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TV Or Not TV
From Chicago, this is The Dope Sheet... I'm Adam Kempenaar.
Sorry for the delay in getting this out. We've been on a Friday
schedule of late, but would really prefer to send it out earlier in
the week. So it has nothing to do with me being lazy or too busy ...
it was all a plan to get on a new schedule. For sure.
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Let's kick this off with an email from listener Jeff Nelson: "You
guys do a really nice job with the show. However, even though I am a
fellow film fan, I have recently discovered that the best of film
could never compare with the best of television, namely
HBO's The Wire. I believe if started from the beginning, it
could arguably be called the finest piece of fiction/work ever filmed
... I've shown The Wire to four film buffs/best friends who would
never watch TV because, well, it's TV. They all say the same thing
when it's over. 'The Wire makes you realize just how insignificant
every film I've ever seen really is.'
If either of you have already seen this show, could you comment
on it in a reply email, or briefly on the show? I can't be the only
listener who worships The Wire."
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I agree... Jeff can't be the only listener who worships The Wire.
I used to have a co-worker who raved about it constantly, and when
the new season began I couldn't pick up a newspaper or magazine that
didn't have a critic praising it with the same reverential tones as
you.
So, have I watched even one episode yet? Sadly, no. And I'm
pretty sure Sam hasn't either since he only recently got cable. (True
story) Believe me, I didn't need Jeff's email to make me feel bad
about not watching The Wire. But some of you LONG-time listeners will
remember how I didn't watch my Netflix copy of The Motorcycle Diaries
for 2-3 months because I couldn't get excited about spending what
little free time I had watching a movie that seemed to require a lot
of "effort" -- one that I had to be fully invested in -- as opposed
to enjoying some 90-minute piece of entertainment. Again, I'm talking
about my 'free' time here. Obviously, generally speaking, I love
movies that require effort.
Well, it's the same situation with The Wire, only I see it as
even more of a challenge because the subject matter itself is
supposedly so challenging. And it's on every week. Here's a peek
inside my TiVo programming: The Daily Show, The Colbert Report,
Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip, The Charlie Rose Show, Real Time with
Bill Maher, Ebert & Roeper, Saturday Night Live, Austin City Limits.
Other than Studio 60 (more on this later), I am so behind on my
TV watching that I have at least 3 episodes of all of those shows
waiting for me. In the case of the daily programs (Jon Stewart,
Colbert, Charlie Rose), I am sometimes 10 or 12 episodes behind.
Things are just too crazy between work, Filmspotting and family (yes,
probably in that order).
Enough whining... my point is simply that I can't figure out how
to squeeze in the time for "The Wire" -- the actual time, and the
intellectual/emotional time based on what I know about it. Just how
badly am I missing out? Feel free to let me know --
feedback@filmspotting.net
On a related note, remember the guy a couple of shows ago who
wrote explaining how he wrecked his car while listening intently to
our review of "Don't Look Back"? Well, at the end of his email, Kevin
Porter wrote this: "If you're actually concerned about making me
happy, I strongly urge and encourage the both of you to watch the new
NBC drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. The pilot was on
Monday and it was better than the last 20 movies I've seen ... Not
lying, better than the last 20 movies I've seen. I'm sure you boys
aren't TV snobs, but even so, please check it out. For me, for the
children, and for Bessie (My car. Now it's just essie).
Now, just in case you think Kevin is sounding a little nuts, like
maybe he took a shot to the head during the wreck... check out this
email I recently received from none other than Sam Van Hallgren, the
king of all things hyperbole:
"Tell me you have been watching Studio 60 (then again, I have no
idea when you'd have time). I have to bring up this show during the
next recording. Or maybe I'll just add a note in the Dope Sheet. I
can't believe how good Matthew Perry is. Did he and Sorkin meet in
rehab or something? I'm guessing that Perry is channeling Sorkin.
This show is better than 99% of all movies we've seen this year. Like
watching Preston Sturges. I'll stop before the hyperbole makes my
computer melt down."
Yes, please stop. As I wrote above, I have been keeping up with
Studio 60. I was a big fan of The West Wing, so put Sorkin in with
Perry and Bradley Whitford, who is somewhat annoying but good with
Sorkin writing for him, plus the whole 'backstage SNL' factor, and
there was no doubt I would make time for this show. Not that Sorkin
isn't intellectually stimulating, but in contrast to The Wire, I'm
usually fairly certain Sorkin isn't going to make me want to shoot
myself in the head out of despair.
