Celluloid Pudding

As September comes to a close we are amping up for our favorite time of year. We hope dear listeners that you will enjoy this little ditty as we acquiesce to the fading light of summer sunsets.
The skies are awash in hues of orange, red, and watery blue, and the days will grow shorter. The turn this time of year is distinct, even in a place like Florida. You can feel it in the evening air, though certainly not as crisp and dramatic as in the hinterlands of Ohio.
We hope you enjoy this odd, yet creepy little tale of haunting grief, executed deftly by director Nic Roeg and lead actors Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland. Daphne du Maurier was a master of painting mystifying scenes and a builder of incremental dreadful atmospheres.
We think it’s a perfect prolusion for what we have in store for October.

Episode links:

1971: Hit novel REBECCA was just a phase |
Daphne du Maurier| | Writers and Wordsmiths | BBC Archive
https://youtu.be/W9JvTUjCd0s?is=tvjHGs0Cf5dgBOSm

Director Nic Roeg discusses DON’T LOOK NOW with critic Mark Kermode https://youtu.be/9GOsVYHjabo?is=0xK2Tj9_Co3nYU3z

Behind the scenes: Don’t Look Now (1973) with Donald Sutherland https://youtu.be/aKEh2ygvX4U?is=gwcjDVL3R-yX4gy9

It’s that time of year when we stare longingly at the calendar, where we don’t mind the sensation of rapidly advancing time. We are very much like the protagonist of this film, L.B. Jeffries —trapped in one spot, fighting stagnation and futility under great blazing wings of oppressive summer heat. If only we had a nurse like Stella to invigorate us with strong liniment and pithy maxims, or a dream lover like Lisa to wake us up from the torpor of our summer evening nightmares.
The truth is we have more love and support around us than we realize, could be a coworker, or that neighbor across the courtyard that we barely know. Sam and I would like to believe that there are more Lisas and Stellas in this world than there are Lars Thorwalds.
We come to the Alfred Hitchcock party a bit late given how long we’ve been going as a podcast, but Sam and I are longtime fans of the “Master of Suspense”. It’s hard to choose a favorite, but I think Sam would agree, no matter the shifting rankings of Hitchcock’s oeuvre, Rear Window has a special place on the mantel. As a film it is surprisingly timely, and not of the time. Yes, there are cultural and historical references, but they seem to remind one that while time marches on, so much stays constant, especially when examining human behavior. It’s a tactile glimpse into mid-century New York, and the sensibilities of the era, that really haven’t changed much since the film premiered, except that we are more irascible, and perhaps less sophisticated in the way we communicate, and careless in the way we treat each other. If only we could discuss our relationship problems as rationally as Jeff and Lisa, without seeking to wound. If only we had the poise and coolness of Grace Kelly waking us from a bad dream.
It’s a feast for the eyes, it’s a breathtaking exercise in pulling those fine threads of suspense. Sam and I count it as a “perfect film”.

Episode links:

5 Secrets of the Rear Window set; Architectural Digest https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/5-secrets-of-the-rear-window-set

Hitchcock’s Techniques Tell Rear Window Story; American Cinematographer https://theist.com/article/hitchcocks-techniques-rear-window/

Why Rear Window Was Shot from Exactly One Position https://youtu.be/8dZ-rwbRXQ8?is=BF4xADIKZYUQKQYL

Lisa Theme: https://open.spotify.com/track/4hkvQ2bkAnbtXtT1ttsXIu?si=OMxLyeWWSbu3vqbyyaLxhg&utm_source=copy-link

Welcome to the long hot doldrums of summer—-that nowhere space between July and August, when we realize that the sweet relief of Fall weather, and an earlier setting sun isn’t as close as we wish. It’s a space where we humans just try to create a life tempo we can manage under the beating sun, and maybe find a little lost island in the seas of our mind, that is always lush and cool, and restores our soul.
In this episode we revisit a favorite film of ours from childhood. The Godzilla universe has its own Wiki, it is a universe that has been elaborated and reimagined for several generations now. It has its own lexicon and resident experts. It has scads and scads of impressive dissertations and responses on Reddit.
We won’t pretend to know everything about Kaiju, we will leave that to the pros. What we can share is that in revisiting one of our favorite entries of the realm of great beasts, Mothra, and her significance in the Godzilla saga takes on a deeper meaning than could we could comprehend with our little 10 year old brains watching Creature Feature on a summer Saturday night. It is in the most humble, caring, and selfless way — a masterpiece. Mothra is the queen of monsters, and we love her.
P.S. We love The Peanuts too. Listen to them. They are great.

