Amit Varma has launched the new India Uncut and it looks great, despite the absence of a sub-section named “Cows Uncut” (or even “Cow cuts”) - we were all looking forward to that. Anyway, I’m one of the contributors doing mini-reviews for the Rave Out section, and keeping in mind this comment by Neela, who fears “an overdose of Sartre, Kafka, some unknown Israeli author and a few suicidal Eastern European filmmakers”, I think I’ll use the space to exult about things I haven’t yet discussed on Jabberwock: such as the deeper resonances of the Evil Dead films, my five favourite Pet Shop Boys albums, and a cherished book that examines the history and social significance of American daytime soaps. (And before you know it, Amit will have booted me out.)
More about the new site here.
please do one on slasher films in general, thus proving that joy cometh not only in the morning, but in the deepest parts of the night, afternoon and horrifying acts of darkness.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think I'll do shortened versions of my posts about Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Suspiria, and maybe a few others. Bodies Uncut, Amit can call it then...
ReplyDeleteJoy!
ReplyDelete(not sure if my previous comment got through).
ReplyDeletethanks Jwock. Although I have to say that PSB still sounds vaguely intel - kind of like REM - those shiny happy boys with shiny happy music.
Now if you would extol the (no doubt numerous) virtues of Eminem or 50cent or even (Flying Spaghetti Monster forbid) Snoop Dogg, then Joy would Surely Cometh.
n!
Neela: quite strange, all these perceptions of what is "intellectual" and what is not...you do realise there are many people around the world who consider Eminem's work to be High Art? (I'd probably be among them, except that the high art/low art distinction usually doesn't work for me. My tastes in books/films/music are very wide-ranging and I'm amused by these easy classifications - the only distinction I bother to make is between what holds my interest and what doesn't.)
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally I was thinking of doing something on an Eminem album for Rave Out - maybe the 8 Mile soundtrack. But the question then is, how do I go about it? Am I permitted to say something about the album that might come across as intellectual/pretentious/overanalytical, or do I simply write sentences like "Yo, bro! This album totally rocks"?
Jwock: I don't find it surprising at all that there exist distinct categorizations or perceptions of what is "intel" and what is not. Off the top of my head, cognitively taxing, high-effort, challenging books/music/movies/leisure consumption might be said to be "intel" by the average person. That doesn't mean its not enjoyable, interesting etc.
ReplyDeleteThat said, you are free to write whatever you want. Just as long as its about Eminem. Personally I like the yo bro option but there might be others who would want the longer version (insert little smiley here - the one with the winking eye!).
n!