I really like borrowing DVDs from the video shop, but lately our video shop has gone to shit. There are very few DVDs for hire, but zillions for sale. It’s the same story with a few other video shops in Brunswick. It doesn’t make me happy – I’d much rather pop in to rent something, pay $6 (or $3 or whatever) and bring them back for other people. I don’t need to own the things.
But I guess I’m in the minority in Brunswick.
But since I started teaching media so full-on-ly, using so much AV stuff, I’ve gotten interested in film again. I’ve been picking up cheap DVDs when I see them. I never pay more than $10 for a single DVD, so it’s a bit like renting them. And I have a list of priorities – not just any old shit. Unless it’s 80s shit. I’m on an 80s film binge. I think it’s because I’m working with teenagers who don’t know who Molly Ringwald is. And I just can’t believe them.
I also like anything SF. Anything. And I like lady films – chick flicks. Because chick flicks are dialogue heavy, so you can listen to them while you crochet (pink and green afghans are go at our house, though they’re all beige to The Squeeze). I also like the cheeriness of chick flicks. I know I should be suspicious of their gender politics, but I like the character-centredness, the predictably reassuring plots. And how could I take this heternormativity seriously? It’s so insistent it’s difficult to really accept. So it’s kind of like playing dress ups – putting on Barbie clothes for a hour or so.
I have also been hunting down all the films by the following directors:
- Woody Allen
- Jim Jarmusch
- Robert Altman
- Coen Brothers
- Ang Lee
Going through the DVDs we do own, I rediscovered this one the other day:
Saving Face*, directed by Alice Wu. It’s a really lovely story about a young Chinese American dyke living in New York who falls in love with a lovely Chinese American ballet dancer. Her mum (Joan Chen!!!) gets pregnant and must come to live with her. The ‘saving face’ bit is about maintaining family honour.
I adore it.
It reminds me of Ang Lee’s Wedding Banquet.
I’m also very fond of films like The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love. Lady films with lots of dialogue, happy endings and kissing. I like the kissing bits.
I’m also watching the TV version of Tales of the City. I’d loved it when it was on telly, and I remember reading all the books/stories. It’s not quite as good as I remember, but I do like it. More kissing. Lots of boobs. Great 70s frock action. Tight pants. Big hair. Ace.
I found a whole bunch of DVDs in the second hand shop in Moonee Ponds for sale. I suspect some of them were films that someone forgot to return. Or just outmoded stock. It’s making me happy. $6 is what I’d pay for a new release, and when that gets you your very own copy of Gosfod Park, the world is a very lovely place.
I haven’t seen a film at the cinema in ages and ages. But that’s because I haven’t had time. But these DVDs are getting me through. Could be a bit ob-con (a bit like this rash of blogging), and I am doing a lot of crocheting. Also managed to squeeze in time to make a nice very dark grey zip-up hoody with black and white striped hood-lining and pocket and red bias trip around the hood and zip. It’s loose, very soft and very nice and warm. Made in that tracksuit fleece – looks like cotton knit on the outside, all fuzzy inside. Cheap fabric, only $4 a metre (150 wide) but all cotton and very, very pleasing.
I have been wearing it with long black shorts and my uncool converse sandshoes. No, not gym boots, but uncool cheapies. Black ‘velveteen’. The students are unimpressed. I am inordinately proud of them – I remember my first red and blue pair back in the early 90s when they were cool. I like the wide round toe. I even like the black velveteen. I am also wearing my one pair of ill-fitting home made jeans to bits. And threadless Tshirts. Unfortunately all this academia has led to very little dancing, so I’m getting really really fat. Luckily it doesn’t matter how big my arse is, because my brain is really big. But it does mean that I have a limited wardrobe atm, and no time to make more clothes. A conundrum. Guess all the sitting about on that wide, comfortable load watching DVDs doesn’t help.
*guess this made me think of it.