(uh oh it's) The New Wave Vandal

THEY LIVE!

2011-03-21T14:06:00.002-04:00

This blog? Not so much in practice.

Jackie & Max

2010-11-24T22:04:00.003-05:00

THE absolute best romance between two old people in all of cinema, brought to you by Quentin Tarantino in his unfairly-under-celebrated (this is a very relative statement, I know) Jackie Brown (1997), featuring Pam Grier as the titular Jackie and Robert Forster as love-struck bail bondsman Max Cherry, AND the wonderful sound of the Delfonics (see the second clip for the original mono mix of "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) as part of another (of course) excellent Tarantino soundtrack:

I'ma gonna go watch it again right now...

The Gas Face

2010-11-23T16:07:00.002-05:00

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Stillman Sunday Afternoon

2010-11-14T14:50:00.003-05:00

I'm spending the afternoon with Metropolitan (1990) again.

I swear that I like it for reasons beyond hearing Carolyn Farina's Audrey say my name.

Mad Jack

2010-09-27T14:40:00.002-04:00

Please enjoy this wonderful song from the Chameleons' Strange Times until I can take photographs of used raingear I happened across this weekend:

Bob Dylan - "Simple Twist of Fate"

2010-08-11T12:17:00.002-04:00

My brother's favourite version:

They Animate!

2010-08-09T19:47:00.001-04:00

Simply amazing! For all your animated gif needs: StephD.biz

Oh why the hell not embed this "Between Two Ferns" here too?

2010-07-29T15:40:00.004-04:00

I mean it's not like it's not all over twitter and facebook and a bunch of lazy tumblrs already. But it did make me belly-laugh so hard the cat flew from my lap and left me with three bleeding welts from his back claws.

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: Steve Carell from Between Two Ferns

Girls - "Lust for Life"

2010-07-28T16:45:00.002-04:00

I don't know what it is lately, but I can rarely keep my mouse fingers still long enough to watch a music video. And this one? It's got to be at least about a year old, but seeing as how I can't stop listening to this album (which I also slept on for many months), why not post it now? It's not great or anything, but just about as good as it needs to be.

More Bad/Lazy Photographs

2010-07-26T17:25:00.006-04:00

Abner Jay Pt.II

2010-07-03T12:46:00.002-04:00

Grassroots Festival, 1993:

Psycho Killer

2010-06-25T13:48:00.001-04:00

Cooling out to this:

House Party

2010-06-14T13:36:00.000-04:00

Isn't it about time to watch it again?

Slattern - Baby Love Hurts

2010-06-09T09:36:00.002-04:00

From the lovely and talented Julia Ryckman as Slattern:

Slattern - Baby Love Hurts (Music Video) from Damien Ferland on Vimeo.

Produced by Julia Ryckman
Directed by Travis Cole and Damien Ferland
Director of Photography Ryan Simmons
Lighting / Grip by Kevin Bacon
Edited by Jaimz Asmundson

(c) 2010 Julia Ryckman

Come to Jonathan

2010-06-07T13:26:00.003-04:00

Cover Equations

2010-05-30T16:16:00.003-04:00

Cover Version vs. Original, videos just because, all based on my personal + subjective enjoyment...

"Atmosphere" ~~~ Pink Mountaintops (a.) = Joy Division (b.)

"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" ~~~ The Slits (c.) = Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (d.)

"I'm on Fire" ~~~ Chromatics (e.) = Bruce Springsteen (f.)

"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" ~~~ DEVO (g.) > the Rolling Stones (h.) (by a nose)

"Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me and My Monkey" ~~~ The Feelies (i.) >>> the Beatles (j.)

"Benny and the Jets" ~~~ Biz Markie (k.) >>>>> Elton John (l.) (and I do love the Elton John version dearly...)

(a.)
vs.
(b.)

(c.)
vs.
(d.)

(e.)
vs.
(f.)

(g.)
vs.
(h.)

(i.)
vs.
(j.)

(k.)
vs.
(l.)

Dennis Hopper, 1936-2010

2010-05-29T15:11:00.002-04:00

Rest in Peace, you crazy old son of a bitch.

Growing Pains

2010-05-29T12:12:00.000-04:00

I've just (finally) upgraded the template of this blog, mainly to allow for "Older Posts" and "Home" links to be enabled, so please bear with me for a bit while I work out the kinks like allowing full images to be visible.

The Red Menace

2010-05-29T12:06:00.000-04:00

Every time I see this Sherwin Williams logo I fall in love all over again:

AdiFeelings

2010-05-27T13:43:00.003-04:00

Lately I get rather depressed when thinking about the imminent demise of my favourite sneakers, a pair of Adidas "Rekord" shoes, seen here from a few apartments and cities ago:

I found those gorgeous things at King's Sports in Winnipeg (they occupy the old theatre where I first saw both Big and *batteries not included) during their formerly-excellent Boxing Day Sale in 2004 while on the hunt for something like the signature "Zissou" shoe from Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004):

(Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, those shoes were never officially released by Adidas, though some took to customization of the original "ROM" style to create, and sell, their own.)

