My relationship with Stanley Kubrick

I'll kick this off by saying this, Stanley Kubrick is a talented director with the wonderful ability to impart his style into everything he does. He is not, nor has ever been one of the forgettable cookie-cutter directors, nor has he ever been over-stylized. Much like the sound of your favorite band, his films have always had that great quality, when you watch them, you know who directed them.

Now that you know, I admire and respect Mr.Kubrick, I have a confession to make:

I have seen almost every movie Stanley Kubrick has made. Now, with the exception of Dr.Strangelove (my favorite), and the two I haven't seen, each and every one, even Full Metal Jacket, yes, EVEN A Clockwork Orange, has put me to sleep.

This is not to say I haven't seen the movies in full, I'd simply go back to the last point that I remember and watch from there, and usually in 2 or 3 sittings I'll get the whole movie. I love most all of them. I can't honestly tell you what it is. They don't bore me, they're just, to my mental faculties, cinematic lullabies.

I go through bouts of insomnia here and there, this blog was started through one of them, but once I give up on actually trying to sleep, if I put on 2001, I know I'll be asleep within an hour.

So, that's it really, just a bit of odd about me, for you. If by some random chance/occurrence Mr. Kubrick stumbles upon my humble blog, I'll end the post with this:

My apologies Sir, but thank you anyway.

Re-visiting ID4

I'll make this one short and sweet.

I just re watched Independence Day after a long while. Come to think of it, just being a sci-fi nut, I very well may have bought the DVD just because it was on sale and I decided that I needed it in my collection w/o ever having re watched it. I'm glad I did. Letting the initial burn given me after it's premier heal and scar over has left me the ability to better appreciate this type of film.

Let's put aside the fact that it's practically a scene for scene rip off of War of the Worlds. (best example of this, the martians were defeated by earth's bacteria, the aliens here were given a "virus"). Let's put aside all the bad over-acting, bland stereotypical characters, and script full of easily forgettable cliche'd one-liners (okay, granted, I can never forget "I know you ain't shootin' that green sh*t at me!"). What then are we left with?

Kick back, and just let yourself enjoy it for what it is....."Oooooh....shiiiiny".

p.s.

A fun drinking game for those of you "of ager's", made more fun by the "point it out", arguments that will ensue, every time you hear a one-liner, drink. You'll be drunk halfway through the film.

And for you Battlestar Galactica fans, keep an eye out for Mary McDonnell aka "President Laura Roslin" in a bit part as, get this, the First Lady!

Awesome....freakin' AWESOME!!!

I just needed to let you all know something.

There's a new movie being made called King Shot. It's a "spaghetti western". It is going to star Nick Nolte and, get this, Marilyn Manson. Neither of which, mind you, am I a big fan of, I don't dislike them at all, but both are, in their own ways, proverbial train wrecks.

But that's not the interesting part.

This movie is going to be directed by the man behind the camera of two of the greatest midnight/cult films of all time. The movies are called, Santa Sangre, and more importantly, El Topo. The man's name is, Alejandro Jodorowsky.

The producer, I hope I don't have to give history on, save he is stalwart in his integrity, and is one of the most original writers/directors/producers left in Hollywood. Almost every one of his films and/or projects has garnered a respectable cult following. Wanna guess? Here's some hints, Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Eraserhead, need more? Okay fine, it's my hero, David Lynch.

Oh yeah, it's also go Udo Kier and Asia Argento. YEAH THAT'S RIGHT UDO F'N KIER!!!

To say I'm excited may very well be an understatement.