Hello all and a pleasant day to you. On Monday, April 20th, TOERIFC (The Oldest Established Really Important Film Club) hosted its fourth monthly film discussion and it was once again a smashing success. The film, Ingmar Bergman's The Serpent's Egg, was selected by Bill of The Kind of Face You Hate and for the fourth straight time comments exceeded 175! Thanks to all the TOERIFC members for continuing to make it such a great place to gather once a month and discuss film.
The great thing about TOERIFC that we have all discovered is that it allows everyone to really hash out the whys, whats and hows of a particular film in a concentrated yet loose jam session of ideas. The selecting member chooses the film, writes it up at his or her blog and then anyone who has seen it is encouraged to jump in and start discussing ideas with fellow members.
Of course, not everyone can spend a whole day doing that and we all understand. As such there has developed in the first four discussions a core group of commenters: Ed, Bill, Fox, Marilyn, Rick, Pat, Flickhead, Joe Campanella, Kassy and myself (whew, that was a lot of linking). Those names represent the ten who commented on the last discussion and the other discussions have had a few others comment as well, but to the best of my knowledge, those ten, henceforth known as the TOERIFC Ten, have commented on all posts thus far.
Now, some others, Kimberly, Arbogast and Piper, have supported our efforts on their blogs and I want to thank them for that. As a result I have added them to the TOERIFC sidebar as members, whether they actively engage in the discussion or not. Kimberly did in fact join in The Tin Drum discussion and will discuss others when she can. Piper has asked to make a selection and other bloggers, Mykal of Radiation Cinema, Joe of Cinexcellence, The Film Doctor and Matthew Lucas of From the The Front Row have also asked to join. On top of that, Miranda has had to back out of selecting a film but still wholeheartedly supports the enterprise. So...
I'd like to put Pat Piper in Miranda's September slot. Tom Sutpen has announced on his blog about his October posting and others like Krauthammer, Ibetolis and Joseph may feel comfortable with the slots they have as well in November, December and January. However, since they made their selections before Piper I will be happy to move everyone up a month and Piper can take the January slot. Tom, Krauthammer, Ibetolis and Joseph - Please let me know your preference!
That leaves Mykal, Joe, Filmdr and Matthew. Now, I'd like to ask my fellow administrators, Rick and Marilyn, as well as the other members of the TOERIFC Ten, as well as everyone involved in this post, if they agree or disagree with the following suggestion: Since we have a core group of commenters that I believe should stay directly involved in the club by doing posts I was thinking that we could take the TOERIFC Ten and have them in continuous post rotation in the current order of Marilyn in the first position to Joseph in the tenth position. Anyone else discovering the club and wanting to contribute can be positioned anywhere in the rotation at any time. If they have a great experience with their post and want to continue they can go in the permanent rotation too. The idea is this: For everyone here from the start, I don't want anyone to lose interest because they're only getting to write up a movie once every two or three years. I'd like it to be more of a once every 8 to 10 months kind of a thing. Now I also notice that Kassy hasn't volunteered for a selection so Kassy, please let me know if you would like to.
There are a lot of questions in this post and I want everyone to know this isn't a set in stone/cast your vote yea or nay situation. Just a feel for everyone's opinion, thoughts on the process and the like. Let me know what you think of the ideas presented here.
And don't forget: Next month's selection is Dancer in the Dark, the 2000 film by Lars von Trier. It was selected by Pat of A Doodad Kind of Town where it will be written up in May. Pat, I've got the countdown running based on an arbitrary date of May 15th at 10:00 a.m. Please let me know exactly when you actually want to do it and I'll adjust the counter. And remember, anyone but ANYONE can join in the discussion. All we ever ask is that you have recently watched the movie or know it very well already so that the discussion will be both lively and informed. Thanks again to everyone for making TOERIFC such a success. See you in May!
