Thursday, September 30, 2004

Neil Hamburger

Was there some interest in seeing the low budget standup comedian of indy rock fame?

Neil Hamburger
w/ Pleaseeasure
@ Brickyard
315 Carrall St
Vancouver, BC V6B2J4
Phone: (604) 685-3978
Saturday, October 2nd
Doors 9:00pm
$8-10

Come on, he opened for Mr. Bungle for god sakes! They wouldn't take him on tour unless he was horribly (but subtly) offensive.

Vancouver is also getting a Tzadik treat coming up:

PERFORMANCE EVENTS
Living Cinema
Curated by Kenneth Newby
Featuring Pierre Hébert and Bob Ostertag
Western Front
Thursday, October 14, 2004
8 - 10:30 PM

"A spectacular collaboration between prize winning Canadian animator Pierre Hébert and cutting edge electronics wizard Bob Ostertag. Outrageous noise sampling interacts with spontaneously created live animation in this groundbreaking improvisational work!"

This is currently on Tzadik DVD along with my long coveted biography of John Zorn "A bookshelf on top of the sky: 12 stories about JZ".

Duke

Wednesday, September 29, 2004

D.o.S. Schedule for November

Yes, I realize that most of you will forget all of this in a week, but I'm feeling particularly efficient (and bored at work) so I figured I might as well get it out there. Note that screenings now happen on Wednesdays, not Tuesdays.

Wednesday November 9
SEX!!!! (This is to make up for the Orca/Jaws debacle programmed by BJ)

7pm: The Lickerish Quartet [1970] -- I've been waiting a long time to program something by Radley Metzger and this seemed like as good a time as any. Boobies and a mind-fuck all swirled together in one mod-Eurotrash package. A real treat for all who attend.

9pm: Valerie [1969] -- The film that invented "Maple Syrup Porno". A Catholic girl in Quebec embarks on a journey of self discovery. Also of note for it's swinging Franco-pop soundtrack.

Wednesday November 23
MORE SEX!!!! (I figure I've got a lot of making up to do)

7pm: Ecstasy of the Angels [1972] -- From IMDB: "Imagine seeing a hysterical comedy about idealistic terrorists betrayed by their leaders as written by Jean-Luc Godard, produced by David Lynch and directed by Gregg Araki: that gets you somewhere in the neighbourhood of what this picture is like." Also, there are naked Japanese girls.

9pm: Beautiful Girl Hunter [1979] -- This one is courtesy of Sinister Sam so you know it's gonna be good. Another one not for the faint of heart it mixes, sex, sadism and philosophy in the way that only the Japanese can.

That's it for now. Stay tuned for December and the second annual Den of Sin Xmas Massacre...

D.o.S. Schedule for October

Okay, here's the deal:
Since a lot of people can't make Tuesdays anymore, we're going to switch screenings to Wednesday nights, but because of VIFF & Cinemuerte this month is a little screwed. So mark your calendars, watch for updates and we hope to see you there.

Wednesday October 13
Those Crazy Asians

7pm: 2LDK [2002] -- Directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi as part of a friendly battle with his "Versus" filmaking buddy Ryuhei Kitamura (they each had to make a film about a duel to the death and see which won did better at the box office), this film concerns two actress roomates and their increasingly sadistic turf war. The title refers to Japanese apartment listing for "2 Bedroom, Living room, Dinning Room & Kitchen".

9pm: Sympathy for Mr. Vengence [2002] -- Not a film for everyone, this is pretty much what you'd expect in a Korean revenge movie. Bleak, gory and ultimately unforgetable.

Tuesday October 26 (day before Cinemuerte!)
Don't Go In the Water!

7pm: Orca: The Killer Whale [1977] -- For the record, I am taking no responsibility for this one. Produced quick on the heels of "Jaws", this features whale on whale love and sopping wet Charlottle Rampling & Bo Derek.

9pm: Jaws 4: The Revenge [1987] -- Again, for the record, not my fault. "Refreshments" encouraged for those brave enough.

(Insert standard disclaimer about RSVPs and Pop Fund here).

~meeko

For Paul

This is from a while back, but the answer to your question is "Brandy".

