So, this is the companion movie to Smoke — I saw both of these when they were released, but I don’t remember at all what this is all about.

This little box set was released by Arthaus — a German distributor. (But the soundtrack and stuff is in the original English.) When I was looking for these movies, this seemed to be the only bluray option — which makes me wonder: Are Miramax movies just verboten in the US these days? Because of the Weinstein thing? But Miramax was perhaps the most important US indie thing back in the 90s, so it’s a shame that their catalogue is … er… mostly forgotten now? Perhaps it’s because Disney bought them, though?

Anyway!

Roseanne! Is this just a bunch of adlibs done on the sets of Smoke? With famous people doing cameos?

John Lurie!

Jim Jarmusch!

Is that… Lily Tomlin!?

This movie is just so random… but so amiable.

Oh, I had forgotten that Lou Reed is in this.

That’s whatsisface? Er… uhm… Oh, Michael J Fox.

This movie is amusing throughout — I smiled the entire time — but it does dip in interest depending on who’s doing a little story. Like, Jim Jarmusch was great — they could have done an hour of him just talking — but some of the other people sounded a bit, er, like they’d rehearsed an anecdote for a talk show? I mean, not a lot of those, but a couple.

Yes, it’s Madonna!

Yes, it’s RuPaul!

Half a meter taller than all the other actors!

They’re short in Brooklyn, I guess.

Anyway, this is a really enjoyable lark of a movie — it’s really charming. I can totally see how people would get a bit impatient with it, but I loved it.

Blue in the Face. Paul Auster, Wayne Wang, Harvey Wang. 1995. ⚄

Well, that’s weird.

People keep dying! I bought a shirt with fabric designed by Trina, and later that day it was announced that she died. And I bought this small box set (Smoke and Blue in the Face) in May 2023, and whattayouknow, May 2024 Paul Auster ups and dies.

I HAVE TO STOP SHOPPING

That skyline…

Anyway, I was a huge fan of Auster’s — I’ve read all of his books up until, like, 2005-ish? Even the essay collections and stuff. (Unfortunately, his later books weren’t as compelling as his 80s/early 90s stuff, and I lost track of him…) But I did indeed see this movie when it was released, and I remember that I really liked it? But I can’t recall anything about it beyond that.

Hey! William Hurt! For most of the 80s, I’d see a VHS his name on it, and I’d rent it, and then be disappointed that John Hurt wasn’t in the film.

But I’ve finally managed to remember that those are different names.

Harvey Keitel, too…

Oooh. Hurt plays an author named Paul Benjamin. Getting meta already! (Benjamin is Auster’s middle name, dontcha know.)

I cannot overstate how much I enjoy watching these scenes — just wandering around New York, not a greenscreen in sight, without digital colour grading. It’s such a relief — these scenes bring me joy.

Man, Auster is so good at this stuff — random events that tie into something significant.

I wanna live in one of these apts.

Perhaps with less smoke, though.

Nice home decor!

This is such a great movie. It’s just kinda perfect. And I think it’s basically been forgotten now?

And it makes me wonder about Wayne Wang’s other movies… I should look them up.

Smoke. Wayne Wang. 1995. ⚅

So this is another Psychick TV thing…

Hey, it’s Burroughs!

This seems like another kinda… low effort thing? Jarman does his trademark slow-and-low-frame-rate-with-super-8 thing… which can be very effective! If he’s filming something interesting.

But here he just seems to be filming Burroughs visiting or something?

Is that Sleazy?

Using his normal technique, everything seems kinda interesting by default? But this is just a waste of time. The soundtrack is snoresville, too.

Pirate Tape. Derek Jarman. 1983. ⚀