----
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H.H. Holmes
'In 1887, a druggist was a chemist and most drugstores were rather crowded places that were stocked with all manner of elixirs and potions. When Dr. H. H. Holmes compounded even the simplest prescription, he did so with a flourish, as if he were an alchemist in the midst of some arcane ritual. His long, pale fingers moved with a surgeon’s skill, his handsome face grew intense and his blue eyes grew bright. But he was no means a socially inept scientist, he was a gentleman of fashion and charming of manner. His politeness and humorous remarks brought many new customers into the drug store, especially the ladies in the neighborhood. In addition, he kept a sharp eye on the account books as well and was concerned with the profit the store was making. He was, in short, the perfect assistant to the proprietress.
'It was not long before Holmes seemed to be more the manager of the store and less the prescription clerk. He began to spend more and more time working with the ledgers and chatting pleasantly with the ladies who came into the place, some of whom took a very long time to make a very small purchase. Dr. Holmes became a familiar figure as he strolled with his stick down 63rd Street, the main thoroughfare of Englewood. He appeared to be heading for a leading position in the local business community.
![]()
'Trade at the drug store continued to improve, making Mrs. Dr. Holden exceedingly happy. But as for Holmes, he was still not satisfied with his lot and he had many plans and visions that drove him onward. Strangely, in 1887, Mrs. Dr. Holden vanished without a trace. A short time after, Holmes announced that he had purchased the store from the widow, just prior to her "moving out west". The unfortunate lady had (not surprisingly) left no forwarding address.
'Two years later, he acquired a large lot across the street from the drug store and began construction on an enormous edifice that he planned to operate as a hotel for the upcoming Columbian Exposition in 1893. There are no records to say what Holmes decided to call this building but for generations of police officers, crime enthusiasts and unnerved residents of Englewood, it was known simply by one name -- "The Murder Castle".
![]()
The Murder Castle
'The building was an imposing structure of three stories and a basement, with false battlements and wooden bay windows that were covered with sheet iron. There were over 60 rooms in the structure and 51 doors that were cut oddly into various walls. Holmes acted as his own architect for the place and he personally supervised the numerous construction crews, all of whom were quickly hired and fired, discharging them with great fury and refusing to pay their wages. As far as the police were able to learn, he never paid a cent for any of the materials that went into the building. In addition to the eccentric general design, the house was also fitted with trap doors, hidden staircases, secret passages, rooms without windows, chutes that led into the basement and a staircase that opened out over a steep drop to the alley behind the house.
'The first floor of the building contained stores and shops, while the upper floors could be used for spacious living quarters. Holmes also had an office on the second floor, but most of the rooms were to be used for guests -- guests that would never be seen again. Evidence would later be found to show that Holmes used some of the rooms as "asphyxiation chambers", where his victims were suffocated with gas. Other chambers were lined with iron plates and had blowtorch-like devices fitted into the walls. In the basement, Holmes installed a dissecting table and maintained his own crematory. There was also an acid vat and pits filled with quicklime, where bodies could be conveniently disposed of.
![]()
'All of his "prison rooms" were fitted with alarms that buzzed in Holmes’ quarters if a victim attempted to escape. It has come to be believed that many of his victims were held captive for months before their deaths.
'The castle was completed in 1892 and soon after, Holmes announced that he planned to rent out some of the rooms to tourists who would be arriving in mass for the upcoming Columbian Exposition. It is surmised that many of these tourists never returned home after the fair, but no one knows for sure. The list of the "missing" when the Fair closed was a long one and for most, foul play was suspected. How many of them fell prey to Holmes is a mystery but no fewer than 50 people who were reported to the police as missing were traced to the place. Here, their trails ended…
![]()
![]()
![]()
Exposed
'Eventually, Holmes was arrested for murder, and the door was open for Chicago detectives to search Holmes’ residence in the Windy City. Holmes had struck them as a complicated, secretive man, and they were sure that the remaining answers that they were seeking could be found inside of the Castle. Several police officers entered the place -- and neither they nor the veteran investigators who soon joined them would ever forget what they found there!