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Think of this as a warm up for BJ and Meeko's stag....

Nevermind.

Politics Shmolitics

Finally, real political choice. I think the slogan says it all.

Monday, September 27, 2004

VIFF stuff...

Bree and I are going to catch The World According to Bush on Thursday the 7th (the only still-available showing. Join us.

Invitation...

The first of four debates in the unholy battle of pure evil vs. (probably) less evil that we call the US election will be upon us this Thursday at 6PM (I think I'm right on the time). Since to me this whole election is pretty much like the Super Bowl, Olympics and World Series rolled into one, with the added incentive that the fate of the remnants of American democracy hangs in the balance, I'll be watching eagerly, with popcorn and playbook in hand. Anyone who wants to join me in flinging stuff at my TV every time Dubya scores a point, come on over. Email me for directions if you want 'em.

And yes, Christian, I'm a dork. We've established this already, so there's little need to point it out again (or any other euphemisms for my nerdiness). But I hope you'll find some really geeky bar somewhere and watch the damn thing too.

Sunday, September 26, 2004

Pasta Potluck Party

Ok,

I hope this is enough warning.

I'd love to have all you fine folks over for a Pasta Potluck next Saturday.
(aka Atkins my ass...)

Your job... bring a sauce for pasta.

If you have any questions let me know. I'll check the messages linked to this post during the week.

The game plan.

5:30 Pre-dinner drinks and prep. (Salad makin' compitition. Cook the pasta.)
6:30 Sit for dinner
7:30 Coffee and tea
8:30 Dessert
9:30 Goodnights and goodbyes


Feel free to just come for coffee and dessert. If you'll be here for dinner get here early so we make the right amount of pasta. We have two kitchens too, so you can cook here if you like.

Love to see you all.

Friday, September 24, 2004

Film Fest Picks

Check 'em out here.

Thursday, September 23, 2004

this bears repeating...

bob has banned me from canada for saying the tragically hip suck ass.

am I in the minority here? I've already acknowledged I'll never be a true canadian. there's not enough blunt head trauma in the world to get me to like the hip...

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

Raunchy Fun from Nick

From Nick's blog:

"Hey, I am probably going to the Wet Spots sometime this week. Either:

Thu Sep 23 9:30 pm
Fri Sep 24 10:45 pm
Sat Sep 25 5:00 pm

I personally am leaning either to the thursday show or the Saturday show. If anyone is interested in going let me know. Btw if you don't know them then check out http://www.cassking.com/wetspots.html they are pretty damn funny. And somewhat dead on when you think about it."

Both Paul and Bree have also mentioned them in their blogs for reviews... I'd have to go on the Friday show, I don't think I have plans....but I have class thursday and Mike's party Sat. Comment for hook-ups with when Nick and others might be going.

Monday, September 20, 2004

"I'm moving and good riddance" party, Saturday September 25th

Didn't quite get through painting and here's why;

The main living room and dining room went well, with "golden horn" covering all but the bayview window wall, which I chose to convert into a feature wall. Unfortunately the "tomahawk" wasn't as dark as the paint chip indicated and it looked like ketchup and mustard. So I redid the feature wall to match the rest of the room and starting prep'ing the kitchen and bathroom, where I found mildew and mold above the shower stall and bathroom fan. I've suspected this for a while given the number of leaks and the complete plumbing replacement this summer, but have only just found evidence.

A friend of my Mom is managing a brand new building a few blocks away that will be available for November which is perfect if I give my notice now.

So the main living room and dining room were finished and the kitchen and bathroom will be restored to glorious white this week. The rest is someone else's problem.

Email me for directions:

"ilich_m" at "lycos" dot "com"

p.s. I didn't drown in paint, but I appreciate the fact that I've infiltrated Rachael's subconscious.

NB: Let's say any time after 7:00pm? By the way, the party will be entitled "Hallway is stink" after the following letter I read in response to a neighbor who leaves his garbage at the foot of his door in the hall:

"Dear Tenant of 2xx,
Please not to leave the garbage outside apartment. Hallway is stink."

I've had it, that's it...no more...I'm leaving...


