Author: James McNally

Blood Simple

Went to see Blood Simple (1984) last night with some friends. I’d seen it on video about 4-5 years ago, but last night was the first time I’d seen it in a theatre. It’s still an amazing piece of work, especially for a debut. I’m unashamedly a Coen brothers fan, though. I’ve been hooked since I first saw Raising Arizona (1987) more than ten years ago. It’s the best work I’ve seen by Nicolas Cage and John Goodman (although I never saw Leaving Las Vegas (1995)). The exciting part about Blood Simple is that it was re-released theatrically after they’d done a whole bunch of digital restoration for the upcoming DVD release. That should be a good one. By the way*, not sure about in the US, but Withnail and I (1987) has been released on DVD here in Canada, although it has nothing interesting in the way of supplements. I know that Criterion has/had a laserdisc, with lots of stuff, and they’ve been releasing a lot of their laserdiscs on the DVD format. Should I wait? Or just go ahead? I won’t have my DVD player (Playstation 2!!) until at least the end of October, so I guess I should just wait.

*See my entry for 7/11/00

Permalinks

I’ve been trying to add permalinks, but it keeps screwing up the formatting of the page, with weird line breaks and indenting all over the place. Anyone know what’s happening? I’ll keep trying….

One Month Down…

First month’s posts are now tucked into the archive. If you’ve been entertained, and are now reading me semi-regularly, or even better, linking to me, please drop me a line and let me know…

Gun Wounds Again?

More music purchased on the weekend:

  • Everclear-So Much For The Afterglow (used)
  • Sinead O’Connor-Faith and Courage

Also, another fun dinner party with Jen and David, with a funny conversation about job titles on the set of porn films (anyone wanna work as a “grip”??). This week, though, will be hellish at work. We have a big deadline, and I’m working practically alone without much of a roadmap. Should be a bumpy week. Got a funny email last Friday which I forwarded to far too many people. Actual subtitles seen in Japanese films:

  1. I am damn unsatisfied to be killed in this way.
  2. Fatty, you with your thick face have hurt my instep.
  3. Gun wounds again?
  4. Same old rules: no eyes, no groin.
  5. A normal person wouldn’t steal pituitaries.
  6. Damn, I’ll burn you into a BBQ chicken!
  7. Take my advice, or I’ll spank you without pants.
  8. Who gave you the nerve to get killed here?
  9. Quiet or I’ll blow your throat up.
  10. You always use violence. I should’ve ordered glutinous rice chicken.
  11. I’ll fire aimlessly if you don’t come out!
  12. You daring lousy guy.
  13. Beat him out of recognizable shape!
  14. I have been scared shitless too much lately.
  15. I got knife scars more than the number of your leg’s hair!
  16. Beware! Your bones are going to be disconnected.
  17. The bullets inside are very hot. Why do I feel so cold?
  18. How can you use my intestines as a gift?
  19. This will be of fine service for you, you bag of the scum. I am sure you will not mind that I remove your manhoods and leave them out on the dessert flour for your aunts to eat.
  20. Yah-hah, evil spider woman! I have captured you by the short rabbits and can now deliver you violently to your gynecologist for a thorough extermination.
  21. Greetings, large black person. Let us not forget to form a team up together and go into the country to inflict the pain of our karate feets on some ass of the giant lizard person.