Return of the Z movies

As a European hipster, I'm naturally attracted to foreign movies, and Japanese ones in particular. That's basically the reason why the other day I rented two DVDs at my local store. I should have stayed home.

Actually, the first movie wasn't that bad. "Suicide Circle" (by Sion Sono, 2002) retraces the events following the mass suicide of 54 teenage girls who jumped in front of a train in the Shinjuku station. The police starts investigating, and begins to suspect some foul play as more suicides take place, and strange hints pop up on the web. Would there be some connections with a famous tween idol band ? Enough for the plot.

The movie is rather uneven, to say the least. Some scenes are gratuitously gruesome, such as the opening sequence, where the Tokyo subway gets flooded by the blood of the schoolgirls (fake blood must have represented a significant portion of the film budget), or when puppies are trampled on to death by a peroxided singing maniac on platform boots. On the other side, some elements of the story are worth pondering, for example the critiques of fads, formatted pop culture, generation gaps... if they were developed and not skimmed over.

However, the biggest turn off remains the abstruse plot. The last 15 minutes do not solve anything and raise actually more questions: who is behind the band ? Behind the suicides ? Behind the script ?


No, we have a real winner with Kibakichi, by Tomo-o Haraguchi (2004). The back of the DVD says it all: "half man, half werewolf, all samurai". Bingo !

It starts like a regular samurai movie a la Yojimbo. A lone traveler is attacked by ruffians, but quickly dispatches them ad patres with his mad skillz. Our hero (Kibakichi) then meets a foreboding blind beggar, fights ninja turtles and eventually finds his way to a small village inhabited by yokai. These flesh eating monsters, disguised as humans, are all but one big family lead by a guy looking a lot like James Earl Jones as Thulsa Doom. The yokai have a deal with a rising element in the local human clan: get rid of yakuzas and you'll get a nice place where you can leave in peace instead of being hunted down. Of course, the audience can guess straight away that the humans are double-faced: they wear long black leather uniforms that must have been designed by Hugo Boss in the 30es, which is always a bad sign. Kibakichi, as a true lone traveler, decides to leave, but quickly returns to fight alongside the yokai as they are attacked by the Gatlin-gun-carrying humans. Little did they know that Kibakichi was in fact a werewolf ! After growing himself some hair and fighting a betraying cyclops, Kibakichi eventually kills the human leader, who explodes (never carry a grenade when you don't have a head). End of the movie. I voluntarily forget some side plots.

This movie is really terrible. The genre confusion (samurai + latex monsters + gun-wielding badasses), the ridiculous costumes, the ultra-cheap special effects (remember the tunnel of horror in the local funfair ? same thing), the 2c message of tolerance towards our friends the monsters, the mandatory sex scene (where as a bonus the girl transforms into a giant spider), the 15 minutes of explosions... So many reasons to complain that I don't know where to start. So I won't. And I'll skip the sequel.

Anybody has a spare brain ? Mine melted...

Gossips

And now for some random gossips:
Casper and the Cookies will play their last show Athens show of the winter on Fri. Jan 25th at Farm 255 (of all places...). They'll be hitting Japan like a power-pop tsunami on Feb. 5th for a 9-day tour promoting the release of "Optimist Club" on Waikiki records.

Talking about Cookies, on Thu. Jan. 24th, Flicker will host the premiere of a new band composed of Joe R. (guitar), Jim H. (drums) and two other guys whose name I forgot (sorry). The name of the band isn't cast in stone as I write this line, but expect something along the lines of "Joe Rowe's Coming-Out Party". Or maybe not.

Sat. 24th Andy from Denver / The Lolligags was short (4 songs for Andy, 5 for the Lolligags), but really excellent. Andy played a slightly more subdued set than the day before at Flicker, without suggestive dances nor powerglove, but endearing nevertheless. The Lolligags quickly won over the part of the audience who were only discovering them, and Leslie overcame her natural shyness to give us some sweet moves.

Andy will spent 21 days at the end of March, beginning of April on the road for a East Coast/ MidWest show with Keith John Adams. More about that when we'll get closer to the dates.

