tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post4715081839656096466..comments2024-03-22T05:48:33.690-07:00Comments on Uncensored John Simon: OldJohn Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876490457067235124noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-29143489756626868892019-10-17T10:55:55.501-07:002019-10-17T10:55:55.501-07:00As Art Linkletter once said,”getting old isn’t for...As Art Linkletter once said,”getting old isn’t for sissies.” Gosh, I’m only 62 and not too infrequently find myself wondering why am I in this room? John Simon’s way ahead of the game at 94. We love you, John! Phillip Rulandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06035433242601249708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-64268917773398467642019-05-22T21:02:35.090-07:002019-05-22T21:02:35.090-07:00I've read Jaglom's book. Very entertaining...I've read Jaglom's book. Very entertaining. Must reread it now that The Other Side of the Wind is out. Scott Whittakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03968186273740791074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-71806506242519521282019-05-22T12:09:16.451-07:002019-05-22T12:09:16.451-07:00Pop, do you know Ween's album '12 Golden C...Pop, do you know Ween's album '12 Golden Country Greats'? The "12 great" refers to the Nashville session men Ween used (there are only 10 songs on the album). Here's a link to the classic track "Piss Up a Rope":<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_NfJRLT8NY&t=7m03snoochinatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12584058407655395128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-67015545194387107812019-05-21T15:43:27.505-07:002019-05-21T15:43:27.505-07:00I watched "Chimes at Midnight" the other...I watched "Chimes at Midnight" the other night. Couldn't understand a damn word. Pretty good flick, though. Welles visuals, blocking, camera placements, etc., are wonderful. Nice acting by everyone. Another Orson I'd never seen. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-89270341597082555992019-05-21T15:30:12.100-07:002019-05-21T15:30:12.100-07:00I just found another take on these solos. This guy...I just found another take on these solos. This guy demonstrates and then explains how to get the sound on specially tuned 12 string guitar. Not an easy task!<br /><br /><br />https://medium.com/@tomnorton_54028/12-string-guitar-on-burl-ivess-a-holly-jolly-christmas-378eb0564665<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-39654191574688477002019-05-21T15:21:42.067-07:002019-05-21T15:21:42.067-07:00When I think of Burl Ives I'll always think of...When I think of Burl Ives I'll always think of the two guitar solos in "Holly Jolly Christmas" most probably done by Hank Garland. Capo on the second fret with the guitar tuned down a whole step. Pretty tasty solo.<br /><br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNz0XGeZmYk<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-45119380311779511292019-05-21T13:04:45.338-07:002019-05-21T13:04:45.338-07:00I can see Burl Ives as Mr. Howell. If I had to cas...I can see Burl Ives as Mr. Howell. If I had to cast Father, Son and Holy Ghost, it would be Burl Ives as the Father, Quentin Crisp as the Son, and Domina Claire Hex as the Holy Ghost. Here's a nice pic of Domina Claire Hex:<br />https://hogspy-pics.tumblr.com/post/169496582770/domina-claire-hex-on-hogspynoochinatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12584058407655395128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-6113689351604784622019-05-21T13:02:12.857-07:002019-05-21T13:02:12.857-07:00Pop, of course you've read 'My Lunches wit...Pop, of course you've read 'My Lunches with Orson' by Henry Jaglom? If so, please forgive my bringing coal to your Newcastle, USA home.noochinatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12584058407655395128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-73289233523777966452019-05-18T18:35:55.340-07:002019-05-18T18:35:55.340-07:00Just watched "The Gold Rush." Needless t...Just watched "The Gold Rush." Needless to say, great film. I've seen parts of it, but never the whole thing. I was shocked that the movie had a happy ending. I thought The Little Tramp movies always ended sadly, or at least, bittersweet. Dude got the girl and the money. It even dawned on me that maybe Hollywood got ahold of it and changed the ending without Chaplin knowing. <br /><br />I left my wife a note for the groshery store today. Please pick up: "all-purpose FLOWER." Yes, I spelled it FLOWER. I'm fucking serious. My wife says I have "olds-heimers." That's the way she pronounces it. "Olds-heimers." We're a real pair.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-38154005639859495542019-05-06T13:22:44.723-07:002019-05-06T13:22:44.723-07:00Okay, just to wrap up Rebel. Natalie Wood was just...Okay, just to wrap up Rebel. Natalie Wood was just average here. She looked nothing like the "bad girl" she was supposed to be. Nice figure, though. Always helps the cause.<br /><br />I wanted to strangle that wussy father of Dean's. In fact, on several occasions, I wanted to jump on screen and help Jim Stark beat some kids up.<br /><br />I saw a very young Dennis Hopper that didn't have much to do.<br /><br />Personally, I don't see what all the fuss is about Nicholas Ray. I know the auteurs loved him, but why? Good storyteller, but very little visual sense of bravura. <br /><br />James Dean carried "Rebel," not the direction.<br /><br />"Johnny Guitar" was Ray's best film, or maybe "They Live by Night." <br /><br />If the cast of "Rebel" were to play the characters on Gilligan's Island:<br /><br />Sal Mineo-Gilligan<br />James Dean-The Skipper<br />Natalie Wood-Mary Ann<br />Dennis Hopper-The Professor<br /><br />I just can't figure out who would play Mr. Thurston Howell III. Jim Backus, maybe? No, he would be right for the role.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-44299819558049274332019-05-06T11:39:00.210-07:002019-05-06T11:39:00.210-07:00Typing on my phone. This should be interesting.
