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Scott Marks flies solo on KPBS Radio’s “These Days”

August 27th, 2008 by Scott Marks

It is not as though I have never done the Film Club before, but this morning’s ride to the station found me shaking harder than a Katherine Hepburn Jell-O mold. This was the first time since my days on The Lounge where I would be the sole guest

Beth Accomando and I make a good team, and the thought of not having her to bounce off of made me nervous. Very nervous. In the words of Daffy Duck, I was as black as a sheet. It’s not that the material was unfamiliar — if I can’t talk about the Marx Brothers and Jerry Lewis, who can? For some reason, I felt that the pressure was on to be brilliant. My producer, the indispensable Angela Carone, put a lot of work into today’s show and I didn’t want to let her down. Nor did I want to come off as the guy who hates everything. Truth be told, I love more movies than most people have seen, it’s just that the majority of them were made before 1975. Generally, my batting average on the show is 1 for 10. For every ten movies we review, I like one of them.

Instead of assuming my usual position on the opposite side of the console, I sat next to host Tom Fudge and we couldn’t have been more comfortable had we been sitting in a living room. As soon as the “On the Air” light was turned on, the 45 minutes flew by faster than Sherlock, Jr.

Some of the listeners threw me for a loop. This was a show about classic comedy and calling in to praise Soapdish is kind of like referencing The Apple Dumpling Gang during a discussion of John Ford, Anthony Mann and Budd Boetticher. And of all the directors, I never expected Ingmar Bergman’s Smiles of a Summer Night to be on a caller’s mind.

There were many discussion points that we didn’t have time for and I failed to mention that it was Ms. Accomando’s idea to give me an hour to myself. In the words of Ricky Riccardo, “Thanks, par’ner!”

Four badges of honor:

1) Tom sat and watched Sherlock, Jr. with his kids. Nothing makes me happier than exposing a new generation to Buster’s brilliance.

2) Lewisophobe Fudge was actually laughing his head off during The Nutty Professor clip. :P

3) I was able to mention Thomas Racz’s recent discovery of a longer print of A Night at the Opera. Hopefully someone in L.A. was listening.

4) And this is the big one — Angela actually took home my copy of The Nutty Professor to watch…actually. Can’t wait for her breathless phone call begging to borrow my copy of Cracking Up.

Listen to the show here.

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All- comedy KPBS Film Club airs tomorrow

August 26th, 2008 by Scott Marks

With my partner Beth Accomando still recovering from the long hours she put in at ComicCon, I’ll be flying solo on the KPBS Film Club of the Air. Instead of talking new movies with host Tom Fudge, tomorrow morning’s show will be dedicated to eight comedic luminaries: Buster Keaton, Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Mae West, W.C. Fields, Jerry Lewis and Albert Brooks. (You were expecting maybe Jack Black and Will Ferrell?)

Instead of forging one-dimensional comic characters eager to spout penis and fart jokes, these eight hand picked luminaries built their careers by inventing unique comic personae. In addition to their stellar work before the camera, Keaton, Lewis and Brooks share the distinction of being three of the greatest comedic directors of all time.

There will be plenty of hilarious audio clips to round out the discussion and as always your phone calls are welcome. Tune in tomorrow morning to learn a little (and laugh a lot) when the KPBS Film Club goes funny in the head. It’ll be duck soup!

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Join the Landmark Threatres Film Club for Fun and Prizes!

August 24th, 2008 by Scott Marks

I spend many a morning at Landmark’s Hillcrest Cinemas watching the best commercially exhibited films in San Diego, so the least EC can do is put in a plug for their Film Club (not affiliated in any manner with the KPBS Film Club of the Air).

Celebrate summer in a hot way by joining the Landmark Theatres Film Club. Become a member between now and August 31, 2008, and you will be automatically entered to win a prize package (valued at $575) of DVDs, CDs, books, 4-pack of movie passes and a Landmark Theatres travel mug! Film Club members receive free screening invitations as well as advance info about filmmaker appearances and all the cool events at your local theatre. The best part is that membership is free, and you can conveniently enter online or at any Landmark Theatre location.

Just do me one favor: If you happen to win either the shooting script to Juno or Anywhere I Lay My Head (Scarlett Johansson’s attempt to be her generations’ Cybill Shepherd), throw them back.

Click here to sign up!

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On tomorrow’s KPBS Film Club of the Air

June 24th, 2008 by Scott Marks

Tomorrow’s show will be unprecedented: we’re coming up on July and I like all five of the films we are reviewing and only two are sub-titled!!! This doesn’t happen in winter let alone summer.

Tune in tomorrow to hear Beth Accomando, Tom Fudge and your obedient servant when we review Mongol, Savage Grace, Mother of Tears, Up the Yangtze and my favorite American movie of the year, The Wackness.

For those of you in the San Diego area…how the hell do you afford to live out here? Anyway, for you hometown lads and laddies the show airs at 10 am on 89.5 FM. There will be a link posted amidst tomorrow’s madness.

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KPBS Film Club reviews new INDIANA JONES, THE VISITOR, BEFORE THE RAINS & ROMAN DE GARE

May 21st, 2008 by Scott Marks

Indiana Jones, The Visitor, Before the Rains
This month I literally took out the film club to bash Steve and Indy’s skulls: Beth thought the film was “fun” and lucky Tom had to watch his kids when the screening took place.Before getting into it there’s a phoner with Chris Strompolos and Eric Zala. They are now in their 30s. But in 1982, when the first Raiders movie came out, they were kids. They both loved the Spielberg film, and they set out on what became be a multi-year adventure (don’t expect Killer of Sheep), doing a shot-by-shot remake of Raiders. Never saw it (never will), so I sat uncharacteristically mute. Spielberg is bad enough; imitation Spielberg untenable.

The rest of the proceedings ran smoothly. I ask that you pay particularly close attention to the phone call from listener Jessica. Best call-in ever! The woman obviously knows her stuff and speaks the truth!

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KPBS Film Club airs tomorrow - Time to bash spielberg!

May 20th, 2008 by Scott Marks

Just a reminder that the KPBS Film Club of the Air rages on tomorrow with reviews of four new films. Join Beth Accomando, Tom Fudge and the King Of All spielberg Haters when we discuss Thomas McCarthy’s The Visitor, Claude Lelouch’s Roman De Gare, Santosh Sivan’s Before the Rains and little stevie’s You’ll Need Crystal Meth to Sit Through Indiana Jones’ Skull.

The Film Club airs at 10 am (Pacific) and if you live outside the San Diego area, I’ll post the podcast here.

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