Well, I am writing today in the confident hope that my drinking days are behind me. Three years after I plunged into grief-fuelled, full-blown, full-time alcoholism, consuming a litre of whisky a day, I finally hit a brick wall. You see, the thing that was supposed to be fun, was no long fun. Simple as that. It’s also a lot of work being a dedicated drunk. More work than I was willing to put into it. So, as long as I haven’t fallen off the wagon by the end of this sentence, this is a fresh start for me. Something deep within my soul has just had enough. This fresh start also means I’m back taking in a lot of popular culture, which means I get to write more posts for you fine folks! I’ll also be going back and rewriting a few [story corner] entries, as they were dashed out under the influence. Bless. Drunk Jim is gone for the time being.
So… onwards!
RKO 281
Hmm, a film about a rich old white guy bullying the rest of the world to satisfy his own megalomaniacal desires. Gee, I’m glad that doesn’t happen in this day and age! Oh wait. Anyway, why RKO 281 was a TV movie and not theatrically released Oscar-bait is beyond me. It certainly deserves to be seen on a large screen. The old school 4:3 television aspect ratio gives the frame a level of intimacy 1.85:1 or 2.35:1 would not. Just ask Stanley Kubrick. RKO 281 is about the war of egos between Orson Welles and William Randolph Hurst, over Welles’ semi-biographical motion picture about Hurst, Citizen Kane. I get the feeling the film was British-made, which may explain the television production (we don’t have much of a film industry) and the inclusion of many British actors or US expats. If so, besides some of the bad American accents, you’d never suspect it. While Liev Schreiber’s presence onscreen usually unsettles me, he does a sterling job mixing the talent and arrogance of Welles. James Cromwell is ably menacing as Hurst, although the film goes to great lengths in showing the impact Citizen Kane had on Hurst’s personal life. Failing to note that he, himself, was a private, profit-making gossip-mongerer of the worst sort. John Malkovich is reliably perfect as writer Herman Mankiewicz, so I don’t have much to say about him here. Malkovich is beyond criticism at this point. Melanie Griffith is engrossingly sympathetic as Hurst’s mistress, and Roy Scheider is just the cool motherfucker his always is. Damn, I miss that man. RKO 281 takes great pleasure in recreating sets and shots from its cinematic subject, which surely must have won an award or two. I’m amazed the director, Benjamin Ross, didn’t become the biggest thing in the word after this, as his directing of the actors and camera is pitch perfect and inventive. A genuine treat!
RAZORBACK
I was just over halfway through this visual feast of a film before I had to take a break. Without a doubt, it is the most depressing movie about a killer pig there ever has been or ever will be. I shall return to it once I am emotionally strong enough. Why is this film not more fun?! To be continued…
GILMORE GIRLS
I bought the boxset of this US television series thinking it would be a straight comedy, but it appears to be more of a stodgy melodrama with some levity thrown. I’d heard good things, but I really don’t know if it’s my thing. It does have Alex “Lois Griffin” Borstein in it though, so that’s a selling point. Still, I get the feeling that, if I can’t get past the second episode, it may end up collecting dust on my bookshelf along with the detestable Community.
THE NAKED GUN REBOOT
No.
ELECTRONICOS FANTASTICOS
My new favourite band. I am talking to you less than 24-hours after discovering them. YouTube threw up one of their rehearsal videos, which I couldn’t look away from. I’m not sure what bizarre gadgets they’re playing, but they’re certainly not traditional instruments. As far as I can tell, the band is from Japan, but I dearly hope they tour the UK as soon as possible. Their music is 8-bit meets glam meets my very happy ears and is about to change the face of pop music… forever! Frustratingly, they only have the one single, featuring three tracks, on Spotify so far, but I’m guessing there’s plenty more esoteric jams on their YT channel. I WANT MORE AND YOU WILL GIVE ME MORE. Here's the video that inspired my new obsession.
LOST HORIZON
I’ve started audioreading James Hilton’s source novel for Frank Capra’s 1937 classic piece of cinema. I think I may have finally gotten through the whole film, as Capra’s work usually sends me to sleep. Not out of boredom, but there’s a tranquil quality to them that guarantees to sedate me. I must have tried watching It’s a Wonderful Life three times before finally getting to the end. And I still didn’t like the movie. The Lost Horizon novel is charmingly old fashioned and the reader a delightful eccentric. I can’t work out whether some of his decisions as a narrator are based on him wanting to infuse some acting into the dialogue, or just his own madness. Who can say.
FUTURE MARATHON
Due to the “baffling” lack of interest in the writeup for my day of Goldie Hawn films, I thought I’d go ahead and do it again! This time, I’ve decided to do three recent big budget flops. Both critically and commercially. So, Ill be watching: Borderlands, Madame Web, and Megalopolis. I’m not sure when this will take place, but I know it will hurt my face more than a charging killer pig. You are welcome to join me, just so long as you bring some dips. And you are housetrained.
Right, I guess that’s all for my big comeback post! I have some tiresome personal admin to deal with and the need to feed myself. I’m still getting used to my new sober routine, so please do honour me with your patience. Thank you for sticking with me during all my crazy.
Do stay in touch, darlings.
Toodles!