'Detectives devoted several weeks to searching and making a floor plan of the Castle. The bottom floor had been used by Holmes himself as a drug store, a candy store, a restaurant and a jewelry store. The third floor of the building had been divided into small apartments and guest rooms and apparently, had never been used.
![]()
'The second floor however proved to be a labyrinth of narrow, winding passages with doors that opened to brick walls, hidden stairways, cleverly concealed doors, blind hallways, secret panels, hidden passages and a clandestine vault that was only a big enough for a person to stand in. The room was alleged to be a homemade "gas chamber", equipped with a chute that would carry a body directly into the basement. The investigators suddenly realized the implications of the iron-plated chamber when they found the single, scuffed mark of a footprint on the inside of the door. It was a small print that had been made by a woman who had attempted to escape the grim fate of the tiny room.
'In addition to all of the bizarre additions to the floor, the second level also held 35 guest rooms. Half of them were fitted as ordinary sleeping chambers, and there were indications that they had been occupied by the various women who worked for Holmes, by tenants during the Fair or by the luckless females Holmes had seduced while waiting for an opportunity to kill them. Several of the other rooms were without windows or could be made air tight by closing the doors. Others were lined with sheet iron and asbestos with scorch marks on the walls, fitted with trap doors that led to smaller rooms beneath, or were equipped with lethal gas jets that could be used to suffocate or burn the unsuspecting occupants.
![]()
'This floor also contained Holmes’ private apartment, consisting of a bedroom, a bath and two small chambers that were used as offices. The apartment was located at the front of the building, looking out over 63rd Street. In the floor of the bathroom, concealed under a heavy rug, the police found a trap door and a stairway that descended to a room about eight feet square. Two doors led off this chamber, one to a stairway that exited out onto the street and the other giving access to the chute that led down to the basement.
'The "chamber of horrors" in the basement stunned the men even further. This subterranean chamber was located seven feet below the rest of the building and extended out under the sidewalk in front. Here, they found Holmes’ blood-spattered dissecting table, his gleaming surgical instruments, his macabre "laboratory" of torture devices, various jars of poison and even a wooden box that contained a number of female skeletons. Built into one of the walls was a crematorium, with a heavy iron grate to hold the fire and another grate, fitted with rollers, by which a body could be slid into the flames. The crematoriums still contained ash and portions of bone that had not burned in the intense heat. A search of the ashes also revealed a watch that had belonged to a known missing child, some buttons from a dress and several charred tintype photographs. Under the staircase, they also found a ball made from women’s hair that had been carefully wrapped in cloth.
![]()
'Buried in the floor, the police found a huge vat of corrosive acid and two quicklime pits, which were capable of devouring an entire body in a matter of hours. A loose pile of quicklime was also discovered in a small room that had been built into the corner. The naked footprint of woman was found embedded in the pile. In a hole in the middle of the floor, more bones were found. After being examined by a physician, they were believed to be the bones of a small child between the ages of six and eight.
'On July 20, some city workers began excavating the cellar and started a tunnel underneath 63rd Street. The hazy smell of gas hung in the air and as the men tore away one wall, they discovered a large tank or metal-lined chamber. As soon as they broke through, the basement was filled with the stench of death, driving the crew back. Noting the metal lining of the tank, they sent for a plumber and he struck a match to peer inside of it. Suddenly, the tank exploded, shaking the building and sending flames out into the basement. The men were buried in piles of debris but no one was seriously injured. The tank was lined with wood and metal and was 14 feet long, although thanks to the explosion, no one will ever know that it was used for. The only clue in the room was a small box that was found in its center. When it was opened by Fire Marshal James Kenyon, an "evil smelling" vapor rushed out. The gathered men ran, except for Kenyon, who was overpowered by the stench. According to the New York World, "he was dragged out and carried upstairs, and for two hours acted like one demented."
