Zizek
Sharp Jasper
jasper_sharp at hotmail.com
Mon Jun 30 07:22:15 EDT 2008
Dear Michael,
Thanks a lot for this reading list. I'll start off with the downloadable stuff then and work up through the books.
This all looks fascinating,
best
jasper
Midnight Eyewww.midnighteye.com
----------------------------------------
> Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:09:53 -0400
> From: mccaskem at georgetown.edu
> To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
> Subject: Zizek
>
> Dear Jasper,
>
> I don't really know very much about Zizek in depth, and you'll already know as much or more than I from seeing and hearing Zizek in person and seeing the Zizek films, but for what they may be worth, a couple of items that may be enjoyable to read are noted below.
>
> Zizek has written a lot about film, but maybe the following essay, specifically on film, might be particularly interesting. He has written several other essays on Hitchcock films as well.
>
> "Hitchcock's Organs Without Bodies"
> in Lacanian Ink 22
> Paperback: 160 pages
> Publisher: The Wooster Press (September 30, 2003)
> ISBN-10: 1888301201
> ISBN-13: 978-1888301205
>
> excerpt/sample online at:
> http://www.lacan.com/frameXXII5.htm
>
> Enjoy Your Symptom! is a book mainly about movies, and a number of specific films are discussed in it.
>
> Enjoy Your Symptom!: Jacques Lacan in Hollywood and Out
> Paperback: 256 pages
> Publisher: Routledge, Inc; 2New Ed edition (26 April 2001)
> ISBN-10: 0415928125
> ISBN-13: 978-0415928120
>
> This book, Looking Awry, also includes some film discussions.
>
> Looking Awry: An Introduction to Jacques Lacan Through Popular Culture
> Paperback: 188 pages
> Publisher: MIT Press; New Ed edition (12 Oct 1992)
> ISBN-10: 026274015X
> ISBN-13: 978-0262740159
>
> The new Zizek book, In Defense of Lost Causes, is very interesting and Zizek's line of exposition is very clear throughout. It is mainly a politically-oriented book, but with many insights about literature, art, film, etc., included along the way.
>
> In Defense of Lost Causes
> Hardcover: 508 pages
> Publisher: Verso Books (30 May 2008)
> ISBN-10: 1844671089
> ISBN-13: 978-1844671083
>
> Zizek's latest directly political article in English (posted online June 20, 2008) is
>
> "The Ambiguous Legacy of ‘68
> Forty years ago, what was revolutionized — the world or capitalism?"
>
> http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3751/the_ambiguous_legacy_of_68/
>
> Best Wishes,
>
> Michael McCaskey
>
> PS
> There was an earlier posting re Tsukamoto's "Nightmare Detective," and it is available in US DVD form, 2008, ISBN 1-594-45000-5. It's really pretty good, in my opinion, though many plot elements are familiar ones. You may well have reviewed it already.
> Tsukamoto has finished the sequel, and that should be released soon, if not already.
>
> http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/11480
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Sharp Jasper <jasper_sharp at hotmail.com>
> Date: Sunday, June 29, 2008 1:11 pm
> Subject: RE: Tartan closed for business + UK and US DVD Releases
>
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks Michael,
> >
> > I'd actually not checked their website for some time, but great to
> > see Oasis, one of the best Korean films I know (in my limited
> > exposure) and also a film by Satoshi Miki, a director I feel I
> > need to get more familiar with.
> >
> > I'll keep my eyes out for the Shion film you mention, though I am
> > pretty sure its not a UK release. As far as I know, the only
> > recent Japanese films to come out here have been EXTE, and Death
> > Note, which got a fairly decent theatrical run - not from Tartan
> > though!
> > "Slavoj Zizek re the economy as well as re film, and I'm pretty
> > sure he'd agree with you on economic prospects. But the value of
> > the British pound continues to rise against the US dollar, so
> > perhaps those who are in the UK are doing a bit better, relatively."
> >
> > Can you advise me what to read from this great man on the subject.
> > I've seen him speaking on numerous occasions on cinema (the cinema
> > documentary The Perverts Guide to Cinema) and I've always been
> > mightily impressed, but never anything by him and feel its time to
> > start. Where to begin though...
