Screening Log: Weekend of 6 January 2012

1. The Trip (1967, Roger Corman) Whatever. [DVD]

2. Mommie Dearest (1981, Frank Perry) Basically schizophrenic. Depending on which scene is on, this is either a horror film about what a fucking violent monster Joan Crawford was or a genuinely skin-crawling yet sympathetic exposé about what fame will do to someone with apparent mental illness. The last line would suggest the former, but on a whole it veers wildly between the two. Perry’s plodding, obvious direction, as with Ladybug Ladybug and The Swimmer (and presumably others that I’ve not yet seen, like Play It As It Lays), is perversely ideal for the job. [DVD]

3. Episode five of Downton Abbey [Netflix Instant]

4. Rapt (2009, Lucas Belvaux) Weirdly enough, this movie — primarily it’s strange third act — popped up in my dreams. Good sign. [Netflix Instant]

The sickness that I have been bitching about both here and other social network sites since last week stayed with me the whole weekend. Which you’d imagine would lead to a much longer screening list, but alas I mostly slept or did other things. In fact, fighting through wooziness, I fulfilled my obligation to co-DJ a happy hour Friday night. For those interested in what music I’d subject a bar full of strangers to, here’s my set list:

Vitamin C - Can
Viva - La Düsseldorf
Airwaves - Kraftwerk
Temporary Secretary - Paul McCartney
What in the World - David Bowie
The Ledge - Fleetwood Mac
Satisfaction - Devo
Sway - The Rolling Stones
Cat Food - King Crimson
Witches Promise - Jethro Tull
Hymn 43 - Jethro Tull

Leaving Whipporwhill - Leon Russell
Comes a Time - Neil Young
Jig-Saw Puzzle - The Rolling Stones
What is Life - George Harrison
You Make Loving Fun - Fleetwood Mac
When You Dance I Can Really Love - Neil Young
Muswell Hillbillies - The Kinks

Shoot-Out at the Fantasy Factory - Traffic
Drive-In Saturday - David Bowie
Telegram Sam - T. Rex
Devil’s Bite - Todd Rundgren
Smile Away - Paul & Linda McCartney
Sweet Lady Genevieve - The Kinks
He’s Evil - The Kinks
Deserted Cities of the Heart - Cream

En Melody - Serge Gainsbourg
See Emily Play - Pink Floyd
Mr. Soul - Buffalo Springfield
Reverberation - The 13th Floor Elevators
Program - Silver Apples
Coming Down - The United States of America
Tomorrow Never Knows - The Beatles
My Flash on You - Love
Windy - The Association
Quem Tem Mèdo de Brincar de Amor - Os Mutantes
Spanish Castle Magic - Jimi Hendrix

The Story in Your Eyes - The Moody Blues
Out on the Tiles - Led Zeppelin
Supernaut - Black Sabbath
Jump Into the Fire - Harry Nilsson
Ramble Tamble - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) [Live Rust version] - Neil Young & Crazy Horse