![]()
The End
'Following the excavation, and the discovery and cataloguing of Holmes’ potential victims, the "Murder Castle" (as it came to be called) sat empty for several months. Not surprisingly, it drew onlookers and curiosity-seekers from all over the city. The newspapers were not yet filled with stories and illustrations about Holmes’ devious crimes but rumors had quickly spread about what had been discovered there. The people of Chicago were stunned that such things could take place -- and in their glorious city! The people of the Englewood neighborhood watched the sightseers with a combination of fear and loathing, sickened over the terrible things that brought the crowds to their streets.
'Then, on August 19, the Castle burned to the ground. Three explosions thundered through the neighborhood just after midnight and minutes later, a blaze erupted from the abandoned structure. In less than an hour, the roof had caved in and the walls began to collapse in onto themselves. A gas can was discovered among the smoldering ruins and rumors argued back and forth between an accomplice of Holmes’ burning down the house to hide his role in the horror and the arson being committed by an outraged neighbor. The mystery was never solved, but regardless, the Castle was gone for good.'-- collaged from various sources
![]()
The site of the Murder Castle today
Extra, extra
*
p.s. Hey. The shooting of Zac's and my film is now complete. Onto collating and organizing the footage and then editing it into the thing. Lots left to do, but it's getting realer. ** Tuesday ** David Ehrenstein, Hi. Sterling film list, of course. Nice to see some shares. And a handful in there that I've never seen and have now earmarked, thank you! ** Keaton, Hey. Sweet film list. Very eclectic in the good way. Biggest surprise: 'I, Robot'. Thanks! ** MyNeighbourJohnTurtorro, Hi. Really great list. A lot of commonality and films I would have slotted into mine had my mind been sharper when I automatic-compiled it. Yeah, excellent. The only film on your list that I'm not a big fan of is 'Querelle', but I haven't re-watched it in ages. ** Sypha, Hi, James. Cool, thanks for the list, James. 'Patriot Games' kind of popped out. I should see or re-see it or something? ** Etc etc etc, Hi. Oh, really, the Wes Andersons inclusions surprised you? I would think his intricacy would make him an obvious like for me. Yeah, I'm a huge fan of his films. I don't know 'The Comedy'. I'll check it out. 'Act of Killing', yeah, fantastic. And 'The Great Beauty' too, which I saw only watched the other day. Thanks! ** Hyemin Kim, Hi, Filming went really surprisingly well. We finished a day early. Very unexpected. I'll remember to ask Gisele to give me a 'Pyre' booklet the next time I see her, yeah. I hope your working is going really well. ** Thomas Moronic, Hi, T. Very cool film list, natch. 'The Canyons', really? I've been skipping seeing that like the plague. Hm, okay, maybe I'll try it. ** Kier, Howdy, K! Pretty impeccable list, to my mind. 'Morvern Callar', nice, I forgot about that. I need to watch 'Death Proof' again. I was really disappointed when I saw it, except for Kurt Russell, who was amazing, but I can't remember why. Anyway, your list wasn't trashy at all! I'm sort of determined to get into beets. Not liking them feels codgerly or something. We did end up getting enough extras, and they played their weirded-out crowd roles perfectly. I was sleepy all day yesterday. Couldn't shake it off. And I am today too. I hope I'm not getting one of those colds that patiently lets you finish what you're working on and then pounces. ** Chilly Jay Chill, Hi, Jeff. Thanks! The scene went really well. It was the one Zac and I were most scared to death of, and it ended up being the easiest to shoot of them all. Weird. Great film list! All kind of things therein that made me slap my memory in hindsight. ** _Black_Acrylic, Hi, Ben. thanks for rattling off your fave films. Can't argue with a one. ** Misanthrope, Hi, G. Mm, I've never had a bad meal at Panchitos, but I've never had more than an acceptable one either. God knows why I dig the place so much. Thanks for your films. I've never seen 'Freddy Got Fingered'. Can you believe that? ** Mark Gluth, Hi, Mark! Cool, cool, cool! About your imminent book. Don't forget that I want