But back then, those Rekords led me down a path of firm Adidas brand allegiance before branching out into New Balance "574" appreciation and eventually letting Nike re-enter my life on account of some of their "Blazer" designs (beware - colourways for both of those types are often potentially offensive to the eye, maybe even the heart). While sneakers and I have been falling out of step in recent years, I always like to have at least a couple different options ready at standby. And while I wait for the nu-rave hangover to blow away from sneaker culture in general with the winds of change while keeping my fingers crossed for another round of Rekord-reissuing, something like this crisp colourway of AdiTennis Hi sneakers might satiate my shoe hunger:

The Weapons of Death (1982)

2010-05-27T00:04:00.001-04:00

I don't know what you were doing last Saturday night after midnight but I was on a couch in Peterborough with Steph when we stumbled across this cinematic masterpiece. It effectively has everything you could ever want in a film, at least a midnight movie: a kidnapped girl who spends half her screen time tossed over someone's shoulder, at least three kung-fu gangs (one good, one bad, one composed of lady assassins), a horny biker gang with surprisingly good diction, a long-lost father, a quiet bald Chinese man with a sinister moustache and a bag full of weapons that doesn't get opened until the exact right moment, a hard-luck ex-con kidnapper with a heart of gold who also knows his way around a sword despite being dressed as through he stepped straight off a prison yard, lines like "I like living right on the edge. It keeps things from getting boring,"...

If you're alright with spoilers, welcome to the final fight:

...And as a result of the trauma associated with the attack, one of David Bowie's eyes permanently changed colour.

2010-05-26T15:58:00.003-04:00

(as seen on The Art of Manliness)

Joe Strummer Hired a Contract Killer

2010-05-25T23:03:00.003-04:00

It took me about six years (and a bit more internet savvy, and just plain remembering - I've been busy) to track down a copy of Aki Kaurismäki's I Hired A Contract Killer (1990) after being introduced to his work through a film history course that screened his also-wonderful 2002 film The Man Without A Past. I Hired... features the indomitable/always sort of awkward Jean-Pierre Léaud, star of Truffaut's semi-autobiographical "Antoine Doinel" cycle, as the (sometime) suicidal lead and should appeal to any Jim Jarmusch fans in the crowd, especially those who were delighted to find Joe Strummer pop up in Mystery Train as you're treated to little moments like this:

Oh, and you'll probably be okay waiting less than six years to track it down.

More Coveting

2010-05-25T00:26:00.003-04:00

Barbour's Wax Cotton "Antique International" Jacket

Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Piss-Bottle Men

2010-05-24T14:22:00.004-04:00

This song, well actually all of Mike Watt's stellar solo debut Ball-Hog or Tugboat? (1995), keeps coming up in casual conversation lately.

Not only does the album boast some impressive personnel and album art by Raymond Pettibon on its CD-rack-unfriendly case, but it also gave us this wonderful little video shot by a young Roman Coppola for an ode to father-son bonds and the joys of relieving oneself without needing to put it in park. After all, isn't that much more econo anyway?:

This man knows what's important in life

2010-05-21T15:37:00.003-04:00

Summer Cooking Plans

2010-05-20T19:11:00.002-04:00

Searching for Jack Rebney

2010-05-19T16:48:00.003-04:00

As angered as I am by the truth claims of most documentary films, I see absolutely no way this doc about the single best youtube video of all time about the single greatest cusser of all time can fail, unless Tony lets the god damn door slam again:

Jim Jarmusch & Inspiration

2010-05-18T11:01:00.005-04:00

I borrowed this from Mr. Tim Hoover a.k.a. DJ Co-op, incredibly sound advice, particularly for a younger generation who may or may not be finding itself in a state of crisis as it struggles to harness some type of positive creative power within the glut of contemporary media and the attitudes surrounding it:

No Names, Please

2010-05-17T19:38:00.005-04:00

Hey! Look who could do without those near-ubiquitous snap-button, annoyingly-pointy-collared, overly-long (I know it's so they stay tucked when in the the saddle) western shirts -

- and you can too!

Preachin' the Blues

2010-05-16T23:09:00.003-04:00

It's always the right time for some Gun Club:

Speaking of coveting-

2010-05-15T16:31:00.002-04:00

I've also been fixated on these incredible "Miltzen" frames from NYC eyewear maker MOSCOT. Might it be time to break out of my now-going-on 15 year squared-frame habits? Also crystal? Or tortoise? I know what new polluter would say...

If anyone from New Era or the Pittsburgh Pirates organization is reading this...

2010-05-14T12:37:00.003-04:00

...I'd really love one of these hats in the mail (size 7 7/8 - we're deep-headed folk on both sides of my family tree, but I'd take that over a wide head any day). I've been coveting them for a while and haven't been a cap-wearer since early high school, but dad's favorite team and the iconic "pillbox" style make a persuasive argument. And wearing a Jays cap in Toronto is like proclaiming the Beatles your favorite band when meeting new people at a party (not as bad as wearing a Beatles shirt in your shitty band's garbage, train-tracks metaphor video though).