99 comments:
I feel like a real heel, I didn't get a chance to watch Bergman's film before the discussion date. I read a lot of the comments though and found it to be an interesting discussion. I would have expected no less.
So, when do I get to do one? =)
Ryan, I'm happy to have you select and write up a movie. I put this up late so we probably won't hear back from anyone else for a while, maybe not until tomorrow, but you have definitely become a regular around here and Bill's place and I trust you would be an excellent host.
Once we finish up this first round (which you can find at the TOERIFC site, I'd like it to be Marilyn, someone new, Greg, someone new, Rick, someone new, Bill, etc.
I'm not trying to be exclusive just recognize that there is a core group that is front and center for these discussions and reward that with a permanent posting position.
But I'd be happy to put you in at March, which would be right after Joseph and then Marilyn's second pick. I know it seems like a long way off but it'll be here before you know it. It feels like we just started this and we've already gone through four.
Ryan may feel like a heel, while I'm flattered to be among the Ten Toes. Feets don't fail me now!
I ass*u*me your suggestion that the Ten Toes retain their foothold means we *keep* our month. If I'm correct, this means June will always belong to Flickhead. Am I correct? Or have I put my foot in my mouth again?
I know, these lame adults and their desk jobs. See, now I'm the one at work and thus it's my turn to troll blogger.
And no, I don't look at it as exclusionary at all. If anything, you guys have been among the more welcoming group of folks on the internet. You've all treated me as a friend since Comment # 1 and I appreciate that. And the later the better, as I'm picky with my writing (as you know) and would want it to be perfect. So, again, the more (time), the merrier. And thank you for the leap of faith and good will. Maybe some day I'll do something to earn it!
So yeah, March tentatively sounds good, and that's about the amount of time I was hoping to have, actually. Sign me up, but I'm nowhere near picking a movie yet.
Sergeant Hulka Flickhead with the big toe, it actually would mean we would rotate with someone new in between each one but not always. Anytime there was no one new we would fill that month so the months would be shifted around over time. So you might start out June and be March the next time you pick. Who knows. It's a crazy roller coaster ride, this thing called TOERIFC.
Ryan, if you're okay with March (and being the first respondant and all) then that's where I'm pencilling you in. Great to have you on board.
And don't worry about not having a movie yet. As long as you decide within about six weeks of the pick which gives everyone plenty of time.
Woof! I'm in.
So am I September of January?
Jeez, I'm confused.
And my apologies for not being in on the Serpent's Egg discussion. I have since quit my Netflix subscription and need to renew it so I can participate in these things.
But really, I just joined this because I heard Marilyn serves really good Sangria at these things.
You're a lean, mean fighting machine Flickhead!
September of January? I don't even know what that date is so I'm really confused.
Pat, if you want to take the September slot I'd be happy to put you there it's just that I wanted to float it past anyone posting after September so they wouldn't feel like you cut in line. If they want to move up then I'll put you at January. Either way, it's far into the future so let's wait and see what the consensus is.
Uh, I'm OK with pretty much anything. I'm just happy I'm one of the TOERIFC Ten. Is that anything like the Magnificent Seven? Or the Dirty Dozen? Or is it more like the Three Stooges?
So Pat as in Pat Piper?
Or Pat as in Pat from Doodad Kind of Town?
Okay, now I'm really confused.
Anyway, I've got a movie picked out whenever anyone wants to let me in.
It's a Talkie.
Those new fangled talking pictures? Words, words, more words! Well, you'll make a rope of words and strangle this business! But there'll be a microphone there to catch the last gurgles, and Technicolor to photograph the red, swollen tongues!
And yes, Greg, March would be great. Looking forward to it...next year! Gives me lots of time to be indecisive. =D
Ed, actually it's like the Hollywood Ten so don't get too excited. You know, we all write and stick together but there are people in the government suspicious of us ready to haul us before Congress and ask us things like, "Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Movie Bloggers Party of America?"
