Christopher Smets
@cwsmets.bsky.social
Used bookstore peruser. Early morning movie watcher. Director of THE ASHGROVE EXPERIMENT. Other stuff.
https://vimeo.com/user13597261
https://vimeo.com/user13597261
When I was a kid and "The Heart of Rock & Roll" by Huey Lewis and the News came on Canadian radio, during the fadeout vamp at the end, Huey would yell "Toronto!" and "Montreal!" I just figured it was some radio-only thing, but I didn't know it was actually released as a beautiful red vinyl 45.
November 21, 2025 at 2:09 PM
When I was a kid and "The Heart of Rock & Roll" by Huey Lewis and the News came on Canadian radio, during the fadeout vamp at the end, Huey would yell "Toronto!" and "Montreal!" I just figured it was some radio-only thing, but I didn't know it was actually released as a beautiful red vinyl 45.
The small sections of text we get to see in THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS are really something. I chuckled at the last line here: "And so they traveled, forward, onward, towards dramas the outlines of which blurred in the dozing of the man, and were by the chicken dimly surmised."
November 17, 2025 at 4:59 AM
The small sections of text we get to see in THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS are really something. I chuckled at the last line here: "And so they traveled, forward, onward, towards dramas the outlines of which blurred in the dozing of the man, and were by the chicken dimly surmised."
When I watched DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS a few years ago, my immediate thought was, oh, is this where the Coen Brothers got the ending for "The Mortal Remains" in THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS? It feels like something they might have watched as kids that got lodged in their subconscious.
November 17, 2025 at 4:51 AM
When I watched DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS a few years ago, my immediate thought was, oh, is this where the Coen Brothers got the ending for "The Mortal Remains" in THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS? It feels like something they might have watched as kids that got lodged in their subconscious.
I was trying to figure out who Max Scherzer reminds me of and I think it's this guy.
October 17, 2025 at 2:22 AM
I was trying to figure out who Max Scherzer reminds me of and I think it's this guy.
Vern is maybe the biggest Parker fan there is, and he's 100% right about the way the character comes across in PLAY DIRTY. The backstory stuff with Parker -- a huge divergence from the cold-blooded, present tense tone of the books -- made me think of this passage from Sidney Lumet's Making Movies.
![From Sidney Lumet's Making Movies: In the early days of television, when the “kitchen sink” school of realism held sway, we always reached a point where we “explained” the character. Around two-thirds of the way through, someone articulated the psychological truth that made the character the person he was. [Paddy] Chayefsky and I used to call this the “rubber-ducky” school of drama: “Someone once took his rubber ducky away from him, and that’s why he’s a deranged killer.” That was the fashion then, and with many producers and studios it still is.
I always try to eliminate the rubber-ducky explanations. A character should be clear from his present actions. And his behavior as the picture goes on should reveal the psychological motivations. If the writer has to state the reasons, something’s wrong in the way the character has been written.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:7p5qrbcntdtp4dxmcq4o4jzr/bafkreifi5lxig27ef5u4fb6pfo2gh4yxz5qul7ex2fkrg4rq4yrx235ivq@jpeg)
October 3, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Vern is maybe the biggest Parker fan there is, and he's 100% right about the way the character comes across in PLAY DIRTY. The backstory stuff with Parker -- a huge divergence from the cold-blooded, present tense tone of the books -- made me think of this passage from Sidney Lumet's Making Movies.
The ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER post-screening Q&A that Spielberg did with Paul Thomas Anderson is up and it's very sweet, probably 75% of it is just Spielberg describing cool things that happen in the movie and PTA laughing.
October 2, 2025 at 1:22 AM
The ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER post-screening Q&A that Spielberg did with Paul Thomas Anderson is up and it's very sweet, probably 75% of it is just Spielberg describing cool things that happen in the movie and PTA laughing.
I just found this quote in an old interview with Tom Noonan about his writing career, and now I need to know what other screenplays this character wound up in.
September 15, 2025 at 12:31 AM
I just found this quote in an old interview with Tom Noonan about his writing career, and now I need to know what other screenplays this character wound up in.
"Hey Ray, do you ever wear one that says undercover?"
September 12, 2025 at 5:29 AM
"Hey Ray, do you ever wear one that says undercover?"
Everyone's at TIFF but at least I got to see a pristine 35mm print of OUT OF SIGHT at the Revue with my wife. Perfect evening.
September 7, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Everyone's at TIFF but at least I got to see a pristine 35mm print of OUT OF SIGHT at the Revue with my wife. Perfect evening.
Dude sounds like the cover of a Mack Bolan paperback.
September 5, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Dude sounds like the cover of a Mack Bolan paperback.
