Cagey's listening to

...synth goodness. Jan Hammer (Dadrian Wilson) - The Great McCarthy - - (1983-1987) Jan Hammer - Gina - - (1983-1987) Jan Hammer - Rain - - (1983-1987) Jan Hammer - The Talk - - (1983-1987) Jan Hammer - Marina - - (1983-1987) Jan Hammer (Dadrian Wilson) - - The Great McCarthy (1983-1987) From the Miami Vice television series.

QOTD

"I am Inspector Matsumoto, Criminal Investigation Section, Osaka Prefecture Police, and I do speak f**king English."

             -Black Rain (1989)

Some favorite scenes from my pick for the best film of 2011, The King's Speech. 10/10.

"I'm a naval officer!  I'm not a king."
~~
"I have a voice!" 

"Yes, you do."

Initiative

   I'm on blog lockdown until I cook up some more material for my classes. Friends, the light at the end of the tunnel (or 'L.A.T.E.O.T.T.') is flight from Mudville. Keep my eyes on the prize. Anyway, oh yes, initiative. I am wearing my workout gloves more often around the house, trying to bring back Jud Nelson's trend from The Breakfast Club (1985), that greatest of '80s movies from what arguably was the greatest year of the decade. Why did people do that? Were they weighted for combat? Besides keeping my hands warm and comfortable, if I need to lift heavy things, they're already on, and I just seem to have more power in everything, as with similar totems (G.I. Joe in my pocket, ring, crucifix, a tidy desk, etc.) I feel about 77% more effective. You know what I like about the change in seasons? More pockets. Brain's warmed up now. See you in a few days, feel free to drop a line.

Great Ideas (working title) by Cagey

What if:

-...I relocated and opened an all English speaking American themed restaurant overseas hiring only those of American descent?  Would people probe my authenticity by trying to speak to me in American dialects?  Would they ask, "Is it o.k. if I speak English?"  Like when I go into a Japanese restaurant and ask "Nihongo daijobu desu ka?"  邦人 スポーク これで?

-...I had an all-day Mad Max marathon today?  If that's wrong, I don't wanna be right.

-...I opened a small business?  Is the current regulatory environment in the U.S. too restrictive to allow small businesses to sustain themselves before government gets its cut?  And like Michael Savage asks, why do lawmakers no longer use the word "taxes", but instead complain that with the debt ceiling concessions made to the lefties, they will not get enough "revenue"?

Most excellent post-apocalyptic genre internets finds of the day

Lord Humongous for governor(link)

Behind the Scenes: 'The Road'

"'Carrying the fire' - and the transfer of humanity." The trailer is worth watching for the descriptions of theme. Phew! I hate getting teary-eyed at movies, but then I realize it's refreshing to be able to occasionally pluck uncertain, more volatile emotions from the tableau. In the days of Shakespearean theater, the pathos in a heart-wrenching end often were the end, were the takeaway. "Sad" endings were as treasured as other endings!

I liked when Charlize Theron discussed the unmanufactured acting of the boy.

Cagey's listening to

Eat it, reds -

"The best G.I. Joe movie ever"

(Linked URL)

We used to do this stuff when we were kids, but not with directing, framing (close-ups, etc.) and great sound effects.  Firecrackers, bottle rockets, all that goodness.  At 3:00 in length, it's the perfect amount of time to keep our interest in the YouTube age.  Kids - we like to blow up G.I. Joes for some reason.

Still of a man outside a phone booth, from the Miami Vice (t.v. series) episode "Rock and a Hard Place."

This shot brillliantly establishes a captivating mood :  incommunicado, ensconced in shadow and pale neon.  Representative of a series which became synonymous with a decade, a cinematic and visual tour de force from the height of the 20th Century.

Gary Busey, you're the best we've got

How many celebrities can you say are actually interesting?

My happy thought today:  Dude seems batshiate CRAZY, but that's why he's so awesome!  He's the friend everyone would secretly like to have, but won't.  Maybe. 

How we arrived here:  There was a story out of San Diego about a retired NASCAR driver who was chased by police at speeds of over 130 m.p.h., until his engine blew up, which incidentally sort of happened in an episode of Miami Vice.  Perp looked like Gary Busey.  I then commenced an exhaustive hunt for pics and stories of his escapades at the Oscars.  Run of the mill actors are boring.  Not Busey: He is often pictured in Hawaiian shirts.  (Sarcasm font needed here)  "OMG," you have no idea.  With your personality, you can either pull off the shirt or you can't.  Gary definitely can and does. 

Know him.  Love him.  He starred in some of the greatest movies of our age, including Lethal Weapon, Predator 2, Point Break, and Under Siege.  I ended up finding the definitive compliation of clips (see below, end) and a conclusion:  We all need a little more Busey in our lives.  I hope we see Gary Busey in many, many more movies and online clips.  I hope we all embrace the crazy a little more. 

