September 12, 2006
Soon, it will all be at our fingertips!
And you can see the beginnings of it here
The waybackmachine even had old Memphilter pages. I'm still checking this all out, but it seems like it will be an awsome resource. If I had only had the internet in college, all those damn trips to the library!
June 22, 2006
"I figure you could cast Steve Buscmi, or maybe a real retard for the role."
A Socratic dialogue on the art and science of the follow-up call. via Kung Fu Monkey
February 20, 2006
Young, Demme doing the PR thang
Neil Young and Jonathan Demme have been making the public radio PR rounds in support of the concert film Neil Young: Heart of Gold. If you haven't heard them already, through the magic of the www, you can listen to the duo interviewed on Fresh Air or Studio 360 (the transcript). Demme's previous concert work is first rate, and the venue is my personal favorite place to see a show, the Ryman Auditorium. If you can't listen to the interviews, here's the quick background.
The release dates.
December 30, 2005
Yet Another Top Ten List
So, as the year draws to a close, I offer my own top ten list for 2005: Steve's Favorite Movies of the Year. In a slight departure from tradition, I am including all films I saw for the first time in 2005, no matter what year they were actually released. And one note: I have not seen some new releases yet, including Brokeback Mountain, Munich, or, alas, Cheaper By the Dozen II.
So, if you are interested and not already sick of top ten lists, proceed to the comments section of this post where, for the sake of not taking up needless front page space, I have put my list. And please respond with your own, as I am always looking for new films to watch:
November 28, 2005
"Can you dig it?"
To reach the "stuff steve loves" trifecta on this Monday, a post on Neil Diamond and Donovan can only be followed by a post on "The Warriors".
In light of the awesome-looking new video game (which is the only way Rockstar Games could have followed up on the Grand Theft Auto franchise), DVD, and impending remake by Tony Scott, Salon.com offers this great article on all things Warriors.
October 09, 2005
Studio 360 does Strangelove
The radio show Studio 360 presented an excellent episode this weekend on "The Bomb". Pulitzer prize winner Richard Rhodes was in studio to talk about the atomic age. The show does a great feature on Dr. Strangelove that re-introduces us to our old pals General Curtis LeMay and Herman Kahn. Amazingly, some of Dr. Strangelove's dialogue iin the movie are teh actual, unaltered words of Herman Kahn. However, we do learn that Kahn lsuggested a Doomsday Machine sarcastically. It was the military that--apparently lacking sarcasm--thought it was a great idea. And we learn that LeMay was every bit as crazy as we thought.
August 19, 2005
January 24, 2005
Poor and Hungry No More
Memphis auteur Craig Brewer's new film Hustle and Flow has blown the roof off Sundance, selling to MTV/Paramount for $16 million, reportedly the biggest deal in festival history. Brewer and producer John Singleton had struggled to get the movie financed, being turned down by dozens of studios who thought the movie was too serious. Among those that turned them down was MTV. "We made the mistake of not financing it early on, and now we'll pay a lot more money to get the movie now that it's finished," said David Gale, executive vice president of MTV Films.
October 23, 2004
Shameless Marketing for My Friends
As most of you know, this week marks the 2004 Indie Memphis Film Festival. Folks we all know and love not only have films in this year's fest, but have already received favorable write-ups in this week's Memphis Flyer. Look for Automusik Can Do No Wrong and Six Days in the Life of Mims. Mims is the sophomore film from the makers of the legendary Slick Lily Vs. the Grand Canyon, Rocket in a Ditch Productions. If you are in Memphis this week be sure to check out the film fest and in particular, these two great films!
October 20, 2004
One-up Hitchcock
This looks like one of those sites that has been around for a while, but I don't recall having run across it. It gives you the opportunity to re-edit one of the most famous scenes in film history. I played around with it a bit, and it is amazing to me how the scene can actually work out OK with many different permutations. I came across this while searching for some info about the scene after I found out Janet Leigh died. Naturally, I headed over to the Blog of Death for more info, and was shocked to discover that Joyce Jillson passed away also. While that news really has nothing to with this post, it allows me to roll off the puncline that everyone's thinking: She really should've seen it coming. Maybe the pets will have better luck with prescience.
October 10, 2004
Quote from back in the day
"If I see that the Russians are amassing their planes for an attack,I'm going to knock the [expletive] out of them before they take off the ground."
-Air Force General Curtis LeMay in 1957. According to Fred Kaplan in today's
New York Times article
Truth Stranger than Strangelove, LeMay was the real-life General Jack Ripper.
