42 Comments
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Stephen Sepaniak's avatar

I am intrigued. Have you read *Geek Love*? Also, is it a "lit" on the back of Rosalie's head, or is it maybe a "slit"?

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Benjamin Dreyer's avatar

Oh, indeed a slit! Fixing.

And yes, I read Geek Love years ago.

And Mr. Chaon has acknowledged his love for that novel too.

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Stephen Sepaniak's avatar

I bet he has. We're very happy, aren't we, Constance?

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Tilde Dalalie's avatar

Oh my god, Geek Love! I also read it, eons ago. How could I have forgotten it?! Off to reread it right now. Thank you!

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Susan Donkar's avatar

I'm definitely "in". That was mighty fine writing.

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David J. Sharp's avatar

Oh, when Benjamin is happy

He becomes kinda sappy —

It’s much like a song

That goes on and on …

And then, the crowd gets clappy.

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Marisa's avatar

I'm in. "The grass was richly green" is pleasant to say.

Love to Sallie

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Heather Cawte's avatar

I'm a huge Powell and Pressburger fan, and I've felt for years that "A Canterbury Tale" is unfairly overlooked.

I also watch "This Happy Breed whenever I see it in the channel listings!

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Benjamin Dreyer's avatar

I’m not sure how it eluded me so long.

But it’s always wonderful to see something amazing for the first time when you begin to fear that you’ve already seen everything amazing that there is to see.

I know that I’ve never seen 49th Parallel, so I’m going to seek that out soon.

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Tilde Dalalie's avatar

I have just one thing to say about 49th Parallel:

Anton Walbrook in overalls.

🫠

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Kurt Busiek's avatar

Grayson Hall!

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Chris Z's avatar

1. As in Tod Browning's Freaks?

2. If you can track them down, the Kurt Weill tributes Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill and September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill are both pretty great. The latter was recorded for video and broadcast on public television once upon a time.

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Benjamin Dreyer's avatar

You bet.

Got ’em!

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Carol T's avatar

I saw Ms. Neuwirth at the Zipper theatre in Here Lies Jenny and she was, of course, fabulous.

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Laurie Fusco's avatar

❤️

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Bren's avatar

I'd be able to write the word 'unlikelily' but if I tried to say it, it would come out as 'unlikelilililililily". For the same reason I tend to say 'especially' rather than 'particularly' where possible.

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Jenny's avatar

Here's an ear cootie I caught years n' years ago from Dr. Demento that, imo, ought to be in more ears on Peter Lorre's birthday 🥳: https://tomsmith.bandcamp.com/track/i-want-to-be-peter-lorre

yer welcome 😘

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John's avatar

My crush on her in Dark Victory has lost none of its power. (Dark Victory being a movie with the insane distinction of having two actually Irish actors pretending to be not Irish, while one actually not at all Irish actor -- Bogart! -- pretending to be Irish. I am leaving both actuallys in that sentence, though not without shame. :|)

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Benjamin Dreyer's avatar

I was introduced to her, briefly, when she was doing her cabaret evening in Chicago (this would be the very late 70s/very early 80s), and she shook my hand and inquired “Didn’t we work together at the Long Wharf?” To which I could only say, “No, but of course I wish we had.”

Lovely, lovely, lovely woman.

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Bill's avatar

I'll be adding A Canterbury Tale to Sunday Classics here! thanks for an always interesting moment.

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Benjamin Dreyer's avatar

Oh, I’m so glad, Bill. I hope you enjoy it (and I rather trust you will).

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Bill's avatar

Your email hit at the right moment. I also added Chaon's forthcoming book. I'm recovered enough from Dunn's Geek Love to give this one a shot.

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Sandy MacDonald's avatar

Inspired me to fire up TMC again

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Kevin C's avatar

I suppose you've seen P. Lorre in Silk Stockings, in which he dances, sort of, with a knife between his teeth. Also sings some Cole Porter.

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Nancy B. Mandel's avatar

that sounds inSANE.

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Kevin C's avatar

Look up ‘the red blues’ for the knife and ‘sweet Siberia’ I think for the Porter.

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Judy Johnson's avatar

I'm sorry you haven't been sleeping well and have not found much joy. I remind myself that the news is always bad, because good news doesn't sell. And yes, there's a lot of crazy right now, so I limit news consumption and spend time on Facebook, rotting my brain. I hope you find more bits of joy as we navigate this mess.

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Benjamin Dreyer's avatar

🙏🏻

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