Daggering 101 with Skerrit Bwoy

2010-05-14T10:56:00.004-04:00

I've been fielding a lot of questions lately (most often sent anonymously, through phantom email accounts) as to what my preferred mode of dance is. Well here's a handy instructional video from Major Lazer's pal Skerrit Bwoy:

I Wish That I Knew What I Know Now When I Was Younger

2010-05-13T13:03:00.003-04:00

I guess I should post a SPOILER ALERT but if you haven't seen Wes Anderson's Rushmore (1998) then we're probably not friends and you're probably not reading this...

But anyway, I was just taking an internet detour while writing this paper on Anderson's close-ups and Deleuze's "affection image" and ended up reminiscing about my aunt and uncle introducing the then 17 year-old me to Anderson's work at the soon-after-defunct, basement Northstar Cinema (according to that link it was open slightly longer than I remembered but this was the last film I saw there myself) on Portage Avenue in downtown Winnipeg. I was suffering from some of that heartbreak that only nerdy 17 year-old boys can suffer from, and this film and its perfect ending proved a very good salve for both that romantic yearning and the adolescent awkwardness I was starting to shrug off some (I'm pretty sure I've managed to retain a healthy chunk of that however). Years later what started with Rushmore would provide fodder for certain types of semi-profitable academic endeavors as well, just like that one I'm currently hiding from in blogger here...

Rule No. 118

2010-05-12T12:35:00.003-04:00

I've been enjoying 1001 Rules for my Unborn Son during procrastination breaks over the last day or two, even if Rule No. 118 stings a little bit.

Pour Man

2010-05-11T18:07:00.004-04:00

I'm not that well-versed in Mr. Lee Hazelwood's music beyond "Cowboy in Sweden" and his Ann-Margret collaboration "The Cowboy and the Lady", but thanks to Danny McBride's Eastbound & Down, I now know this one pretty well too:

Hipstamatic...

2010-05-01T20:42:00.005-04:00

...ya I got that app too.

I made a little mix for ya!

2010-04-23T14:34:00.002-04:00

I hope you don't hate it/I don't really care either way:

B.S.L. (Barber Shop Life)

2010-02-23T14:52:00.005-05:00

While I've been getting great, free haircuts from my friend Steve while he's been training at Vidal Sassoon, there's been this little hole-in-the-wall, largely-signless barbershop two blocks down College that I've been wanting to try out for a while, especially after hearing positive reviews from a couple of friends and realizing I've never been to a proper barbershop.

(What Google Street View Saw)

So last week I finally paid Blood & Bandages (932 College St., Toronto, 416-357- 9178) a visit, walking in at just the right time between other appointments, the shop's two barbers and their apprentice just talking about the possibility of a facebook group despite the owner's reticence/lack of FB familiarity (the group page seems to be MIA at present blogging). The place itself is a really cool, cozy (97 sq. feet) throwback with some vintage signs and Playboys inside, and while I was there, garage rock and Public Enemy playing off someone's iTunes.

John (seemingly the second in command) sat me down and got to work on the fade I'd asked for (I did some cursory barber terminology research before heading there just to make sure I wasn't asking for anything too ridiculous). The cut was quick and efficient, clippers mainly on the side and back and then some decisive cuts on the top, probably 15 minutes in all. Come styling time we decided to flip my part from the right side I've been using for the last year or two back to the left on account of a "solid" hairline on the right. Some pomade (I should have asked which kind, but am making due with a combination of Shoppers' purchased Dax "Wave and Groom" and some internet-sourced Levin's "Super Soft" hair pomade) and a brush of what I think was talcum power, and I was left, very happily, with this:

But now I need a better comb...

Questionable Taste Throwback Alert!!!

2010-02-08T13:12:00.002-05:00

Do you remember that first Transplants album? I have no idea why but I really enjoyed it at the time, even though most of what I was listening to otherwise was the Stooges and Pavement.

Oh "Diamonds & Guns", it's so hard not to think of a shampoo commercial while listening to you now...

Oh My Bacon

2010-01-10T12:44:00.003-05:00

This site, Republic of Bacon, is offering the chance to win Bacon for a Decade! With the amount that me and my "hipster beard" have been eating lately, this could amount to some serious savings...

Pending Home Coming

2009-12-16T15:43:00.002-05:00

Only a couple more days until I head back to Winnipeg for a visit.

Google's Street View shows the family to be doing well:

Abner Jay

2009-11-21T18:32:00.002-05:00

Really, really, really, check this out: The True Story of Abner Jay (c/o Bolachas)

Hold Your Breath & Watch These Videos (@ The Same Time)

2009-11-14T15:22:00.001-05:00

I Wanna Be Your Dog from LEGS on Vimeo.

(found through Yes Yes Yall...)

&

(found through Street Boners and TV Carnage)

Post-Macallan wrap-up

2009-11-03T11:57:00.002-05:00

So, as noted in that last post, I attended a tasting of The Macallan scotch (site still not working for me unless it's intentionally biased against 27 year-olds) hosted by Matchstick and taking place in the gorgeous ONE Restaurant in Yorkville, part of Toronto's only 5-Star hotel and included some amazing appetizers from the restaurant's kitchen. With two extra passes I brought along Steph and Paul...

