Discovered Walt Whitman’s poetry this past month. Watched the Jaws sequels as well, although I’m not sure that that’s an experience anyone not obsessive about film history needs to have.
Watched the recent Elvis biopic and read (listened to in audiobook form) the second of Peter Guralnick’s Elvis biopic.
I’m a big mid century jazz fan as well although I haven’t really listened to it much lately. Been listening to Jack White’s solo albums, although that’s music I’ve enjoyed for a while, not really a new discovery.
I’ve never done one of these month in review posts before, not in well over two years on here.
Well confession, I haven't read Walt Whitman's poetry. I desperately want to be a poetry gal, but I'm slow to get into poetry. Another confession, I've NEVER seen Jaws. I was sure it'd scare me as a kid. Am I making a grace mistake?
Ah! What did you think of Elvis? I have a biography (via audiobook as well) on Elvis so I thought about reading it and rewatching. Though I'm actually a huge Elvis fan so going into the movies I was pretty comfortable with his history.
I used to listen to Jack White all the time. It's been so long since I've heard his name. Maybe that's a sign I need to listen again.
Maybe you SHOULD! I always like reading people's posts like this, especially when they talk about the books they read.
As for Jaws, if you’re serious about film history I think this is one to see just because of its key role in that history: becoming the highest grossing film of all time, the prototypical Hollywood blockbuster, igniting Steven Spielberg’s career, changing how movies are marketed and released. And on top of all that it’s an extremely well-crafted film: just good use of editing and mis-en-scène to tell a story. As much as we thinking of Spielberg as a schmaltzy sentimentalist it’s also important to note that he was one of the best and most influential action directors ever.
As someone who was in high school when The White Stripes were big, I think I’ll always have affection for Jack White. Especially because I am a fan of rock and he’s done as much as anyone to keep it alive.
Both. I know I said I'm a huge fan but I'm not above criticizing or hearing criticism of him.
hmmm.... Interesting. I didn't know all that about Jaws. Granted, I watch like one film every two months, so who knows if I'll get to it. I did think it'd be interesting to watch through Spielberg's films. I've been doing that for Wes Andersen (for like five years but who's counting) and it's been a delight.
Oh yeah I remember those days. I'm trying to sway my gen z nieces and nephew to rock and such, but they seem pretty damn set on K-Pop.
Enjoy Elvis’ music quite a bit, wouldn’t say I’m a hardcore fan but I am a fan.
As for the film, I think it’s a story that much better matches Baz Luhrmann’s style than The Great Gatsby, as thematically similar as the films are. One can quibble but the most important thing about an Elvis biopic has to be its Elvis, and I can’t imagine another actor giving a better performance in that role than Austin Butler.
As for rock, the unfortunate reality is that crooners or swing or jazz or ragtime or a number of other once popular genres, it’s just a smaller piece of the music industry pie than it used to be.
Discovered Walt Whitman’s poetry this past month. Watched the Jaws sequels as well, although I’m not sure that that’s an experience anyone not obsessive about film history needs to have.
Watched the recent Elvis biopic and read (listened to in audiobook form) the second of Peter Guralnick’s Elvis biopic.
I’m a big mid century jazz fan as well although I haven’t really listened to it much lately. Been listening to Jack White’s solo albums, although that’s music I’ve enjoyed for a while, not really a new discovery.
I’ve never done one of these month in review posts before, not in well over two years on here.
Well confession, I haven't read Walt Whitman's poetry. I desperately want to be a poetry gal, but I'm slow to get into poetry. Another confession, I've NEVER seen Jaws. I was sure it'd scare me as a kid. Am I making a grace mistake?
Ah! What did you think of Elvis? I have a biography (via audiobook as well) on Elvis so I thought about reading it and rewatching. Though I'm actually a huge Elvis fan so going into the movies I was pretty comfortable with his history.
I used to listen to Jack White all the time. It's been so long since I've heard his name. Maybe that's a sign I need to listen again.
Maybe you SHOULD! I always like reading people's posts like this, especially when they talk about the books they read.
Elvis the movie or Elvis the person?
As for Jaws, if you’re serious about film history I think this is one to see just because of its key role in that history: becoming the highest grossing film of all time, the prototypical Hollywood blockbuster, igniting Steven Spielberg’s career, changing how movies are marketed and released. And on top of all that it’s an extremely well-crafted film: just good use of editing and mis-en-scène to tell a story. As much as we thinking of Spielberg as a schmaltzy sentimentalist it’s also important to note that he was one of the best and most influential action directors ever.
As someone who was in high school when The White Stripes were big, I think I’ll always have affection for Jack White. Especially because I am a fan of rock and he’s done as much as anyone to keep it alive.
Both. I know I said I'm a huge fan but I'm not above criticizing or hearing criticism of him.
hmmm.... Interesting. I didn't know all that about Jaws. Granted, I watch like one film every two months, so who knows if I'll get to it. I did think it'd be interesting to watch through Spielberg's films. I've been doing that for Wes Andersen (for like five years but who's counting) and it's been a delight.
Oh yeah I remember those days. I'm trying to sway my gen z nieces and nephew to rock and such, but they seem pretty damn set on K-Pop.
Enjoy Elvis’ music quite a bit, wouldn’t say I’m a hardcore fan but I am a fan.
As for the film, I think it’s a story that much better matches Baz Luhrmann’s style than The Great Gatsby, as thematically similar as the films are. One can quibble but the most important thing about an Elvis biopic has to be its Elvis, and I can’t imagine another actor giving a better performance in that role than Austin Butler.
As for rock, the unfortunate reality is that crooners or swing or jazz or ragtime or a number of other once popular genres, it’s just a smaller piece of the music industry pie than it used to be.