And then we all hem and haw and say things like, "I would like to read a statement before this committee that I ..."
"Just answer the question!"
"I believe I have the right to read a statement before..."
"Answer the question or you will be in contempt of Congress!"
Anyway, you get the picture. It's pretty ugly.
Pat - Actually I was referring to Pat Paulsen of The Smothers Brothers Show but since he's been deceased for more than a decade now I'll just pretend I was talking about you.
Obviously I couldn't be talking about Doodad Pat, she's up next month. Come on Piper, pay attention!
Ryan, you should do a one-reeler from 1904. We could all watch in on YouTube ten minutes before the discussion begins.
I've already decided, I'm doing the Lumiere's Arrival of a Train at a Station. I think it'll make some interesting discussion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dgLEDdFddk
I particularly like the motif of the train arriving. Very profound stuff.
The guy who pokes his head out of the train at the 27 second mark and then steps out around the 32 second mark looks like he stepped straight out of a Toulouse-Lautrec painting.
No way, the best part is obviously right before the train arrives.
I won't say any more, I'm saving it for the discussion.
Yeah, me too, except to ask: Do you think the train is all an hallucination?
Don't answer that! Wait for the discussion.
And now I bid you goodnight gentlemen. Until we meet again...
...at the train platform of our subconscious.
Do you think the train is all an hallucination?No, I think it's a hallucination but your writing in that affected manner makes me suspect you're an homosexual.
Whatever is good for TOERIFC is good for me. Like Ed, I'm ok with anything.
I think the idea of phasing in new participants every other month is a good one. Plus, there's bound to be a month where someone has to reschedule/cancel and we can have substitutions or slide people up.
Heck, man, I just like that we have one day each month where we all watch a movie and then get together and talk about it. It's really been great... each one of them.
P.S. Members of the TOERIFC TEN (current and future) must get a tattoo to show their allegiance.
but your writing in that affected manner makes me suspect you're an homosexual....
Greg's "riding" (of horses) is pretty effeminate too. He does side-saddle.
I think it's a hallucination but your writing in that affected manner makes me suspect you're an homosexual....
Shall we begin? First, it is common for words that begin with 'h' of three or more syllables with the stress on the second syllable, such as hallucination, historic, historical, hypothesis, hysterical and habitual to use the article "an" instead of "a." If we go to Britanica Online or Wikipedia we find the article "an" used. For example, here are the first two words in the Wikipedia entry on "hallucination" - "An hallucination,..."
Second, it's a natural pronunciation. Go ahead and say at a normal speed, "I think he suffered from an hallucination." Then say, "I think he suffered from a hallucination." Because the emphasis is on the second syllable the brain consciously chooses "an" while the speaker must force the use of "a".
Finally, do you need an editor? I'm available.
Fox, I'm all for the tattoos. I think we should put them on our knuckles like Robert Mitchum in Night of the Hunter and then tell little fable like stories anytime someone asks about them. Maybe "T H E" on one hand and "T E N" on the other, leaving the little finger tattoo free on each.
Or a "666" on our foreheads. I'll go with either one.
Fox, have you ever done any horse back riding? I used to as a kid (I grew up on the rural outskirts of Charleston and the neighbors had horses) and man let me tell you, if I could've ridden side-saddle without falling off I would have. Sitting the proper way really pounds away at your nether regions. I'm surprised cowboys can reproduce at all.
Greg-
I like your "THE TEN" idea, but the only problem is that people may confuse it with the Ten Commandments (as in that movie, The Ten). But screw it! We can take it back for ourselves!
I can't believe Bill hasn't weighed in on any of this yet.
Maybe I could come up with the Ten Commandments of TOERIFC and put them on the sidebar. I'll see if I can find some stone tablets.
I love that idea.
"Thall Shall Not Reference John Kenneth Muir"
Greg -
I'd actually planned to do my TOERIFC post on May 18, which is the third Monday of the month as per the usual TOERIFC schedule. (I'm assuming May 15 was a typo?)
