Charles Taylor’s new book Opening Wednesday at a Theater Or Drive-In Near You: The Shadow Cinema of the American ’70s
I interviewed Charley (he’s a friend) about his book, and the interview is now up at Rogerebert.com.
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Book arrived Saturday, finished it last night wishing there was more.
Dan – Yay!!
Have you seen all of these movies? There are still a couple I need to track down – Aloha Bobby and Rose sounds so up my alley – and Paul Le Mat!! – that I cant believe I haven’t seen it already!
It’s also been years since I’ve seen Citizens Band and I need to rectify that – I love that movie.
So glad you enjoyed it – I think it’s really special.
I’ve seen: Prime Cut, Hard Times, Ulzana’s Raid, Two Lane Blacktop, Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia, and Vanishing Point. The rest I plan to track down. I’d love to start with American Hot Wax since it would dovetail nicely with the Beatles history I’ve been reading, but it doesn’t look readily available on DVD or to stream.
Would also love to see – the director’s cut samizdat-style version of Swing Shift mentioned!
Totally agree it’s special. I love these kinds of genre movies and it was a treat to read essays taking them seriously, warts and all, without invoking the hideous ‘guilty pleasure’ clause.
// without invoking the hideous ‘guilty pleasure’ clause. //
absolutely!!
The Swing Shift director’s cut is basically the Holy Grail … I am DETERMINED to see that damn thing one day.
It’s been years since I’ve seen many of these – I own 2 Lane Blacktop and Head of Alfredo Garcia – so they’re regulars for me, but many others I need to re-visit ASAP!
If you figure out how to get your hands on it, please let me know!
I just got the Criterion of Two Lane Blacktop, so I think I’ll be re-watching it this weekend.
Dan – I know people – two, at any rate – who have seen this mythical Unicorn of a director’s cut. I am hoping that eventually it will get “out there” in a wide way – but maybe not while Goldie Hawn is still with us. :) and I LOVE Goldie Hawn but that was not her finest hour.
I have a friend who is a huge James Taylor fan (his music) and I keep telling him he has to see Two Lane Blacktop – because it’ll blow his mind. I love the observation Charley makes that what Taylor does in Blacktop is so … real, so authentic … that it makes his overalls-wearing-guitar-folk-singer thing look like schtick.
//I love the observation Charley makes that what Taylor does in Blacktop is so … real, so authentic … that it makes his overalls-wearing-guitar-folk-singer thing look like schtick.//
Totally. I could not believe how well he played the hard man.
“Make it 3 yards, motherfucker, and we’ll have ourselves an auto-mo-BEEL race.”
Great line!
As far as I can tell, Taylor never did another movie. I wonder what the story is – did he decide acting just wasn’t for him? Never get offered anything else, or nothing else in his wheelhouse?
His music doesn’t do it for me at all, but I treasure that performance.
He’s never even seen Two-Lane Blacktop!!