Lost in the Movies: Where It Stands

Where It Stands

Obviously, I have been somewhat distracted from the blog lately. Even in the last couple days, when I ostensibly had time to catch up here, I ended up wading through the blogroll, keeping up with old posts from my fellow travelers, a worthy and enjoyable effort, but a time-consuming one. So here's a little heads-up, what I hope to finish by the end of February so that the new year can begin in earnest this March, with more regular posting, a diving into Netflix, and other forward-looking ventures. First, a post on the 1987 cartoon Wind in the Willows, which inspired my recent quiz. There are a number of spin-off posts dancing around in my head, but I'll save those for later. Second, my 20 Actors list (full of great You Tube clips just like its feminine counterpart) which I started in January, and have yet to finish (sorry, Dean). Third, finally writing about Synecdoche, NY which I first saw a month ago and saw again last week but have yet to sit down and sort out. And finally, I will finish writing about recently (not so recently anymore) acquired DVDs, an activity I promised myself to conclude before opening my new Netflix queue. Beyond this, I'd still like to offer up a critique of Richard Corliss' recent risible defense of blockbusters, resume the soon-to-be-rechristened Auteurs series with a focus on Cecil B. DeMille, offer up a series of posts dwelling on various adaptations of my favorite books, create another hare-brained oddball You Tube quiz, and contribute my own entry into the ongoing 20 Favorite "Fill-in-the-Blanks" series. See you then.

7 comments:

T.S. said...

Patiently awaiting your return and looking forward to your upcoming works. Hopefully I'll be able to catch Synecdoche New York before you publish your review so I can read and provide thoughts.

Expos 1983 Blog said...

sounds great!

I'll be particularly interested in your thoughts on DeMille--whom I've recently begun to take an interest in, despite my intense opposition to his politics

Dave

Joel Bocko said...

T.S, if not feel free to return when you have... I like to think posts don't have expiration dates around here...

Anagramsci, I could guess that by the name. I trend fairly independent and centrist, but I think DeMille's politics would be too far right for me too. I love the story of John Ford (who, contrary to popular mythology was an FDR liberal until the 60s, albeit without a trace of the fellow traveler in his bloodstream if I'm not mistaken) standing up in response to DeMille's venomous red-baiting of a fellow director - at a DGA meeting? - and saying something to the effect of, "We all know Mr. DeMille, who's been around since the early days of film. His movies are remarkable. But I don't like you, Mr. DeMille."

I think was also the meeting where he was supposed to have said, "My name's John Ford, I direct Westerns," so perhaps the whole thing's apocryphal but as someone once said, when the legend becomes fact...(now who was that again?)

Anonymous said...

Hello Movie Man!

I greatly look forward to your upcoming post on the wonderful WIND IN THE WILLOWS. Are you speaking here of the 1983 Thames television film, or the ongoing television series that ran (I think) between 1984 and 1990? Similarly I look forward to tackling your review of SNY, which was on my own Ten Best list for 2008.
I am wondering what blockbusters, specifically was Richard Corliss defending. That should be most interesting for sure.
Lastly I got a good laugh reading Ford's comments to DeMille, and his "introduction" of himself. LOL! Look forward to your retuen, which I'm sure will be rightly "with a vengeance!"

Joel Bocko said...

Sam,

Actually I don't think it's either - it's a Rankin/Bass production from about '87, which my family taped off an ABC Saturday morning movie program that same year (I still have the VHS with the occasional claymation commercial - I'm thinking about putting the entire tape on You Tube; it also includes some weird Nick at Nite spots, including an intro by Keenan Wynn, and a Sesame Street montage that features Ralph Nader singing "Put Down the Duckie.")

The above still is from the movie.

RC said...

woa...that's a ton of stuff dancing in your head...hopefully you have time to sort it all out and get as much of it on the blog as possible!

Joel Bocko said...

If by "time" you mean the rest of the year at a lesiurely pace then yes, I do!

But seriously, I do plan to pick up the pace in March at least temporarily - then I might take another sabbatical to pursue writing of a more fictional bent (if I can do the two simultaneously, grand, but something tells me this will probably not be the case). If I don't reactivate my Netflix queue soon, it might crumble into dust and blow away...

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