Toerifc Tomorrow: White Dog

Tomorrow I will be commenting over at Cinema Fist on the movie White Dog for the Toerifc February selection hosted by Joseph Campanella. After that things should slowly return to normal around here. While I'm still watching movies and posting interesting tidbits I find at Unexplained Cinema it's a little harder to get anything written up for Cinema Styles, what with 27 feet of snow and no school to rein in the brood. It's actually been a lot of fun, and shovelling (lots and lots of shovelling), and today we're all going to go out to lunch together, not something we all get to do very often these days. So I promise, after Wednesday (more snow expected today and tomorrow by the way) I'll get some more posts up here. In the meantime, watch White Dog if you can before tomorrow morning and join in the discussion. Thanks!

Toerifc February: Sam Fuller's White Dog

Toerifc February is almost upon us.  On Wednesday the 10th Joseph Campanella will be hosting the discussion at his blog Cinema Fist and the film he has chosen is Sam Fuller's 1982 film White Dog.  Fair warning:  It is not on Netflix Instant Viewing, Amazon Video on Demand or i-tunes - You must get the DVD itself from Netflix, Blockbuster or your local rental store of choice.  Don't wait until the last minute.  Get the movie and enjoy it now. 

Here are the two sidebar banners.  You have your choice of angry, attacking dog or calm, pensive dog.  I chose angry, attacking dog to scare away solicitors from the site.  Link the picture to Toerifc where the date and time as well as the two banners will be displayed on the top selections post.  Thanks and see you there!

Toerifc February: Don't Miss It!

Toerifc will be returning in February after a two month break with the Joseph Campanella hosted White Dog, Samuel Fuller's 1982 drama. Due to technical difficulties Toerifc won't have a discussion this month but I think we can all agree that Ikiru is a great film with or without Toerifc's input and we can all discuss it freely in our heads or with unsuspecting bystanders if we so desire.

Also, Cinema Styles sister blog, Unexplained Cinema, moves into its second week of updating. Please stop by if you have a chance, thanks.

News and Announcements

Toerifc will be returning for January. I think. I haven't contacted Ibetolis yet of Film for the Soul but he's next in line with the legendary Ikiru as his selection. Once confirmed I'll provide an exact date and time, sometime around the week of the 18th most likely. The film is one of Akira Kurosawa's most higly regarded works and that's saying something. It's available pretty much everywhere, including Netflix instant viewing so no one should have a problem getting access to it.

Also, I've spent the last couple of weeks putting together a couple more "Land Before CGI" posts that will be going up soon. Still no narration as I haven't had time, or quiet in the house for recording purposes, to put one together but soon enough.

I continue to update at The Invisible Edge and The Gunslinger and will soon, very soon, be taking Unexplained Cinema in a whole new direction. Rather than my personal photos, which will still post on Flickr, it will be devoted to movie photos and stills that I have manipulated in some way and use for commentary. I explain it all there but the long and short of it is I don't do picture posts here anymore and I'd like Unexplained Cinema to take over those duties as Cinema Styles continues to move towards only essay and video posts with the occasional review thrown in for good measure. So if you're a fan, subscriber or follower of Cinema Styles I would ask that you become one of Unexplained Cinema as well as it will become the sister blog to Cinema Styles.

That's it for now so remember to check out a copy of Ikiru today and join us for the discussion, tentatively scheduled for the week of January 18th. Hope to see you there.

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters Toerifc November

If you've seen Mishima, Toerifc's November selection, recently or know it well enough already please head over to Crips and Mutes, the home of blogger Krauthammer, for a full discussion of the film starting at 10:00 a.m. this morning (or apparently, thereabouts. Let's call it "tennish" at this point) EST. Hope to see you there.

TOERIFC November (plus other TOERIFC announcements)

First and foremost, Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters is the selection for TOERIFC November and will be hosted by Krauthammer on Monday the 23rd. It is not, repeat NOT, available on i-tunes, Amazon Video on Demand or Netflix Instant which means you have to get the DVD itself. If you have not done so DO IT NOW! It will be upon us in only six days.

Second, I'd like to request that we bump everyone back a month and take December off. I know that pushes people back one more month who have been waiting a long time to host a selection but I think it's important that we give ourselves some downtime to avoid overload burnout and December is the perfect month for it in my opinion. If you've got kids it's the time where, starting around the middle of the month (which is usually when we post), school is school "in name only" and preparations are being made for the oh-so insufferable holidays as they quickly approach and so it'd be nice to just take a month off. Last December I took a whole week off from just before Christmas to after the New Year and it was great. I highly recommend it.

