I read, saw, listened to, played - issue 78

Other versions

I'm keeping up my cultural reviews with a variety of styles, mainly because of (or thanks to?) a creative challenge and a vacation at my parents'. And I've kept some under wraps for an upcoming article that's a bit special.

Sorcerer

I've entered The Gauntlet's latest writing contest. The idea is to write a Lost Transmission for Public Access, as a duo, each person bringing with them a movie that will serve as inspiration for this double feature.

I brought Sorcerer, a 1977 film by William Friedkin (French Connection, The Exorcist...) that I had a vague childhood memory of, that I'd wanted to see again for a long time, and whose convoy idea seemed interesting to deal with.

So I took the time to watch the movie again. And I got a great movie. The film knows how to take its time. The first part of the film introduces the upcoming protagonists, with almost no dialogue in some scenes. It's all about why they're leaving their homeland for the jungles of South America. But before they actually set off on this dangerous convoy, our protagonists are stuck in this horrible village, desperate to find a way out. It's crude, exposing human misery. And when a lifeline is thrown to them, it's the lifeline of their last hope.

What follows is a horrific journey through the jungle, with the most dangerous cargo. And the visceral filmmaking lets us feel the danger and the ever-present tension.

The movie's production style, realism and desperation reminded me of my experience with Deliverance. Apparently, the making of the movie itself was also one of the most grueling. There's also a question of rhythm, dialogue (rare) and scene length. It's a film from another era, which has aged very well visually and contrasts quite radically with what we see in theaters today.

Sorcerer, there's no fantasy in it, just four damned souls, a jungle and two trucks loaded with the most dangerous cargo.

A Field in England

• The other film in the creative competition, brought by my partner.
• A film I didn't even know existed.
• Modern black and white, with a single location: a field in England during a civil war.
• A story about a sorcerer in search of treasure, and an apprentice who would know where to find it.
• Mystical, hallucinatory, aimless, the film is experimental in form and purpose.
• A strange experience, a wandering with no real purpose, but one that hooked me right to the end, with its crazy images.

Fables, volume 6

• I'm continuing to read Fables in the Urban Nomad edition (pocket book). The format is still very pleasant (in hand, but also financially).
• A first arc that took me out of Fables. The crossover with Jack of Fables and the Literals turned me off and took me away from the book. It didn't make me want to read the Jack of Fables spin-off.
• And then it's back to business as usual, and right away I'm back on the rail.
• A wonderful Witches arc, with secondary protagonists who take all the coverage, in really interesting stories (Tötenkinder, Bufkin...).
• A volume that doesn't really advance the main plot in great strides, but explores characters in relevant, interesting and surprising ways.

Joe Hill - Snapshot

• A novella from Strange Weather.
• A strange story about memory.
• An evil polaroid that extracts memories.
• Beautiful characters and a nostalgic dive. Gold for Public Access inspiration.
• A short story, but it could have been shorter. I found the conclusion too much and it lost me. Everything should have stayed in the past.

Tout le monde ment

• On a family vacation, you don't necessarily get to choose your TV program.
• A story of atypical cops, a team of misfits who handle sensitive cases.
• Vincent Elbaz is unrecognizable as a former cop who can no longer tell a lie.
• A story reminiscent of real-life meetoo cases. A hunter star and their preys.
• A pleasant surprise. The cast and direction are up to the task, and the story surprises at times, with some good moments.
• A soap opera feel. This was episode 2, and I missed a few things. And things were set up for the next episode.

Les Choses Simples

• On a family vacation, you don't necessarily get to choose your TV program.
• A men's movie. A pair of opposites finally get to like each other. It's conventional. Too much so.
• A recruitment story arc that spoils the picture. It doesn't add much to the overall picture, and even detracts from its overall qualities.
• Beautiful scenery, and a good pair of actors. It could almost have been a stage play, in fact.
• Will soon be forgotten.

Know your enemy

• No, I'm not talking about Rage Against The Machine. I'm talking about the global situation. Here are a few important articles.
• In France, there's a lot of talk about Bolloré, a white-catholic-right-winger-media-mogul billionaire. Because his actions are high-profile. Another billionaire has a plan for France. For his France, in a very narrow and unhealthy vision. It's Pierre-Edouard Stérin. And it's important to get to know him and his actions. (article in french)
• Another prominent scumbag of the moment is J.K. Rowling. And I know that Harry Potter has influenced many people's lives (for the better). I know some of them personally. Now, it can be good to get away from it sometimes. Here's some feedback, in comic strip form, by Maia Kobabe.
• And then, as the folks at Le Gorafi (The Onion, but in french) say so well: Fuck X. Fuck Grok.