to do a big birth post here when the time comes. You turned 40, congrats! That is a weird age to turn psychologically. I remember being very weirded out when that happened. But the 40s are kind of awesome, as I recall. Lovely list, thank you. I forgot Whit Stillman! ** Chris Dankland, Hi, Chris! Always super great to see you! Thank you for the great film faves list! I'm just about to get back to dedicated work on my novel after being forced to let it gather in my head space almost entirely for months, and I'm raring to go. Interesting about the short stories and your diminished feeling for the novel. Yeah, you know this, but you should always write about what's exciting to write about. Or that's what I always do. Even within a novel or long project that had seemed to have a particular build and route when you started it that doesn't hold your interest anymore. Well, the 'it chooses you' thing, yeah, totally. I totally believe that too. Really, really nice to see you! ** Rewritedept, Hi, C. Very cool film list, thank you, man. Oh, fuck, about getting fired and the probable nefarious reason. Shit. What a fucking sleazy prick. Yikes, man. So sorry. ** Wednesday ** David Ehrenstein, I would imagine so. ** Etc etc etc, Hi. Yeah, I think they had some of Houdini's stuff in the Paris magic museum. Next time. Chris Angel ... no, I don't think I was, but I hardly ever saw him or watched his stuff, so I never knew enough about him to figure him out. I do remember thinking it was cool when he friended me Facebook. Is he still out there doing that thing he does? ** Thomas Moronic, Cool, thanks, T! ** Kier, Hi, K. What kind of new shoes? 'The Body' is probably my favorite 'Buffy' episode ever. It's brilliant and really kid of devastating. ** Keaton, Hi, man. Yeah, I feel like I learned half of the stuff I know watching magic shows when I was a kid. It's weird. ** Rewritedept, Good question about the pluralization. I could look it up, but I like the mystery. I was actually surprised there weren't more comedies on your list. ** Thursday **
Chris Dankland, Hi, Chris! Oh, wow, holy shit! That t-shirt thing. That's crazy and cool! Everyone, Mr, Chris Dankland noticed and reblogged (on the estimable Alt Lit Gossip) this cool thing in which the notion of a t-shirt with my name on it is kind of taken to the sublime or something? Thank you for finding and fronting that, man. ** David Ehrenstein, I thought so too! ** Kier, Hi. Oh, fuck, man. That so sucks and is so ugly and stupid of that retrogressive asshole. I mean, you know this, but that's nothing but a screaming self-indictment on her part. She's obviously the one who's fucked in the head, and I'm sure everyone else at work knows that's glaringly obvious. But, still, that's so unnecessarily painful. The sad truth is that there are a lot of frightened, ignorant, selfish people who process their fear by lashing out at anything/one who challenges their fragile sense of security and self-worth, and try to remember that it's entirely about them and not about you or about whatever it is that triggers their realization that they can't control the world. I hope she stays away forever. Or I hope she figures out that her fear of things she can't immediately recognize is doing nothing but preventing her from feeling inspired and excited. Big hugs to you, Kier. Try to shake it off, you can. ** Bill, Hi, Bill. Yes, I think there are Houdini automatons on show in a few different places in Paris, if I'm remember right. How was your gig? ** Steevee, Great words and thoughts to Kier, obviously, thank you. ** L@rstonovich, Hey amigo, indeed! Thanks a bunch for the list. It wasn't late for me since I'm seeing all of them today. Cool mix of stuff. 'Reflections In A Golden Eye': that's a really good call, for instance. Awesome! You good? I've missed you, buddy. ** _Black_Acrylic, Hi, Ben, thanks a lot! Cool about the Art101 movement! Onwards and way upwards! ** Keaton, That's a great one, right? ** Thomas Moronic, Hi. Yeah, he/she really should do a sequel. Mrs. Santa Claus, if you're still out there, please oh please do a sequel, thank you! ** Rewritedept, All thanks to the mighty Mrs. Clause, but thank you! ** Okay. Because I thought I would be filming today, you get another rerun. Hope you like it. I will see you with a new post tomorrow.