The Macallan produces some really nice scotches! We sampled 4 different single malts after a welcoming glass of their 10 Year Old Fine Oak: a 12 Year Old Sherry Oak, a 15 Year Old Fine Oak, an 18 Year Old Sherry Oak, and finally a 21 Year Old Fine Oak.

I wish I could remember our host's name - he was a charming 50-something French Canadian man (there was some speculation as to where he was from amongst us and our friend Brigitte but I deduced he must be Quebecois as his nostalgic slideshows, showing [mainly] memorable political and cultural events in increments based on our scotches' ages, kept showing racecar drivers and no one really cares about them other than residents of the American South and Midwest as well as the Quebecois...) who walked us through single-malt production practice (a very small "cut" of the drinkable scotch produced in a batch compared to industry standard, isolating the best-tasting liquid) and the specificities of The Macallan's distillery (smaller stills are a central aspect, allowing for the production of a stronger-tasting product), as well as the proper way to taste scotch (don't swirl it, don't shove your nose right in the glass, a drop or two of water breaks the surface tension and allows the aromas to rise to your nose, letting a scotch sit for ten or so minutes may allow different aromas to develop or strengthen as we noticed with the caramel nose of the 10 Y.O.).

In terms of the tasting, all four were very nice and we were able to notice distinct trends based on the aging process and which types of wood were used in the casks - sherry wood seemed to lend the scotch a stronger nose of vanilla and a taste recalling sharper, dried fruit while the fine oak casks gave a lighter fruit taste along with the lighter colour. As to the colours themselves, The Macallan does not follow the practice that apparently many other distilleries do of adding chemical caramel to their scotches in order to make them darker, perpetuating the belief that darker scotches are more flavourful, better scotches - this omission, while emphasized by our tasting guide, honestly does make me feel even better about this company and the "transparency" and honesty they seem to value. The custom of using sherry casks is another interesting aspect of scotch production of which I only knew part of, sherry having been the preferred drink of the monarchy in Britain historically, leading to a great number of available casks which now have to be specially requisitioned in Spain (other producers primarily use American bourbon casks - as Macallan does sometimes - which can legally only be used one time for bourbon production). I generally prefer very peat-y scotches and none of the Macallan scotches have any peat notes as they do not use peat in the drying of their barley. Nevertheless each one of their scotches had a very nice and distinct taste. Our general consensus was that the 18 Year Old Sherry Oak performed the best and I think I might have to find a bottle for my brother for Christmas, or at least convince someone else back in Winnipeg to buy a bottle so I can enjoy it at Christmas.

I'd really like to thank both Matchstick and The Macallan for this opportunity - who knew that as a graduate student I'd really enjoy drinking while learning about one of the chief pleasures in life at the same time?

Tonight I Drink Scotch!

2009-10-27T12:08:00.003-04:00

In part because of my amazing blogging skills (if you're reading this you're asking yourself Whaaaaaaaaat?!? or else just getting mad and navigating away) but mostly because I asked about a pea coat once, tonight I will be tasting some scotch thanks to the good people at The Macallan. And I promise to report back on the various peaty notes once I sober up!

Mou$ta¢he Earning Power!

2009-10-10T13:42:00.002-04:00

Amazing new research results from Quicken and the American Mustache Institute!

Overdue updates

2009-09-09T14:00:00.003-04:00

Oh hey guys! It's been a while since I've updated! New things in my life include:
- so long Ottawa, I moved to Toronto and am living above ground and with my girlfriend after years of basement loneliness;
- the thesis was finished and defended (accepted with distinction, no changes requested);
- got a new little cat named Alvy Singer (orange tabby with some white spots);
- BBQ-ownership (yes!);
- there was a Winnipeg visit that happened w/Schnarr Lake trip as well (Steph's inaugural trip/trial by fire);
- I felt like I had more but maybe not (1st PhD course begins today, got some student cards, damaged my credit rating with PC Insurance and their auto-renewal, still no couch but a couple of comfortable chairs, I need a haircut again...)
Okay! Hopefully see you soon/more often!

Bar Fight

2009-07-29T09:52:00.003-04:00

I just learned about this cartoon BAR FIGHT, from Christy Karacas, the mad genius behind the wonderful SUPERJAIL!, which I've been revisiting.

Get ready for joyful mayhem!

Nerdy Boyfriend

2009-07-22T20:42:00.004-04:00

While I am one, I'm not speaking specifically about myself but rather this very impressive photo/fashion blog I've only recently learned about: http://nerdboyfriend.com/

Every couple of days whoever runs this thing posts a picture of some classy, classic man or man exhibiting some great (almost always) retro style followed by a number of picture links to products very similar to some of the clothes and accessories worn in the original photos. Since I am generally always in dire need of looking/dressing better I'll have to keep an eye on this url for sartorial advice (despite never being able to afford anything most likely - beware the Japanese products made with arcane and expensive production techniques I often cannot/will not pronounce)...