He's unique in that he doesn't need to rely on a PR staff to create notoriety. The unorthodox Hunter Thompson approach he takes in his interviews are completely unpredictable and spontaneous; on the other extreme, you may see him in a video telling some interviewers that they need to set up the shot perfectly - several times - to a ridiculous extreme that prompts you to question whether he does this on purpose to show a kind of subtle(?) mastery over the situation.  Come to think of it,  I have never seen him lose the initiative.  He always seems to be in complete control, but leaving quite a bit of doubt with the videographers and others he encounters. 

In Predator 2 behind the scenes, starting with an what sounds like it's going to be an English 301 summary of 'reversal', he explains the reason he's wearing his tactical gear with quantum theory and preventing everyone from turning into fine pink mist.

I'm also a fan of his convenient use of acronyms, e.g. BIBLE: "Basic instructions before leaving Earth." SOBER: "Son of a b****, everything's real."  What a saga, what a character.  Spice of life. 

http://www.screenjunkies.com/general/13-craziest-gary-busey-moments

(Check the interview with the Swedes.) 

Gary Busey - the best celebrity!

The web's best analysis of Captain Harlock

Oh, the things we think of while walking around darkened ships.

"Captain Harlock is the first, and possibly the only animation heir to the long tradition of space opera tough and taciturn, competent heroes with a sketchy past that gave us the likes of Northwest Smith and Eric John Stark."
"Lean, scarred, melancholy, with a penchant for strong drinks and solitude, looking like he's just been kicked out of somewhere, Harlock is still such a strong character that not even his taking care of the token orphan (a '70s anime mainstay) throughout the series ruins the athmosphere.
And the fact that for a change we are travelling with someone that actually stops and asks himself 'How the heck did he end up into this apparently hopeless situation?' is also pleasantly refreshing."

http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/zenith/134/ch.htm

Harlock is a different kind of protagonist, a CODE HERO (link pops), or a defiant hero with few surface indications of antipathy toward life's errand.

Who likes perfect heroes?

On Groundhog's Day

They always have these freaking annoying codges in 19th century dress hold up Punxsutawney Phil.

Aside from their lip service, aren't they supposed to prod Phil out of his cage and let him scurry around, giving at least some semblance of Phil actually BEING INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS?!?!!!1

Film: The Limits of Control

Jim Jarmusch - I've seen his Ghost Dog, Coffee and Cigarettes (part of it), Mystery Train (pers. fave) and now The Limits of Control. I didn't "get" this one without help, but that's o.k. If I told you this movie was like "dark chocolate" and ran off without filling you in on that abstraction, maybe you'd be dismissive, maybe you'd wonder why. Hopefully, you'd provide your own explanation and anticipate that not everything will be laid bare in the telling. Our expectations for resolution in literature (nuance) and cinema (full exposition) vary to a large degree. If nothing else, you should love the sheer beauty of Spanish landscapes in this movie and the mythology of the protagonist, "Lone Man."

Mary Pols, Time Magazine:

As Lone Man makes his way from Madrid to Seville and then into the countryside toward his wealthy target, American, aka the Man (Bill Murray, who starred in Jarmusch's lovely Broken Flowers), he encounters a cast of characters who trade boxes of matches with him and pass on more tidbits of instruction along with commentary on art and culture. There's Guitar (John Hurt), Mexican (Gael Garcia Bernal) and the most helpful of all, Blonde (Tilda Swinton), who is a fan of Jarmusch-style cinema.

"The best films are like dreams you're never really

sure you've had," she tells him.

The rest of the review (and spoilers) are here: http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1894879,00.html

Meanwhile, I'm thinking about Flamenco, castanets, and a dark bar.

- Thinking about the visceral and sparse "Passengers: Original Movie Soundtracks Vol. II" http://www.amazon.com/Passengers-Original-Soundtracks-Brian-Eno/dp/B000001E8

- Thinking about "Killer 7." http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/action/killer7/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;read-review

- Thinking about "El Mariachi" and people that make you wonder whether that guitar case holds an ametralladora ...

We were exposed to and savored Jarmusch's rich mise-en-scene in Mystery Train. Here, staring bleakly at Spanish landscapes, you begin to feel part of them. What better place for cool, dark-shades intrigue than the sepia desert and thrumming guitars of La Madre Tierra?

Interpretation of "Limits" can be challenging; a camera following Mr. Jarmusch, His manner of dress makes him look like somebody you might find at the side of a road in Nevada. In the bonus features as he shares some revealing points, clues.

"There are only a few stories, but limitless ways to tell them."

"I know many things about film history, art, etc. What fascinates me are not the things that are known, but the things that are unknown to me."

The Limits of Control is an extended metaphor for intrigue and the unknown - it invites the viewer's imagination. The landscapes are stunning and make me embrace Spain again. The elements of scene are built to a fever pitch, and when the mystery of our "Lone Wanderer" is revealed, it comes suddenly but is not an "Aha." You really need an attuned eye & ear to unite the abstract cues and draw out the meaning, and could return many times to find more.

Unfortunately, western audiences will not enjoy having to work to make their own interpretations. No matter the common criticism, there's no denying that Jim Jarmusch is highly talented and artistic. 6 or 7/10. I'm on the fence.