H.H. Holmes
'In 1887, a druggist was a chemist and most drugstores were rather crowded places that were stocked with all manner of elixirs and potions. When Dr. H. H. Holmes compounded even the simplest prescription, he did so with a flourish, as if he were an alchemist in the midst of some arcane ritual. His long, pale fingers moved with a surgeon’s skill, his handsome face grew intense and his blue eyes grew bright. But he was no means a socially inept scientist, he was a gentleman of fashion and charming of manner. His politeness and humorous remarks brought many new customers into the drug store, especially the ladies in the neighborhood. In addition, he kept a sharp eye on the account books as well and was concerned with the profit the store was making. He was, in short, the perfect assistant to the proprietress.
'It was not long before Holmes seemed to be more the manager of the store and less the prescription clerk. He began to spend more and more time working with the ledgers and chatting pleasantly with the ladies who came into the place, some of whom took a very long time to make a very small purchase. Dr. Holmes became a familiar figure as he strolled with his stick down 63rd Street, the main thoroughfare of Englewood. He appeared to be heading for a leading position in the local business community.
'Trade at the drug store continued to improve, making Mrs. Dr. Holden exceedingly happy. But as for Holmes, he was still not satisfied with his lot and he had many plans and visions that drove him onward. Strangely, in 1887, Mrs. Dr. Holden vanished without a trace. A short time after, Holmes announced that he had purchased the store from the widow, just prior to her "moving out west". The unfortunate lady had (not surprisingly) left no forwarding address.
'Two years later, he acquired a large lot across the street from the drug store and began construction on an enormous edifice that he planned to operate as a hotel for the upcoming Columbian Exposition in 1893. There are no records to say what Holmes decided to call this building but for generations of police officers, crime enthusiasts and unnerved residents of Englewood, it was known simply by one name -- "The Murder Castle".
The Murder Castle
'The building was an imposing structure of three stories and a basement, with false battlements and wooden bay windows that were covered with sheet iron. There were over 60 rooms in the structure and 51 doors that were cut oddly into various walls. Holmes acted as his own architect for the place and he personally supervised the numerous construction crews, all of whom were quickly hired and fired, discharging them with great fury and refusing to pay their wages. As far as the police were able to learn, he never paid a cent for any of the materials that went into the building. In addition to the eccentric general design, the house was also fitted with trap doors, hidden staircases, secret passages, rooms without windows, chutes that led into the basement and a staircase that opened out over a steep drop to the alley behind the house.
'The first floor of the building contained stores and shops, while the upper floors could be used for spacious living quarters. Holmes also had an office on the second floor, but most of the rooms were to be used for guests -- guests that would never be seen again. Evidence would later be found to show that Holmes used some of the rooms as "asphyxiation chambers", where his victims were suffocated with gas. Other chambers were lined with iron plates and had blowtorch-like devices fitted into the walls. In the basement, Holmes installed a dissecting table and maintained his own crematory. There was also an acid vat and pits filled with quicklime, where bodies could be conveniently disposed of.
'All of his "prison rooms" were fitted with alarms that buzzed in Holmes’ quarters if a victim attempted to escape. It has come to be believed that many of his victims were held captive for months before their deaths.
'The castle was completed in 1892 and soon after, Holmes announced that he planned to rent out some of the rooms to tourists who would be arriving in mass for the upcoming Columbian Exposition. It is surmised that many of these tourists never returned home after the fair, but no one knows for sure. The list of the "missing" when the Fair closed was a long one and for most, foul play was suspected. How many of them fell prey to Holmes is a mystery but no fewer than 50 people who were reported to the police as missing were traced to the place. Here, their trails ended…
Exposed
'Eventually, Holmes was arrested for murder, and the door was open for Chicago detectives to search Holmes’ residence in the Windy City. Holmes had struck them as a complicated, secretive man, and they were sure that the remaining answers that they were seeking could be found inside of the Castle. Several police officers entered the place -- and neither they nor the veteran investigators who soon joined them would ever forget what they found there!
