This one’s been a long time coming! My friend, the great Kim Morgan, goes into the Criterion Closet. (If you’re not aware of what this is, “Closet Picks” is a series hosted by the Criterion Collection where celebrities, directors, artists, are invited to enter the “closet” lined with Criterion releases, where they pick out a bunch of movies from the collection, providing commentary. One of my favorite ongoing little web series. I love to see what people choose to pick, how they talk about the work that inspired them. Kim still writes regularly on her site Sunset Gun, with all of the other great writing she does at other outlets.
I could listen to Kim talk about movies all day, and I’m not just saying that because she includes a shout-out to me (very touched). She just knows her shit! Dorothy Arzner, Robert Aldrich, Jack Garfein … and of course Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley, which Kim co-wrote with Del Toro – was brought out by Criterion.
Kim is wonderful, and none of her selections really surprised me. They are all great in their own ways. Several of them are films that I have recommended to others, or encouraged them to watch, and was met with blank stares…
I have basically forced no less than 10 people to watch Only Angels Have Wings. I have shown it to people personally. My nephews. My brother. Friends. It’s like “Listen, you need to see this, and I will sit here next to you AS you see it and you will LOVE it, 100% guaranteed.” and of course it works and everyone falls in love with the movie.
It has to be done. Listen, someone has to carry the torch!!