Third, I've still got everyone's e-mails who wants to be a part of it and I'm happy to put their link in the sidebar (which I will eventually) but if you are interested I ask two things only: Put "Toerifc" in the subject header of the e-mail for easy retrieval later and two, participate. I'm not calling anyone out you understand, I'm really not. I'm simply saying that I get e-mails asking how someone can be a member and write up a film. I write back and say all you have to do is watch the movie and join in and at a later date we can discuss when you can host a selection. Then, nothing. They never join in. Now we have several members who have trouble joining in due to work and time issues. I understand that and have noted that pretty much all of them still manage to chime in with at least one comment to offer praise on the write-up and apologize for not being able to take part. I've got nothing but thanks for anyone who takes the time to do that and if you go to the main site you will see their names on the selection list and they'll stay there. So if you've had trouble joining in due to work or time, believe me, I understand and I'm not referring to you. But for anyone thinking about e-mailing me whose only real interest is in drawing attention to their blog via a write-up, well, that's not really what we're about. We really are here to discuss the movie in question and if that's what you want to do then by all means you are welcome any time.

That's all and remember: Mishima, Monday, November 23rd at 10:00 a.m. EST. Hope to see you there. Below is the sidebar banner for anyone who wants to use it. Thanks.

Calling All Krauthammers! A TOERIFC All Points Bulletin

It occurs to me that the next TOERIFC movie, Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, is coming up soon but...

I don't know when!

And I cannot locate any e-mail anywhere for the mysterious Krauthammer who is the one covering it. So, Krauthammer, please comment below or e-mail me as to when the hell we're doing this thing. The 16th or the 23rd would work best. Let me know which is preferable.

And until we all find out when this is going to happen, everyone please get a hold of a copy of Paul Schrader's Mishima and give it a look so you can join in the discussion. Thanks.

Kiss Me, Stupid

I'll be at Illusions Travel by Streetcar today to discuss Billy Wilder's Kiss Me, Stupid for this month's TOERIFC selection but I'll be back for October festivities later. Come join us if you've seen it, admission is free.

One Last Reminder: TOERIFC Monday Approaches

October 19th is TOERIFC Monday which means Tom Sutpen will be hosting this month's discussion at his place. No, not the well-manicured grounds of Sutpen's Hundred but the well-manicured blog Illusions Travel by Streetcar. The movie? Kiss Me, Stupid directed by the legendary Billy Wilder. Our discussions usually begin at 10:00 EST and I encourage everyone to check out the movie and join in the discussion. It is readily available on Amazon and i-tunes so there's no excuse not to. See you there!

We Interrupt this October for an Important Announcement

Well, two actually.

Announcement Number One: The Oldest Established Really Important Film Club (TOERIFC) stops for no man, or theme month celebration, and October is no different. Take a break from the spooks and ghouls of October to discuss Billy Wilder's Kiss Me, Stupid, October's TOERIFC selection hosted by Tom Sutpen at his blog Illusions Travel by Streetcar. The post goes up on October 19th at 10:00 a.m. and to whet your appetite for the discussion please read this brief but superbly written excerpt from Tom's piece on the film. And by all means, grab this classy sidebar banner (I always like the black and white banners the best) to advertise it at your blog as well. The movie is available from i-tunes, Netflix and Amazon Video on Demand so you have no excuse not to see it before the expiration date. Hope to see you there.

Announcement Number Two: Kevin Olson at Hugo Stiglitz Makes Movies is hosting the Italian Horror Blog-a-thon from October 19th through the 31st. For more information follow the link to Kevin's place here and again, snag this sidebar banner here (or choose from two more at Kevin's place) to put up on your blog to advertise this grand affair.

Toerifc Number Ten and the Italian Horror Blog-a-thon. Two things to make your October that much better. See you there.

Hey you!

Yes you! Stand still laddy! Sorry, wrong movie (album). Anyway, don't forget, tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. EST Pat Piper at Lazy Eye Theatre will be hosting Toerifc's September selection if....

Be there or be militantly and rebelliously square.

if.... you're interested....

if.... you're free next Monday and if.... you want to discuss a film and if.... sorry. Next Monday, September 14th, Pat Piper of Lazy Eye Theatre will be hosting Toerifc Nine which is nothing like Ice-nine but very much like a film discussion, this time centered around Lindsay Anderson's classic if...., from 1968, a film I've seen many times over. Please go to Netflix or your local video outlet to reserve your copy now. I've checked both Amazon video on demand and i-tunes and it's a no-go. I'm afraid you've got to get the DVD so do it before the weekend and then join us for another rousing discussion on Monday. See you there.

Frische Birnen!