The Lolligags just spent the week-end recording two new songs with Jason NeSmith at his Bel-Air studio. "Best behavior" isn't fully mixed yet, but amateurs of English education will be pleased. "Carnival" is also still in draft, but we have a hit here already: think Siouxsie meets DM meets Goldfrapp meets the Cure, with a killer groove. 2008, the year of twoth, remember ? By far the most exciting song I've heard all year. Sorry, I can't post anything now, so go and visit their myspace page. Oh, and there are rumors of remixes...

And... That's all for today. Stay warm, I'll be near the carousel.

Control freak

A few days ago, I went to our local art-house (Athens Ciné) and caught Anton Corbijn's "Control" on big screen. I'm still awed by the performance of the lead actors, Sam Riley (as Ian Curtis) and Samantha Morton (as Debbie Curtis). Riley in particular does an excellent job in portraying Curtis from a Bowie fan, stolen pill-popping teenager to married man to rock star, his struggles with fame, family life and fits of epilepsy. His natural was just amazing. All the live Joy Division songs of the movie were actually performed by the actors: commendable choice that made the experience even more enjoyable. The image was also splendid, Corbijn did well to shoot in color before a transfer to black and white. The last shot of the black smoke coming out of the crematorium was a perfect ending.
Of course, it was a bit difficult not to compare the movie to "24 hour party people", which also partly describes the period Warsaw-Joy Division: same period, same characters, same anecdotes. There was even a cross-reference: in "Control", in a scene taking place after the Bury gig riot, Tony Wilson tries to cheer-up Curtis by telling him that after all, he's not the band leader of the Fall: Riley played Mark E. Smith in "24 hour party people". The respective goals of the two films were quite different, "Control" focusing on Curtis, when "24 hour party people" dealt with Factory Records. Both are great movies, "Control" is more subdued and feels deeper emotionally.

On a personal note I wonder whether the hypnosis scene was really necessary. And Alexandra Maria Lara, who plays Annick, the Belgian mistress, really reminded me of an old flame of mine, which was a bit melancholy. But you probably don't care, and that's quite OK with me.





(Photo (C) by Dean Rogers)

With a little help of my friends...

Some random news, mostly plugging friends.

The Lolligags are playing a free(?) french-colored show at Go Bar on Saturday, Jan. 19th. Opening will be Andy from Denver, the new "band" of Andy G., of M(arshmallow) Coast fame. "Band", because Andy plays solo, guitar, keyboards and sequencer. The show will be another Budding Helping Buddies production, which already brought us the Lodger, Spring Tigers, Black Kids, and "Control".

Mike W. from Deadly Designs posted pictures of the last PCC/Casper show (cf previous post).

Hillary B., half of the famous Team Brown, posted some videos of yesterday's Yo La Tengo show (this one, that one, and that later one).

"Return to Horse Mountain", the new track of the Buddy System, kicks ass, as the audience of their Saturday Jan. 12th show at the Georgia Theater could witness. It starts western, it ends kung-fu, there are evil horses and their dark overlord, I'm a fan. Lauren, marry me.

Update 01/17/2008:
Well, turns out that the Buddy System just posted the clip of "Return to Horse Mountain" on Youtube. Check their myspace page as well to listen to their new song, "Watermarx". Thanks guys !




(Flyer artwork by Eric H.)

Oms by the Dozen

Instead of Yo La Tengo (cf previous post), I attended a projection of "La Planète Sauvage", by Topor and Laloux, music of Goraguer, at Flicker. On a planet far, far away populated by giant blue humanoids, the Draags, humans are pe(s)ts, but adapt and overcome their condition. Harmony ensues.

Words are lacking, as the charm of the movie relies mostly in its drawings and its soundtrack, more than in its dialogs (some neologism-filled techno-babble, that indeed sets the atmosphere but is painful to listen to). Knowledge sets you free, and acceptance is the only way to survival. The violent universe is beautifully depicted by Topor's illustrations, and combined to the soundtrack makes for a very touching psychedelic experience. The kids loved it.

The movie was followed by another short of Topor and Laloux, "les Escargots" (1965). A farmer realizes that tears are the only way to make his salads grow. After using tricks such as onions, meaningful poetry and torture devices, he does succeed in growing the larger salads of the region. An infestation of snails destroys his harvest, and the near-by town as a bonus. It would be difficult to imagine a more acid yet engaging critic of the dangerous side effects of unbridled capitalism. The sexual innuendo of the snails eyes is particularly endearing.