> >
> > (and I should say that though the pound is maybe going up against
> > the dollar, its also falling against the Euro, and also, it doesnt
> > go very far in this country!)
> >
> > best
> > Jasper
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Midnight Eyewww.midnighteye.com
> >
> > ----------------------------------------
> > > Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2008 12:16:01 -0400
> > > From: mccaskem at georgetown.edu
> > > To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
> > > Subject: Re: Tartan closed for business + UK and US DVD Releases
> > >
> > > Dear Jasper,
> > >
> > > Thank you very much indeed for the information on Third Window
> > Films! I looked their site up, and they really do have some very
> > good Japanese and Korean films. In the US, VIZ, which puts out a
> > large volume of manga translated into English, and I think is tied
> > in with Kodansha, has started releasing/distributing Japanese
> > films along the same lines, including Kamikaze Girls and The Taste
> > of Tea, finally, but so far Memories of Matsuko is not on their list.
> > >
> > > I had a European DVD of Taste of Tea several years ago which
> > I've misplaced somewhere
> > > -- I thought it was from the UK, but I'm not sure. In the US
> > there's often a very long wait for good Japanese films to be
> > released on DVD, and sometimes it never happens at all. Sometimes
> > DVDs of some of them can be gotten from SE Asia that run on US
> > equipment that I can use in my classes. Memories of Matsuko is
> > one, both the movie and the dorama versions, but many others
> > remain in distribution limbo outside Japan.
> > >
> > > There's a maybe not-so-great but very interesting film directed
> > by Sono Shion set in New York, starring Joe Odagiri, "Hazard"
> > (2002), that would be good to have in the form of a UK or US DVD,
> > that so far has no English subtitles. There is a German DVD of it
> > already:>
> > > http://www.zelluloid.de/filme/index.php3?id=19922
> > >
> > > But even the actual web site for this film in Japan is gone, and
> > there's one of those cheesy "mousetrap" sites there instead now.
> > Maybe it's on some other Sion Sono site now.
> > >
> > > I did recently get what I think is a new Sion Sono double DVD
> > release package from Japan, containing Hazard, with lots of
> > "making of" and other special features, a full commentary track,
> > and Japanese subtitles when English is spoken. The other film is
> > Noriko's Dinner Table (2005), which has recently come out in US
> > DVD form, though I'm not sure whether there's a UK DVD of it as
> > yet. "Noriko" also has a full commentary track, but I don't know
> > whether the US DVD has one or not.
> > >
> > > Michael McCaskey
> > >
> > > PS
> > > I follow Slavoj Zizek re the economy as well as re film, and I'm
> > pretty sure he'd agree with you on economic prospects. But the
> > value of the British pound continues to rise against the US
> > dollar, so perhaps those who are in the UK are doing a bit better,
> > relatively.>
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Sharp Jasper <jasper_sharp at hotmail.com>
> > > Date: Sunday, June 29, 2008 10:42 am
> > > Subject: RE: Tartan closed for business
> > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > There might be several reasons for the decline of Tartan.
> > Here's a
> > > > few ideas that I've been bouncing around.
> > > >
> > > > Firstly, Tartan have always been involved in the edgier side
> > of
> > > > the market, distributing the films of Gaspar Noe, Michel
> > Haneke,
> > > > Catherine Breillat, Carlos Reygadas etc. While I have to
> > praise
> > > > their bravado for this, the fact is that this type of film is
> > not
> > > > popular with the general public. Sadly, the type of cinemas
> > that
> > > > one might have once labelled as "arthouse" are now owned by
> > chains
> > > > such as Picture House in the UK, whose idea of alternative
> > cinema
> > > > is stuff like Little Miss Sunshine or There Will Be Blood.
> > > > Consequently, for the past 5 years at least, companies such as
> > > > Tartan have had a great deal of trouble getting their films
> > onto
> > > > screens, when there's only venues like the Edinburgh
> > Filmhouse,
> > > > the Sheffield Showroom and the Bristol Watershed that would
> > book
> > > > them. Look at the pitiful state of London's cinema scene for
> > > > example, where in the past ten years we've seen the closures
> > of
> > > > the Lumiere, the Metro (latterly The Other Cinema), and the
> > Lux,
> > > > to name but three; the ABC chain taken over by Virgin and the
> > > > ICA's programming barely worth a look at in recent years.