'Detectives devoted several weeks to searching and making a floor plan of the Castle. The bottom floor had been used by Holmes himself as a drug store, a candy store, a restaurant and a jewelry store. The third floor of the building had been divided into small apartments and guest rooms and apparently, had never been used.
'The second floor however proved to be a labyrinth of narrow, winding passages with doors that opened to brick walls, hidden stairways, cleverly concealed doors, blind hallways, secret panels, hidden passages and a clandestine vault that was only a big enough for a person to stand in. The room was alleged to be a homemade "gas chamber", equipped with a chute that would carry a body directly into the basement. The investigators suddenly realized the implications of the iron-plated chamber when they found the single, scuffed mark of a footprint on the inside of the door. It was a small print that had been made by a woman who had attempted to escape the grim fate of the tiny room.
'In addition to all of the bizarre additions to the floor, the second level also held 35 guest rooms. Half of them were fitted as ordinary sleeping chambers, and there were indications that they had been occupied by the various women who worked for Holmes, by tenants during the Fair or by the luckless females Holmes had seduced while waiting for an opportunity to kill them. Several of the other rooms were without windows or could be made air tight by closing the doors. Others were lined with sheet iron and asbestos with scorch marks on the walls, fitted with trap doors that led to smaller rooms beneath, or were equipped with lethal gas jets that could be used to suffocate or burn the unsuspecting occupants.
'This floor also contained Holmes’ private apartment, consisting of a bedroom, a bath and two small chambers that were used as offices. The apartment was located at the front of the building, looking out over 63rd Street. In the floor of the bathroom, concealed under a heavy rug, the police found a trap door and a stairway that descended to a room about eight feet square. Two doors led off this chamber, one to a stairway that exited out onto the street and the other giving access to the chute that led down to the basement.
'The "chamber of horrors" in the basement stunned the men even further. This subterranean chamber was located seven feet below the rest of the building and extended out under the sidewalk in front. Here, they found Holmes’ blood-spattered dissecting table, his gleaming surgical instruments, his macabre "laboratory" of torture devices, various jars of poison and even a wooden box that contained a number of female skeletons. Built into one of the walls was a crematorium, with a heavy iron grate to hold the fire and another grate, fitted with rollers, by which a body could be slid into the flames. The crematoriums still contained ash and portions of bone that had not burned in the intense heat. A search of the ashes also revealed a watch that had belonged to a known missing child, some buttons from a dress and several charred tintype photographs. Under the staircase, they also found a ball made from women’s hair that had been carefully wrapped in cloth.
'Buried in the floor, the police found a huge vat of corrosive acid and two quicklime pits, which were capable of devouring an entire body in a matter of hours. A loose pile of quicklime was also discovered in a small room that had been built into the corner. The naked footprint of woman was found embedded in the pile. In a hole in the middle of the floor, more bones were found. After being examined by a physician, they were believed to be the bones of a small child between the ages of six and eight.
'On July 20, some city workers began excavating the cellar and started a tunnel underneath 63rd Street. The hazy smell of gas hung in the air and as the men tore away one wall, they discovered a large tank or metal-lined chamber. As soon as they broke through, the basement was filled with the stench of death, driving the crew back. Noting the metal lining of the tank, they sent for a plumber and he struck a match to peer inside of it. Suddenly, the tank exploded, shaking the building and sending flames out into the basement. The men were buried in piles of debris but no one was seriously injured. The tank was lined with wood and metal and was 14 feet long, although thanks to the explosion, no one will ever know that it was used for. The only clue in the room was a small box that was found in its center. When it was opened by Fire Marshal James Kenyon, an "evil smelling" vapor rushed out. The gathered men ran, except for Kenyon, who was overpowered by the stench. According to the New York World, "he was dragged out and carried upstairs, and for two hours acted like one demented."
