And a hole in the world keeping us apart

[sovay]

Yesterday I spent much of the afternoon reading on the couch, after which spatch and I cooked our first dinner in the new skillet and watched Wayne Wang's Smoke (1995), which I might not have seen in twenty years. Its soundtrack was my introduction to Tom Waits: "My ears were assaulted by a drunken Muppet." This afternoon I took another one of my Christmas books to an appointment, after which rushthatspeaks came over and we ate deli sandwiches and watched Ulrike Ottinger's Freak Orlando (1981), which aside from its acknowledged antecedents of Virginia Woolf and Tod Browning had the pleasure of reminding me of Angela Carter, M. John Harrison, Derek Jarman, and nothing but its gorgeous, shape-shifting, painterly, disruptive self. yhlee sent me two mermaid cards in the mail. I could do with being less dead tired—and less cause to worry about people I love—but otherwise, knock wood, at the moment I think I am doing all right.

Comments

[yhlee]

I'm glad the mermaid cards arrived safely! I hope you get proper rest soon. *support support*

[sovay]

I'm glad the mermaid cards arrived safely! I hope you get proper rest soon.

They're beautiful! Thank you.

*hugs*

[selkie]

*wheezes, fatly*
Aw, c’mon, what.

[sovay]

Aw, c’mon, what.

Nippur. I'll learn Sumerian. We will never get fond of beer, but the literature and the local cuisine is good. Who wouldn't eat lamb with dates and pistachios even now?

*hugs*

[moon_custafer]

Andrew and his friends were watching Smoke the first time I ever came to his apartment. We’ve rewatched it many times, though I think I’ve only seen Blue In the Face (the sequel) once.

[sovay]

Andrew and his friends were watching Smoke the first time I ever came to his apartment.

Nice! It's one of my father's favorite movies. I believe it to have been my introduction to all of its actors with the possible exception of Harold Perrineau. I love Harvey Keitel so much. This time around I spotted the baby Jared Harris.

We’ve rewatched it many times, though I think I’ve only seen Blue In the Face (the sequel) once.

I am aware of the existence of Blue in the Face, but have never seen it. What did you think?

[moon_custafer]

This time around I spotted the baby Jared Harris.

(runs through characters in the movie) Wait, is he the young guy who sweeps the floor?!

I am aware of the existence of Blue in the Face, but have never seen it. What did you think?

It’s not as perfectly-formed as Smoke. What I’ve heard was that the cast and crew of Smoke had had so much fun making it they didn’t wan’t to stop, and asked Paul Aster to write them a bit more stuff. I suspect there was a lot of improv as well. We follow Augie a bit more, and some new characters show up; this is intercut with documentary-style talking-head shots of people being interviewed about NYC (the best of which is Lou Reed). Belgian waffles become a recurring gag.

[sovay]

Wait, is he the young guy who sweeps the floor?!

He is! Skinny and fox-haired with a ponytail that does him no favors, but the '90's were an era for that.

I suspect there was a lot of improv as well.

I always heard it was entirely improvised, although I believe there's a published script; I should check if it was before or after the fact.

We follow Augie a bit more, and some new characters show up; this is intercut with documentary-style talking-head shots of people being interviewed about NYC (the best of which is Lou Reed). Belgian waffles become a recurring gag.

I may not necessarily seek it out, but if it comes around on TCM, I'll give it a try. I like Belgian waffles.

[asakiyume]

I'll take even moments of your being all right. 💛

[sovay]

I'll take even moments of your being all right.

It's definitely moments, but I am glad to have them.

[oracne]

Reading on the couch can be such a pleasure.

[sovay]

Reading on the couch can be such a pleasure.

It is. And honestly something I need in order to function. (It doesn't have to be the couch, I just like our couch. There does need to be reading.)

[vass]

I could do with being less dead tired—and less cause to worry about people I love—but otherwise, knock wood, at the moment I think I am doing all right.

I am glad to hear it.

[sovay]

I am glad to hear it.

Thank you!

[minoanmiss]

*sends what energy I can spare*

[sovay]

*sends what energy I can spare*

*hugs*

[gwynnega]

Freak Orlando sounds amazing!

[sovay]

Freak Orlando sounds amazing!

We loved it! It was the second Ottinger film I had seen and the third one for rushthatspeaks and it turned up on Criterion. I highly recommend if you can get hold of it.