And it's too bad, because the Richard Matheson book is so incredible. There have been two previous attempts - 1964's The Last Man On Earth, starring Vincent Price, and 1971's The Omega Man, starring Mr. NRA. Neither movie really got it right.
It's been a few years since I've read it, but the book does an excellent job of describing Robert Neville's plight as the only survivor of an apocalypse in which all other humans have become vampires. His loneliness is palpable, and it's particularly creepy how the vampires come back - night after night after night - and bang on his door, taunting him with insults and naked women. Come to think of it, I think the naked women insult him, too.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Saturday, June 09, 2007
A good way to handle criticism
Metacritic.com culls together reviews of stuff in a particularly effective way. I like getting a feel for the overall critical reception of a movie, but don't want to hear too many details about one I haven't seen, so it's perfect for me. It also links to scads of reviews, when you're ready for the details. They also cover music, in case any of ya'll are into that.
Friday, June 08, 2007
The Fratellis Acoustic
This is from some obscure music fest that they apparently hold every year at some cow town in Texas. When they plugged in their guitars, they did a cover of The Seeker with Pete Townshend, who you may remember was once famous.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Don't Let Me Down
This song is so tough. And this performance is so awesome. Don't tell me these guys hated each other or that the joy had gone out of the music. Look how happy John looks, bringing this thing to life and Paul just nailing the harmonies and weird structure.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Attractive Curiosity
Here's Wendy James, the former singer of Transvision Vamp, who wrote Elvis Costello and his former wife Cait O'Riordan a begging letter, wondering if they'd write her a song for her solo album (all this takes place back in 93 or so, btw). Elvis replies that he'll only do it if he can write the WHOLE ALBUM for her. He and O'Riordan knock off ten or twelve punky pop salvos in ONE WEEKEND, EC makes the demos, and Wendy James has the whole package in less than a week. The songs are good, the album's production is terrible, and Elvis did a great Clash "inspired" job on this song. Ms. James may not have made a big splash, but she's pleasant to look at and the entire album comprises one of the more interesting side projects EC has done. Here's 'London's Brilliant'.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Winding down Austin
I got my hair cut thish afternoon, happened upon a tap room that had $2 pints of local Austin breweries, spent a considerable amount of time there, stopped by my favorite local music shstore, then my favorite local; "From Thish Perschpective," I see Nick Cave's latest 'Grinderman' project, and the Amy Winehoushe I bought for my wife. I just don't get it, Jay, but I haven't given it a lishen.
P.Sch. I got free tix to Schea World, so I'm going to take the boy to see the conditioned Killer Whales tomorrow.
P.Sch. I got free tix to Schea World, so I'm going to take the boy to see the conditioned Killer Whales tomorrow.
School's Out!
Oh my God and not a moment too soon. I love my students, but I am ready to be rid of them (and they of me) for a month or two. Today was the usual chaos of test-taking combined with energy and excitement. I've only been here for five hours and I'm exhausted. Rock and roll high school indeed.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Finally!
Now that nobody remembers or cares, I've uploaded the reunion show to the Fundamentally Tragic Pizzeria. I've decided that live recordings are about as flattering as fluorescent lights in a truck stop restroom.
On the benefits of a teaching career
Here's the precocious Zazie on Dave's noble profession:
“Personally,” declared Zazie, “I want to go to school until I’m 65.”
“Until you’re 65?” repeated Gabriel, just a teensy bit surprised.
“Yes,” said Zazie, “I want to be a teacher.”
“That’s not a bad trade,” said Marceline gently. “There’s the pension.”
“Pension my arse,” said Zazie. “Tisn’t for the pension that I want to be a teacher.”
“Well? Why do you want to be a teacher?”
“To bitch up the brats,” replied Zazie. “The ones who’ll be my age in ten years, in twenty years, in fifty years, in a hundred years, in a thousand years, always to have kids to beat the hell out of.”
“Well,” said Gabriel.
“I’ll be an absolute bastard to them. I’ll make them lick the floor. I’ll make them eat the blackboard wiper. I’ll stick compasses in their behinds. I’ll kick their bottoms with my boots. Because I shall wear boots. In the winter. Right up to here (gesture). With great big spurs to pepper their bots with.”
“You know,” said Gabriel calmly, “if you go by what the papers say, that isn’t at all the direction in which modern education is orientated. It’s even quite the opposite. The tendency is more towards gentleness, understanding, kindness.”
Zazie envisaged this future for a moment.
“Well then,” she declared, “I shall be a space-traveller.”
“Aha,” said Gabriel with approval. “Aha, have to move with the times.”
“Yes,” continued Zazie, “I’ll be a space-traveller and go bitch up the Martians.”
“Personally,” declared Zazie, “I want to go to school until I’m 65.”
“Until you’re 65?” repeated Gabriel, just a teensy bit surprised.
“Yes,” said Zazie, “I want to be a teacher.”
“That’s not a bad trade,” said Marceline gently. “There’s the pension.”
“Pension my arse,” said Zazie. “Tisn’t for the pension that I want to be a teacher.”
“Well? Why do you want to be a teacher?”
“To bitch up the brats,” replied Zazie. “The ones who’ll be my age in ten years, in twenty years, in fifty years, in a hundred years, in a thousand years, always to have kids to beat the hell out of.”
“Well,” said Gabriel.