Lisa Hanawalt's "Bad Pets"

2009-07-21T11:34:00.003-04:00

From Vice's site today:
More amazing anthropomorphism here: http://www.lisahanawalt.com/

Apathetic Update

2009-07-13T22:22:00.004-04:00

I don't seem to have much blogging in me lately. Everything interesting is already on some other blog and I don't feel like just linking. I don't want to talk about my thesis and I don't have anything funny or interesting to say.

I guess my time in Ottawa is running down, 17 more days or so. I'll miss things like the Manx and Bridgehead and the canal/locks, DiRienzo's and Kettleman's, probably the Mayfair most of all.

The beard came off a while ago and the moustache is going really strong, probably the strongest it's ever been now. I documented the beard in its last hours but I don't really want to upload pictures of that right now, or the moustache - you'll just have to take my word on it. The moustache has actually been getting compliments lately (it goes through stages in that regard), and the beard was a hit with some, so much so that it may make a repeat appearance when it's colder out. Who can really say though?

Anyway, want to see my bike? I might be leaving it behind but also may bring it along to Toronto. It's called the "Sky Wagon".

Complications

2009-06-06T17:59:00.001-04:00

Let's just say things got a little more serious since that last post...

Thesis Beard

2009-06-05T22:35:00.003-04:00

If all goes according to plan, I should have a draft of my thesis' final proper chapter done by Tuesday morning, meaning I will also be able to shear the thesis beard from my face. With Tuesday looming, I thought I might want to document the beard right now. Of course taking time to do this means getting further and further away from actually finishing, but oh well.
Full-face action:

And the profile (note the under-lip, "soul patch" area! I recently had the pleasure of a bus ride whereby I sat facing, across the aisle, a young gentleman whose face was devoid of facial hair save a long soul patch which curled slightly under his soft chin, bouncing slightly as he shredded a free newspaper. Perchance I will keep that part as a monument to his way of being in this world.):

Stilted

2009-05-25T18:03:00.002-04:00

Lately I got a couple new records like Pink Mountaintops' Outside Love, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart's self-titled record, and Tyvek's latest, but I've been bouncing back to Crystal Stilts a lot a lot alotalot:

Panaylotis Terzis

2009-05-03T14:08:00.002-04:00

I'm planning on having these types of nightmares tonight!:

Calling out hipster bashing

2009-05-02T12:00:00.002-04:00

I guess I haven't written here about how ridiculous and tacky I find most forms of hipster bashing but here's an interesting piece about it from Globe & Mail writer and fashionable man Russell Smith via Street Boners & TV Carnage's site.

In essence I think it comes down to people just not liking people who aren't them or their friends in front of them at concerts or in line for drinks or taking up table space in restaurants, or, more likely a reactionary stance against people whom one feels are looking down upon them mixed with a sense of revulsion at the recognition of someone who is "trying too hard" (these examples make up the more compelling photos on this site mentioned in the article linked above). I mean, "hipsters" or the "hipster" look has been around long enough that it's commodified to a large degree even to the point of seeping into mall culture, and that sets off alarms in the heads of people who have a sense of original "hipster" culture (how accurate their conception is, who knows, but that doesn't matter so much in terms of the way they react) and causes them to be disgusted by someone, say, donning a keffiyeh just because they're fashionable - marking them as a "poser" as they dress in that discursive drag that is "hipster" clothing - a combination of disgust at them for trying and disgust because they didn't get it right, whatever that means.

Essentially I think the worst part of the backlash against "hipsters" is that it's become a lazy label and a derogatory term that gets applied to people who are generally young and generally enjoy drinking and either making or listening to music or both and maybe want to wear something that's a little bit funny or else looks good. And I find it hard to fault that. And yes, maybe 90% of the people doing this type of thing could suck and be annoying, but basically 90% of any group you want to make sucks and is annoying (I learned that general statistic from some documentary on porn that I saw on the cable box years ago when living at home but it's pretty useful I think). So yeah, people trying to do anything that doesn't suit them to be popular or cool or feel better than other people is a bad thing, but don't do that reactionarily to someone who might not be thinking about you that way at all and doesn't really have any impact whatsoever on your life because I don't really see the point and you could probably do about a million things that are more productive or interesting or less tired than songs like this (such bad cinematography, even for an amateur video thing but maybe that's the film student in me).

They try so hard to break out of their little worlds...

2009-05-01T11:58:00.001-04:00

Thesis concerns and mango skin oil sensitivities are making me a bad blogger again, but please enjoy this 24 year-old juggernaut of greatness:

EL TOPO!!!!

2009-04-18T16:51:00.001-04:00

I saw this last night at the Mayfair with my pal Mo and WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!!! Maybe one of the most incredible westerns of all time?

Last Night a Zombie Ate My Brains

2009-04-04T13:56:00.003-04:00

Last night was my first viewing of the entirety of Dan O'Bannon's George Romero-inspired 1985 punk zombie classic The Return of the Living Dead at the Mayfair.

