor that lends emotive curves to Dustin Lance Black's schematic screenplay. Still, noble intentions should never be confused with artistic achievement, and the film is more Academy Award doormat than politicized portrait. Franco, Emile Hirsch (as hustler-cum-activist Cleve Jones) and Diego Luna (as Milk's unstable lover Jack Lira) look cuddly in their That-'70s-Porn 'fros and 'staches, but nobody is allowed to establish an autonomous character (Franco is pretty much stuck in the disapproving-wife role that's been a biopic staple since the Paul Muni days). There are sides to the protagonist that could have been explored (Victor Garber's Mayor George Moscone jokingly compares Milk to Boss Tweed at one point) but are instead left behind as Van Sant & Co. move through their index cards; love scenes are kept behind too-tasteful shadows, cinematographer Harris Savides (Zodiac) again shows his talent for draining and flattening the '70s, those Henry IV clunkers from My Own Private Idaho reappear here in Tosca drag. Milk ultimately resembles less the man than the white liquid -- warm, nourishing, somewhat sleep-inducing. I can imagine Milk instead preferring a strong cup of coffee, and then leading on with the revolution. The struggle, after all, goes on."]
3. Anthony Kaufman interviews Steven Soderbergh about his upcoming Che.
["The two parts mimic the voice of the two diaries that they're based on. The Cuban reminiscences were obviously written after the fact, with a certain hindsight and perspective and a tone that comes from being victorious. So I wanted the style of the movie to reflect that. Nobody is in the dark about the result of the Cuban revolution. In the case of Bolivia, the diaries were contemporaneous, and they're very isolated and have no perspective, at all. It's a much more tense read, because the outcome is totally unclear. So the style and vibe is much more forbidding. The colors are not very vibrant; the framing isn't as clean. I was thinking about early William Friedkin stuff."]
4. "How Suzy Gilstrap hijacked our evening": Sheila O'Malley pulls myself and Dan Callahan up by the gilstraps. The PEOPLE Magazine article mentioned in the excerpt below is here. See also our Clip(s) of the Day.
["Keith had now found an old People magazine article about Suzy Gilstrap and read the whole thing to us out loud. Dan and I couldn't stop talking and interrupting. We, by this point, were in tears from our laughter. Why were we laughing? Is Suzy Gilstrap inherently funny? I have no idea. It was just a collective moment of hilarity that went on for over an hour and EVERYTHING was funny during that time. It got to the point where anytime anyone said the name "Suzy Gilstrap" (and that was all that we were saying. We also always had to say both of her names - she was never just "Suzy", it was always "Suzy Gilstrap") we all would LOSE it."]
5. "Amsterdam to close many brothels, marijuana cafes": From high times to low. (Hattip: Lauren Wissot)
["Amsterdam unveiled plans Saturday to close brothels, sex shops and marijuana cafes in its ancient city center as part of a major effort to drive organized crime out of the tourist haven. The city is targeting businesses that "generate criminality," including gambling parlors, and the so-called "coffee shops" where marijuana is sold openly. Also targeted are peep shows, massage parlors and souvenir shops used by drug dealers for money-laundering. "I think that the new reality will be more in line with our image as a tolerant and crazy place, rather than a free zone for criminals" said Lodewijk Asscher, a city council member and one of the main proponents of the plan."]
Quote of the Day: Thomas Hobbes
Image of the Day (click to enlarge): Thanks to William Kretschmer of Lyssa humana for this one. If I didn't remember Cornel Wilde before, I will now.
Clip(s) of the Day: Further to #4, Ms. Gilstrap on Zoobilee Zoo, out of sync, but hey...
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"Links for the Day": Each morning, the House editors post a series of weblinks that we think will spark discussion. Comments encouraged. Suggestions for links are also welcome. Please send to keithuhlich@gmail.com.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Links for the Day (December 7th, 2008)
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1 comments:
I probably shouldn't admit this, but Forrest Ackerman and William Gaines had an enormous impact on my life. As a kid, Famous Monsters of Filmland and Mad Magazine were the first periodicals that I read on a regular basis. I frankly couldn't be bothered with the antics of bat, super or spider men. I even got my dad to pay for subscriptions (no small feat).
According to the AP, Ackerman said that he thought up the term "sci-fi" in 1954 after he heard a radio announcer say "hi-fi." His wife told him "it will never catch on."
While catering narrowly to science fiction and horror fans, FMoF came out years before magazines like Entertainment Weekly. Sure, it really didn't offer any serious cinematic analysis and often lumped pure crap in with film classics. However, I'd argue that FMoF generated an appreciation for movies in youngsters just as the "Dick and Jane" series taught them how to read. That certainly was the case with me.
I, for one, am glad his wife was wrong.
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