Studio 60 is good. It's not better than each of the last 20
movies I've seen, and I'll need to see a lot more before I start
invoking the name Preston Sturges. But I recommend it. If you hated
The West Wing, though, you'll probably hate this too. Smart people
talking really fast while walking. A lot. Usually through corridors
that have doors that lead into other corridors. And sure, it all
comes off a bit too earnest at times, as if Sorkin believes "good"
television cures cancer or something, but hey, Sorkin's earnestness
(and intelligence) works for me.
I think my problem with it so far is simply that Sorkin has given
himself an impossible task -- he HAS to be funny. Or should I say,
the show within the show has to be funny for us to buy the entire
setup and for pretty much any of the characters to have credibility.
Well, the second episode was all about the first show with the
Perry/Whitford characters in control after the old exec producer's
on-air meltdown. They know their opening bit has to be huge, has to
be hilarious and irreverent and a hundred different things, all of
which they actually say during the episode. The result is a Pirates
of Penzance riff that WAS huge and irreverent... but not hilarious.
Not even remotely. It was clever, and it made me smile. But I don't
think I laughed once.
Again, it's tough because Sorkin not only has to be the writer
the NBC show Studio 60, but he essentially has to write a chunk of
Saturday Night Live every week for the show within the show. SNL has
an entire staff and misses 1 out of every 5 skits. How will Sorkin
manage?
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Chicago Film Festival Show
 If any of you have been paying attention to our Calendar, then you've
probably noticed that it has been fluctuating more frequently than
Leo DiCaprio's weight.
Here's what you need to know... This Wednesday's show will
feature reviews of The Departed and The Science of Sleep, plus the
Top 5 Characters We'd Like To Be (a variation on the Badasses top 5
in that these people don't actually have to be able to kick anyone's
asses ... though it doesn't hurt).
Next Wednesday's show will be our Chicago Film Festival
Edition... We're going to review:
A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints
- starring Robery Downey, Jr.
Dixie Chicks: Shut Up & Sing!
- directed by Harlan County's Barbara Kopple
Wristcutters: A Love Story
- starring Almost Famous' Patrick Fugit.
Also,
D.B. Sweeney is
going to drop by to discuss his writing and directing debut Dirt Nap,
and hopefully play along with our Top 5 -- Movies About Starting Over.
If you happen to live in the Chicago area...
CORRESPONDENTS NEEDED
We want to get as many different voices on the show as we can.
Voices talking about what you're seeing at the fest, what you like at
the fest, quick reviews of movies you're seeing at the fest. [And by
quick I mean under 30 seconds.]
Call and leave us a voice mail. 206-203-2463 (CINE)
Or just send us an e-mail --
feedback@filmspotting.net
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Overlooked DVD Pick: Dave Chappelle's Block Party
 Available on Peerflix - Short Wait
I'm pretty sure that in the show after we revealed our Top 5
Movies of the Year So Far, we read an email from D'Kotah in Nashville
who was disappointed that she didn't hear a mention of Dave
Chappelle's Block Party." Well, neither of us had seen it at the
time. But I did catch up with it recently, and since Michel Gondry
directed it and we're reviewing The Science of Sleep this week...
it's my Overlooked DVD Pick.
As D'Kotah wrote then: "Dave Chappelle is funny and heartwarming,
Michel Gondry crafts some amazing shots, and all of the music is
amazing ... Mos Def, The Roots, Dead Prez, Common, Erykah Badu, etc.
have more musical and artistic talent than all of the Grammy winning
artists of last year combined. This is not music about bling and
bitches, this is socially concious art. Hip-hop music is just as
diverse as rock. I highly recommend that everyone see Dave
Chappelle's Block Party, my #1 film of the year (so far)."
I agree with, or at least can't really argue with, D'Kotah's
claims. Chappelle is simply fun to be around ... Gondry spices things
up with the eccentricity you would expect from him ... and the music
really is great.
It may be Chappelle's show, but I'd argue the real star is Roots
drummer Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson. ?uest was the musical director
for the Block Party, so you really have to give him a good portion of
the credit for everything you hear. The man is a supremely talented
drummer and just might be a musical genius.
For more on ?uest, check out
this A.V. Club interview.
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Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe
As Sam mentioned during his setup for Errol Morris' Gates of Heaven,
Les Blank made a documentary called "Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe"
that shows Herzog doing just that in response to a bet he made with
Morris that Morris would never complete "Gates."
Listener Bill Polymenakos provides
this YouTube link,
which I believe has the entire short.
According to Bill: "Deciding to make a moment of it on stage was
done in an attempt to honour his word and encourage others to follow
in the footsteps of his friend. When you get past the drawn out
beginning and the (real) shoe-eating, Herzog's passionate talk on
filmmaking and life is actually inspiring."
Thanks, Bill!
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