And so we arrive at Toerifc Eight, this time hosted by Fox of Tractor Facts. The film is Händler der vier Jahreszeiten, aka The Merchant of the Four Seasons, directed by Rainer Fassbinder in 1972. Remember, no rules to join except having recently viewed the film or knowing it well enough regardless to jump in. It's available on Netflix Instant Viewing and at only an hour twenty eight minutes in length you could watch it right now and still have time to take part in the conversation. Hope to see you there.

TOERIFC August: The Merchant of the Four Seasons

Don't forget: Next Monday at Fox's place will be August's TOERIFC discussion of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's The Merchant of the Four Seasons. Usual posting time is around 10 a.m. and the discussion should be, as always, fast and furious so be ready. The movie is available on Netflix Instant Viewing so it's about as easy as can be to watch it before the discussion although if you can get it on DVD that's preferable as the picture quality is much better and the adherence to proper aspect ratios with Netflix Instant Viewing is hit or miss at best.

Also, my final October trailer has been completed, the one in which you find out what's going on with all that "they're coming" stuff. I always get excited about October, my favorite month of the year, and this year's Octoberfest will be another day in, day out celebration of the world of horror culminating in... well, something. I don't know what yet because I haven't completed all the montages yet but I will, promise.

For now, remember - The Merchant of the Four Seasons, next Monday at Tractor Facts.

Blackbook on TOERIFC Monday

Monday, July 20th is the day for TOERIFC's July selection, Paul Verhoeven's Blackbook (Zwartboek, 2006) to be discussed at Ed Howard's Only the Cinema. As always, the rules for membership are simple: If you've watched the movie recently or just know it well enough, show up and join in the conversation. It's that easy. No weird initiations, no bizarre rituals (Ryan was overruled) no monetary tributes (unless you really, really want to), just good, rich, in-depth film discussion. Hope I see you there.

TOERIFC is just a week away

The blogathon is over, the office is empty, the clock is winding down. Time for some new posts, new reviews, new photos and new arguments. Time for new discussion. A new Toerific discussion, coming in just one week. The movie is Blackbook and the host is Ed Howard. Before we delve into the next discussion I'd like to be a spoilsport and call for a renewed vigor to the film club. Don't get me wrong, each discussion has exceeded 170 comments and the discussion has been heated at times, which is great. Sometimes people do get upset, sometimes they don't, and I'd be happier if they didn't but I suppose that's the nature of the beast when discussing cherished films.

However, Flickhead (Ray Young) who hosted the last one (Somebody to Love) was wondering why everything had to be crammed into one day. Originally the idea had been for the discussion to go on and on. The first day would be jam-packed for sure but for a couple of days after it would continue. I noticed this is indeed what happened with the first two posts by Marilyn and myself but after that it kind of died off and now everyone seems to think that after the first day the discussion is over. Now, I don't want to spoil the party for Ed at all, so I'm not suggesting we change anything radically. But I would like to make a suggestion.

One of the things that makes for a bit of confusion is the rapid-fire commenting. Often times a point will be made and get lost in the firestorm of comments or three people will respond to the same comment while the original comment has been forgotten by the next four people already discussing something completely different. And so on. But how to correct this?

I'd like to suggest, only a suggestion you understand, that the host moderates a kind of question and answer session in which he or she poses a question concerning the movie and members in turn give their take on it. In other words, something that would slow the conversation down a bit. I make this suggestion knowing that Ed Howard is the next in line and in Ed I have the utmost confidence. I believe if anyone is up to this task it is Ed.

If that suggestion doesn't go over well with anyone how about this, for much further down the line. Suppose after watching the movie every member writes it up and posts it on the same day. Then we could each go from blog to blog and discuss our reactions to what everyone has written. This guarantees everyone will have a well thought out response to the film. A host will still pick the movie but will no longer bear the burden of single-handedly moderating it

Or perhaps both of these suggestions are lacking and you, dear TOERIFC member, have a better idea. Or perhaps further, Ray and I are the only two who get a little befuddled on posting day and nothing should change. A part of what makes this film club great and the reason I am constantly getting requests to join (which I haven't forgotten about for those who have e-mailed me) is that all of our members come together in striking solidarity once a month for an intense, heated discussion. I don't want that to end but I would like this club to grow, evolve, never remaining static.

Please let me know if any of these ideas sounds reasonable or if perhaps you have a few of your own. Thanks, and don't forget: Blackbook, directed by Paul Verhoeven, Monday, July 20th at Only the Cinema, hosted by Ed Howard.

Do You Need Someone to Love?

