Four New TFT Members of the Week
We’ve been busy this week at TFT Central – so busy, in fact, that we haven’t managed to produce posts as regularly as we’d like. Jett and I spent last night at a cabin in the woods of Tennessee, a perfect location to ruminate on our shared expereince of watching Lars von Trier’s uncategorisable film ‘Antichrist’, about which Jett wrote earlier in the week. We’ve discussed the movie in-depth in Episode 102. Germane to the discussion of ‘Antichrist’, and pretty much most of the movies out there were Richard Brody’s remarks on violence and sentimentality in cinema; we added our $0.02, and so did some of you, dear listeners.
Violence and sentimentality are in evidence in ‘Lioness’, a documentary about the role of women in front-line US military combat; the discussion continues at Jett’s post. Finally, I’m happy to bring to the attention of TFT listeners the in-production New Zealand film ‘The Insatiable Moon’, which is kind of like an inversion of ‘The Witches of Eastwick,’ telling as it does the story of Arthur, an unusual man who brings change to an otherwise bland town. Of course we always aim at TFT to brighten your day – don’t forget that we need your help to stay in the business of whatever it is we’re in the business of – please do consider supporting us by visiting the Operation Save The Film Talk page, where this week we’re offering not one but potentially two fine gifts for your entertainment – which you can wear on yourself or your wall.
Meantime, over the next few days we can look forward to TFT explorations of the following:
William Shatner’s best screen performance in Roger Corman’s incredible 1962 racism drama ‘The Intruder‘ (below) – a film so honest about power relations in the US that it might be impossible to make today.
Jett’s appreciation of ‘How the West Was Won‘, which I rather suspect will reflect more on the remarkable visual process known as ‘Cinerama’, shown to dreamlike effect on the Blu-Ray, than on the other aesthetic qualities of a film otherwise notable for showcasing the great Karl Malden’s talent for playing an early Mennonite pioneer. Amazing beard, though.
If there’s time, I might attempt a discussion of John Boorman’s ‘The Tiger’s Tail’ – a film that doesn’t entirely succeed, but still manages to be one of the few serious artistic engagements with the downside of the explosion of the Irish economy in the mid-90s. Trust me – it’s fascinating.
To cap it all, we’re planning Episode 102, which we expect to feature George Clooney as a cooler-than-thou vulpes vulpes, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz and Mo’Nique supporting Gabby Sidibe’s amazing performance in a film whose critical response may be even more indicative of the cultural temperature, and Viggo Mortensen’s heroic journey to save the world in one person.
So please do stick around, keep in touch, and let’s keep the conversation going.