“I’ll be an absolute bastard to them. I’ll make them lick the floor. I’ll make them eat the blackboard wiper. I’ll stick compasses in their behinds. I’ll kick their bottoms with my boots. Because I shall wear boots. In the winter. Right up to here (gesture). With great big spurs to pepper their bots with.”
“You know,” said Gabriel calmly, “if you go by what the papers say, that isn’t at all the direction in which modern education is orientated. It’s even quite the opposite. The tendency is more towards gentleness, understanding, kindness.”
Zazie envisaged this future for a moment.
“Well then,” she declared, “I shall be a space-traveller.”
“Aha,” said Gabriel with approval. “Aha, have to move with the times.”
“Yes,” continued Zazie, “I’ll be a space-traveller and go bitch up the Martians.”
Knocked Up
We went to see 'Knocked Up' on Friday night (a good movie month for us- Pirates, Spidey, Knocked Up, and Ocean's 13 next weekend- more than we usually make it to in a year!). I'm sure you've read all the reviews- they pretty much have it right. Very funny, and definitely in the vein of 40 Year Old Virgin, i.e. sweet-natured and not only after cheap laughs. But there are plenty of those. The bit about the turd and the pubic hair alone ensures that! The protaganist and his schlubby friends are guys we can all relate to, even if we are a bit older than they are. There's a graphic scene of a crowning infant emerging from someone's v-jay-jay which should hold Lurker Mike's interest. Katherine Heigl looks delightful, but keeps her bra on for the sex scenes. Sorry Jay.
Today I am Forty
Another milestone reached, and a time for reflection:
At 40, my dad had raised three children, the youngest aged 12
I have no kids.
At 40, my dad had owned 3 homes.
I pay rent.
At 40, my dad owned and operated his own business.
I am a journeyman teacher.
At 40, my dad was well-known in the community.
I am rootless at the moment.
At 40, my dad had prepared for his (and our) future by saving and investing.
For the most part, I am still living paycheck to paycheck.
By the standard measures of 'success'and 'accomplishment', it is tough to compare. However, the following facts, much more important to me, are also true:
My dad never played in a rock and roll band, wrote songs, or recorded them. My dad never went to Europe. At 40, my dad had never lived in amazing places like Memphis, New Orleans, and New York. He had never been to Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Mobile, St. Louis, Columbus, Natchez, Boston, Berkeley, San Antonio, Kansas City, Jacksonville, Nashville, Knoxville or Little Rock. He had never stayed out all night in the French Quarter or on the Left Bank. My dad had not read Chabon, Irving, Dickens, Proust, or Camus. He didn't have a college degree, nor did he and three of his idiot friends have a blog.
I am glad that he has always supported me in every decision I've made and I think he's been a little envious of my lifestyle from time to time, even if he didn't understand what in the hell I was doing sometimes.
Lurker, I think you've hit this particular milestone already? And Jay and Joe are close enough to kick it in the crotch. Today, I woke up the same as any other day, stretched, and felt glad to still be processing oxygen. Drink a 40 for your homie today y'all.
At 40, my dad had raised three children, the youngest aged 12
I have no kids.
At 40, my dad had owned 3 homes.
I pay rent.
At 40, my dad owned and operated his own business.
I am a journeyman teacher.
At 40, my dad was well-known in the community.
I am rootless at the moment.
At 40, my dad had prepared for his (and our) future by saving and investing.
For the most part, I am still living paycheck to paycheck.
By the standard measures of 'success'and 'accomplishment', it is tough to compare. However, the following facts, much more important to me, are also true:
My dad never played in a rock and roll band, wrote songs, or recorded them. My dad never went to Europe. At 40, my dad had never lived in amazing places like Memphis, New Orleans, and New York. He had never been to Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Mobile, St. Louis, Columbus, Natchez, Boston, Berkeley, San Antonio, Kansas City, Jacksonville, Nashville, Knoxville or Little Rock. He had never stayed out all night in the French Quarter or on the Left Bank. My dad had not read Chabon, Irving, Dickens, Proust, or Camus. He didn't have a college degree, nor did he and three of his idiot friends have a blog.
I am glad that he has always supported me in every decision I've made and I think he's been a little envious of my lifestyle from time to time, even if he didn't understand what in the hell I was doing sometimes.
Lurker, I think you've hit this particular milestone already? And Jay and Joe are close enough to kick it in the crotch. Today, I woke up the same as any other day, stretched, and felt glad to still be processing oxygen. Drink a 40 for your homie today y'all.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Gone!
I put my van up on Craigslist today, thinking it would take a while to sell. Someone called 5 mins after posting, and it's GONE! Amazing. One less thing to worry about. Of course, there's the small matter of transport, but...
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Zazie in the Metro
Zazie in the Metro is the funniest damn book I've read in ages. The thing is, I don't know who else would find it so hilarious. It's like watching a Marx Brothers film, directed by Rob Reiner with dialogue written by Samuel Beckett. It hit my sweet spot square on, but would it be loved by other bastardos? Well, I don't know, but there it is.Louis Malle apparently made a very successful film out of it. Have to track that one down.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Relax with Kenny G.
You know that back-on-LSD feeling you get when you stumble onto some really, really weird shit website that borders on mind blowing?Get the Bingo Gazingo!
Get The Glass
You know that happy little kid feeling you get when you stumble onto a really, really cool website that borders on mind blowing?Get The Glass!
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