Eraserhead or Stranger than Paradise
A replicant
If you watched AND liked either of these films, I beg of you-
tell me why you liked them. Don't try to tell me the plots,
don't "explain" the films. Tell me what about them attracted you-
--
"It's still hard for me to have a clear mind thinking on it.
But it's the truth even if it didn't happen."
Peter Merholz
replicant) wrote:
> What is a slow film?
>
> If you watched AND liked either of these films, I beg of you-
> tell me why you liked them. Don't try to tell me the plots,
> don't "explain" the films. Tell me what about them attracted you-
Why I Liked ERASERHEAD:
I have a tendency to enjoy surrealism for its own sake, and ERASERHEAD is
one of the most successful movies at capturing surrealism I've seen (though
not up to the par of Un Chien Andalou). It's wickedly funny, beautifully
shot, mesmerizing.
Why I Liked STRANGER THAN PARADISE:
First, I must say I did not enjoy this movie the first time I saw it--on
video. But I'd heard such good things that I gave it another crack when it
came to a local rep theater. AND I LOVED IT. It's a very slow film, but
also a very funny film. It derives wonderful humor from these fairly
mundane situations. And seeing it in a theater forces you to pay attention
to it, and you're duly rewarded. Seeing it on TeeVee lessens its impact,
because it's too easy to be distracted.
--Peter M.
Y.E.T.A.N.O.T.H.E.R. Pratt
: What is a slow film?
: --
I enjoyed Eraserhead, I think, for the strangeness of it. Lynch has a talent
of making attractively ugly characters in an enthralling setting. Very
surreal, rather Kafkaesque.
--
Y.E.T.A.N.O.T.H.E.R. Pratt Head off before wicket -- 0.
"Just married, and it sticks out for a mile!"
-- Bonzo Dog Band, _Postcards_
sds...@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu
>What is a slow film?
>
>If you watched AND liked either of these films, I beg of you-
>tell me why you liked them. Don't try to tell me the plots,
>don't "explain" the films. Tell me what about them attracted you-
uhh, john lurie is the leader ot the lounge lizards and richard edson used to
be sonic youths drummer.
thats why i like it.(however, thats not the only reason)
Stewart Tame
>What is a slow film?
>
>If you watched AND liked either of these films, I beg of you-
>tell me why you liked them. Don't try to tell me the plots,
>don't "explain" the films. Tell me what about them attracted you-
Well I've never seen STP but I love _Eraserhead_. I'll agree with you that
it's a slowly-paced film but I think that's part of what makes it work.
Everything is so slow, so inexorably-paced . . . it's like a fungus slowly
spreading over your brain. It's a wonderfully surreal film and I happen
to like surrealism. And the industrial noises soundtrack! Wonderful!
This is a movie best watched with the volume cranked way up. Alone. In
a dark room. Late at night.
-- Stewart "in heavennnnnnn" Tame
High Priest, First Universal Church of Barney
Keeper of the Death In June discography
kibo*a bird in the hand is not dead*kibokibokibokibokibokibokibokibokibokibo
iEmail: st...@emunix.emich.edu | Disclaimer: Eastern Michigan University b
b-------------------------------- and all employees thereof fully agree i
oSnailmail: Stewart Tame | with my opinions. The Easter Bunny k
k 311 Jarvis, Apt. 102 | told me so. o
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bokibokibokibokibokibokibokibo*dada is worth two in the bush *kibokibokiboki
"I'm not your f*ckin' spritz-head girlfriend, I'm HOTHEAD PAISAN!" --
Hothead Paisan, Homicidal Lesbian Terrorist
Russell Wayne Spell
: tell me why you liked them. Don't try to tell me the plots,
: don't "explain" the films. Tell me what about them attracted you-
Didn't see *Stranger Than Paradise*, but one reason I liked
*Eraserhead* was *because* it was a slow film. After what seemed to me
about five minutes of watching this movie, I looked up and about 30
minutes had passed. That's how entertaining/hypnotizing this movie was to
me. Anything else?
"O.K. Paul!"
Rusty W. Spell
John W. Kupec
Haven't seen "Eraserhead" yet. But, I like "Stranger Than Paradise" (I've
seen it about 5 times now) for the same reason you give above- it's slooow.
--
John Kupec (ku...@agouron.com)
Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
San Diego, CA 92121
Voice: (619) 622-3040, FAX: (619) 622-3299
Caroline McInnes
: In article <2lj3uv$h...@server.st.usm.edu>, rws...@whale.st.usm.edu (Russell Wayne Spell) writes:
: |> : If you watched AND liked either of these films, I beg of you-
: |> : tell me why you liked them. Don't try to tell me the plots,
: |> : don't "explain" the films. Tell me what about them attracted you-
Eddie - I really liked Eddie in Stranger than Paradise.
Kaz
sds...@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu
eddie, was played by richard edson, who played john turturro's brother in Do
the Right Thing. He was also an acitve part in the nyc music scene, he plays
drums on the first sonic youth album, only to be replaced for the second by jim
sclavanus, from lydia lunch's 8 eyed spy.
>
Andrew Deemer
>In article <2lj3uv$h...@server.st.usm.edu>, rws...@whale.st.usm.edu (Russell Wayne Spell) writes:
>|> : If you watched AND liked either of these films, I beg of you-
>|> : tell me why you liked them. Don't try to tell me the plots,
>|> : don't "explain" the films. Tell me what about them attracted you-
>|>
>|> Didn't see *Stranger Than Paradise*, but one reason I liked
>|> *Eraserhead* was *because* it was a slow film. After what seemed to me
>|> about five minutes of watching this movie, I looked up and about 30
>|> minutes had passed. That's how entertaining/hypnotizing this movie was to
>|> me. Anything else?
>
The reason that Eraserhead was so brilliant (I believe) is not that it was
so slow, but that there were moments of such genius. Scenes that were
simply uncomparable (is that a word?) to anything else. Such as at the
girl's house. All of the characters are so disturbing, and so
frighteningly played. The baby, when it is born, is so disgusting, that
Lynchreally manages to frighten the hell out of you. WHat is it??? Is it
real??? (I was convinced for a time that it was). His talent for showing
such horrific images! Oh god yes!
And one of the great things about STP was that Jarmusch would just
fade in to start a scene, let the camera roll for about 5 minutes, and
then fade to black. Almost no cuts within a particular scene. The whole
film is like that! Wow! Also such great characters, and lines.
While both of these films I thought were long and slow, that made the
brilliant momenbts shine out even more.
Andy D
sds...@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu
jarmusch has said that he wants people to choose what they want to see in the
scene, instead of him zooming in on a face and saying "this is the important
part right now"
Finnius
...The Brothers Quay
...Arise, the Church of the Sub-Genius recruitment film
...Harold and Maude
...Akira
The Mental Playground (619) 267-7650/4790 Chula Vista, CA
The above posters opinions do not necessarily reflect those of The Mental
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