Return takes the premise that the inspiration for Night of the Living Dead was an actual leak of an army chemical causing the dead to come back to life with a vicious thirst for brains, allowing for a certain level of self-awareness and genre play. When two workers at a medical supply warehouse knock a drum containing one of the victims it bursts open, spraying them with the contagion which eventually works its way, through the help of a crematorium and some acid rain, into the soil of the graveyard next door. There was nothing overtly disgusting in this movie other than finding out after that some of the zombie extras were paid more money to chew on actual calf brains, and the punk characters and music add some good levity and nudity, and the ending was pretty fantastic. Now I have to decide if it's worth it to follow up with any of the sequels.

This Time Tomorrow

2009-04-03T16:35:00.002-04:00

I just watched Philippe Garrel's Les Amants Réguliers (2005) upon the recommendation of a professorial candidate who noted that the film makes use of one of the same Kinks' songs used by Wes Anderson in The Darjeeling Limited (2007).

Garrel's placement of the song is interesting; the only real piece of diegetic music to be focused on in the film is situated almost exactly in the middle of the 3 hour film and seems to mark the happiest time experienced by the young Parisians in the aftermath of May '68. The song itself is an anachronism, not released until '70, but oh well.
Here's the Anderson usage at the end of this clip for contrast:

Special Friday bonus: here's a neat thing I didn't know about before for Criterion fans.

Over and Done With

2009-03-23T19:56:00.001-04:00

This is a weird song to be in love with I suppose, but I fell hard:

Riki-Oh

2009-03-22T14:23:00.002-04:00

I saw this 1991 piece of amazingness last night at the Mayfair theatre and it's a strong contender for Best Film Seen By Me in 2009:

(pt. 1 of 9 available on youtube)

For my friends, Matt & Matthew

2009-03-15T16:18:00.000-04:00

From my beard to yours,

Sincerely,
Tom

I've got writer's block

2009-03-12T23:54:00.001-04:00

and you've got Tom Traubert's Blues:

Is that really what whale teeth & gums are like?

2009-03-12T13:10:00.002-04:00

Clank & Randy

2009-03-01T20:44:00.002-05:00

I know I just posted but my brother just emailed me this picture he'd scanned this afternoon of our dad playing backgammon with our grandpa. And I really like it.

Recent Consumerist Actions

2009-03-01T20:12:00.005-05:00

It seems I've bought a lot of things lately, mostly old-type things. I will now show these things to you.

Fig. 1 - Marcel Dzama t-shirt, from Magic Pony, Toronto.

Fig. 2 - Super cheap Nike Waffle Racers, from Urban Outfitters, Toronto.

Fig. 3 - Vintage navy blue (w/brass accents) leather travel bag, from some store in Kensington Market whose name I forget, Toronto.

Fig. 4 - Vintage tan leather book bag, from Penny Arcade (I think), Toronto

Fig. 5 - Book bag interior.

Fig. 6 - Vintage wool cardigan, ivory with blue buttons (top two are smaller than the rest), Value Village, Ottawa.

Fig. 7 - Finally, new glasses: vintage French frames circa 1960s (stamped "Jules" inside the right arm), from EyeMaxx, Ottawa.

I feel sort of dirty now.

2 legit

2009-02-25T23:53:00.000-05:00

2 quit

I googled "humour"

2009-02-12T00:57:00.000-05:00

in Blue

2009-02-11T12:32:00.003-05:00

Lately I keep listening to Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" while writing. I don't know if it's helping or not but I sure am enjoying it.

(from Woody Allen's Manhattan)

the Dark Side of Fairey

2009-02-09T23:59:00.002-05:00

You're not getting a picture with this post for a reason...
I just needed to get this off my chest: if I never see another riff on Shepard Fairey's red, white, and blue Obama graphic it'll be too soon. It's not that it's not a great graphic because it is and I've loved his work since (he's where I claim old-school legitimacy, ready?) reading about him in Transworld Skateboarding when I was in grade 9, but I'm getting older and crustier and something about sudden ubiquity just sticks in my craw (that's a thing that crusty old people say). Actually some of that is probably a reaction to the Canadian Obama-mania. Excellent news for the world, definitely! But! He's still got a lot of work to do! I think the best thing that excited people could do is maybe not buy an Obama t-shirt but instead be inspired to do something locally that echoes the hopes for a proactive, constructive term down south.

His Winnipeg

2009-02-09T00:05:00.003-05:00

I finally got around to doing my ex-civic duty and watched Guy Maddin's My Winnipeg tonight. For those who don't know (this means nobody since the movie got great reviews all over and popped up on a bunch of year-end best-of lists in the last two months, and everyone saw it before me anyway), it's a pseudo-documentary on Winnipeg shot in Maddin's regular expressionist-influenced style, mixing Winnipeg history, his own biography, and some great made up truths all about the city. Watching the Arena get torn down all over again was hard to watch, and I caught a cameo by Marcel Dzama's dad (familiar from deco dawson's film: dzama) as Black Tuesday hockey player "Smiley" Dzama, causing me to remember deco's rationale for casting Dzama Sr. as his own son for the film because of the perma-smile that set itself upon Marcel's face every time he stepped in front of the camera. Anyway, if you haven't seen this film yet, well then, dummy, get on it - for your movie health!

