I apologize for the relative lack of updates recently. I think the interview with Quentin S. Crisp contained all of my thoughts on everything; consequently I've been content to leave it at that. And, moving to Japan has taken up most of my time.
But my reservations about new reviews are more serious:
1) Most books are terrible. 90% of published fiction does not contain interesting prose or any ideas. There is no point in reading 90% of books. Also, most books are too long. Everyone feels the need to produce enormous 500+ page heaps of shit. I think Tanizaki said something like "The Western novel is full of too much irrelevant shit." Okay, he didn't use those exact words, but I remember him saying something like that. Recently, I don't have the time to provide lengthy analyses of fiction - and neither do I especially want to. Opinions vary, but I don't think there is a single living American writer whose work I admire. The only living Japanese writer I like is Wataya Risa (Kurahashi Yumiko died a few years ago, sadly).
2) Most movies are terrible. Jonathan Weiss, the director of the film version of J.G. Ballard's 'The Atrocity Exhibition', criticized mainstream cinema as being merely 'filmed theatre.' By that, he meant that rather than take advantage of the full potential of cinema (i.e. video editing and its use of sound and image), 90% of movies are just filmed dramas. I agree; I think there are only about ten movies I really like, if that, and all of them err pretty far from being 'filmed theatre.' If I'm watching a movie, I want to see images and hear sounds, not watch human beings having conversations in rooms. I can see that in real life quite easily without needing to pay exorbitant ticket prices.
2) I think I've reached a standstill with music. I'm starting to go back and listen to old music rather than just constantly getting new music. Does this mean I'm getting old? I don't know. Recently there doesn't seem to be so much interesting new music, or maybe I've just listened to too much.
The message is clear: books, films, and music have lost their appeal.
Therefore, new entries may not be forthcoming for a while. When they do come, they will probably be about something entirely unexpected.
Now I think I'm going to go down to Shibuya and buy that new Sifow single, Carat. Only Sifow's thin, monotonous voice can ease my troubled mind...
But my reservations about new reviews are more serious:
1) Most books are terrible. 90% of published fiction does not contain interesting prose or any ideas. There is no point in reading 90% of books. Also, most books are too long. Everyone feels the need to produce enormous 500+ page heaps of shit. I think Tanizaki said something like "The Western novel is full of too much irrelevant shit." Okay, he didn't use those exact words, but I remember him saying something like that. Recently, I don't have the time to provide lengthy analyses of fiction - and neither do I especially want to. Opinions vary, but I don't think there is a single living American writer whose work I admire. The only living Japanese writer I like is Wataya Risa (Kurahashi Yumiko died a few years ago, sadly).
2) Most movies are terrible. Jonathan Weiss, the director of the film version of J.G. Ballard's 'The Atrocity Exhibition', criticized mainstream cinema as being merely 'filmed theatre.' By that, he meant that rather than take advantage of the full potential of cinema (i.e. video editing and its use of sound and image), 90% of movies are just filmed dramas. I agree; I think there are only about ten movies I really like, if that, and all of them err pretty far from being 'filmed theatre.' If I'm watching a movie, I want to see images and hear sounds, not watch human beings having conversations in rooms. I can see that in real life quite easily without needing to pay exorbitant ticket prices.
2) I think I've reached a standstill with music. I'm starting to go back and listen to old music rather than just constantly getting new music. Does this mean I'm getting old? I don't know. Recently there doesn't seem to be so much interesting new music, or maybe I've just listened to too much.
The message is clear: books, films, and music have lost their appeal.
Therefore, new entries may not be forthcoming for a while. When they do come, they will probably be about something entirely unexpected.
Now I think I'm going to go down to Shibuya and buy that new Sifow single, Carat. Only Sifow's thin, monotonous voice can ease my troubled mind...
