some plans, some music

I’ve started learning how to play guitar – if you ever need to be humbled, this is the way to do it. One side effect is the rekindling of my love of live music, something I haven’t cared as much about since my Chicago days. Now I’m planning to do a bit of traveling to see show, especially Doc Watson and Ralph Stanley, while they’re still able to perform and all (I wish many more years of health and shows to both of them).

This Saturday at Jalopy in Brooklyn there’s the King Wilke Opry, with the Jennifer Milich Band, and King Wilkie and Friends headlining – featuring folks from Loose Marbles and Bruce Springsteen’s Seeger Sessions band!

Then March 8th, in Philly, I’ll be at World Cafe Live to see Mia Doi Todd and Jose Gonzalez. I’ve been listening to Gonzalez a ton lately – he’s an interesting guy, and worth your time on wikipedia, google, and youtube.

After that I’m going to rest and recover funds so that in April I can go to Merlefest out in North Carolina. It’s an ‘Old-Time Plus’ festival, named after and dedicated to Doc Watson’s son who died in a farming accident in the 80’s and was an interesting and great guitar player.  Both Doc Watson and Ralph Stanley will be there, as well as some newer acts I’ve been meaning to catch, like Old Crow Medicine Show and Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet featuring Bela Fleck.

Then there’s the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Festival in September, but that’s too far away!

Stephen King adaptation #2: Christine

I recently saw two adaptations of Stephen King books by two classic horror directors, and had very different reactions to them: Tobe Hooper’s ‘Salem’s Lot, and John Carpenter’s Christine.  I haven’t read either book in more than a decade.  The post about ‘Salem’s Lot ran long, so I split them; it is the last post.  This post is about Christine.

My reaction to Christine was nearly the opposite to that of ‘Salem’s Lot; if anything, its 110 minutes could have been expanded to 3 hours.  The acting was on the whole engaging and believable, the cinematography and pacing even, the script solid.  The film followed the novel well, hitting all the major plot points.  I did get the feeling that all good adaptations give me, where occasionally they have to skip over time a little too quick and I want to know what happened in the jump.  Overall, John Carpenter is great at creating an atmosphere of normal teenage life infiltrated by some relentless obsessed horror, as was on display in Halloween.  Like that film, Carpenter’s score is vital – I’d buy a cd of his compositions, but it would give me nightmares.

I especially found the friendship between the two male leads touching and effective.  At first I questioned why Dennis (played by John Stockwell) would be friend with Arnie (played by Keith Gordon) due to their different high school social strata.  After a few key scenes it seemed to make sense though, and I still remember how there were those people who would reinforce social groups in some settings and transgress them in others at my high school.  Dennis and Arnie’s scenes in Dennis’ car feel like real friendship, and at times even an honest exploration of how boys can be made uncomfortable with their own affection for each other.  Other important keys to their friendship are the scenes with Dennis’ other friends; they are classic “knuckleheads”, and pressure him in ways Arnie never would.   The scene with Arnie making fun of a girl who is flirting with and obviously annoying Dennis is key too.

Overall, this film is scary less of the time than ‘Salem’s Lot, but engaging throughout – scared and interested is always better than scared and waiting for something to happen for an hour.

Stephen King adaptation #1: ‘Salem’s Lot

I recently saw two adaptations of Stephen King books by two classic horror directors, and had very different reactions to them: Tobe Hooper’s ‘Salem’s Lot, and John Carpenter’s Christine. I haven’t read either book in more than a decade. This post ran long, so Christine is the next post.

Tobe Hooper (he directed the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre) adapted ‘Salem’s Lot into a TV mini-series in 1979 (the year I was born!) Consequently, it’s 3 hours long, and it shows conceits of the 70’s in tone, length, style and wardrobe. The plot is engaging, but the acting is spotty; there are scenes where an actor just spits out an awkward or downright ridiculous line at a moment that should be sexy, or dramatic, or terrifying. That said, David Soul (Hutch!) is consistently good.

There are points where I was genuinely terrified, but by an hour and a half in, I was fooling around on the internet while watching (something I almost never do). I think Tobe Hooper can be a great director, and his careful attention to sound is on display here in some very important parts. Generally, though, I wonder if he was unhappy with the script or not given enough time to make the thing right; there are takes that should have been done again. When some real action finally came in hour 2, the show picked up considerably, but until then the plot dragged. Tobe Hooper seems to excel in a shorter format – the original Chainsaw Massacre is only 83 minutes, but lasts much longer in one’s imagination, in a good way. If you watch this version of ‘Salem’s Lot, keep an eye out for the pleasingly-over-the-top vampire makeup and the bizarre freeze frames.

I’m Not There

I saw I’m Not There today at the Film Forum, and I do not hesitate to say that it is one of the cinematic events of our time.    It’s all the things that a great film, great song, and all great art, should be: poetic, beautiful, historical, mythic, a journey, chaotic, instructive, and reflective of both past and very current concerns and cultural dialog.  I don’t even think you have to know or care about Dylan to enjoy and appreciate it.  I’ve always liked Todd Haynes for his ideas and for the cinematic conventions he both loves and defies.  All the glimmers and occasional bright bursts of promise in his earlier work are completely realized here.

The only thing that stuck out as remotely wrong were one or two lines delivered falsely, but these were immediately forgotten; any great, far-reaching piece of art must consume vast resources to reach its goal, which is bound to show in a spot or two.  On second thought, in a movie so much about persona and acting and identity, those one or two lines may not even by flaws.

Go see it!

needed: apartment/room in Brooklyn for March 31

I’m looking for an apartment or room in a space friendly to music for March 31 or the week before.  My budget is around $700 a month, no more than $750 rent and bills combined.  Brooklyn preferred, but I’ll look at spaces in Queens off the 7.

Comment or message me if you know anything or have any questions.