Episode links:

‘Godzilla’ was a metaphor for Hiroshima and Hollywood Source: NBC News https://share.google/bn1DknrcbL2Q6sD9k

Godzilla and the Bravo shot Source: Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus https://share.google/xGQ7DTKAZTM7pmdh6

Imperial Monsters … https://www.popmatters.com/godzilla-mothra-king-ghidorah-html

It should be no secret by now to our loyal listeners that Sam and I disagree— a lot. Thankfully we have the kind of love and respect for each other that’s endured many decades since we were but younglings.
Sam had to persuade me with ingratiating smiles and a pocketful of Scooby Snacks to get me to watch this film. It’s not that I’m an AI “hater” but, much like Samantha, the AI character in this film (and voiced wonderfully by Scarlett Johansson) who confesses she might be in love with 632 people simultaneously —it’s complicated. I just can’t envision a future where AI achieves, at least in a humanistic sense, consciousness. Maybe that’s where I struggle. We humans have a tendency to anthropomorphize. Right now I look at AI as a helpful tool, much like the “Camera Lucida” of 19th century illustrators. It can help build the framework, but the details, the execution, the art of creation still depends on human collaboration.
Can AI evolve to fill the void of human loneliness? That remains to be seen, and when and if that day comes, I hope that we can be wise and generous enough to build a positive, autonomous, and symbiotic relationship with AI that will be healthy for both halves of the relationship.
—Beth

Cue generic and friendly yet slightly ominous baritone voiceover: In a World not so different from our own...well, Spike Jonze almost called it in his nearly prophetic film *Her* (2013). AI is a contentious subject. Gemini, Claude, Open AI, Deep Think, errr, Replika? Whatever you feel about AI, the genie is out of the bottle. Code it, coddle it, marry it or ignore it. It's here and your feelings (prompts) receive lightning fast answers to your deepest questions. Sure, the answers are based on probabilistic reasoning, but wait a month. *Her* delivers a world where your chatbot just might end up being your best friend or rebound girlfriend. This film pushes past its release date of 2013 and lands as real mind food in 2026. Come for the sublime cinematography, but stay for the deeper questions that will keep you up late at night.

Sam 1.0

—Sam
Episode links:

“Can AI Think? Debunking AI Limitations” https://youtu.be/CB7NNsI27ks?is=0APWF7BW0Ixg9QKo

“Her: Love In the Modern Age” https://youtu.be/ZSfUcWw9zto?is=2_b2G9Dm4L9q0FpU

“Production Designer K.K. Barrett on Creating Her’s Beautiful Future” https://www.motionpictures.org/2013/12/production-designer-k-k-barrett-on-creating-hers-beautiful-future/

The work of Rinko Kawauchi https://rinkokawauchi.com/

As promised, we drop a second pride episode to close out what we hope dear listener, was a festive and fortuitous month of June. We hope all of you found your people, and maybe even a little romance as the red hot summer rolls on.
Set in 1959 Reno, Nevada, the film unfolds beautifully like a surprisingly compelling paperback romance amidst the backdrop of a desert dude ranch.
Cinematographer Robert Elswit pierces the haze of dust and casino smoke that reveals character as the player’s faces become clearer, and screenwriter Natalie Cooper’s dialogue resonates as well-worn, determined, and true.
A modest success at the box office, Desert Hearts would find a wider fan base thanks to VHS and home video stores of the 80s. In fact, one could argue that the film’s success, is a big reason for modern lgbtq+ classics that we enjoy today (see our previous episode on “Bros”).
Despite many hurdles both artistic and financial, Deitch was committed to telling a story that had never been shown before on film —a positive queer love story, where the characters were no different than people you know in your everyday life, who want the same chance at the brass ring —they want a love of their own. For the right person, that is a gamble worth taking.

Episode links:
“Desert Hearts at 40” https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/desert-hearts-oral-history-director-cast-lesbian-classic-1235200305/

TBT: Desert Hearts (1985) https://frockflicks.com/tbt-desert-hearts-1985/

Desert Hearts playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4XeiIdZHwk5vabs9h7M223?si=-n-Cn_MbTQq1IFFEbh1eHw&pi=lzyicFMORFKDn

More about Google/A24 https://www.indiewire.com/news/analysis/a24-ai-backlash-analysis-1235202507/

Luca Guadagnino’s film “Artificial” and Amazon

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/luca-guadagnino-not-surprised-amazon-dropped-openai-movie-1236632083/