Sunday, September 19, 2004

Last Night?s Dream (Sorrry it's a bit long)

So usually it is Bob that has the funky dreams but this morning I had a doosey and it involved a lot of you. It was a dream about a wedding which is an omen of death. So one/some of you might be dying. I will reveal my prediction(s) at the end.
It starts off at home (which isn?t my real home) where I look across the courtyard of our home into the living room of my neighbours. My neighbours have many daughters (around 5?) who, because they are going to a fancy party, are all wearing beehives. This is especially hilarious on the youngest girl who has flaming red hair.
Anyways it is now time for my sister?s wedding. I have no sister so I will describe my dream sister. She is extremely beautiful and young about 18. She has sleek dirty blond hair (almost mousey) and she is very short only coming up to my chin and she is very slim. She was wearing an early eighteenth century empire waist dress (think Jane Austin) and looking very ethereal. She was also a bit of a flake. I didn?t like the guy she was going to marry and I kept calling him a jerk or an asshole. We got on transit to go to her wedding and were consequently late. We entered the hall where the feast has already started. All the tables were lined up along the left hand wall in this narrow room in which everything seemed to be made of unfinished wood (tables, benches, floors, walls, plates etc.). We sit down a the centre table and are served something breaded that we are informed by most of the room that it is ?MEDIUM-RARE SALMON. Even the kids know that!? For some reason we are in Germany and most of the groom?s family is German. So after my culinary blunder I start worrying about how I am going to officiate at the wedding ceremony. This is a pagan wedding and I am going to marry my sister and this guy (whose name I never do learn). I decide to say ?Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutch aber mein Deutch ist nicht gut. Also, Ich will in Englisch sprechen.? (I speak a little German but it isn?t any good so I will speak in English.) My mother/aunt rises to give a speech. This woman is a huge strong-looking beefy woman who has short black hair cut straight at her shoulders in a very severe style. I hover around to try and help her with her German which she seems to know perfectly well. We then find out my sister?s finance has been arrested for fondling children or doing something rather nasty to children at least. I then have to go pee so I go into the kitchen and try to pee in a bowl of ice that is in the fridge because I can?t find the bathroom. (These things make sense in dreams!) But as I am trying to figure out how to get in the fridge and close the door, Paul Rushton comes up to me and I pass him some cake from the fridge to him. (As far as I know the cake wasn?t peed on but I wasn?t looking very closely). Then for some reason it is my wedding. But I don?t know any pagan wedding ceremonies. I go into the original hall which has now turned into a mystical bog where the grim reaper, standing on a wooden walkway and surrounded by decay and mist, is burying the plague dead. I take a big thick book of pagan ceremonies from the grim reaper who I suspect to be Eva. (I don?t generally associate skeletons wearing very weathered cowls with Eva I just thought she must be wearing a lot of make-up.) I take it back into the kitchen but I doesn?t have anything on weddings, I leave somebody looking through it for any mention of weddings and start wandering around. I am looking for people. I remember that Corinne and Graeme are at Corinne?s Dad?s Surprise party and that Mike is painting his house. We then have a weird cut-scene at my fiancé?s house. He has been released by the police. His mother and sister are hurrying to get ready for the wedding but his dad and him are still in their underwear. As the women run out of the bedroom, his dad who is wearing a wife-beater made out of SPARKLY BLUE SEQUINS is laughing and my jerk fiancé just turns over in bed and goes back to sleep. (I uppercased sparkly blue sequins in case you missed it). Back at the wedding several hundred RCMP arrive to search the party. They tell me it is not serious or official. I start thinking that I will complain to my friend who was high-up in the RCMP. (I don?t know anyone high up in the RCMP but I do know their sustainability coordinator but I really don?t think she can do much about police complaints.) Paul comes up to me and is facing me when they arrest him. I take his mostly eaten piece of cake and his candle (It?s a pagan wedding, remember). Then another of the wedding guests twists his arm to make easier for the police to arrest him but his arm (which is extremely bendy) slips out of the grip. He is then held to the floor and arrested. He and two other people are left. One guy I don?t know very well but Paul and another are my ?really good friends.? I know the second ?really good friend? was one of you but I can?t remember who. I was somebody who was smaller than Paul (so not Owen, BJ, or Gareth) but not terribly skinny either (So not Scott) and not anybody else accounted for in this dream. Nick and I are watching from the front steps. He and I are sobbing because we think that we will never see them again. He is saying what a good guy Paul was. (Emphasis on ?was?). My friend John-Paul from school comes up the steps to me and seems kind of amused at the whole thing. End of Dream.

