Hey folks.
What I've been doing is I've been in a state of shock, staring at the tennis ball sitting in my bedroom, the tennis ball signed by sweet, angelic, divine Kirsten Dunst. Oh Kirsten, thinks The Duke, how can I even look at this most blessed of relics, when not only have you kissed it with your pen, but your hands have held it, presumably, since it's hard enough to write on a tennis ball at the best of times, never mind doing it with one hand.
Duty calls, though, and I had to draw my gaze away for the time it takes to give you the low-down on this week's DVD releases.
That tennis ball will keep me awake for weeks, is what.
And there's lot's of other stuff for to keep a fella awake for the next seven days, too. Shit like these right here, for example;
Edison - The Invention Of The Movies
This right here is the ultimate pick this week. 4 DVD's bulging with amazing, mesmerizing flicks from back in the days when Nickelodeon was a place you went for to catch a flick and maybe some tuberculosis, rather than a place were folks play Sister Sister all the live-long day.
This has all the classics you'd expect, like The Great Train Robbery and what have you, but also loads of long-lost gems, including some early stop-motion animation and the like. Essential as all frozen fuck.
STOP PRESS AND SUCH - Edison DVD seems to be postponed till 22nd February.
The Grudge
As I Pointed Out back in the day, if you ain't seen any of the Ju-On flicks, most likely this'll be the greatest horror you ever laid eyes on. If you have, most likely you'll see this as a wretched waste of time, and a fucking missed opportunity if ever was one. The Duke falls into the latter category, but surprise, cause I'm still gonna throw twenty quid in the direction of this here. It's sad, man, I know.
Ray
I ain't seen this yet, but by all accounts Jamie Foxx is a downright revelation. Probably gonna sell like there's no tomorrow come Oscar time, is what The Duke would wager.
Henry Rollins - Shock And Awe
This right here is one of Henry's spoken word shows, captured for posterity on the old DVD. I saw one of these shows on telly one night, and I've been itching for more ever since. Funny as all hell, is what he is, and then next thing you know folks are asking if that's a tear in your eye, but no, shut your damn mouth and watch the TV, how about?
.jpg?t=20120527181101)
Article comments
1 - Eric Berlin
No, I don't even recognize the original movie as part of the Buffy franchise. She was hot enough, I suppose, but never on that daydream about / elevate above the level of mortal human level, you know?
2 - Eric Olsen
too vacant, I know
3 - Jim Carruthers
I've seen Rollins several times on his spoken word tours, and it is the closest I've literally come to pissing my pants laughing. It's not the stories, so much, and the presentation helps, and pacing, staging, there's none of that, it's just Henry and microphone (and after meeting him a Black Flag show in Montreal, he's not that tall either, or at another meeting doing business, not that chatty when not performing) but as they say, the whole package.
I've got a couple of his spoken word CDs, but to get the full impact, especially if you haven't seen him live is the DVD. He is a great mimic, and really good at the body language.
As for Penn & Teller Bullshit, sadly, the second season isn't as good as the first, since they mainly spend their time picking on easy, soft targets, and don't pull many pranks. Most of the episodes are just the duo going through the motions rather than sleight of hand. What I really want from them is a nice DVD set with extras and commentary of their great stage show. Since they have essentially just stayed in Las Vegas, it would be better than this bullshit.
4 - Eric Olsen
"essential as all frozen fuck" - Shakespearean, my friend
"So how did you get the ball?" he asked with only slight trepidation.
I used to live down the street from where Black Flag recorded in Hermosa and ran into them several times at parties, on the street and whatnot. Rollins was actually rather shy - I agree he's really funny, though.
5 - Jim Carruthers
I see this as an indie break-out hit, a crazy motherfucker who is cast away on an island in the North Sea, and aside from a washed-up container of Guinness and sardines only has a tennis ball for companionship, which he names Kristen, since that is name on the ball.
The movies play in his mind, which he provides DVD director's commentary to Kristen are captured by a combined ESA and CIA pair of spy satellites, and become a hit reality show. The authorities send Jessica Stevenson undercover as Kristen Dunst, claiming she is really Sydney Bristow.
Hijinks ensue.
6 - Eric Berlin
Degrassi Junior High finally got released to DVD? I can finally breathe easy once again... I can only hope it was worth the long, cold, lonely years of waiting.
You hit the mark exactly with your take on School Daze: underwhelming yet interesting. Is it just me or does that hit the mark on about 80% of Spike Lee's films?
I don't know why, but Karate Kid I and II had a large impact on me and my friends, pop culturally speaking, growing. Quite often we would say things like, "That same piece of wood we found on beach long time ago?" and someone else, solemn and knowingly, would nod their head and say, "Hai. Same."
Duke -- Always love to see your takes on all things cinematic.
