I met Jonathan Lethem, briefly

by Ryland Walker Knight

Yes, I did talk with Mr Lethem. He told me my name was cool and liked those 70s records by Mr Cooder, as well. We also talked about Edward Norton and his 'Motherless Brooklyn' adaptation:
me - So is Edward Norton ever gonna make that movie?
jl - Who knows? Your guess is as good as mine. I think the problem is he keeps taking acting jobs.
me - Oh well.
jl - Yeah, but I feel, well, lucky, because the project is kinda out of my hands at this point; it's at a stage where I don't have to worry about it. But I have to say it would be fun to see up there on the big screen.
me - Yeah, he'd probably be a great Lionel.
jl - For sure.
me - Are there any of your other novels you would like, or, uh, have a desire to see on the big screen?
jl - Well, I always thought 'As She Climbed Across The Table' would be a fun movie and it was actually just optioned by some people at DreamWorks so maybe we'll see that in the near future.
me - Oh, great. That was the second book of yours I read, and I really enjoyed it. It was fun to see that 'Pure Fiction' strain at work with how you cast Berkeley because I went there, for a time.
jl - Yeah, it's funny. I never went to Berkeley--I lived there, but never attended--so the exteriors are all pretty much Sather Gate, you know, but the interiors are Bennington.
me - I was wondering if they were Lawrence Berkeley Labs or what because I never went into the science buildings. Anyways, I think those blind men are hilarious and could be funny in a film.
jl - [while I'm finishing] Uh-huh. Sure. Well, thanks.
me - Yeah, well, I don't want to bother you any more. Thanks again.
jl - Sure, have a great night.
me - Thanks, you too.

I didn't foist a short story on him, just my copy of 'The Disappointment Artist' which he scribbled 'For Ryland - All best wishes - Jonathan Lethem' in which looks more like 'For Ryland - All belt wirl- *mountain top* *swoop up, looped-t, troublesome fizzling out EKG*'

It was still cool. Maybe if I come across him again I can engage him for longer than that brief exchange. I'd love to talk movies in general with him. See what he thought of 'Syriana' or if he's a Criterion junkie, too. Hope so.

i want to steal everything

hot club music, jump-cuts, talking to the camera, voice-over, anamorphic technicolor photography, pregnant pauses, moving a camera with ropes, cross-cutting, keeping the camera rolling to see what the actor will do with empty space and time, dual stories, that poignant ending with that ONE piece of music and YES: slow-mo tracking shots.

moose tape 7?

i think it's done...but i haven't thought about what to write underneath the songs yet. but hey, i can always come back and edit this:


1. 'Look At Me' John Lennon [John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band] - 2:54
2. 'Telephone Wires' Mirah [You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This] - 2:30
3. 'Hollow Log' Beck [One Foot In The Grave] - 1:54
4. 'Starting a New Life' Van Morrison [Tupelo Honey] - 2:10
5. 'From the Morning' Nick Drake [Pink Moon] - 2:30
6. 'Factory Girl' Rolling Stones [Beggar's Banquet] - 2:12
7. 'Here She Comes Now' The Velvet Underground [White Light/White Heat] - 2:04
8. 'Sitting Still' REM [Murmur] - 3:18
9. 'Lost In The Supermarket' The Clash [London Calling] - 3:47
10. 'So Convinced' Superchunk [Come Pick Me Up] - 1:59
11. 'Transmission' Joy Division [Substance] - 3:36
12. 'New Health Rock' TV on the Radio [New Health Rock 7"] - 4:03
13. 'Yellow Calx' Aphex Twin [Richard D James Album] - 3:02
14. 'untitled 16' Bogdan Raczynski [Boku Mo Warakan] - 1:14
15. 'The Agreeing Song' Dwayne Sodahberk [Unfortunately] - 2:51
16. 'Xpressway To Yrself' Electric Company [Attitude] - 1:00
17. 'I Got No Time For Rearviews' Prefuse73 [Extinguished: Outtakes] - 1:27
18. 'julia walsh' cex [role model] - 5:04
19. 'Guanxi' Scanner vs. DJ Spooky [The Quick and The Dead] - 3:52
20. 'Starman' David Bowie [Ziggy Stardust] - 4:18
21. 'Houses in Motion' Talking Heads [Remain in Light] - 4:33
22. 'Laminated Cat' Loose Fur [Loose Fur] - 7:20
23. 'Banga' Ali Faraka Toure [Talking Timbuktu] - 2:32
24. 'Um Tom' Caetano Veloso [Best Of] - 2:30
25. 'Starman' Seu Jorge [The Life Aquatic Soundtrack] - 3:21


Not quite the full 80 minutes but it's so many songs, I think it's okay. And I know yr like 'wtf? repeating the same song?' well, trust me, it works. okay, sleep. god this was a dumb use of my brain/eyes/sleeptime. but when you can't sleep...