The End
'Following the excavation, and the discovery and cataloguing of Holmes’ potential victims, the "Murder Castle" (as it came to be called) sat empty for several months. Not surprisingly, it drew onlookers and curiosity-seekers from all over the city. The newspapers were not yet filled with stories and illustrations about Holmes’ devious crimes but rumors had quickly spread about what had been discovered there. The people of Chicago were stunned that such things could take place -- and in their glorious city! The people of the Englewood neighborhood watched the sightseers with a combination of fear and loathing, sickened over the terrible things that brought the crowds to their streets.
'Then, on August 19, the Castle burned to the ground. Three explosions thundered through the neighborhood just after midnight and minutes later, a blaze erupted from the abandoned structure. In less than an hour, the roof had caved in and the walls began to collapse in onto themselves. A gas can was discovered among the smoldering ruins and rumors argued back and forth between an accomplice of Holmes’ burning down the house to hide his role in the horror and the arson being committed by an outraged neighbor. The mystery was never solved, but regardless, the Castle was gone for good.'-- collaged from various sources
The site of the Murder Castle today
Extra, extra
*
p.s. Hey. The shooting of Zac's and my film is now complete. Onto collating and organizing the footage and then editing it into the thing. Lots left to do, but it's getting realer. ** Tuesday ** David Ehrenstein, Hi. Sterling film list, of course. Nice to see some shares. And a handful in there that I've never seen and have now earmarked, thank you! ** Keaton, Hey. Sweet film list. Very eclectic in the good way. Biggest surprise: 'I, Robot'. Thanks! ** MyNeighbourJohnTurtorro, Hi. Really great list. A lot of commonality and films I would have slotted into mine had my mind been sharper when I automatic-compiled it. Yeah, excellent. The only film on your list that I'm not a big fan of is 'Querelle', but I haven't re-watched it in ages. ** Sypha, Hi, James. Cool, thanks for the list, James. 'Patriot Games' kind of popped out. I should see or re-see it or something? ** Etc etc etc, Hi. Oh, really, the Wes Andersons inclusions surprised you? I would think his intricacy would make him an obvious like for me. Yeah, I'm a huge fan of his films. I don't know 'The Comedy'. I'll check it out. 'Act of Killing', yeah, fantastic. And 'The Great Beauty' too, which I saw only watched the other day. Thanks! ** Hyemin Kim, Hi, Filming went really surprisingly well. We finished a day early. Very unexpected. I'll remember to ask Gisele to give me a 'Pyre' booklet the next time I see her, yeah. I hope your working is going really well. ** Thomas Moronic, Hi, T. Very cool film list, natch. 'The Canyons', really? I've been skipping seeing that like the plague. Hm, okay, maybe I'll try it. ** Kier, Howdy, K! Pretty impeccable list, to my mind. 'Morvern Callar', nice, I forgot about that. I need to watch 'Death Proof' again. I was really disappointed when I saw it, except for Kurt Russell, who was amazing, but I can't remember why. Anyway, your list wasn't trashy at all! I'm sort of determined to get into beets. Not liking them feels codgerly or something. We did end up getting enough extras, and they played their weirded-out crowd roles perfectly. I was sleepy all day yesterday. Couldn't shake it off. And I am today too. I hope I'm not getting one of those colds that patiently lets you finish what you're working on and then pounces. ** Chilly Jay Chill, Hi, Jeff. Thanks! The scene went really well. It was the one Zac and I were most scared to death of, and it ended up being the easiest to shoot of them all. Weird. Great film list! All kind of things therein that made me slap my memory in hindsight. ** _Black_Acrylic, Hi, Ben. thanks for rattling off your fave films. Can't argue with a one. ** Misanthrope, Hi, G. Mm, I've never had a bad meal at Panchitos, but I've never had more than an acceptable one either. God knows why I dig the place so much. Thanks for your films. I've never seen 'Freddy Got Fingered'. Can you believe that? ** Mark Gluth, Hi, Mark! Cool, cool, cool! About your imminent book. Don't forget that I want to