Eric Berlin
Dumpster Bust: Miracles from Mind Trash
7 - HW Saxton
I saw "Black Flag"(pre Henry)play at The
Fleetwood in Redondo Beach twice. Some
of Black Flag's footage for "The Decline
Of Western Civilization" was shot the
night we were there. Other bands on the
bill that night were The Mau'Mau's,The
Cheifs(sic),Vicious Circle (who morphed
into TSOL), The Screwz and a couple of
others I'm forgetting.
I think the Flag were at their peak with
Dez Cadena and Henry both in the band.
Once Dez split/quit the sound started to
change real fast and not for the better
to my ears.
8 - Eric Olsen
"More Care Bears on DVD!" he said dancing around the room waving his arms and tweaking his nipples, "Lily will be so excited!"
9 - Eric Olsen
re Karate Kid 4, "the girl" you mention is Hillary Swank
10 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
hey folks.
Jim, that sounds like the best film ever made, most likely. Could we get Tom Hanks involved, maybe just to float past at one point on a dingy, so as folks in the audience can go "ooh, see that? that was a homage right there", and then the person next to them can go "i think you'll find it's AN homage, motherfucker."
Alas, the couple episodes i've seen of Bullshit season 2 are, as you say, not as good as first time around. But i'll still pick it up though, since i belive slightly under-par bullshit is still prefereable to loads of other stuff.
Eric, Shakespeare WISHES he could have sworn in such a manner, is what i'm guessing. And to answer your question, what i did was purchase the item from one of your big-business autograph dealer types. How anyone could part with such an item is beyond me, regardless of the money involved.
Eric B, i agree with you. 80% of Spike's output is lacking, i feel. But then he'll fling something like 25th Hour at us, and what can a man do but say "well, whatever he did, at least he gave us 25th hour".
Also, i belive Karate Kid 1-3 played a part in all our lives.
HW and Jim, alas, i never had the priveledge of seeing the flag, nor indeed mr rollins, but i do believe he's been to belfast a couple times with his spoken word shenanigans. Maybe next time. And HW, you remind me once more how shocking, sad and disgraceful it is that none of the Decline... flicks are available on DVD. come the hell on, Penelope Spheeris. How many Wayne's World's are out there on shiny disc? Dozens, i'd wager.
11 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
eric O, the duchess was very fond of the care bears. I belive i purchased the flicks for her one time. Thus, i felt much too raw for to fling text in the direction of said releases. Motherfucking care bears.
And i'd totally forgotten that was Hilary Swank! God. And she wasn't even oscar nominated!
12 - Eric Olsen
nothing unites my 20 year-old daughter and 5 year-old daughter like the Care Bears. The elder even applied her college-educated artiste skills to a Care Bear mural on the younger lass's bedroom wall - it brings a tear.
13 - HW Saxton
Duke, Your first paragraph in Post # 8
reminds me of one of my alltime favorite
episodes of "The Honeymooners". In this
episode Ralph K. decides to once again
become an entrepeneur by selling these
kitchen devices that are made to core
apples.Somehow, Norton ends up doing the
sales pitch as "How To Core A Apple".
LOfuckin'L. Classic comedy.
14 - Jim Carruthers
Does this mean you'd like a scan of the autograph from my copy of the "Decline of Western Civilization" LP by Penelope Spheeris? (And if I'd known what crap she would go on to make, I'd never have talked with her, though she did introduce me to Candice Bergin).
I did see a DVD of DWC at a local video store, but looked tres bootleg, and I haven't rented it yet.
I suspect it is because of Ozzy in the second one which keeps them off the market, plus music licensing issues (for shits and giggles, try to figure out who really owns punk rock chunes from the early 80s).
15 - Eric Olsen
that reminds me: is there a DVD of Urgh: A Music War, that's one bizarre lineup of art damage, new wave and punkiness
16 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
of course the best week for DVD releases is coming up shortly, when Wimbeldon gets an outing here in the UK. maybe i'll see my tennis ball.
17 - HH
What? Nothing about Wonderfalls aside from the bare minimum? Travesty.
18 - Jim Carruthers
I did give a week's notice of this criminally overlooked series, plus there was one other posting yesterday about "Wonderfalls"
Not to excuse Duke's failure, but he does have that tennis ball and all. And like Jaye, it is probably telling him to make other people's lives better.
19 - Eric Berlin
By the way, Duke: What you feel for Ms. Dunst, I once felt for the young Ms. S Michelle Gellar circa Season Two of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (or a weak facsimile of your Strong and True devotion, I should say). For whatever reason, alas, the infatuation was not to last as I moved onto Charisma Carpenter, then that actress who plays Anya for a little bit... well, pretty much the entire female side of the Buffy franchise had my eye at one time or another.
20 - Eric Olsen
even Kristie Swanson?
21 - Economike
Trying to find a dvd of los angeles punk band the Mau Mau's. Would appreciate any info you might have.