A bigtime thank you to the 15 people – way more than I expected – who devoted time to go through this silly set of answers and give a short glimpse. A lot of the ones I found fascinating as hell got a shoutout on the latest episode of A Night at the Opera while Britt, Erickh, and myself got into the thick and answered the questions ourselves. There were a lot of eloquent and dope answers that I wouldn’t have enough time to discuss or shout out on air (wasn’t my fault! Monkey bastard hands!), so I collected all of my favorites in a “Best of…”. As in the episode, I credited the answers by first and last initial outside of one brave soul who was dared me to use their name outright.
Thank you to L.A., T.B., A.C., P.D., F.G., F.J., E.K., R.M., R.Mad., D.O., D.S., E.W., J.W., N.Z., and Daniel Smith
- What’s the first movie that made you wonder how they worked?
L.A. – Fritz Lang’s Metropolis
T.B. – The Wizard of Oz, because I thought they invented colour film halfway through making it
A.C. – Maybe not “made me wonder how they work” but seeing Moonrise Kingdom in middle school (my first time seeing a Wes Anderson movie) was the one that made me want to make movies for a living.
P.D. – Battletruck
F.G. – Jurassic Park. There was a show on Discovery Kids, way back when, called La Magia del Cine. They had an episode around this movie and its use of animatronics, and I was hooked. Must’ve been five or six years old, because that show was from 1997.
F.J. – The Dark Crystal
R.M. – Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The computer effects were unlike anything else I’d ever seen at the time and I had no idea how they worked.
D.O. – Star Wars
D.S. – I’m going to say The List of Adrian Messenger, when I was ~7. Kind of opened my eyes to the idea of “celebrity” and how movies could be games
E.W. – The Wizard of Oz (because the 50th anniversary edition showed how it worked).
2. Favorite 90s Horror Movie?
F.J. – Tales from the Hood
R.M. – Tremors will always be my favorite movie period.
3. Yvonne De Carlo or Carolyn Jones?
A.C. – Yvonne De Carlo because she’s in Criss Cross
P.D. – Carolyn Jones, both for Addams Family and Eaten Alive
F.G. – Carolyn Jones, I find her endearing and nostalgic
R.M. – Carolyn Jones is from my hometown, so I have to rep our girl.
D.S. – Is this because they were both in “Road to” movies? Yvonne de Carlo.
4. What’s the most times you’ve seen a movie in its original theatrical run? What’s the most times you’ve seen a movie in theaters, period?
T.B. – Return of the King, 5 times in original run
A.C. – I saw Wendell & Wild like 6 or 7 times in theaters during it’s unfortunately very very short run
P.D. – The Goonies, three times as a kid. Casablanca, which seemed to play every other week in the ‘90s
F.G. – It’s so embarrassing, but I watched the first Avengers movie at least 5 times on movie theaters in a two week period
F.J. – 7 times (All of Us Strangers)
R.M. – My dad worked next to a dollar theater in ‘97 and was buddies with the manager, so my brother and I must’ve seen the Special Edition Star Wars movies 10x each… for free!
Daniel Smith – I saw The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie three times during the original run. Genuine comfort movie.
N.Z. – Three times original run (if you count festivals and/or secret advance screenings for films I’d already booked. Total I can’t remember more than five.
5. Is there any movie that introduced you to one of your favorite musicians?
L.A. – Shut Up, Little Man! An Audio Misadventure got me into The Magnetic Fields
T.B. – Discovered John Grant through Weekend
A.C. – Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence introduced me to Ryuichi Sakamoto who became a favorite artist of mine. I still stand by Mr Lawrence being the greatest film score of all time.
P.D. – Jackie Brown introduced me to The Meters, one of my favourite bands
F.G. – Not quite introduced, but there’s a scene in Zola with a Run the Jewels song that gave me chills. I have always loved them and I felt like the absurdity of life really hit me then.