I'm starting to immerse myself in Lars Von Trier and his work in preparation - which is an odd way to spend the increasingly sunny days of spring, but oh well.
"Thou Shalt Not Reference John Kenneth Muir."...
But he's so good at research without coming off as too academic!
Pat, thanks for the update. I'll set the counter and date listing to the 18th now. It wasn't a typo I just pulled the middle of the month for the countdown clock on TOERIFC (which I love and wish I had started sooner). I will now correct it, thanks!
Greg, you've gone to an incredible amount of time and trouble to delineate each and every infinitesimal bit of info regarding TOERIFC..and for that you should be commended.
Greatly...
I fervently agree with everything you said - and aside from my site, I never agree with any man about anything.
No. That's not true. Occasionally I do concur with the little dears when it's highly convenient for me.
Otherwise...not so much. But it depends entirely on the day.
Aside from that, I think Piper would be a fabulous choice to take over my September slot. He could definitely do it justice.
I also like the idea of the TOERIFC Ten. I think someone should write a musical about them.
So those are my thoughts for this morning.
Guess I'll go back to doing my nails.
Carry on, y'all...
Greg-
Thank your for correcting my "Thall not". That was pretty bad and hilarious.
I'm from Texas, so... y'know... y'all gotta fix my grammar sometimes.
Oh, and I'm in favor of everything Greg proposed. Like Ed and Fox said, "whatever's good for TOERIFC is fine with me."
And I'll totally get the tattoo. It'll make me seem way cooler and hipper than I actually am.
Miranda, thank you for all your kind words and for your agreeing with me. I am honored. Also,
1. It's your slot.
2. Haven't heard from anyone else yet on the shifting up thing.
3. I just want to go ahead and change it.
4. Pat Piper is confused, so...
I'm going to make a command decision: Pat Piper now has the September slot.
Make it good Pat.
Fox, what's really funny is I didn't even notice that. I just typed it in rather than copy and paste so it got inadvertantly corrected.
Pat, as soon as I can I'm going to send out invites for the tattoo parlor party I'm planning and we'll all get together and get the TOERIFC tattoos and be sooooo cool!
Wait. Who? What? September of January? Okay, I'm on it.
I've got a really good Mathew McConaughey RomCom in mind.
Can't wait!
I've got a really good Mathew McConaughey RomCom in mind. ...
Uh... oh, hey, I'm sorry... I just realized September's taken by my seven year old daughter. Yeah, so, I guess no Piper picks this time around. Damn!
I'm just bowing to the will of the club. They've been itching for one for a long time.
Enough of these "thinky" movies. That's not from me. I think Fox said that.
Finally, do you need an editor? I'm available.Learn how to spell jackal and we'll talk.
Snap!
You were just waiting for that weren't you? The whole sequel post was just a clever ruse to get me to use the word "jackel" instead of "jackal."
Anyway, I've learned. Let's talk!
Let's talk!When you make macaroni and cheese, you use whole milk or 2%?
"Thou Shalt Not Reference John Kenneth Muir."... ...
Hey, let's not paint ourselves into a corner - there's a lot of material in that guy.
And finally, whoever thought ellipses would have such a practical application?
When you make macaroni and cheese, you use whole milk or 2%?...
Heavy whipping cream. And lots of thick, rich butter. Then you take the sharp Vermont cheddar and then, then... and...
...excuse I have to go to the grocery store.
Hey, let's not paint ourselves into a corner - there's a lot of material in that guy....
Anything on Mac and Cheese?
If this thread hasn't gotten too far away from TOERIFC, I guess I'll chime in and say whatever you do is just peachy with me. I'll do a rotation or even a 360-degree turn if you like.
I just want to be loved.
Non sequitir...
I just found out that they are re-making Straw Dogs. I'm not an anti-remake guy, but that makes me feel weird.