So my predictions:
Paul is going to die in Botswana.
Nick is going to commit suicide because Paul left him to go to Botswana.
Eva is going to die in a horrific make-up accident or of the plague.
Corinne and Graeme have already been killed by a champagne cork at her father?s party.
Mike drowned last night in paint.

Friday, September 17, 2004

PixelBlocks

Hoooooooray for me! I got "free" PixelBlocks via UPS!

Seizure-inducing fun...

Sky Captain tonight, 7:45 at Tinseltown.
Advance press is outstanding, so my initial certainty that film would suck donkey has given way to a fanboyish determination to see it asap.

Plus Bree and I will be catching the One Man Lord of the Rings (too lazy to look for a link right now, maybe later) tomorrow night at 11:00. All are welcome to join us.

Thursday, September 16, 2004

More Film-y Goodness

Finally, an end to months of speculation. Cinemuerte VI is a total go and the official schedule is now available online. Links to the schedule and highlights are available at filmgurlland. Hope to see lots of you there.

The rest of September

Reprinted verbatim from my personal blog.

Being that school is back in session we have noticed a considerable drop off in attendance, but I'm hoping that once we get into a better rhythm with the schedules things will improve. So, here is the program for the second to last week in September.

Tuesday September 21/04
Back to Classics... Classic perversion that is!


7pm: Doctor X [1932] -- Thanks to the financial triumph of "Dracula" at the box office, movie studios in the thirties were desperate to jump onto the horror bandwagon, some with more success than others. The engineers of the Hays Code frantically tried to play catch up, but things still fell between the cracks. This was MGM's Michael Curtiz's shot at things, and he didn't shy away from anything: sadism, blood, implied incest... it's all here folks. Also notable for Fay Wray ("King Kong") and the use of an early two-colour Technicolor process.

9pm: Freaks [1932] -- Extremely controversial when it was released and something of a hot button to this day, many people consider this Tod Browning's ("Dracula") masterwork (well it certainly wasn't "Dracula", IMHO). A beautiful but cruel trapeze artist marries a circus midget in an attempt to inherit his fortune. When the rest of the side show learn of her treachery, they inflict an even crueler vengence. Surreal and troubling still. Features real side show freaks.

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

Yes, I know this links to a known porn site...

But it's an interview with Jhonen Vasquez!!!!!!!

Sample Awesome quote:

DRE: What?

JV: Yeah, a lot of kids came into Nickelodeon on tours. Well they used to. See, Roman was seriously into drinking floor polish, and when he had too much he'd just start beating the children with children from previous tours that he would just pull out from...well...I don't know from where. He was uncontrollable sometimes. A monster.


and one more for posterity:

DRE: You obviously made some money from it.

JV: Yeah, but it's all gone. The last thing that I wanted was to be sitting around in this pile of cash, which is what I did for way too long before deciding it was bad. I had this Hefty bag filled with cash that I would get into and have one of my slaves seal twist tie closed. I'd roll around in it, giggling and laughing like a monster baby until I was tired. But it was dirty money, dirty children money printed on the skin of flayed children. I needed to find an evil way to it so that Nickelodeon would be contributing to something unholy in the world.

DRE: What'd you spend it on?

JV: Just whores. Whores over on Sunset Boulevard and Santa Monica. Whores and robots. Some of the whores were robots.

Monday, September 13, 2004

Of all the things I've lost...

I miss my Cinemuerte sweatshirts the most.

I've gone and misplaced my two black Cinemuerte hooded sweatshirts. One has the outline of a dead crow in black and white, and the other has Alucarda in yellow and ochre. If I've left it at your place, could you drop me an email please? roland303 [at] shaw [dot] ca. Possible rewards include a hearty handshake, and possibly booze.

