House (Nobuhiko Obayashi, 1977)

I posted the trailer for this film before and have luckily found a link to watching it online!
I plan on buying it on DVD when Criterion puts it out later this year, replete with new subtitles, replacing the old nonsensical ones of past versions. I don't usually plan on this when I haven't even seen the film yet.

I did some research on this and found that Mr. Obayashi, previous to making this film— and after making it— was a prominent and prolific commercial director in Japan.

Apparently silly, scary, beautiful and kitschy all at time same time, this film reeks of awesomeness.

If you watch it online, tell me what you think. I plan on watching it tonight with a box of ginger snaps.

Regarding WITHNAIL AND I

It's official, Withnail and I (1989) is one of my all-time favorite films.

A comedy with 'no discernible jokes'. Starring Paul McGann and Richard E. Grant

AHHHHHHHH THIS SONG SLAYS ME!

Best dance song I've heard in months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you want the Mp3, let me know

The Hand of Unknown Origin

A picture of Stupidity

A movie marketing exec paid a homeless man to hold a sign advertising a film for $100 a day. Not only is this INSANELY insulting to the man holding this sign, but it renders his humanity null and void. This is a classic example of the road to Hell being paved with good intentions....in this case the intention not so much to 'help' the man but to increase the box office draw for this Michael Cera-brand drool.

Nina + Rowland

Rowland S. Howard, underrated musician, former member of the Nick Cave's first band, The Birthday Party, and other projects, died this past week. Here's a track from his band, These Immortal Souls.



Hey Girls——These Immortal Souls

And here's a Mp3 version of this amazing video of Nina Simone. I don't know how she did it, but she squeezed every drop of emotion out of anything she sang, especially during this number, even though she looked kind of bored while singing it.

I remember reading somewhere how she used to hold Richard Pryor to relieve his shaking before he went out on stage, and how thankful he was for it.



DOWNLOAD MP3 of "Ain't Got No..." by Nina Simone HITHER

New Year Resolutions

Things to do:

• Improve productivity and efficiency. I've tried this method called the Pomodoro Technique.
And guess what? It works! I cheat a little here and there, but it's an improvement over
the usual modus operandi. You work in 25 minute intervals, with small breaks in between. This way, you have a solid sense of how much time you worked in a reasonably scheduled allotment.

• Beard Topiary. Better beard care. Or no beard.

• Make Summer 08-09 book, sell it.

• Find a consistent job. Or many more jobs. Or hope Nancy gets rich soon so I can borrow some
mo-ney.