On Wednesday, October 8 Catherine Meng
issued a call for favorite movie montages. I felt a slight bristle of annoyance,
because this idea tempted me, and at the same time
I remembered a silent promise I made to myself
a long time ago that I would avoid mentioning
movies on my blog. Why? Because most social
conversations get around to this topic -and stay there
- for some very good reasons. I have loved the fact that
poetics blogs stick mainly to poetry, poetics, politics and books-
something you don't hear a lot about when you chat with people-
even at readings! (Maybe because one doesn't have the books
at hand to consult!). So I thought: great idea, but I am not going to give in.
But just now I read Michaela Cooper's
engrossing list, which, by the way, is like taking a mini-course in film.
(Would love to hear more about her screenplay). As it happens,
tonight Toni and I watched parts of the moving and beautiful
*On The Waterfront* as we switched back and forth to see
Jon Stewart interview Hillary Rodham Clinton
on *The Daily Show*. I plan to study Ms Cooper's list carefully
and try to put one of my own together. I will probably have to cheat
though and consult my copies of:
*Future Noir: The Making of Blade Runner* (Paul M. Sammon),
*Film Noir* (edited by Alain Silver and Elizabeth Ward),
*House of Games* (the complete screenplay by David Mamet),
*Alphaville* by Jean-Luc Godard, *Weekend* by Jean-Luc Godard,
*L'Aventura* by Michaelangelo Antonioni and
*Antonioni* by Ian Cameron and Robin Wood.

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You don't have to take the Fung Wah bus ($20)
to read "Other Jobs For Poets" on
The Jim Side

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