photo by Ryan Pfluger
A few questions, answers, and a suggested viewing list for these (insert adjective that suits you at this moment) indoor times.
Janicza Bravo is everything I think of when I think of what it is to be cool. Smart, witty, talented in various art forms, weird in the right ways, funny, skeptical, effortlessly stylish, a bit of a homebody, and a dog person who isn’t overly extroverted. If you follow her Instagram @Janicza you’ll begin to see what I’m poorly attempting to illustrate. Better still, Lemon, which Bravo directed and co-wrote with Brett Gelman, is available to stream on Hulu. Be on the look out for Zola, her much anticipated screenplay with Jeremy O. Harris and directorial adaptation of A’Ziah “Zola” King’s 2015 real time Twitter account of a road trip gone wrong (very simply put).
Do you remember what your first favorite song was?
Tutti Frutti by Lil Richard
Do songs often get stuck in your head? What's on rotation?
Right now I am listening to Moses Sumney’s new album. And in my car I listen to classical. But I don’t listen to a lot of music. When I do- I like listening on the record player but I tend to forget it’s on unless I’m really paying attention to it. I spend most of my time in silence. My thoughts are pretty loud and I talk to myself. Music just gets in the way or I forget it’s there. I tend to put movies on and have that play as my underscore.
Do you have a favorite film score or soundtrack?
All That Jazz. None is better. I have it on CD in my car.
I know that you love older movies. Me too. Can you think of a classic or well known film that prior to viewing you assumed to have a general idea of how it would go, yet it ended up surprising you?
Sunset Boulevard, The Graduate, anything David Lynch.
Do you have a film that you can watch over and over again and find something new each time? Or have you ever seen a film that didn't resonate with you until much later in your life?
Paris is Burning, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Landlord, All That Jazz
You have a gift for capturing public moments on your Instagram Stories, some of which have been recorded from your vehicle and sound tracked with classical music from your car radio. Was this planned?? With or without music, they're like little art pieces. Some seem satirical, some are kinda haunting, and some are blunt.. Do you save/ archive them on your phone? Have you ever referenced them for inspiration with your work?
I love following people and recording them. I used to live in New York which is a feast for people watching. In L.A. you gotta go out and find them.
As director and screenwriter of the much anticipated Zola- what's something that you'd like us to know about this experience?
It was hard and long and fruitful like anything worthwhile.
And finally, your dog Janet is quite the character- is she partial to any musical genre? What are her holiday plans?
Janet loves classical music. She is my boss and she is the best employer I have ever had.
You asked for 3-5. 3-5 is hard. I went with 10. Most titles on this list are accessible via Netflix, Amazon or Hulu. This is one of the only tasks I have managed to complete in 8 days. I am molasses.
All That Jazz
My favorite movie of all time. I watch it at least once a year. I have the soundtrack on record and CD. The closing number is called Bye Bye Life and is performed by Ben Vereen and Roy Scheider- it is truly perfect for this window we have found ourselves in. I wasn’t going to add it because if you don’t have it on DVD it’s basically impossible to find. But a lot of it is on Youtube-if that’s a way you watch.
Close-Up
I don’t want to say too much about this because the reveal is what makes this whole piece a marvel.
Clueless
Best high school movie there ever was. I will fight anyone on this who wants to fight ‘cause I like to fight. I heard a back story recently about Alicia Silverstone’s pronunciation of the word Haitians- that made me squeal. If you’ve seen the movie you know the moment. The story is online and worth a Google.
Columbo
This is one of my earliest memories of hour long television. I think it explains why I like Law and Order SVU as much as I do. I watched this with my grandma. All seasons are on Amazon and worth a vegetative state. You can watch the first to get a sense of the rules and then feel free to jump around. Steven Spielberg directed an episode in the first season. My favorite episodes star Johnny Cash, John Cassavetes, Dick Van Dyke, Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner.
Imitation of Life
This is absolutely necessary viewing for all living beings. Period. There are 2 but I am talking about the Douglas Sirk one which is the 2nd. It was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry so it’s kinda major.
Morvern Caller
This was my first introduction to Samantha Morton and Lynne Ramsey. It’s got a lot of bad vibes but is also full of pleasure.
Safe
Julianne Moore. Julianne Moore. Julianne Moore. And also Todd Haynes. I am really turned on by stress, outside of horror, in an art sense. I mean I get excited when anxiety is crafted in a way that leaves me wrecked. I am particularly drawn to the things our brains decide real or not.
Salt Fat Acid Heat
A love letter to food and most of all touch. If you’re like me- you think all of outside is poison. This is great background if you’re actually doing work but if you happen to just be spiraling this is a nice one to watch from the floor.
Set It Off
Mid 90s. Heist film. Directed by F. Gary Gray. I saw this on a bootleg in high school. I can confidently say that most black people have likely seen it. There isn’t a lot out there like this for women. It’s ultimately about the family we make outside of the ones we were born into.
Watchmen
Regina King for all the parts- please and thank you. I was a real stink face about this one at first cause there are blue people and masks and I’m a hater. Anyways I- was- wrong.