Potpourri - "The path ahead is without stations or timetables"

I. A new 80s video for your advancement in post-graduate 80s studies:




"The Thin Red Line" in film and literature has represented defensive maneuver and resistance from a "thinly spread military unit." "The first use of the expression referred to the resistance by the red-coated 93rd (Highland) Regiment of the United Kingdom in the Crimean War." (Wikipedia) The Glass Tiger namesake vid hearkens back to other 80s ballads, I'm thinking Cutting Crew in particular.

II. Film: OHorten - 7/10 (Very good)
Thoroughly enjoyed this off-beat Norwegian film from 2008, especially for its aesthetic. I used to be the first to step around symbolism like a superstitious kid jumping over cracks; too much seems pretentious. Even though symbolism is the main expository-creative device in this film, it's not overthought, not overused, and is a pleasant experience and an artistic statement. Collectively, OHorten stands out like it's trying to be a portrait in an art show. We open quietly: Hurtling through a frozen hinterland, in and out of tunnels, the eponymous hero of the film makes his penultimate trip. Streaking through familiar territory and a life afforded the comforts of routine, we are quickly aware that OHorten's transition is going to become extraordinary. To me, the train is the most elegant metaphor for change, and therefore is an original and intriguing pairing of subject to plot. The soul of OHorten is a vagabond finding home.

Review of the movie "Transformers 2"

In the grand tradition of other sparse but substantive reviews here (Sopranos, etc.), "Transfomers 2 - don't bother - it sucked." Links provided for your benefit.

Cagey hates it.
"A summer crockbuster."
"Accelerating American down its downward spiral of intellectual iconoclasm."

Ebert hates it.
http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/07/i_am_a_brainiac.html



Topless Robot hates it: http://www.toplessrobot.com/2009/06/bonus_robs_transformers_2_faqs.php

Summer '09 an '80s Tour de Force

Update (September '09):

G.C.P.A.S. Ratings:

Terminator Salvation: 9/10 - a must see. Chilling, great effects, great visual impact.

Transformers 2: 5/10 - overly juvenile. Do not see.

G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra: 7 - Entertaining if you can get over the casting of Duke, his over-the-top redneck screen presence and his crappy non-sequitur goatee.































As if there were any question before as to the cultural supremacy of the 1980s, these featured summer releases all speak to a greater time, a time with good causes and a compass. Hollywood has either run out of ideas, or its idea pool is now dominantly Gen X (1970s births) and acknowledging that we've arrived at a new "dark ages." That's why they turned every former SNL skit into a movie, then the last few years gave every superhero his own movie, and now are going to 80s lore.

Terminator Salvation (PG-13). Opened Memorial Day weekend. Turned out to be a spectacular addition (finale?) to the series nobody was sure would become a classic. I can't imagine why anyone would be skeptical as to the juggernaut box office potential this film may have. Terminator 2 (1991) topped out all records for the time (on production costs AND take) and the new installment thrilled effortlessly. Sat right in the front row and nursed a 36 oz. mug of Bud Light and the post-apocalyptic (another tip of my hat to 80s flair) filled my entire field of vision. High praise is due the production elements e.g. sound production: phenomenal - favorite scene was the fight vs. the giant mech from the gas station, no thumping soundtrack, just the tinnitic whine of deadly machinery on a rampage. Some corners may have been cut in linking T3 to present, and other background stories (a more technical story on the Skynet intel would have been nice), but the same cold, alone-in-the-dark feeling of previous Terminators was out in force. Bonus: Nice cameo appearance by ??? . (Can't tell you.)

Other items of note:
Terminator Salvation: opened June, 2009.
Transformers 2 opened June 24th, 2009.
G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra opens August 2009.

Other items of note:

Goonies sequel in the works? http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=24625

Police 2009 tour: First tour in 20-something odd years from a genius band. Details limited, a few metropolitan shows that sold out in five minutes

Some winning advice from Steven Seagal

In case of emergency: Break out Steven Seagal quote:

"Superior state of mind, superior mental attitude."

I don't like all-nighters anymore, but I have to summon some Seagal-like qualities to finish these two papers in ten hours.

Red Pill or Blue Pill?

Great essay by author Dave Droar conceived around the existential decision the protagonist Neo faced in the Matrix movies:

http://www.arrod.co.uk/essays/matrix.php

Excerpt:

The central character of the film, Neo, is presented to us in the opening part of the film as a loner who is searching for a mysterious character called Morpheus (named after the Greek god of dreams and sleep). He is also trying to discover the answer to the question "What is the Matrix?"
Morpheus contacts Neo just as the machines (posing as sinister 'agents') are trying to keep Neo from finding out any more. When Morpheus and Neo meet, Morpheus offers Neo two pills. The red pill will answer the question "what is the Matrix?" (by removing him from it) and the blue pill simply for life to carry on as before. As Neo reaches for the red pill Morpheus warns Neo, "Remember, all I'm offering is the truth. Nothing more."