I love you Rick like a brother. Sometimes like a sister, but mainly like a brother. So there you go.
Thanks for the vote of confidence. I've already got the first couple of rotations listed on the site.
Sorry I really haven't had the time to participate. I've been so busy I haven't had much time to go back and catch up with older films I haven't seen.
I would, however still like to participate, especially since "Dancer in the Dark" is one of my favorites.
Perhaps you could send out an email reminder closer to time?
I'm not an anti-remake guy, but that makes me feel weird....
One day I'll start a blog about nothing but things that make me feel weird. There's lot of 'em too!
Matthew, no problem. An e-mail reminder might be a good idea anyway. Thanks.
One day I'll start a blog about nothing but things that make me feel weird. There's lot of 'em too!.
1. Pants
2. Rules
3. Bananas
4. The early work of Edward Furlong
5. Gravediggers who whistle
That sound fine with me, Greg!
We have Bill's approval! This post's work is done.
Thank you everyone, we can all go home now.
Joke's on you! I've been home this whole time!
Arbo, I don't know if that's your list or mine but if it's mine you might want to add "mindreader" to your resumé.
Pants. shudder.
Joke's on you! I've been home this whole time!...
I'm humbled.
Yeah man I got you good.
I hope everyone's not leaving already. I mean, I just got here. Let's talk about some stuff, guys! Oh, no, actually, I'm going to the circus in about a half hour. Screw it.
Do you have a job interview?
Do I? No. Why do you...
Oh now, wait a second!!
I'm sorry. I forget how cruel I'm capable of being.
Cruel is right! It's exactly like you just set me on fire and then pissed in my face, but not enough to put out the fire! Exactly like that!!!
Bill got his degree from Clown College. I'd like to make fun of that but the sad truth is that I dropped out and years later had to get my C.E.D.(Clown Educational Development) certificate. I'm so ashamed.
Oh come on, when have I ever done anything like that except that one time. I drank a lot of cranberry juice that day so I just assumed it wouldn't be an issue.
I'd like to make fun of that but the sad truth is that I dropped out and years later had to get my C.E.D.But just think of all the wannabe clowns who never made it that far. You're much too hard on yourself, Greg, and I think you found your true calling in life with male prostitution.
That is what you do, right?
No, Greg is a clown at children's parties. But because he never graduated, they're not parties for the good kind of kids. It's, like, babies, or some shit.
Lame. Fuckin' babies will laugh at anything. It's like he doesn't even have to work for it.
That's what I said, but he said, "No, I work really hard!" Whatever, man.
Oh whatever Bill! He's always like, "Excuse me Greg, do you know the way to the Van Wealthington's. I'm going to be performing for their daughter and her six billionaire friends? I'd offer you a ride to your party but I'm not headed to... you know... that part of town."
And then he walks off. And the thing is, I DID know where the Van Wealthingtons lived. I could've helped!
Lame. Fuckin' babies will laugh at anything....
Well... they don't l-l-laugh at m-m-me.
[Greg starts to sniffle then walks away, dejected.]
Maybe you should use material they understand. Nixon impersonations and political humor just doesn't cut it with the younger folk these days. When I was a baby, well, I had a sense of history and responded to that sort of thing. But it's all television and video games these days.
Actually, I was doing Thomas Dewey jokes. You know, the whole schtick where he picks up the paper and is all like, "I won! I won!" and then the sidekick runs in (I usually just paid one of the older kids to be my sidekick) and says, "Boss, you're not going to believe this but..." And then you find out Truman won and Dewey goes all, "D'oh!"
Oh man, it's killer stuff! Killer.
Then why don't the babies laugh?
Because they have no culture! Fucking infantiles.
Then why don't the babies laugh?...
Because they're sad that Dewey didn't win. I mean, that's so obvious.
Because they're sad that Dewey didn't win. I mean, that's so obvious....
