I'm glad to see Auburn-Alabama here, but I'd definitely rank this rivalry higher. I lived in Alabama for several years, and the hatred and animosity surpasses anything I've ever seen!
"Taurus" is a good song, but no doubt, "Stairway to Heaven" is a great song. Whether Zep borrowed the guitar line or not, they definitely transformed it into an amazing song...
And that's cool that you taught yourself the intro to "Stairway," but remember the scene in Wayne's World when Wayne goes to the guitar shop to look at guitars, and when he asks to play one, they point to a big sign that says "NO STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN"? ;)
I've been on the lookout for A Fringe of Leaves for awhile now, checking every time I'm in a used bookstore. No luck thus far. If it was ever in print in America, it must have gone out of print pretty quickly...
I just read Homage to Catalonia last month--what did you think of it? I liked it, but thought it was a bit uneven; certain chapters were much more compelling than others.
I'm also hoping to read The Secret Agent in the next month or so.
I know we're all asking a lot of questions, and I'm curious about all the changes too, but I just wanted to thank you for the work and thought you're obviously putting in to this.
I can't tell you how happy I am to see Lost Highway on this list--I believe it is easily one of the most underrated films of the decade. I also see a lot else to like here--Pulp Fiction, Goodfellas, Rushmore, and Dazed and Confused jump out at me.
I'm not a big fan of Fight Club; personally, I think Seven is quite a bit better.
Have you seen JFK? Get beyond the controversy of whether it's distorted history (it is), and you'll find an absolute juggernaut of skillful editing and enthralling storytelling. The movie is so kinetic partly because it has something like three or four times as many shots and edits as the average film...Stone was definitely on top of his game.
This is a great idea for a list--do you have the complete collection?
I picked up volume 33 (Voyages and Travels) at a used book sale a couple of years ago, and loved it. As someone who almost always reads paperback editions of classics, it is almost a completely different experience to read a great book in a great hardback edition.
Does the Harvard Thousand and One Nights contain Sir Richard Burton's translation? I really love his translation, and I've noticed that many current editions still use him.
No, not remakes in general (which are often inferior), but specifically remakes by the same director as the original. I wonder if, when the same director mounts a remake, if the resulting film tends to be more accomplished or if something vital is often lost in covering the same ground again. For instance, with Sluizer, what caused the bigger-budget, English-language version of The Vanishing to be so inferior to the original? Pressure from a studio to be more accesible?
Strangely, I linked to your website because I saw on the recent activity page you deleted the link, and it looked interesting. I need to poke around it some more, but I was interested particularly in the religion section. When I was on listology more a few years ago, I seem to remember you defined yourself as a Christian. You probably say something about this somewhere else on one of your lists, but am I right? At what point did you begin defining yourself as an atheist?
By the way, the site is easy to use, and your essays are very readable. I'll say more when I have time to linger there.
What did you think of the Will Smith version?
I'm glad to see Auburn-Alabama here, but I'd definitely rank this rivalry higher. I lived in Alabama for several years, and the hatred and animosity surpasses anything I've ever seen!
Good list--did you consider Cubs-Cardinals?
Johnny Waco
"Taurus" is a good song, but no doubt, "Stairway to Heaven" is a great song. Whether Zep borrowed the guitar line or not, they definitely transformed it into an amazing song...
And that's cool that you taught yourself the intro to "Stairway," but remember the scene in Wayne's World when Wayne goes to the guitar shop to look at guitars, and when he asks to play one, they point to a big sign that says "NO STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN"? ;)
Johnny Waco
I've been on the lookout for A Fringe of Leaves for awhile now, checking every time I'm in a used bookstore. No luck thus far. If it was ever in print in America, it must have gone out of print pretty quickly...
Johnny Waco
I just read Homage to Catalonia last month--what did you think of it? I liked it, but thought it was a bit uneven; certain chapters were much more compelling than others.
I'm also hoping to read The Secret Agent in the next month or so.
Johnny Waco
I know we're all asking a lot of questions, and I'm curious about all the changes too, but I just wanted to thank you for the work and thought you're obviously putting in to this.
Johnny Waco
Wow--Tell No One is quite a treat! The French are really on a winning streak when it comes to thrillers...
Johnny Waco
I can't tell you how happy I am to see Lost Highway on this list--I believe it is easily one of the most underrated films of the decade. I also see a lot else to like here--Pulp Fiction, Goodfellas, Rushmore, and Dazed and Confused jump out at me.
I'm not a big fan of Fight Club; personally, I think Seven is quite a bit better.
Have you seen JFK? Get beyond the controversy of whether it's distorted history (it is), and you'll find an absolute juggernaut of skillful editing and enthralling storytelling. The movie is so kinetic partly because it has something like three or four times as many shots and edits as the average film...Stone was definitely on top of his game.
Johnny Waco
I love "Help, I'm a Rock!" As a matter of fact, I love all of Freak Out!
Good choice.
Johnny Waco
What was it you disliked (hated?) so much about A Passage to India? I know cholera must have its reasons, but what are they?!
Johnny Waco
This is a great idea for a list--do you have the complete collection?
I picked up volume 33 (Voyages and Travels) at a used book sale a couple of years ago, and loved it. As someone who almost always reads paperback editions of classics, it is almost a completely different experience to read a great book in a great hardback edition.
Johnny Waco
Does the Harvard Thousand and One Nights contain Sir Richard Burton's translation? I really love his translation, and I've noticed that many current editions still use him.
Johnny Waco
I have to go with The Wild Bunch as well.
Johnny Waco
No, not remakes in general (which are often inferior), but specifically remakes by the same director as the original. I wonder if, when the same director mounts a remake, if the resulting film tends to be more accomplished or if something vital is often lost in covering the same ground again. For instance, with Sluizer, what caused the bigger-budget, English-language version of The Vanishing to be so inferior to the original? Pressure from a studio to be more accesible?
Johnny Waco
Strangely, I linked to your website because I saw on the recent activity page you deleted the link, and it looked interesting. I need to poke around it some more, but I was interested particularly in the religion section. When I was on listology more a few years ago, I seem to remember you defined yourself as a Christian. You probably say something about this somewhere else on one of your lists, but am I right? At what point did you begin defining yourself as an atheist?
By the way, the site is easy to use, and your essays are very readable. I'll say more when I have time to linger there.
Johnny Waco