August 23, 2004
May 27, 2004
Attention Achievers!
When The Big Lebowski was released in 1998, it was greeted with tepid reviews, unlike the Cohen Brothers' previous movie, universally praised Fargo. It did modest business, but seemed destined to fade from memory like another clever movie the Brothers had made a few years before.
Now, six years later, the film is an endlessly quoted classic, inspriing dances, endless fanboy praise, and the inevitable convention. The Dude abides.
April 18, 2004
Put Yo Weight On It!
Rudy Ray Moore, the self-proclaimed Godfather of Rap and the undisputed King of the Party Record, offers living proof that ego, profanity, raunch, and dogged persistence can keep a career afloat. A proud son of Fort Smith, Arkansas, Moore wanted to be a singer, but first caught the public's eye with provocative comedic monologues, such as The Signifyin' Monkey and The Streaker. Soon, Moore was starring in home grown blaxploitation flicks like Dolemite, The Human Tornado, the career-jeopardizing Avenging Disco Godfather, and Petey Wheatstraw: The Devil's Son-in-law (Note: the theme song audio file). (Also note: this film really has nothing to do with the legendary blues singer Peetie Wheatstraw, who still holds claim to being the real devil's son-in-law.) More recently Rudy Ray's career is on the upswing. The "mackinest macaroni" has given some interviews, opened up an impressive Official Web Site (with merchandise!), and continued to take his old school comedy sets on the road. I strongly suggest you sample Rudy Ray's auditory excellence. Only then can you answer the all-important question: Jerry Lewis or Rudy Ray?
March 10, 2004
Slick Lilly Lives, part XXXVII
Space.com hits the trifecta of important issues for an insurgent third party candidate.
January 16, 2004
WeeklyDV wants your shorts
If you have a few spare hours, a DV camera, editing software, and the ability to host your own movie on the web, WeeklyDV wants your movie. The site establishes a theme for every week and takes submissions of videos based on that theme. The rules are simple: the complete project should take less than four hours, the film should be under five minutes, and it must be hosted on your website. Check out what others have done. If any of the Memphilterati want to submit a flick, I hereby offer you space to host it.
December 23, 2003
I triple dog dare you to not like this movie
There are some movie moments that one never forgets. For instance, seeing The Empire Strikes Back at the first showing at the Plitt Twin on opening day in Monroe, Louisiana. Or, the sick-to-my-stomach feeling upon leaving Highlander 2 at the Fear Four in Memphis. But, without question, one of my all-time favorite movie house surprises was the then sleeper, now classic A Christmas Story. I thank my lucky stars that I saw this on the big screen during its short theatrical run. The film was released in mid-November of 1983 and didn't even make it 'til Christmas! How Darren "You used up all the glue on purpose" McGavin did not earn the consideration of the Academy that year is beyond me. How Peter Billingsley's career fell off the face of the earth after such early promise is inexplicable.
For my money, A Christmas Story bests Miracle on 34th Street and It's a Wonderful Life and the Burl Ives stop motion snowman Rudolph flick. Jean Shepherd's hilarious narration of his own story has produced lines that will be quoted well nigh 'til the end of time, I suspect. Bob Clark, who directed the film, says it would have never been made without the success of his previous film, Porky's. Clark was clearly at the apex of his career, as the film was followed by the Sly Stallone/Dolly Parton vehicle, Rhinestone (which I saw in the same theater!).
Warner Brothers' terrific oversight of failing to rerelease the film theatrically nationwide in honor of its 20th Anniversary deserves a major award, although this is mitigated by subsidiary TNT's round-the-clock (note the quiz in the link) ACS marathon. I encourage you to make this a Christmas tradition in your family as I am attempting to do in mine. Have a Merry Christmas, and don't shoot your eye out.
December 09, 2003
5 Minutes to Live
I found this site about weird or forgotten movies. These movies are truly the weird of the weird. Plus our little friend Herve was there.
December 03, 2003
Billy Dead
Here's a novel idea for all those interested in making films. I think this is a great example of some of the positive strengths of capitalism.
November 14, 2003
Masturbator and Commander
Is anybody else getting a real creepy vibe from Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World? Sure, it's getting good reviews, but its target audience seems to be men who fantisize about being dominated by Russell Crowe.