W...Typing on my phone. This should be interesting.<br /><br />Watched the Nick Ray film Rebel Without a Cause last night. Started out hating it, but it grew on me. James Dean was really good in that film. Good character too. You can't look away when he's on screen. He was such a nice kid. Why did the hooligans always have to fuck him over. I hated those bad kids. How is there so many criminal kids in a suburban high school. Knife fights? <br /><br />This was one of those frustrating films where you ask , why doesn't he just go to the police (or principal)and tell them the bad kids are messing with him. More later, kids. This phone scrap is terrible.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-21479387859648395302019-05-05T07:23:29.523-07:002019-05-05T07:23:29.523-07:00I love Welles, even his failures have good qualiti...I love Welles, even his failures have good qualities about them. No one was doing the kind of stuff he was doing. No one had the balls to do movies like that. Not in America, anyway. My top 5 Welles:<br /><br />5) Shanghai <br />4) The Stranger<br />3) Othello<br />2) Kane<br />1) Touch of Evil<br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-1268772141770214202019-05-03T20:11:28.952-07:002019-05-03T20:11:28.952-07:00Pop, have you seen "The Other Side of the Win...Pop, have you seen "The Other Side of the Wind" on Netflix? Only a genius could be so bad. The thing with Welles, you have to watch his movies so you can enjoy listening to him and other people talk about them, in this case, so you can enjoy "They'll Love Me When I'm Dead," also on Netflix. <br /><br />So I forced myself to finish "TOSOTW." Took me several days, but it paid off, not just for being over, but for some amazing visuals at the end. And that's what Welles is all about: the visuals. Scott Whittakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03968186273740791074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-61220603112343026592019-05-03T13:40:34.559-07:002019-05-03T13:40:34.559-07:00I have now started watching Welles' "The ...I have now started watching Welles' "The Trial" I'm not done. I keep giving up on it, and then the next night I try again.<br /><br />Quick takeaways (so far):<br /><br />Psycho ruined any other role for Anthony Perkins. He's always Norman Bates for me.<br /><br />The film meanders too much. It's exasperating to watch.<br /><br />The usual good mise en scene from welles. The sets must have cost plenty.<br /><br />I'll need to read the novel. Maybe this will help.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-26649760256736282942019-05-03T13:30:42.960-07:002019-05-03T13:30:42.960-07:00Okay, "Shanghai" was interesting. The th...Okay, "Shanghai" was interesting. The third act got a little confusing, but I enjoyed the movie. <br /><br />I didn't like Welles' Irish accent, and in fact, I thought it was a fairly half-assed performance. I usually like Welles' acting. Also, I could do without Rita Hayworth. She was awful.<br /><br />Sloan and Anders were great, and I loved Welles' mise en scene. I don't know the photographer, but he did a great job. <br /><br />My main problem with the film was that I never believed Rita Hayworth would fall for Orsen Welles. Now, it turns out she didn't fall for him (tried to kill him), and that they were married in real life. Go figure. Still, I think the film needed a better looking lead man to make it believable. <br /><br />I didn't proofread a damn thing on this thing. Good luck!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-4320472287807975242019-05-03T13:13:06.991-07:002019-05-03T13:13:06.991-07:00Much obliged, Miss Cake.Much obliged, Miss Cake.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-73229765948820681782019-05-02T14:39:42.016-07:002019-05-02T14:39:42.016-07:00You sound like a prince of a guy, Pop. You sound like a prince of a guy, Pop. Miss Cakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09432553920581562230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-1612484784329043012019-05-02T14:37:45.262-07:002019-05-02T14:37:45.262-07:00Yes, we could see how a superannuated old bore (an...Yes, we could see how a superannuated old bore (and boor) was finally relegated to irrelevance where he belonged.Miss Cakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09432553920581562230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-4421187666352318392019-04-27T19:28:35.567-07:002019-04-27T19:28:35.567-07:00Two things:
1) I'm wondering if Simon has see...Two things:<br /><br />1) I'm wondering if Simon has seen the new documentary about Pauline Kael, "What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael." The film received 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. I'd love a peek into Simon's brain after seeing it.<br /><br />2) Just started watching "Lady from Shanghai." Believe it or not, never seen it. What a wonderful, wacky, and odd movie. I've only watched half of it, so don't tell me the ending. I had to do some parent stuff. Crazy characters. The set-ups are fantastic. I'll finish it tomorrow. I love Welles. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-57407702792428703432019-04-27T08:25:22.221-07:002019-04-27T08:25:22.221-07:00Simonamongus
