Given the near-universal love for Joel and Ethan Coen’s Barton Fink, it seems preposterous that it’s taken 618 episodes for someone to bring it onto Someone Else’s Movie. But it has, and oddly, I’m grateful for that. This is a movie that’s aged beautifully, and now the podcast can mark its 35th anniversary with someone who loves it.
That someone is Peter Glanz, a writer and director whose eclectic career includes both co-writing a Captain America movie and writing and directing an 18th century comedy of manners. The former is Brave New World; the latter is Savage House, which stars Richard E. Grant and Claire Foy and is now available on VOD for your wicked little pleasure.
And as for Fink? In the rear view, it’s clear that the Coens’ fourth feature was the first to incorporate both Joel’s moody, textured intensity and Ethan’s more arch and antic silliness — and to prove such a fusion was sustainable. It’s a symphony of heightened tones, and the key to everything they’ve done since, apart and together. Also? Pretty funny.
Anyway, you know the drill. Subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Podcasts or your podcatcher of choice, or download the episode directly from the web and listen to it in an attempt to drown out the voices on the other side of the wall. Oh, the voices.
After that, you can check out the latest editions of Shiny Things, because I have been busy. Caught up to a whole mess of catalogue releases: Severin’s splendid The Worlds Of Lucile Hadžihalilovi? box set, Canadian International Pictures’ The Other French New Wave, Vol. 2 and Warner Archive’s Late Summer in one blast, and Imprint’s Once a Thief, Henry & June and The Trigger Effect, Cohen Media Group’s Maurice, Sony’s The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (Dynamation in 4K!) in another.
And I still found time to cover I Want Your Sex, the new season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Dan Harmon’s new animated goofaround President Curtis for paid subscribers in Friday’s What’s Worth Watching. Didn’t get that? All it takes is one little upgrade and you’ll be on the list! Come on, the paid tier is so nice and comfy.
Finally, if you’re in Toronto and reading this on Tuesday August 4th, I’m introducing Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story at Harbourfront tonight. It’s the highlight of the program, if I do say so myself, and because of its length we’re starting a little earlier than usual. So come on down to the lake at 8:15pm and see one of the great modern movie musicals!
And if you’re reading this after the 4th, there are still four more movie nights on the menu. Come catch one!