Only a baby could feel sorry for Dewey.
There's this whole other part of the routine where he insists on being called Mr. President anyway and claims to be the President of Chicago at least because of the Tribune headline. Oh man, I'm laughing now thinking about when the sidekick accidentally mentions President Truman and Dewey shakes his fist and says, "Why I oughta!" Ha, ha! Oh man, good stuff.
Anyway, long story short it ends with him killing himself and his family thanks to the headline screw-up. Ha, ha! Classic punchline stuff, you know.
Holy Crunk! is what I believe I said on reading the post, I'm one of the Ten Toes!! Thank you very much for the honor. I'd love to host a movie, although I'm worried. How do you guys go about making your choices? I want to make sure I don't pick a dud.
Oh and I'm down with the tattoo as well!
Kassy, we just run it by Pat Piper. If he likes it we know it's crap and go with another choice. At this point the next open slot is a ways down the road but you've got it.
I'd love to host a movie, although I'm worried. How do you guys go about making your choices? I want to make sure I don't pick a dud.....
Well that makes you a nicer person than me. I'm gonna pick a dud on purpose when my time comes.
Sorry to weigh in so late but this is the first chance I'e had to catchmy breath since Ebertfest. The plan sounds fine.
And yed, I do serve a mean sangria; it's one of my favorite drinks.
And Mama Ferdy didn't bring me into the world to be an Etch-a-Sketch, so forget the tattoo.
Great point, Marilyn. I know that everyone here is being facetious---but I've never been able to think of a symbol/slogan I would want to permanently etch into my body. But maybe I'm old fashioned?
Wait, you mean everyone else was just *joking* about getting those TOERIFC tattoos on their knuckles?
Boy, do I feel stupid...
Marilyn, thanks for taking time out of Ebertfest to weigh in. And being a multiple tattooed man myself I have no problem with the idea, although I wouldn't put 'em on my knuckles. I'll just go ahead and pretend the designs I already have are for the club. Ryan, you'll love them. Ed, I'll send you the patterns.
I got the tattoos on my weiner.
boy Bill really sunk this illuminating discussion, didn't he.
I can only imagine the tats on Greg. Flames on the forearms? Barbed-wire on the neck?
I've got a full king of hearts card tattooed on my back.
Well I have none on my weiner (and thanks for including that Fox... uh... I mean, Bill). My tattoos were designed by me. The one on my left arm is kind of boring and looks like every other abstract black design you've ever seen but the one on my right arm! It. Kicks. Ass! IMO at least. It looks like a big-ass dagger/shield sword thingy with an emblem in the middle. I couldn't think of a good emblem so I just used the sign for an Aries which is what I am. Oh, man, it's killer baby, killer! When the bottom part sticks out from under my sleeve I look like a bad-ass with a knife tattoo. Of course, I'm not a bad-ass so I try and look tough when it's showing.
It looks like a big-ass dagger/shield sword thingy with an emblem in the middle...
I have one of those on the underside of my weiner.
So uh... anyway.
What's the matter, Greg?
Nothing, just an itch on my weiner.
You'll have to forgive me, but I was not alerted to the existence of this TOERIFC board meeting, so here are my very late, decidedly unsolicited two cents on the matter:
Whatever you want to do with my slot . . . up to and including postponing it to January of 2025 (who knows, I may actually have a halfway decent paragraph to show for my labors by then) . . . is fine by me, Captain.
I goes where I gets sended.
Thanks Tom. Of course, I'm fine with your October slot. My only responsibility as administrator of this little club would be to remind you to take off the approval requirement from the commenting before the post so everyone can do their usual back and forth throughout the day.
And Tom, if you need to delay it just let me know and that's fine too. It's all pretty non-chalant around here and low-pressure because everything happens on one day. We all watch and then go comment our asses off until we've really dug inside the movie. I look forward to doing that at your place with Kiss Me, Stupid.
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