A few artists performed after the projections: Dan Hole Pond and his live-programmed loops on tiny keyboard and tapes, not so unreminiscent of Boards of Canada, and Jason Ajemian's "Playing You to Sleep" from Chicago, on straight bass. Quite impressive both of them, quite suiting to the evening, but Sofie and Jude are calling me back...

No la tengo

The ridiculous pun in the title is of course a tribute to Yo La Tengo, playing a semi-acoustic show tonight at the Melting Point, with Kurt Wagner of Lambchop. The purchase of expensive tickets was briefly considered around Christmas time, but, eventually, nah. In any case, expect posts on some other famous Athens blogs.

However, I celebrated my own little way by re-watching Hal Hartley's "Surviving Desire". I was aware of this movie in the very early 90es, in the hay days of Hartley's fame on the indie circuit, having seen "Simple Men", "Trust", "The Unbelievable Truth", but never had a chance to actually watch it before last summer.

You know the plot: Jude (Martin Donovan) is a literature professor trying to find answers in books, one paragraph of Dostoevsky's the Brothers Karamazov in particular (Book 2, Chapter 4). He falls for Sofie (Mary B Ward), one of his students, they have a (very) short affair, she dumps him. 60 minutes of pure Hartley's charm: witty, overplayed dialogs that drift in the absurd, choreographies, indie rock, the boroughs, what else can you ask for ?

Retrospectively, I'm glad that the 20-year-old hipster from the early-90es missed the film, as he most likely wouldn't have connected as strongly with the character of Jude. Observing yourself falling in love with somebody far too young for you, half-heartedly resisting the crush, knowing far too well that the story will end up in tears (yours), but going for it nevertheless full blast, to end up dancing with strangers after the first kiss, is something that has to be actually experienced to be truly enjoyed.

"Never be frightened at your own faint-heartedness in attaining love... But active love is labour and fortitude, and for some people too, perhaps, a complete science."

Jude: Listen pal, you can't just waltz in here, use my toaster and spout universal truths without qualification!
(Henry smells something.)
Henry: What's that?
Jude: What?
Henry: You smell that?
Jude: Oh yeah.
Henry: (Sniffs) She's left her fragrance here.
Jude: That's it. Get out!
Henry: What about my toast?
Jude: Get out!

Pub notes #2

Last Tuesday, I accompanied a friend to a famous DIY venue downtown, to catch Everybody Everybody, the new project of Nate CCBB Mitchell (on bass) and Laura Swindall from Christopher's Liver (on drums), and a third member whose name eludes me for the moment. Interesting rhythmic section, heavily influenced by Pylon, but disappointing show overall. Some ideas deserve a longer cooking time.

Maybe I'm getting old, but I'm certainly getting weary of the kids gathering over the keg and not really giving any hear to what's playing. The tiredness lowered my patience level as well, and I spent a good part of Wednesday ruminating.

However, that Wednesday saw an awesome gig at Caledonia: Poison Control Center were opening for Casper and the Cookies, which brought me back faith in humanity (or at least indie pop).

So it was a Wednesday, the total attendance was less than 30 people (among them, Vanessa B-H. and Michael L. from Pylon, and Bryan P. from the Late BP Helium and that other band, you see what I mean, whose new haircut a la Robyn Hitchcock was the subject of a 15-minute conversation). The name-dropping isn't entirely gratuitous, as it should help you get a feel of the atmosphere: far more mature than the day before, connoisseurs (I hate this word), in one word, the indie family.

PCC is a quartet (Patrick, Devin, Joe and Don) from Ames, IO. It was my second? third? show with the full band. They played Athens Popfest regularly, last year being a notable exception, but they were here to promote "A Collage of Impressions", their latest album released last September on Afternoon Records. Their live is an experience, just pure rock energy, guitar acrobatics, ripped pants, and usually a lot of people on stage for their now classical encore, "Magic Circle Symphony". Remember the Bunnygrunt cover last Popfest ? Voila.

The Cookies show was pretty amazing. Three brand new songs made their premiere, along classics from the Optimist Club, "Marcel Marsalis", and many more (14 songs total). The songs fitted really well: the upcoming album they are currently composing and recording should be awesome. No I'm not partial.

With evenings like that, I'm not ready to give up the scene. Thanks guys.

"Love, love is the answer, until you get cancer, then you're lying, dying, dead..."

(Props to Daytrotter for the PCC MP3)