F.J. – Velvet Goldmine introduced me to Placebo
E.K. – The Invisible (2007) with Justin chatwin. I can’t speak to how good the movie is, I haven’t seen it since 2007, but the whole soundtrack fucking SLAPS. I still have all of it downloaded and listen to it regularly. Specifically, it convinced me to get into TV On the Radio, Broken Social Scene, and to take Snow Patrol seriously.
R.M. – Little Monsters (1989) really kicked off my love for Talking Heads when it ended with “Road to Nowhere” playing over the final scene/credits
D.S. – Blues Brothers and Cab Calloway
J.W. – Marie Antoinette (Gang of Four)
N.Z. – Bikini Kill in Not Another Teen Movie
6. Kate Beckinsale or Milla Jovovich?
A.C. – Kate Beckinsale … Underworld > Resident Evil
P.D. – Kate Beckinsale, ever since Cold Comfort Farm
F.G. – Milla for dayssssss we don’t care for anti-quarantine Kates.
Daniel Smith – Give Jovovich her flowers
7. What movie do you think is the best representation of your hometown?
T.B. – Hairspray
A.C. – A movie that hasn’t come out yet… so for now I’ll just say episodes of Portlandia
P.D. – What We Do in the Shadows captures all the disappointments of Wellington
F.G. – Machuca
F.J. – Heavy Metal Parking Lot is the best representation of the state of Maryland
R.M. – Probably Friday Night Lights
D.O. – Cecil B. Demented
D.S. – Disconnected (1984) was close to where I grew up, and accurate to the county’s vibe.
E.W. – Turning Red or Scott Pilgrim, though in retrospect I don’t know if that’s “best” so much as “most”. Resident Evil 2, which makes fantastic use of Toronto’s city hall, is a contender.
8. Second-favorite Jonathan Demme film?
T.B. – Swimming to Cambodia
A.C. – Boring answer but Silence of the Lambs I suppose… since number one is obvious.
P.D. – Caged Heat, the best WIP film
F.G. – Rachel Getting Married
9. What movie feels most like your quiet little secret?
L.A. – The Shadowed Mind
T.B. – Stations of the Cross
A.C. – Penguin’s Memory maybe
P.D. – The Image (1975)
F.G. – Godzilla Minus One recently, because it came at a very dark moment in my life and I found myself sobbing over Japanese boats. El Secreto de Sus Ojos, as a movie that haunts me when I close my eyes.
R.M. – Arena (1989)
D.O. – Forever Mine
D.S. – Morgiana
J.W. – The Great Satan
N.Z. – Sacrificed Youth
10. Favorite Concert film?
T.B. – Amazing Grace
P.D. – It’s a cliche to see Stop Making Sense but it’s the best one
F.G. – NCT Nation to the World
D.S. – Urgh! A Concert War
Daniel Smith – Green Day’s Bullet in a Bible. There is a simultaneous mainstream and punk movement I lived through that may never be seen again.
11. Your favorite Guy Maddin?
P.D. – Sissy Boy Slap Party
12. What experimental movie would you use as a baseline for introducing, say, your parents to the form?
A.C. – Man with a Movie Camera
P.D. – Meshes of the Afternoon, nice and short and the imagery is striking but accessible
F.G. The question should be what experimental movie my parents used as a baseline to introduce me to the form. El perro analuz.
F.J. – La Jetee
N.Z. – Fast Film
13. What’s the longest movie that you’d consider in your favorites?
L.A. – If extended versions count, I guess Zack Snyder’s Ultimate edition of Watchmen? If not, LOTR: Return of the King.
T.B. – Andrei Rublev
A.C. – An Elephant Sitting Still (234 minutes) or Happy Hour (317 minutes)
P.D. – Out 1 (1971) – watching it in one go was a bonding experience
F.G. – Probably the Return of the King lol
F.J. – Lawrence of Arabia
R.M. – Probably Seven Samurai. I think 3 1/2 is pretty much my limit to come out the other side loving a movie
D.O. – Sátántangó, Twin Peaks: The Return if you’re not a little bitch who cares whether it’s tv or a film
D.S. – I’d absolutely say La Flor if the length didn’t prohibit me from seeing it more than once. Seven Samurai.