Well then you've come to the right place, or at least sort of. The right place is Flickhead's on Wednesday, June 17th to discuss Henry Jaglom's Someone to Love which gives new meaning to the phrase... - oh wait, I have to wait until Wednesday myself. Yes, I watched it a couple of weeks ago and have watched several parts over since and can say with confidence that once again the TOERIFC membership knows - and I mean KNOWS - how to pick a film that will spark discussion. I look forward to seeing you there. As always, all we ask is that you watch the film before showing up, or know it well enough already to take part.

And now, since Marilyn has given me hell over how obscure some of my guessing games are there's this one: Okay Marilyn, or anybody, Name That Actress! And she's about as un-obscure as you can get! The winner gets to talk about how cool I am all weekend long. Man, the prizes around here just keep getting better and better!

Okay, that one is insanely easy (see, this is why I go for obscure) so here is another completely unobscure actor to guess. Name That Actor! And don't forget to watch Someone to Love. Have a ... TOERIFC weekend! Ha ha ha... oh, sorry.

A bit under the weather...

... but while I have the strength to write I shall provide a quick update. I have been, as Mr. Wint might say, "bitten by the bug." And so I have been out of the loop these past two days. Sorry for no updates today on my serial blog Death Ray Daughters but I have not had the strength to get through the editing process of the fifth installment (for the three of you that have ever read it in the first place).

I finished up banners for June's TOERIFC pick Someone to Love, chosen by Flickhead, who will of course, and as always, ignore my banners and use his own (shakes fist in air and shouts, "Flickhead!!!").

But most importantly, for me that is, I have discovered the title of my "time is money" movie written about in Wednesday's post and I have one person, and one person only, to thank for it. Let's hear a big round of applause for Kimberly Lindbergs who forever after will be referred to here as Kick-Ass Kimberly, for providing a link to a site in her comment on that very post which I then used to discover the answer. The link she provided was What's That Book which I used to ask about both of my mystery movies. Still no answer on the Civil War one yet but within about six hours of posting on the "time is money" one I had my answer from the admin of the site: The Price of Life, made in 1987 and shown on both Showtime and American Playhouse, which is where I saw it. It's not available and the user comments on the Showtime link don't really provide an answer as to how it ends but I'm happy for now just knowing I didn't imagine it. Thanks again Kimberly.

And now it's back to resting with my laptop by my side so I can check in between winks. Have a great weekend everyone and don't forget: Monday marks the return of Name That Movie. Don't miss it!

Another TOERIFC Monday

Almost inconceivably exciting.

While few things in life exceed having a party with your cats for sheer rollicking pleasure and balls to the wall good times there is one thing that is not only more exciting but more informative as well: A TOERIFC film discussion. This morning, Monday, May 18th, at Pat's place, A Doodad Kind of Town, the discussion of Lars von Trier's Dancer in the Dark begins at 10 a.m. on the East Coast. Don't miss out. If you haven't seen it yet go to the i-tunes store, rent it and watch it. The movie should spark passionate discussion if I know the TOERIFC members and I look forward to every minute of it. Join us today for TOERIFC's fifth movie, Dancer in the Dark. Hope to see you there.

Later on, things got a little crazy.

TOERIFIC May Reminder: Dancer in the Dark May 18th

This Monday, May 18th is the next installment of The Oldest Established Really Important Film Club (TOERIFC)to be hosted by Pat at her blog Doodad Kind of Town. The movie under discussion will be Dancer in the Dark, directed by Lars von Trier and starring Bjork, Catherine Deneuve and David Morse from 2000. Pat will give us the main write-up on the film and then the rest of us jump in and start discussing. So far the club has been a smashing success with slots for posting filled up through July of 2010 and I expect it to keep going. It's a one day organized yet intensive discussion that carries over into a couple of days afterwards but the main focus is on the first day and night. And I'm not just pushing my own club when I tell you that I honestly have walked away from each discussion with a fuller understanding of the film in question than I ever thought possible. So please stop by Pat's place on Monday if you'd like to take part in the discussion. You've still got three days to go rent or buy Dancer in the Dark and give it a look. As always, all we ask is that you come prepared by either seeing the movie recently or knowing it well enough to jump in. And that's it. Anyone can join in.

Also, Death Ray Daughters updates with its third installment tomorrow. It's a satirical 1950's serial that has just started recently and updates once a week. I've never tried my hand at an ongoing serial/radio play/soap opera before so we'll find out where it's heading together. Read the first two episodes before jumping in with number three tomorrow.

And The Invisible Edge is slowly becoming an odd experiment in performance art as JARVIS, the voice robot for the Edge, is now an official commenter (starting on the My Name is Max post) and will be a follower of every blog that follows The Invisible Edge so if you're one of the few, look for JARVIS to show up on your followers list soon.