#28: "the inherent absurdity of both setting and premise"
Welcome to issue #28 of THIS NEWSLETTER CANNOT SAVE YOU. A holiday note: issue #3 of this newsletter from last year's beta period included a "Scary Halloween Section of Scariness" which remains online if you missed it. I decided not to make it an annually recurring section because frankly I'm full up on existential horror at the moment, but if that's your bag, I suspect most of those selections are still as freaky now as they were a year ago.
Highlights From Scottoworld
My new book Wild Massive got its first advance trade review from Publishers Weekly earlier this week. Delighted to see they caught the spirit of the piece pretty much entirely.
(Be advised: you may see this book cover several more times as part of your regular subscription to this newsletter.)
My publicist highlighted her favorite pullquote from the review:
"Throughout this sprawling, ambitious romp, Moore draws from numerous perspectives and gleefully embraces the inherent absurdity of both setting and premise... Readers are in for a rollicking trip through the fun house."
Yep, they put that underneath my senior yearbook photo: most likely to embrace the inherent absurdity of both setting and premise. Anyway I'm increasingly excited to share this book with you. If you'd like to preorder a copy, the PW review page has a helpful "BUY THIS BOOK" button that would be happy to steer you to the retail vendor of your choice.
Scottovision
(from "World of Tomorrow")
"World of Tomorrow" (2015) - A month ago, filmmaker Don Hertzfeldt released this highly regarded animated short film on YouTube. During its initial release, it won over 40 film awards including the Grand Jury Prize for Short Film at Sundance, and scored an Academy Award nomination for Best Short Film as well. It's got a deceptively simple premise: "A little girl is taken on a mind-bending tour of her distant future." (You can probably hear me muttering "bold of you to assume we have a distant future," but roll with it.) The depiction is haunting and hilarious at the same time, cleverly integrating spontaneous questions and reactions from Hertzfeld's niece, Winona Mae, who was four years old at the time. Two sequels were produced, in 2017 and 2020; those films are available on Blu-Ray or behind paywalls on Vimeo and YouTube.
"Bohemian Rhapsody (live)" (2005) - Mnozil Brass is a seven-person brass ensemble that could credibly function as an a cappella ensemble if they decided to put down their instruments. If you experience only one more cover version of this track in your lifetime, let it be this outstanding arrangement & performance. From their excellent DVD Seven.
"Me and Michael" (2018) - A music video in which the band MGMT steals a song from another band - "Ako at si Michael" by the Filipino band True Faith. The MGMT version becomes a huge hit, making them mega rich and famous (or I guess richer and famouser), but also teaching them a valuable lesson in the end about the value of intellectual property in the capitalist world. Heartwarming stuff.
"Circle" (2022) - Jakob Jonas The Company, a combination dance troupe and film studio, recently released this sharp dance film channeling the fury and pace of modern life ("endless movement, self-exhaustion in a modern capitalistic based world") into a series of vignettes that span the rooftops of Mexico City.
"The Love and Death of Yosef and Zilli" (2021) - Official description: "Yosef and Zilli plan to take their lives together. The memories of their love and their planned death are brought to life through the videotapes of their youngest son, Doron." Director Dean Gold uses Doron's tapes as the core of his documentary short film, a sweet and sad elegy for a family in twilight.
"180Db" (2022) - In this new experimental music video directed by Nicolas Pomet, we learn, once again, that Aphex Twin is a very normal person.
"Rare: The Boy Who Cried Swag" (2022) - A potent whirlwind of a piece: ultra stylish fashion film, hyper edited music video, science fiction movie trailer, and blunt force social protest film all wrapped up into one jolting experience. Directing duo King She won three Young Director awards at Cannes for their high velocity portrait of a young model trying to escape the simulation, or better, control it.
"GENE - a (very) short film" (2022) - Even legendary rocker Gene Simmons has to go to the grocery store now and then.
"Stained Skin" (2022) - A partially animated short film, in which two women seemingly trapped as workers in a dystopian textile factory distract or perhaps inspire themselves by telling each other a dark fairy tale of rescue and retribution.
"Wait For The Basket (highlights)" (2022) - A brief montage of selections from juggler/actor Michael Rayner's ongoing series of juggling stunts featuring the face of Nicolas Cage.
Exit Music
A few weeks ago I created a YouTube playlist called "Porpoise Songs," which is the DEFINITIVE COLLECTION of notable audiovisual presentations of "PORPOISE SONG (THEME FROM 'HEAD')" written by Goffin/King. As per my usual custom, there was no particular reason this needed to happen. The tl;dr though is: this is my favorite version. Enjoy!
Here is the YouTube playlist featuring the recommendations from this issue. If you like this newsletter, consider passing it on to like-minded souls. I'm sure they'll (eventually) thank you for the courtesy.
Until next time, I remain your friendly correspondent, thinking of you,
Scotto
Scotto Moore is the author of BATTLE OF THE LINGUIST MAGES and YOUR FAVORITE BAND CANNOT SAVE YOU.