> > Tartan
> > > > were lucky with Audition, Ring and Battle Royale, which
> > managed to
> > > > get widespread theatrical distribution, but lets remember,
> > this
> > > > was way over 5 years ago.
> > > >
> > > > The other thing is periods of high economic growth are not
> > > > particularly good for the arts. Rising building rentals
> > squeezed
> > > > the margins of exhibitors and distributors alike, ticket
> > prices
> > > > went up, and so only the bigger multiplexes were in a steady
> > > > financial position. As for the DVD market, in the UK its
> > mandatory
> > > > to submit all films to the BBFC, who charge to certify the
> > films,
> > > > and a considerable amount too when you consider how many units
> > you
> > > > can shift for specialist markets like Asian cinema. Companies
> > like
> > > > Artsmagic and Tartan started up their US labels simply because
> > > > they were losing money on UK only releases, and unfortunately
> > the
> > > > economic situation in America has had a severe knock on effect
> > > > over here. (Freelancers are usually quite good at spotting
> > looming
> > > > recessions, when their invoices start getting paid later and
> > > > later... Whatever Gordon Brown says, the UK is clearly only
> > one
> > > > step away from recession).
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > But for me the biggest problem I had with Tartan was this
> > whole
> > > > "Asian Extreme" thing. Now, I should point out that the
> > company
> > > > did also release all the Ozu movies in the UK, and wasnt
> > entirely
> > > > fixated on horror. However, distributors should remember that
> > > > booms in anything are generally shortlived. Audition, Battle
> > > > Royale, Old Boy etc caught the publics imagination because we
> > > > hadnt seen anything like it before. When it comes 5 years
> > later
> > > > and you're still trying to capitalise on their success with
> > crappy
> > > > Malaysian ghost films, its no wonder you'll lose your
> > audience,
> > > > especially if you're selling the disks at 15 pounds a pop -
> > the
> > > > price of a night in the pub, for something you'll probably
> > only
> > > > watch once.
> > > >
> > > > Tartan could have been building a sustainable market for Asian
> > > > films if they actually strayed away from the pure genre stuff.
> > But
> > > > I really have my doubts about distributors. I invited people
> > from
> > > > Tartan and a few other companies to Raindance last year to
> > come
> > > > and see Ryuichi Hiroki's Its Only Talk. They'd never even
> > heard
> > > > ofHiroki, despite the buzz that has been building around him
> > over
> > > > the past 5 years, and of course, they didnt come. The
> > screening
> > > > was pretty full and everyone was asking afterwards how they
> > could
> > > > get to see the film again. Ditto for Strawberry Shortcakes on
> > the
> > > > recent Japan Foundation tour - a film whose international
> > sales
> > > > agents Uplink would surely have given a better deal than
> > Battle
> > > > Royale's Toei or Ring's Asmik Ace.
> > > >
> > > > I keep saying this till I'm blue in the face, but distributors
> > of
> > > > Asian film over the past 5 years are so myopic its a wonder
> > any of
> > > > them are still in business. Aside from effectively killing any
> > new
> > > > interest in the market by constantly releasing the same blood
> > guts
> > > > ghosts and gangster films instead of some of the great
> > comedies
> > > > and dramas that have been coming out over the past 5 years,
> > they
> > > > never seem to actually have an eye out for any new interesting
> > > > trends any more. I don't understand it - in the 90s
> > distributors
> > > > were putting out stuff like Hirokazu Koreeda, Takeshi Kitano
> > and
> > > > Wong Kar Wai. These are hardly commerical directors, but they
> > > > found their market.
> > > >
> > > > All is not lost of course. A former Tartan employee left the
> > > > company a year or so ago and founded Third Window Films,
> > because
> > > > he saw how much good Asian films were slipping by and not
> > getting
> > > > picked up by Tartan. A lot of the releases, mainly of Korean
> > > > films, still fall into the "cult" category, but its great to
> > see
> > > > Memories of Matsuko and Kamikaze Girls also on his roster,
> > films
> > > > which are indicative of wider trends in the Japanese industry
> > at
> > > > the moment and which surely have a potential audience abroad.