Diplomacy

2009-02-07T17:18:00.003-05:00

After some time apart Overheard in New York has recaptured my love with this little gem about the Polish here.

olde tymes

2009-01-28T00:26:00.001-05:00

once again it's been a really long time since I've blogged at ya - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - lately it's been marking and applying to doctoral programs that I'm not feeling ultra-confident about - - - - - - - -

here's an old throw-back favorite that I'm listening to right now actually:

Castaways/Prunes

2008-11-30T00:18:00.005-05:00

The Castaways, "Liar, Liar":

Electric Prunes, "I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night":

I miss warehouse working

2008-11-17T12:50:00.002-05:00

Y'all So AMAZING!

2008-11-11T14:07:00.000-05:00

There is a new Devin Flynn piece of incredibleness here:

Who is Bozo Texino?

2008-11-04T12:38:00.002-05:00

"It is a mystery."

photobucket archeology

2008-10-28T00:58:00.002-04:00

It's been a long time since I rapped at ya because I'm negligent and terrible at this, so here's a quick visit to the back pages of my photobucket account:
Elliot Gould and the Killer Bees.

Billy, do you like movies about gladiators?

Box-cutter cut

Marxists

I don't know

Raccoon attack

Bubbles I got from Amy in a Valentine's postcard exchange

Shayna's chart (I don't remember why)

Spirit animal

Creepy Dallas Green likeness

Beware Koko B Ware

mr. ballbeam

2008-09-28T17:56:00.001-04:00

Hiroshi Sugimoto

2008-07-19T14:33:00.002-04:00

I've just started reading Garrett Stewart's Framed Time and in his introduction he mentions Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto's Theatres project.

From my limited research: Sugimoto studied politics and sociology before becoming an art student at the Art Center College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. He typically shoots with a large-format camera (8" x 10") and was the winner of the Hasselblad Honour in 2001. He's influenced by Duchamp and the Dadaists and Surrealists, and known as much for his great technical skill as he is for the philosophical and conceptual aspects of his work.

For Theatres, Sugimoto takes long exposure photographs in disused theatres and drive-ins, allowing the camera to capture an entire film. The light of the films in all cases ends up filling the rectangle of the screen so that no traces of individual frames remain on the screen, instead leaving an almost eerie luminescence. At the same time the 8" x 10" format allows for incredible detail to be capture in the surrounding environment - decorative flourishes in the theatres, old seatbacks, the speakerposts at the drive-ins, the arcs of stars passing overhead during the viewing... All in all these works are pretty breathtaking and spur meditation on film's history, our (changing) viewing and exhibition practices, the nature of film and its relationship to light, and I guess, especially in Stewart's case, the relation of film to films as the physical role of film itself in "films" is challenged and mutated and augmented by digital processes.

Here are a couple examples from this series (click on the pictures to take you to some more Sugimoto information):

I'm thinking about moving here:

2008-07-18T12:26:00.002-04:00

(William Hogarth's Beer Street [detail] 1751)

Beer, happy Produce of our Isle

Can sinewy Strength impart,

And wearied with Fatigue and Toil

Can cheer each manly Heart.

Labour and Art upheld by Thee

Successfully advance,

We quaff Thy balmy Juice with Glee

And Water leave to France.

Genius of Health, thy grateful Taste

Rivals the Cup of Jove,

And warms each English generous Breast

With Liberty and Love!

But I'll probably end up here:

(William Hogarth's Gin Lane [detail] 1751)

These are new shoes that I got

2008-07-16T21:12:00.002-04:00

I got these new shoes here:

They are, uh, Nike Blazer mid Tech Packs in green and that is a subtle "ice blue" colouring you see on the toe.

I wore them for a lot of walking yesterday and now have twin blisters on my "baby" toes.

zune in, zune on to a tune that's live

2008-07-02T12:44:00.004-04:00

Late last week I received a Zune in the mail.

In case you don't know, and I didn't know until I received a comment on a post a couple weeks back, Zune is Microsoft's own mp3 player. June 13th was the release of the product in Canada, however, they've been around in the States for a while now. Anyway, following up on the comment, I'm trying out a Zune to see how it works with the promise that I'd report on how it goes and who I talk to about it - I guess this is pretty anonymous, reader-wise...

So: so far... Well basically immediately there was a snag. During the phone interview prior to them sending me the player I was asked about being able to run Windows despite having a Mac in order to use the Zune software, and I said I could, because, you know, Parallels. But the version of Parallels I have isn't updated for the 2.0 USB necessary to use the Zune... So I need to find some sort of workaround. Interestingly (typically?) Microsoft has decided to go with a necessary program which will not work for Macs - like the one I've been using for a couple of years now and has all my music on it. Apple had done the same thing with the original iPod, I believe, and it wasn't until they opened iTunes up to PC users that iPods really took off. In terms of brand loyalty, I use a Mac because I like the operating system more than Windows, find that add-ons are better and programs crash with much lower frequency. But Apple is also just a big company without much invested in me in particular, and that's fine, but it means that if someone else had a better/cheaper mp3 player that worked in conjunction with my music/my computer, I would think about switching teams. And while that might be an atypical attitude, I doubt I'm completely alone in feeling that way.