J.W. – Until the End of the World (I’d say Shoah, but anything broken up by multiple viewings feels like cheating)
N.Z. – Shoah
14. What’s a movie that you feel is a most critical antithetical to any particular attitude you have towards art?
L.A. – Gone with the Wind
T.B. – Wolf Creek
A.C. – Midsommar unless I’m misunderstanding the question (which I’m reading as what film opposes your view of art) …. To me none of the horror elements in Midsommar felt like they had any narrative drive which leads me to to believe a lot of that movie was shock value for the sake of shock value. And I’m not really into that sort of filmmaking. If there’s a purpose behind the imagery than sure go for it, but when we get to the mutilated bodies and deaths and stuff in Midsommar it feels more like a kid with a magnifying glass and an ant hill, like “isn’t it cool to look at these dead bodies” versus at least Hereditary had a narrative purpose for the decapitation elements. So still disturbing and shocking but there was drive behind it.
P.D. – Mac and Me, a movie designed to sell junk food
F.G. – Deep Blue Sea 🙂
D.S. – The Jerky Boys: The Movie (1995). Crank calls should not be scripted or use any editing.
N.Z. – The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, & Her Lover It’s everything wrong with how the English treat Art and therefore all the ways Art can go wrong. Where it gets the nod over for instance Ken Loach is that it incorporates what they get wrong about visual arts and what I tend to associate with their theatre on top of what they get wrong about cinema. First of all, it’s very important to have a political message, and it should be painted with as broad strokes as possible so everyone can go “so right, so courageous”. Where you get the part about their theatre is that is cannot be written plainly but it is still obvious enough that it’s no less clear than if it was written plainly, it just puts it at a remove from human experience.
Where they get visual arts wrong is where they’ll have the simplest things ever and just hide it under layers of shit (literally here). Here I felt I was watching a colour swatch sample book come to life, here’s a blue scene, here’s a red scene. I was watching someone screaming at me “I am a serious artist, and you will suffer, because Art is not meant to be fun or joyous”.
15. IPhone cinematography – yes or no?
A.C. – Even the best of it I’ve seen still looks like it was shot on an IPhone so… no
P.D. – Shoot that film any way you can afford, baby! Looks like arse though
F.G. – Why the hell not
D.O, – Yes. Don’t believe me? Look at Sleep Has Her House
16. Your favorite discovery from a film festival?
A.C. – Recently Chicken for Linda!
P.D. – Highway 61 (this is a tough choice so I went with the first movie I ever saw in a film festival)
D.S. – Hard Times (1975)
E.W. – With Love and a Major Organ, with the caveat that I’ve seen very few festival films.
N.Z. – Stories of Our Lives
17. Your most comforting movie?
L.A. – Shaun of the Dead
T.B. – Singin’ in the Rain
A.C. – My Neighbor Totoro (favorite movie ever in fact)
P.D. – Dawn of the Dead (1978)
F.G. – I’m not kidding: Dune Part One and Dune Part Two. They reset my brain in the happiest way, give me light and imagery, heal something in me.
F.J. – Sleepless in Seattle
R.M. – It’s Tremors, but I’ll show the sequel some love and say Tremors 2: Aftershocks
D.S. – The Frighteners
E.W. – Probably the Little Mermaid, it’s likely the Disney film I’ve seen the most because I watched it so many times as a kid and adult.
N.Z. – The Emperor’s New Groove
18. Your favorite piece of music composed for a movie?
L.A. – “You Have the Power” from Dark City by Trevor Jones
A.C. – Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence without question
P.D. – Pusherman by Curtis Mayfield, from Superfly
F.G. – Knockemstiff, Ohio
F.J. – John Williams’ “Flying Theme” from ET
R.M. – The Jurassic Park Theme by John Williams
D.O. – Tree Strings by Jonny Greenwood for You Were Never Really Here
D.S. – It’s basic bitch time: Adagio in D Minor from Sunshine.