Now don't get me wrong--I've got nothing against a little thinly veiled homoeroticism. Hell, I've even been known to fetishize the occasional nautically themed authority figure myself. Maybe I'm just not into glamorizing the Royal Navy--the institution that Winston Churchill famously described as being held together by "rum, sodomy, and the lash" (A.O. Scott says in his excellent New York Times review that the movie "settles for two out of three.") Or maybe it's that I think Crowe is a hack and an asshole and I would rather break down and see the Coen's latest. Or maybe I prefer to save up my money and sate my need for authority in a different manner.
By the way, Joel and Ethan came off pretty well in the Guardian's top 40 directors poll, but Peter Jackson got the shaft! Screw that! They should boot the Wachowski brothers from the list in favor of the infinitely superior Jackson.
November 12, 2003
Be Good, Smile Pretty
Those are the words that ended a note that Don Droz wrote back to his wife and infant daughter while he was serving in Vietnam. Shortly thereafter, Droz was killed in an ambush on the Mekong River. Be Good, Smile Pretty is the name of the film that chronicles Tracy Droz Tragos' search to learn more about her father and the circumstances of his death. I saw the movie last night on the PBS's Independent Lens, and I must say that it is without question one of the most moving documentaries you will ever see. After years of skirting the subject of her father's death, Tracy searched for his name on the internet and came across an account of the ambush (pdf). About two weeks later, she set out with a video camera to interview members of her family and her father's Navy friends (including John Kerry), as well as eyewitnesses to the attack. The result is not only a tribute to Lieutenant Droz, but also clearly a cathartic journey for daughter whose father only met her one time. Although no broadcasts are listed, check out the Orphans of War website as it appears they will list future broadcasts there.
September 26, 2003
Who's Yub Yubbing Now?
Did the annoying Ewoks ruin Return of the Jedi for you? Don't worry, they got what was coming to them.
July 16, 2003
The Force is strong with this one...
Remember the Star Wars Kid (SWK) we helped to humiliate several months ago? Well now he has his own fan club. And some of the members are rather adamant about George Lucas using him in the next film:
"We have all come from dust and will return to dust, but once in the life of a universe does a figure emerge with the blinding virtue of the SWK. Like the flame of a blow torch against the rusting hulk of the Star Wars empire, the SWK has ripped asunder the falacy of the myth. The SWK must be included in the final installment of the series to achieve lasting harmony among the tribes of earth. Otherwise the golden orb will descend and the horrors will be unleashed. Only the SWK can save us... include him in the next film and all will be right. Exclude him, and face the wrath of the golden orb. Plus that, this kid has better moves than Harrison Ford."
June 20, 2003
Hulk v. Terminator
Popular Science breaks it down for us. While physics may suggest that the Hulk is stronger, Slate says, "HULK B-a-a-a-a-d!"
June 15, 2003
This is not a war.
(It's love) Kottke's silent film about the on-again, off-again love affair between George Bush and Jaques Chirac. Here's the movie. Here's the background.
June 13, 2003
Wal-mart v. Netflix
The folks in Bentonville know a good thing when they see one. They also know how to undercut it. I have never used Netflix, but I know folks who swear by it. If you use the Netflix service, at what price would you switch to Wal-Mart? In other business news, the Memphilter Brand® Herve! T-shirts have sold a staggering zero units. Of course, since they are sold at cost, I am not sure this business plan has legs, anyway. In short, get 'em while they last!
May 20, 2003
Chut up!
Which Donnie Darko character are you?
May 12, 2003
"You can't fight in here! This is the war room!"
On Wedensday, the greatest anti-war movie of all times joins the fray. Operation Strangelove is organizing an series of nationwide showings of Kubrick's masterpiece to benefit charities like Doctors Without Borders. God willing, we will prevail, in peace and freedom from fear, and in true health, through the purity and essence of our natural.. fluids.
May 09, 2003
The Pinewood Dialogues and other goodies
The American Museum of Moving Images offers a number of interesting interviews with moviemakers of all sorts on its fine site. The Pinewood Dialogues, as they are called, are available as audio recordings or in print at the staggeringly low price of free (albeit with a quick registration). Be sure to check out the museum's other fine online exhibitions, especially The Living Room Candidate, a history of presidential campaign television commercials. And something you probably won't find at AMMI: cheesy movie posters.
April 17, 2003
Bad Ass Movie Images
As the name implies, BadAssMovieImages has some images from movies that happen to be bad ass. What the name may not imply is that this is actually a nonprofit organization designed to preserve said images of badassness. Prepare to change your desktop wallpaper.
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