> > I
> > > > only hope he's successful and doesnt follow the Tartan model
> > of
> > > > putting all his eggs in one basket.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Midnight Eyewww.midnighteye.com
> > > >
> > > > ----------------------------------------
> > > > > Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:11:51 -0400
> > > > > From: mccaskem at georgetown.edu
> > > > > To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
> > > > > Subject: Re: Tartan closed for business
> > > > >
> > > > > This is disheartening news. I looked up Hamish McAlpine, and
> > he
> > > > seems to have been involved in producing a lot of (often
> > awful)
> > > > pictures outside of Tartan, including The Ted Bundy Story
> > (2002).
> > > > Most recently he produced Funny Games (2007), which I think is
> > a
> > > > Warner picture. Were such other ventures possibly a factor in
> > the
> > > > decline of the fortunes of Tartan?
> > > > >
> > > > > Michael McCaskey
> > > > >
> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > From: Sharp Jasper <jasper_sharp at hotmail.com>
> > > > > Date: Sunday, June 29, 2008 6:53 am
> > > > > Subject: Tartan closed for business
> > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > This might not come as a surprise to some list members,
> > but
> > > > sad
> > > > > > news nonetheless, given how Tartan were one of the most
> > active
> > > > > > companies distributing Japanese films in Britain over the
> > past
> > > > ten
> > > > > > years, responsible for among other things, the releases of
> > > > Battle
> > > > > > Royale and Ring.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Jasper Sharp
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Tartan closed for business
> > > > > >
> > > > > > McAlpine breaks news to London staff
> > > > > >
> > > > > > By ALI JAAFAR
> > > > > >
> > > > > > LONDON - U.K. distrib Tartan Films has finally shuttered.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Sources told Variety that Tartan employees found the
> > London
> > > > office
> > > > > > doors closed Thursday June 26 and were then informed later
> > in
> > > > the
> > > > > > day by Tartan topper Hamish McAlpine the company was
> > closed
> > > > for
> > > > > > business.
> > > > > > Speculation over the future of Tartan has been rife for
> > > > several
> > > > > > months.The distrib was believed to be in takeover talks
> > with
> > > > David
> > > > > > Bergstein of
> > > > > > the Capco Group, the firm that owns ThinkFilm, a stake in
> > I.M.
> > > > > > Global as
> > > > > > well as the U.K.'s Capitol Film and has itself been
> > plagued by
> > > > > > rumors of
> > > > > > financial troubles, for much of last year before
> > negotiations
> > > > > > broke down
> > > > > > following disagreements over Tartan's financial worth.
> > > > > > Last October Tartan announced it had received a cash
> > injection
> > > > of £3
> > > > > > million ($6.2 million) in the form of a convertible loan
> > from
> > > > a
> > > > > > privateinvestor and also had restructured its Brit
> > operation,
> > > > with
> > > > > > managingdirector Laura De Casto ankling. The company's
> > > > theatrical
> > > > > > and home
> > > > > > entertainment departments, previously run out of separate
> > > > London
> > > > > > offices, were also merged into one entity based at
> > Tartan's
> > > > head
> > > > > > office.Tartan USA, the company's U.S. arm, announced at
> > this
> > > > > > year's Cannes that it was being foreclosed. Film print and
> > > > > > advertising financing company Palisades Media Corp. has
> > since
> > > > > > bought the U.S. rights to its library.
> > > > > > Those moves now appear to have only offered temporary
> > respite
> > > > from
> > > > > > a downward turn of fortune for McAlpine, who founded
> > Tartan in
> > > > > > 1982. The
> > > > > > company subsequently expanded by launching sub-labels such
> > as
> > > > > > Tartan
> > > > > > Terror and Tartan Asia Extreme. Distrib arguably became
> > the
> > > > home
> > > > > > for genre fare and edgy, foreign-language pics, especially
> > > > from
> > > > > > Asia. No official comment has been made yet by Tartan
> > execs as
> > > > to
> > > > > > what the
> > > > > > future holds for the company although it seems likely that
> > a
> > > > team of
> > > > > > liquidators and accountants will be brought in to assess
> > the
> > > > company's> > assets and sell them off.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Midnight Eye
> > > > > > www.midnighteye.com
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
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