Daniel Smith – There are too many to count, so here’s a lesser talked about pick. “What If?” by Shiro Sagisu is a master composer emulating the soaring epic finale pieces of 1950s and 1960s American prestige musicals while on-screen the apocalypse is taking place.
E.W. – If I answer anything other than the Star Wars theme I’m lying. Second place would be something from the Hunchback of Notre Dame or Lion King soundtracks.
N.Z. – Nine Inch Nails – The Perfect Drug
19. Worst movie you unironically love?
L.A. – Dollman
T.B. – Step Up 2 the Streets
A.C. – I don’t think it’s a bad movie but it doesn’t have great reviews, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow… otherwise I love Madame Web because it is genuinely one of the worst things I’ve ever seen
P.D. – Death Bed: The Bed That Eats
F.G. – Jaws!!! Thanks to you!!!
F.J. – Can’t Stop the Music
R.M. – Critters 4
D.O. – The Room. Generic answer but it’s endlessly enjoyable
D.S. – Conventional wisdom says Death Bed (1977) is bad. Screw that noise.
E.W. – Joe’s Apartment or August Rush.
J.W. – Little Nicky
N.Z. – With caveat that I reject the question for reasons that should be obvious – Charlie’s Angels Full Throttle
20. Favorite Soderbergh film?
T.B. – And Everything is Going Fine (I don’t know how this quiz is rigged so I end up with two Spalding Gray films)
F.G. – Erin Brockovich
R.M. – It’s not his boldest work, but I just love Ocean’s Eleven
21. Movie that you think most represent your headspace?
L.A. – Mary and Max
A.C. – Babylon maybe… I LOVE movies but being on production definitely has its highs and lows
P.D. – Videodrome
F.G. – Marie Antoinette, Sofia Coppola
F.J. – Velvet Goldmine
R.M. – American Splendour
D.S. – The City of Lost Children
J.W. – Sorcerer
22. Ambitious failures or safe successes?
F.G. – Ambitious failures give us much more to talk about and remember
F.J. – Ambitious failures are usually more interesting
R.M. – Ambitious failures are endlessly fun to talk about
Daniel Smith – Ambitious failures every time. Years down the road, those films almost always get the recognition or infamy they deserve.
23. A24 or Neon?
A.C. – Neon has the better movies by far (or at least gets them more consistently) but I’d have to look up to see if it was a “Neon movie” where I can usually remember A24’s output off hand so they win in regards to aesthetic and branding
P.D. – A24 by force of numbers
F.G. – A24 since the Black Phillip ages
R.M. – I love both, but more of my favorites come from Neon
24. Last movie you watched at home/in theaters?
L.A. – Heroic Times
A.C. – Just saw Stalker on the biggest screen in Oregon.
F.G. – The Kid and the Heron. Beautiful Experience!
R.M. – At home it was Rats: Night of Terror. In theater it was Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Daniel Smith – Riki-Oh
N.Z. – Portrait in Crystal
25. Coolest movie you can think of?
L.A. – The Green Knight
T.B. – Amateur
A.C. – Tokyo Drifter
P.D. – Wild Zero
F.G. – Snatch.
F.J. – Days of Being Wild
R.M. – Le Samourai
D.O. – Fallen Angels
J.W. – Yojimbo
N.Z. – Pierrot le Fou
26. Your favorite piece of animation?
L.A. – The Brave Little Toaster
T.B. – The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
A.C. – My Neighbor Totoro
P.D. – Dimensions of Dialogue by Jan Svankmajer
F.G. – Dude it’s obviously Paprika
F.J. – Son of the White Mare
R.M. – All of King of the Hill
R.Mad. – Duck Amuck. I remember hearing on the golden collection special features that if Disney was classical then Looney Tunes were jazz. If that’s the case, then this is like a mind-expanding free jazz solo.
D.O. – It’s Such a Beautiful Day
D.S. – The Adventures of Prince Achmed
Daniel Smith – The End of Evangelion (this you can mercilessly roast me for if you’d like).