So, for now I will work on figuring out how to get this thing working and installed. I would really like to get this unit working. The display seems to be better than that of the iPod from what I've read online and the Zune also includes an FM radio and syncs wirelessly via computer, Xbox, or to other Zunes in order to share songs - all features unavailable on iPods.

Otherwise I am really enjoying the sound quality on the "Premium Headphones" (earbuds) that they sent along with the unit - the sound quality is way better than anything similar I've tried before.

Got an A from Moe Dee for sticking to themes

2008-06-18T18:37:00.004-04:00

One of my goals this summer was to learn how to make animated gifs and...

and apparently this one doesn't want to work...

Hey guys...

2008-06-01T22:52:00.001-04:00

...what's up?

Lady Pantz

2008-05-14T15:21:00.002-04:00

I just stole this video from Street Boners and TV Carnage, the new(ish) site from Gavin, the guy who was funny from Vice Magazine (b4 they got serious 4realz):

I think I'd actually listen to this song if I could download it.

i got a haircut

2008-05-08T15:57:00.003-04:00

Now I'm reading for summer/scaring myself.

think about it...

2008-04-24T17:55:00.001-04:00

eaglez

2008-04-21T14:45:00.001-04:00

Eagle Stalks, Grabs and Eats Goat - Watch more free videos
(!!!)

(this awkward video uses Mr. Flash's "Eagle Eyez")

I like this new format for big pictures

2008-04-11T12:44:00.003-04:00

...so I'm just going to exploit my photobucket account a little bit!

(a black hole diagram)

(Mordecai)

(Jack Whitman)

Fuck you, pay me.

2008-04-09T21:11:00.002-04:00

Okayokayokayokayokay,
One more paper for MA coursework, just some Mean Streets, Goodfellas, Casino, and The Departed, and then some Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, Royal Tenenbaums, and The Darjeeling Limited and some Rolling Stones and some auteur theory and some Randall Poster...

(Henry and Jimmy - Goodfellas)
and then soon:

Niggy Tardust!

2008-03-23T23:58:00.002-04:00

Saul Williams' The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust! has been out for a while but I only just recently got it... It had some press around the time of its release as it was available for free download online, akin to Radiohead's latest album. I guess the main difference here is that I still find Saul Williams' album interesting to listen to (oops, sorry Radiohead fans). Trent Reznor, who'd had Williams open for him on multiple tours already, produced the album and it sounds really great, tighter than his last two. He's still working in that weird postrock/rap fusion sort of area - that's much more prominent than his spoken word stuff on this album - and with Reznor's production it's closer in tone to El-P's last album. Oh, and there is a U2 cover:

Danny Glover

2008-03-16T19:48:00.003-04:00

Black Music (w/Blood)

2008-02-08T19:34:00.000-05:00

These are some things I've been listening to lately (along with the new Re-Up Gang mixtape and some Lightspeed Champion things:

Black Kids Wizard of Ahhhs

Black Mountain In The Future
Black Lips Good Bad Not Evil

Blood on the Wall Liferz (I can't find a picture for some reason, so you get this instead)

no mustache love

2008-02-03T20:47:00.000-05:00

So after an experimental phase, I've decided to incorporate the mustache back in to the beard structure that everyone is familiar with. In retrospect maybe it was too soon or people were too small-minded to really appreciate the mustache. I think it's kind of sad that in our culture people do not appreciate a mustache as a thing of beauty. It really is the pinnacle of facial hair - almost any man can grow a passable-if-patchy beard, but to be able to foster a thick, healthy mustache? That's an accomplishment that far fewer may lay claim to. A couple of people understand though. Walking down the street, after getting used to the double-takes of passers-by, I'd become accustomed to meeting the eyes of those few men "in the know" about what the mustache truly means. And I even benefited with material (mainly anyway) gain: while at a screening of Caged Women, during the pre-show trivia contest, I answered the question correctly at the exact same time as a gentleman behind me. However, the prize went to "That guy. The guy with the mustache." Me. The Drunken Master (the host of the evening), he knew. He knows. So while the mustache might not be a facial bachelor anymore, I rest comfortably, knowing that it's always there, getting in my soup and making it hard to drink fancy coffees with foam on the top. Before I go I'd like to list just a couple of men who also knew:
Frank Zappa
Mr. Belvedere
Samuel Langhorne Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain)
Kurt Vonnegut
Edgar Allan Poe
Friedrich Nietzsche
Rollie Fingers
Salvador Dali
Nikola Tesla
John Oates

mustache rides, 5¢

2008-01-23T10:32:00.001-05:00

let's do a couple music videos!!!

2008-01-23T00:17:00.000-05:00

Liars: "Plaster Casts of Everything"

Fiery Furnaces: "Duplexes of the Dead"

Liars: "Houseclouds"

Black Lips: "Veni, Vedi, Vici"

Black Kids: "I'm Not Going to Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance"

Violent Femmes: "Kiss Off (live)"

Ultramagnetic MCs: "Traveling At the Speed of Thought"