Paint Day. Saturday, September 18th.

Hey all,

I've decided to repaint my apartment in an effort to:

a) remove obvious relationship triggers
b) appease the landlord from whom I may need a reference in the next year

So I'd like to announce a gathering this Satuday, September 18th. 1:00pm until midnight.

I thought I'd provide beer, music, paint and brushes. So show up anytime, stay for as long as you want. I'll probably figure out some kind of BBQ and/or take-out arrangements on the day.

I'm halfway through priming the living room and have settled on a shortlist for colors. I'd love to catch up with everyone, I know I haven't had a chance to get out and see all of you yet, so feel free to drop by and I'll update you on recent events and efforts of spontaneity.

If you need directions, contact me at "ilich_mNOSPAM@lycos.com".
(removing NOSPAM of course).

Thanks,

Duke

Sunday, September 12, 2004

Party Pics

I wussed out, there's only four shots.

Katherine, the only person I know who dyes her hair more than me.

The twins.

Separated at birth?

And the heavy drinking we indulge in.

How about some time to unwind?

I'm thinking Saturday the 18th, potluck and games at my place.

I shall provide homemade soup and maybe a few other munchies. Contributions toward feeding the masses gratefully accepted.

I supply the games "Talisman" and "Gother than Thou". Let me know what all anyone else can bring.

Drop by anytime after 2pm. I'll probably kick out any stragglers around midnight.

Drop me a line at hey_ewe@hotmail.com for an address, directions, whatever.

Wednesday, September 08, 2004

Carter makes up for his lackluster speech at the DMC...

With a polite but to-the-point letter to Zell Miller about his participation in the GOP Convention. Very well done. (From Talking POints Memo)

The obsession continues...

Neither Grae nor I have drenched this site in politics nearly as much as we pledged to, but I've found this site to be indispensable to my fever-dream fantasies of sanity in American politics. It tracks the poll numbers in all the states, especially the battlegrounds, and keeps a daily-updated tally of how the electoral vote should shake out.

Sunday, September 05, 2004

This week at the D.o.S.

Hey kids,

I realize it's been a little confusing since we switched to every other week, but I wanted to let you know that there is a screening this week (Tuesday Sept. 7) starting at 7pm.

7pm: Purple Rain [1984] -- Yes, the special edition of Prince's master work.

9pm: Cool As Ice [1991] -- The only film I'm aware of that stars Vanilla Ice. Yes, we found a copy. Now you must pay.

R.S.V.P. if you can make it or not. Pop fund will be in effect, but it is recommended that you bring other "refreshments" as well, otherwise you're in for a very long night.

Hope to see you all there.

~meeko

Saturday, September 04, 2004

freedom party '04

so who all is gonna be up for freedom party on 9/11/04?

paul and I will be scaling the grouse grind earlier in the day, so if I haven't died of a massive heart attack or anything, it seems like a wonderful excuse to celebrate how shitty my home country is, what with its fearless and brilliant leadership and loving moral majority...

didn't someone mention baking two tall, skinny cakes? that would be awesome... and was the clubhouse officially offered as a locale, or will graeme and bean go all paul on us and leave us without a fun zone at the last minute?

so, who is gonna rsvp?

Short notice...

Hoping to catch Open Water today...

2:50 (or 4:50) at Granville 7.

Any interest?

Thursday, September 02, 2004

A Sad Day

Local Dutch Style Pot Cafe looks to close after 4 Months of service. Mostly due to increased media presence, and a few complaints stemming from them. (And, no, I don't visit this particular forum, it just showed up on my google search for appropriate linkeage.)

A Night of Rockin' N' Rollin'

Ran into a few friends of mine that I haven't seen in awhile today and we have decided to go out for some drinks and stuff this Friday after I get off work. One last hurrah before school starts up again, and since I'm going to the island for the weekend, I can blame my hangover on seasickness. As you may or may not know, a night on the town works best the more people are involved. Let me know if you thnk you might want to join our merry band of crazed drunken fools, and I will kepp you informed of the particular plans. (Most likely involving only places which serve cheap beer).