The Film Talk » Crispin Glover at the Belcourt Theater Nashville, This Friday and Saturday

Crispin Glover at the Belcourt Theater Nashville, This Friday and Saturday

September 4th, 2008by Jett Loe · Comments

I’ve always had a soft spot for Crispin Hellion Glover ever since, as a young man, I saw his astonishing performance in River’s Edge and listened to his album The Big Problem Does Not Equal the Solution, The Solution Equals Let It Be. I haven’t really paid attention to his ‘career’, or jobbing acting work I guess you’d call it, but was familiar with his now infamous appearance on the David Letterman show.

So my mental model of him was not clear – I suppose I thought him as the talented yet drug-addled child of wonderful character actor Bruce Glover and not much else.

But hearing that he’s to appear at the Belcourt Theater this Friday and Saturday night, bringing his impossible to see anywhere in ‘the cloud’ film ‘What Is It’ I had another look at his work.

And it’s brilliant.

He’s not just a talented actor, (or visual sculptor/motion-performer??), but an extremely clear thinker regarding the current state of corporate capitalism, (see clip above). This statement in particular grabbed me:
“If something doesn’t fit into…corporate monetary conventions it’s (branded) insane”

Absolutely right.

Now, being excited that this ‘excitement’ was coming to town I managed to contact the Communications Director of the Belcourt, Josh Hayes, to quiz him on the event:

Recorded Call with Josh Hayes

If you’re in the area, (the American South), tomorrow or Saturday Dear Listener, then head over to the Belcourt – it’ll be good for you.

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Phil

Just to be clear, I'm not saying anyone should be a fan of Green - his tastes are definitely not for everyone - but it just sort of dawned on me the Glover/Green comparison can be quite similar...people might automatically dislike Glover for similar reasons...my point simply being both are outside the box, and Jett's point in the post is "that's a good thing".

kiley

you're definitely right, phil, they are both 'outside of the box' and i can definitely see the comparison of two unconventional types....but ya know, i been thinkin'....it seems like, and i could be totally totally wrong here, but it seems like 'thinking out of the box' (a phrase i dislike, much like web 2.0 and blogosphere :P ;) ) has become the 'norm' and everyone in the entertainment industry is trying to be/create an individual just like everyone else...but that could just be a cynical statement on my part...it's like, when i was a teenager, being 'geeky' or 'outside the norm' was NOT appreciated, esPECIALLY in television and movies, BUT now it seems celebrated and has actually developed into it's own culture, with it's own marketing and everything...so now that the once vilified has become the celebrated, is it still outside the norm?

(i SWEAR i had a point somewhere in here ;) but without my mic and my inability to make video comments at this time i keep losing it with all this typing!! hehehee...i think ultimately, i was trying to say i agree with you phil ;)! )

kiley

not a tom green fan at ALL...almost didn't watch the clip because of it, then reminded myself to have an open mind and try things in case i'm missing something awesome....BUT, ok...so i watched the trailer for 'What is it?' and my first thought was of 'Freaks,' a show that i actually like and is really a very dark comedy (especially for the time)...while i'm watching this trailer, i'm listening to cripsin talk about the film (ADD ftw!) and a giggle begins to stir from within...don't get me wrong, some shots are GORGEOUS..especially the shots with the ladybugs, which are normally seen as beautiful, pretty bugs, but come across in those shots as a revolting infestation of a sort....(and i'll be the first to say, i love films that make you uncomfortable)...BUT, maybe it was the overlay of him talking about it in the background and watching it on screen, i found myself laughing maniacally...my point is crispin, who is at times 'kaufman-esque,' is either a frakking GENIUS or so full of his own bs it's comical....i'm hoping it's the former...

Jett Loe

Tom Green and New Media

Phil

What's interesting to me in that clip above is that you have not one, but two rather 'unconventional' performers (Glover and Tom Green) who go completely against "corporate" norms, having a rather interesting discussion.

Green is considered by many to have a kind of "low brow" humor, or immature, as made famous with his "Tom Green Show" - but to me he was always very conceptual - it was definitely not a corporate brand of humor, even though it became quite popular....for example, one of the things Green would do would be to air an entire show doing something that would be considered horrible television, i.e., eating candy for an entire 30 minutes while saying nothing...and this unconventional style is one of the things that endeared me to Jett's work, i.e., Jett's unconventional interruptions of "dead air" that were often used in the old Letter To America Podcasts (and still uses often in the TFT podcasts, which I always find funny).

Not to steer your post away from Glover, but I found that entire exchange between the two to be interesting because both are definitely outside the box in many ways, and I've never heard Green become engaged in that type of conversation with someone.

(sorry for the rambling post)