E.W. – I couldn’t pick just one animated sequence, then noticed everyone else is picking movies, so Who Framed Roger Rabbit. And if that’s against the rules, Princess Mononoke.
N.Z. – The Emperor’s New Groove
27. Favorite video store?
A.C. – FYE
P.D. – Aro Street Video – it still exists too!
F.G. – Blockbuster
F.J. – I Luv Video in Austin (RIP)
R.M. – Hastings (RIP)
D.S. – Northford Home Video (R.I.P.). Of could I’m going to give love to my childhood playground.
Daniel Smith – The one I work at. Video Bonanza in Quakertown, PA.
E.W. – Queen Video
28. Riffing at movies – yes or no?
T.B. – Oh no no no. People – and I include myself in this – are rarely as clever as they think they are. I’m very uncomfortable with any audience response that’s not directly invited – I don’t like comedy hecklers or people who shout witty things at bands. It all makes me feel very awkward. It’s hard not to sound purist and annoying about this, but it genuinely makes me feel a bit ill.
A.C. – Depends on the movie and the setting
P.D. – Punishable by banishment
F.G. – On classics yeah.
F.J. – only if the people are actually funny
R.M. – Only when everyone around is there for it. Otherwise stfu
D.S. – In theory, no. But I still credit MST3K with being really funny and introducing me to adventurous movies, so I’m a hypocrite.
Daniel Smith – With the right crowd, this can be one of the best comedy experiences ever.
29. Name a movie that you feel is most deeply an anchor to your circle of friends?
L.A. – Clerks 2
T.B. – Portrait of a Lady on Fire
A.C. – Stop Making Sense … we see it any time it’s in theaters now… literally seeing it again this Saturday actually
P.D. – Howling 2: Your Sister is a Werewolf
F.G. – Dune Part Two has connected us deeply. We all read the books as alt teens and watched the Lynch ones and also some traumatic things last year and this year lol has solified us as a group.
F.J. – The Music Man
R.M. – Spider-Man (2002)
D.O. – The Big Lebowski
D.S. – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
30. With the increased shrinking of big box retailers carrying physical media while boutique labels grow out of the ground and satisfy the most niche requests, what do you think the future of the medium is?
L.A. – I think this sort of thing happens in media a lot, Vinyl was one of the last examples where it lived but didn’t come back into resurgence until a few years ago. When companies realize the money they will be missing out on for media in a few years, there will be a push, not as big of one as Vinyl, but it will come back again.
A.C. – I hope physical media always has a place. I think the turn away from physical media is a real shame.
P.D. – The future of physical media will lie in territories like Japan that still haven’t embraced streaming.
F.G. – My hard drive filled with torrents and obscure subtitle websites.
F.J. – I think we’re going to wind up in a market where well-known, popular movies are going to be most accessible digital-only while all the weird, esoteric stuff is going to be sitting on the shelves of collectors unwatched.
R.M. – Streaming, with an increasingly shrinking collector’s market for physical media, possibly followed by another boom (or two or three) in the future
D.O. – Boutique labels will make contracts with studios to release catalogue titles. It’s already happening
D.S. – [concurring with F.J.] It’s bananas to me that so many titles that boutique labels license from major studios have tight stipulations on how small the edition run can be. Seems like there should more video stores that cater exclusively to making these limited runs available for anyone to view. Salim that’s my answer to 30: the future is limited-run-specific rental spots that are somehow granted permission to back up and duplicate their movies to ensure longevity of usefulness.
Daniel Smith – I think there is another splintering on the way in how Netflix dominated the market for the longest time. Labels like Criterion already have a repository online, so I expect labels like Severin and ARROW, maybe even Troma, to follow suit.I wish Fathom Events was more lucrative, and maybe in-person events become more boutique than they already are.
Thanks again all, you lived up to the name of St. Crock of Shit. Oh wait, no… fuck…
Movie Motorbreath 