Meanwhile over at The Other Place, Pierre Poilievre is posting rejected taglines from ROBOCOP.
August 21, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Meanwhile over at The Other Place, Pierre Poilievre is posting rejected taglines from ROBOCOP.
Found this ad in an old '70s comic book today and it's really something.
August 14, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Found this ad in an old '70s comic book today and it's really something.
Post one of the most haunting shots in movie history from a film made before the year 2000
August 12, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Post one of the most haunting shots in movie history from a film made before the year 2000
Finally watched Jerry Schatzberg's SCARECROW today and it's terrific. Some silent movie-level character comedy that turns quietly devastating on a dime. More movies should begin at exactly the moment the two main characters meet.
July 28, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Finally watched Jerry Schatzberg's SCARECROW today and it's terrific. Some silent movie-level character comedy that turns quietly devastating on a dime. More movies should begin at exactly the moment the two main characters meet.
It was only a couple of years ago that I found out Ozzy Osbourne had an early '80s short hair New Wave phase when he cut it all off after Randy Rhoads died. RIP to a true style icon.
July 23, 2025 at 12:10 AM
It was only a couple of years ago that I found out Ozzy Osbourne had an early '80s short hair New Wave phase when he cut it all off after Randy Rhoads died. RIP to a true style icon.
When it's revealed in SUPERMAN that Lex Luthor has an army of literal keyboard monkeys doing his shitposting for him, did anyone else immediately think of this Snyder Cut story?
July 15, 2025 at 1:21 AM
When it's revealed in SUPERMAN that Lex Luthor has an army of literal keyboard monkeys doing his shitposting for him, did anyone else immediately think of this Snyder Cut story?
This photo of Elmore Leonard goes so hard.
July 9, 2025 at 1:54 AM
This photo of Elmore Leonard goes so hard.
This excerpt from Cat Chaser, which Lane quotes in the article, has been living rent-free in my head for the last two days.
July 9, 2025 at 1:52 AM
This excerpt from Cat Chaser, which Lane quotes in the article, has been living rent-free in my head for the last two days.
And an A+ use of boat shoes. I'd go as far to say best ever use of boat shoes in a movie, hands down.
July 8, 2025 at 2:08 AM
And an A+ use of boat shoes. I'd go as far to say best ever use of boat shoes in a movie, hands down.
I actually like to take a micro-retirement every five days or so.
July 8, 2025 at 1:43 AM
I actually like to take a micro-retirement every five days or so.
Sorry, what Zohran did is nothing compared to the time Conan O'Brien was at Harvard and conspired to steal Burt Ward's original Robin suit.
July 1, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Sorry, what Zohran did is nothing compared to the time Conan O'Brien was at Harvard and conspired to steal Burt Ward's original Robin suit.
If you feel like watching a Swiss watch-tight thriller about a bunch of Nazis losing, may I recommend THE TRAIN.
June 18, 2025 at 12:55 AM
If you feel like watching a Swiss watch-tight thriller about a bunch of Nazis losing, may I recommend THE TRAIN.
Rewatched THE UNTOUCHABLES last night and those David Mamet-penned Capone speeches are true works of art, like some kind of South Side iambic pentameter.
![Al Capone: [to the members of his crime family] Life goes on. A man becomes preeminent, he's expected to have enthusiasms. Enthusiasms, enthusiasms. What are mine? What draws my admiration? What is that which gives me joy? Baseball!
[Hoods clap]
A man - a man stands alone at the plate. This is the time for what? For individual achievement. There he stands alone. But in the field, what? Part - of - a - team. Looks, throws, catches, hustles. Part of one big team. Bats himself the live-long day, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and so on. If his team don't field - what is he?](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:7p5qrbcntdtp4dxmcq4o4jzr/bafkreihhc5pldllzt2v4r6ga7njtnnnchjw2ibagtskeulq4jujh5ipbzu@jpeg)
June 18, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Rewatched THE UNTOUCHABLES last night and those David Mamet-penned Capone speeches are true works of art, like some kind of South Side iambic pentameter.
I finally listened to Tony Gilroy on that Ross Douthat podcast, and nearly did a spit-take when Douthat casually mentioned that he "grew up in the Nineties." Christ, I thought he was in his late 50s!
Conservatism, man -- it's worse than a crack pipe.
Conservatism, man -- it's worse than a crack pipe.
June 11, 2025 at 1:53 AM
I finally listened to Tony Gilroy on that Ross Douthat podcast, and nearly did a spit-take when Douthat casually mentioned that he "grew up in the Nineties." Christ, I thought he was in his late 50s!
Conservatism, man -- it's worse than a crack pipe.
Conservatism, man -- it's worse than a crack pipe.