Apr 29, 2008

Random Thoughts of Disco

Frontier Psychiatrist reminds me that an affordable copy of "The Last Days of Disco" is still not readily available.
That's a shame.

I really only ever see movies in a theater, since I have neither VCR nor DVD player, so I've only seen it once, way back at the end of the last century, when it first came out.

It's amazing that I remember it at all. I do remember being excited about it, since it was among the first films to look at a period I actually fondly remembered (Middle school). I'd like to see it again, actually, but the best I can do is youtube. So here's a clip:



Chloe looks so lovely here, really, doesn't she? It's almost enough to make one forget that whole "The Brown Bunny" nastiness.

And Robert Sean Leonard...well, he's just dreamy.

I like that they got the transition from the 70's to the 80's almost right...the slight "hardening up" of the time. There seemed to be a distinct shift then in the atmosphere in my recollection, of people cutting hair, dressing more neatly, becoming more conservative, at least in looks.

Disco wasn't all polyester and platforms. It was really (in my mind at least) more Chic than KC and the Sunshine Band, if that makes any sense.

Anyway, in my very cursory searching of the Internet, I see that the film has an "official" website. Whatever that means.
You'll be treated to an never ending loop of what sounds like "Let's all Chant," which never quite climaxes. Typical.

Oh, random "Last Days of Disco" fact number 2 (or maybe 3?)
I remember about a year after the film came out, I was in a heated (delusional) email correspondence with a freshly minted English professor. I even drove up to Baton Rouge to meet him. He confessed quite needlessly his former ecstasy addiction, from which he had recovered, and his love of "bland spaces" (like BR) from which he was not, unfortunately, seeking recovery.

He was cute and a bit dour.

I made the mistake of mentioning a former friend of mine in his program and he freaked a bit, that he would be found out as a "gay."

Anyway, back to my oh-so random "point." His email address was something to the effect of "Loyal Scottie." I wondered if he were Scottish, or just some sort of dog fancier (which would have halted the correspondence right then and there, thank you very much. Sorry), so I asked...politely, of course.
Thankfully, he claimed that his friends had given him the nickname after a character in the film, the cute earnest one.

I never did do a fact check on that. I'd like to see the film again, just for that.

He met someone else "in the tomato aisle" and that was that.
Long story. Or maybe not.
ahem
Anyway, he was a wonderful writer, he was.

8 comments:

Breezy said...

This movie was shown at one of my movie nights that I hosted at my apartment a while back. I'm not sure if you were there from your blog entry, but I know I presented it.

It is one of my favorite movies. I couldn't tell you anything about the transition from the 70s to the 80s because I was mostly worried about playing with my Star Wars action figues, but I love that it was such a carefree time.

It's a very difficult movie to buy online. I got a relatively inexpensive copy of it online - 32 dollars. I'm sure you've looked and a few go for almost 100 dollars or more. It's insane!

I love watching it because the music makes me happy, and as brilliantly insane as Chloe is in her personal life she is a fantastic actress when she chooses the right acting roles.

Fantastic Choice!

jason said...

Nope. I was, alas, not there. How'd I miss that?? Had to be the WB.
ahem.

Dave said...

I haven't seen the movie. But Carl Barks really was a genius.

Michael Guy said...

I ADORE that film! Kate Beckinsale shines! It truly reflects an end of an era in my humble opinion.

Have you seen "METROPOLITAN"? Check it out for an inside look at the too rich/too young/too bored set and one who gets caught up in the illusion of it all.

ayeM8y said...

Isn’t it funny how the short span of Disco just permeated the whole period. When you hear the songs it’s like the scent of a favorite fragrance that transports you back to that time.

Frontier Psychiatrist said...

I'm going to have to agree with Michael Guy--I love Kate Beckinsale in this movie.

"Maybe in physical terms I'm a little cuter than you, but you should be much more popular than I am."

But this scene makes me sad.

Ladrón de Basura (a.k.a. Junk Thief) said...

I'd like to have this on DVD, but probably not enough to choke up $125, its going rate on Amazon. It came out the same year as the vastly inferior, homophobic "54" and was a real departure for Whit Stillman. I do have his two other efforts, "Metropolitan" and "Barcelona", on DVD. This one did feel like a bit of an oddity with so much high minded talking and not exactly the decadence and noise one would equate with the period. However, he did capture the dramatic transitions in moods that happened in a matter of months and sent a nation on the madness of electing Reagan.

jason said...

That, Junkthief is about the best synopsis of the film I've read.