Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Sounds like you've been snacking on some of the local mushrooms.

So not to be uber depressing, but I was perusing the headlines on CNN, which of course is nothing but Virigina Tech. On an interesting note, however, the article was discussing how one of the killer's professors had found it quite obvious he was disturbed through his writing (and you know, everyone ignored her warnings), and hey look, one of the classmates posted two of Cho Seung-Hui's plays on his blog. Honestly, I was kinda curious. I mean, this must be some pretty fucked up writing--the teacher pulled him out of class to teach him one-on-one, get counseling, etc. Well, uh, that first play? It looks like it's ten pages and I seriously could not get past page four. Not because it's gruesome and violent and twisted but because it's really fucking awful. The fucked up part may have come later but I just simply could not get through it.

I don't think I'd make a very good writing teacher. Not a very nice one, anyway.

On a completely different and positive note, this past weekend I downloaded the best ever episode of Cinemaslave. The ALL-LYNCH Eraserhead and Elephant Man praise-a-thon. (And damn, I really am lazy...I always told myself I'd leave a voicemail rather than an email if he ever discussed Lynch. I really thought about it, but my cell battery was low and well, I loathe the sound of my voice, so uh...an email it shall be!) But Joe really nailed all the perfect things about Lynch--like sometimes when his stuff is weird for weird's sake it's nowhere near as good as his stuff with a strong narrative like EM or Twin Peaks (there is no such thing as Fire Walk With Me so I won't clarify by saying "the series").



Having said that, Eraserhead is the exception. It's just such a crazy beast it truly is in its own world. If it were not so weird, it would not be Eraserhead and I wouldn't have to watch it at least once a year.

My other favorite thing about Lynch will always be his use of music, abstract sound and the lack of sound. The last two especially can be very intense and engaging. (Twin Peaks spoiler ahead...) For example, Maddy's death scene in TP--I always thought the sound of the needle not retracting made that scene one of the best in the series. Leave it to me to find a death scene to be one of the best scenes in the series...

4 comments:

Al said...

In heaven, everything is fine..

Ellen Aim said...

You're in very bad trouble if you won't cooperate.

Mob said...

Explain your beef with the not to be named film project that followed Twin Peaks, as it's been on cable a lot recently and I've re-watched pieces of it any number of times and enjoyed them quite a bit....

Ellen Aim said...

Honestly, it's been so long I couldn't tell you. I may be over it and could possibly give it another go. I just remember watching it back in the day and being appalled. I felt it wasn't faithful or in the spirit of the series...there was something in particular that REALLY bothered me and I so can't remember what it was. Fuck, now I DO have to watch it...

Maybe I'll enjoy it this time!