The Old Paradigmatician,
Towards Big...Simonamongus<br /><br />The Old Paradigmatician,<br />Towards Big Silence nearing; <br />Yet still I hew to the position,<br />To be unwithin his hearing!Scott Whittakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03968186273740791074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-47931764085409696782019-04-26T20:07:25.256-07:002019-04-26T20:07:25.256-07:00I agree, except who cares about Kindle? No one use...I agree, except who cares about Kindle? No one uses Kindle. Books are better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-26801704195509820002019-04-26T19:53:30.515-07:002019-04-26T19:53:30.515-07:00Sure, many of these books are listed on Amazon bu...Sure, many of these books are listed on Amazon but none of them, unless I’m mistaken, are available in the Kindle format. And many of those listed, are in fact out of print and available through Amazon’s network of used book dealers. It seems amazing to me when so much inferior junk is in print that John Simon’s writings are not easily available. I would ask Simon’s literary agent, if he has one, to approach a publisher or University press to put out a complete collected writings, available in all formats. Something like the Library of America edition of Philip Roth:. Reading his entire body of reviews from the early 60s to the present day would be a fascinating document in American cultural history. <br />Xenophonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09664620430604622777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-59558580392282115562019-04-26T11:36:20.703-07:002019-04-26T11:36:20.703-07:00One more >>>
https://www.amazon.com/Acid...One more >>><br /><br />https://www.amazon.com/Acid-test-John-Ivan-Simon/dp/B0007DML4S/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=acid+test+by+john+simon&qid=1556303736&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnullAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-79515045480463825742019-04-26T11:28:09.089-07:002019-04-26T11:28:09.089-07:00Many of John's books are available on Amazon. ...Many of John's books are available on Amazon. Here are a few links.<br /><br />https://www.amazon.com/Paradigms-Lost-Reflections-John-Simon/dp/0517540347/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=Paradigms+Lost&qid=1556302985&s=books&sr=1-4<br /><br />https://www.amazon.com/John-Simon-Film-Criticism-1982-2001/dp/1557835071/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=john+simon&qid=1556303142&s=books&sr=1-2<br /><br />https://www.amazon.com/John-Simon-Theater-Criticism-1974-2003/dp/1557835055/ref=pd_sim_14_1/140-7614835-6016562?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1557835055&pd_rd_r=b7d59185-6850-11e9-8627-41445435c50e&pd_rd_w=QXYQ9&pd_rd_wg=UxQR4&pf_rd_p=90485860-83e9-4fd9-b838-b28a9b7fda30&pf_rd_r=RP1F75KK8VABE2MRWFHB&psc=1&refRID=RP1F75KK8VABE2MRWFHB<br /><br />https://www.amazon.com/Reverse-Angle-Decade-American-Film/dp/0517546973/ref=pd_sim_14_4/140-7614835-6016562?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0517546973&pd_rd_r=be0ce89f-6850-11e9-81c3-e19ee3aed6a0&pd_rd_w=0WyKQ&pd_rd_wg=Le7y8&pf_rd_p=90485860-83e9-4fd9-b838-b28a9b7fda30&pf_rd_r=MJH3673HC63AG6M2METW&psc=1&refRID=MJH3673HC63AG6M2METW<br /><br />https://www.amazon.com/Private-screenings-John-Ivan-Simon/dp/B0006BR99I/ref=pd_sim_14_6/140-7614835-6016562?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0006BR99I&pd_rd_r=f90bc03b-6850-11e9-867c-c5b0dbebe95a&pd_rd_w=kL3BL&pd_rd_wg=TEiTs&pf_rd_p=90485860-83e9-4fd9-b838-b28a9b7fda30&pf_rd_r=TPQ44J9EBS0SNK3ADZRR&psc=1&refRID=TPQ44J9EBS0SNK3ADZRRAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3752457333383090137.post-21646526196381008062019-04-26T11:08:02.821-07:002019-04-26T11:08:02.821-07:00I wish Mr. Simon’s books of criticism were availab...I wish Mr. Simon’s books of criticism were available in Kindle or other e-book format to be more widely available to a new generation and also for easy reference. I have not always shared his tastes or judgments about particular films, directors or writers. But I have always enjoyed reading him. Many of the reviews and quips have stayed in my mind after decades although I no longer have copies around. I want my daughters, now in college, to read some of them. Some of the books seem to be out of print such as the amusing Paradigms Lost. Perhaps some enterprising publisher will take this up. Xenophonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09664620430604622777noreply@blogger.com