do a big birth post here when the time comes. You turned 40, congrats! That is a weird age to turn psychologically. I remember being very weirded out when that happened. But the 40s are kind of awesome, as I recall. Lovely list, thank you. I forgot Whit Stillman! ** Chris Dankland, Hi, Chris! Always super great to see you! Thank you for the great film faves list! I'm just about to get back to dedicated work on my novel after being forced to let it gather in my head space almost entirely for months, and I'm raring to go. Interesting about the short stories and your diminished feeling for the novel. Yeah, you know this, but you should always write about what's exciting to write about. Or that's what I always do. Even within a novel or long project that had seemed to have a particular build and route when you started it that doesn't hold your interest anymore. Well, the 'it chooses you' thing, yeah, totally. I totally believe that too. Really, really nice to see you! ** Rewritedept, Hi, C. Very cool film list, thank you, man. Oh, fuck, about getting fired and the probable nefarious reason. Shit. What a fucking sleazy prick. Yikes, man. So sorry. ** Wednesday ** David Ehrenstein, I would imagine so. ** Etc etc etc, Hi. Yeah, I think they had some of Houdini's stuff in the Paris magic museum. Next time. Chris Angel ... no, I don't think I was, but I hardly ever saw him or watched his stuff, so I never knew enough about him to figure him out. I do remember thinking it was cool when he friended me Facebook. Is he still out there doing that thing he does? ** Thomas Moronic, Cool, thanks, T! ** Kier, Hi, K. What kind of new shoes? 'The Body' is probably my favorite 'Buffy' episode ever. It's brilliant and really kid of devastating. ** Keaton, Hi, man. Yeah, I feel like I learned half of the stuff I know watching magic shows when I was a kid. It's weird. ** Rewritedept, Good question about the pluralization. I could look it up, but I like the mystery. I was actually surprised there weren't more comedies on your list. ** Thursday **
Chris Dankland, Hi, Chris! Oh, wow, holy shit! That t-shirt thing. That's crazy and cool! Everyone, Mr, Chris Dankland noticed and reblogged (on the estimable Alt Lit Gossip) this cool thing in which the notion of a t-shirt with my name on it is kind of taken to the sublime or something? Thank you for finding and fronting that, man. ** David Ehrenstein, I thought so too! ** Kier, Hi. Oh, fuck, man. That so sucks and is so ugly and stupid of that retrogressive asshole. I mean, you know this, but that's nothing but a screaming self-indictment on her part. She's obviously the one who's fucked in the head, and I'm sure everyone else at work knows that's glaringly obvious. But, still, that's so unnecessarily painful. The sad truth is that there are a lot of frightened, ignorant, selfish people who process their fear by lashing out at anything/one who challenges their fragile sense of security and self-worth, and try to remember that it's entirely about them and not about you or about whatever it is that triggers their realization that they can't control the world. I hope she stays away forever. Or I hope she figures out that her fear of things she can't immediately recognize is doing nothing but preventing her from feeling inspired and excited. Big hugs to you, Kier. Try to shake it off, you can. ** Bill, Hi, Bill. Yes, I think there are Houdini automatons on show in a few different places in Paris, if I'm remember right. How was your gig? ** Steevee, Great words and thoughts to Kier, obviously, thank you. ** L@rstonovich, Hey amigo, indeed! Thanks a bunch for the list. It wasn't late for me since I'm seeing all of them today. Cool mix of stuff. 'Reflections In A Golden Eye': that's a really good call, for instance. Awesome! You good? I've missed you, buddy. ** _Black_Acrylic, Hi, Ben, thanks a lot! Cool about the Art101 movement! Onwards and way upwards! ** Keaton, That's a great one, right? ** Thomas Moronic, Hi. Yeah, he/she really should do a sequel. Mrs. Santa Claus, if you're still out there, please oh please do a sequel, thank you! ** Rewritedept, All thanks to the mighty Mrs. Clause, but thank you! ** Okay. Because I thought I would be filming today, you get another rerun. Hope you like it. I will see you with a new post tomorrow.